Please tell me about the Ka-Bar

[Carol]

To me that sounds more like a weak spot in the metal, especially if it was a clean break. If it wasn't a clean break, that's usually a sign of a blade that's been under an undue amount of stress.

Ask me again next year once I have some blacksmithing classes under my belt

 

[mook jong man]

Well it's a place where certain men go to drink and meet other gentlemen of that persuasion.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Well it's a place where certain men go to drink and meet other gentlemen of that persuasion.

Says the man, just before having his face lightly tapped with an entrenching tool.

 

[elder999]

Used properly-even to chop wood-a rat tail or stick tanged knife like the Ka-Bar can stand up for years. The leather washer handle does absorb more shock than the krayton handled ones, but the krayton handled ones also have a somewhat thicker tang.

Bottom line, if the tang breaks, it's probably because the user was doing something wrong-like using it for a hammer all of the time, instead of just in a pinch, or using poor technique for chopping wood.

I've seen these knives handle a fair amount of use at more than 30 or 40 years old. Of course,like a lot of things, the older ones are probably made better....:lol:

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Of course,like a lot of things, the older ones are probably made better....:lol:

There's a fact. Steel and other metal alloys are better now in bespoke knives, but in consumer-grade or mass-produced items, no way.

A lot of people are surprised to find out how small a genuine KA-BAR really is; it's not the monster kind of half-machete that became popular after Crocodile Dundee started waving one around.

I have found a knife I prefer, and I think it's an un-appreciate cult classic. I'm fully-supplied, so I'll let the cat out of the bag.

http://www.gunnyssurplus.com/m5-garand-bayone.html

This is a full-length tang, but the tang is not the width of the blade. One must remove the plastic handle and make a new one (I used wood, others use leather disks, etc). Some remove the attaching boss, others don't bother. The surplus scabbard is fine for attaching to a belt and is highly protective.

I feel it has proper heft and balance; the KA-BAR, as much as I love it for its history, has always felt 'wrong' in my hands balance-wise. I have also never managed to destroy one of my M5 Garand bayonets. They're really good. I have stoned a few to shiny up the blade. Long slow work but great for a winter evening with nothing better to do.