Ka-Bar USMC Knife Review and Test with Bonus Becker BK9 ownage
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- / @preparedmind101
Preparedmind101 brings you a review and test of the Ka-Bar USMC Fighting Knife. After performing a simple handle modification, I found that I like this knife WAY more than I did, and do various cut and chop tests. Also, I piggyback some Becker BK9 usage onto this review, in which the BK9 out cuts the Ka-Bar USMC so much it's almost comical.
![The LEGENDARY KABAR WW2 Fighting Knife [What You NEED to Know!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6kEYm61ChJg/mqdefault.jpg)
As a former U.S. Marine we used the Kabar for one thing only let's face it nobody wants to get that close to your enemy because someone always get cut but last ditch it does the job
In a knife fight, winner goes to the ER.
My son bought me this exact knife for Christmas. Thanks for your tip about the o-rings. I just went to Lowes and bought a pack. They fit the handle perfectly. This is a great mod for this knife.
The kbar is still one of the greatest knives ever built for what it is built for! No it's not for carving on your tent stakes,although it will work, but it's as stout and durable as they come. Knowing what you are going to do and buying the right tool is the first step. If I could only have one the kbar would be hard to beat.
I haven't been attacked by any water bottles latley so I'm not worried about that
Around 1968 on a drive with my father, we went on a lark to a Navy Surplus store. He bought me a ka-bar knockoff made in Japan (by the blade stamp). It's an iconic design and is as good and tight as the day I bought it. Recently put a convex edge on it. I've used it throughout the year, but have other knives that I use more frequently. Periodically I clean it up and oil it with Ballistol, which protects metal, leather, and rubber. While the handle was confortable, it wasn't a great grip. Slippery even with the grooves. At your recommendation, I just added the #15 rubber gasket washers. (As an aside, use painter's tape to cover grooves and install the washers beginning near the quillion/cross-guard.) It's feels like a new knife. What a great recommendation! Thanks so much.
I inherited my Dads late 70s USMC KaBar. I know that the older ones have a different Tungsten content than the newer ones.
I've beat the heck out of that thing for the better part of my 40 years, and have never chipped it, he'll, it took that long to dull it.
They take forever to sharpen, but I'm pretty sure I could chop my BK-7 in half with it.
Most rugged knife I've ever seen.
Thanks for the tip . I have a huge mechanics O-Ring kit . I have the R-15 o-rings , but decided they're a little thin . The R-17 O-rings are thicker and work great . Again , thanks for the tip .
Did the O-ring mod on my Ka-bar. Love it! Thanks for passing along the tip.
My k bar out of the box was very sharp.
Like shaving sharp. Have had no problems with it, had it for about two years now. Keep up the good work like your reviews.soon as I get some money I'm going to get the bk 9. That thing is a beast.
It's nice to see some love for those old knives.
Hello Chris:
A long time ago i had a KA-BAR fighting knife before i was 20 and at that time i got it from Sunny Surpluses and you can say that was a really long time ago lol. But really i have been looking around for a really good knife to do some outdoor work like camping and fishing and yea.
And I've been on you tube for sometime now and in a couple weeks or so i have been looking for a nother KA-BAR fighting knife and the first one i had it did me very well and at the 50 price that's pretty good for a knife that's made here in the U. S. A. And it's very easy to sharpen and thanks for your in and out puts on all the knifes you put to the testing and keep cool and ✌
I've had my KaBar USMC for thirty one years. super durable excellent quality knife. and now I have one more use for it. cutting the necks off water bottles.
the #15 o-rings work great. what an improvement to the handle. Thanks Chris.
thanks for the tip with the O rings. I have 2 ka-bar knives. one was a gift and is brand new and the other was my uncle's Vietnam ussue knife. I like them both (the blades are identical) but the older one hasa pretty uncomfortable grip and the O rings really helped! i'm actually starting to like the 50 yr old knife better than the new one. I don't use either for batoning though as I carry an eastwing camp axe in my kit. if I decide to streamline my kit more, I would definitely upgrade to the bk7 or 9
Just buy the version with the synthetic handle grip and it's problem solved. Had mine for 15 years and it's always served me well. For bushcraft use I changed the edge grind so it's more convex and this helped a lot. I've beaten the piss out of this thing and it's still going strong
Definitely! That BK9 went through the hardest part of the bottle with nearly zero resistance. I need to do a Becker cut-a-thon, but I am out of bottles at the moment. Need some of those bigger ones.
The o-rings are a brilliant idea! I used them on mine, and my Ka-Bar looks and feels as if it came from the factory like that.
I wonder if we expect too much of a knife these days? Baton-ing? That's abuse to any knife, though some seem to take it. I admit the Ka-bar has the tang design weakness, but really only in regard to baton-ing. Otherwise, the knife serves its purpose just fine. Going to get one. Long overdue.
+Ranger Trekker A lot of people want to use it as a bushcraft knife. So yout have to talk about it.
Haha! Thought you have done with knife reviews! 8 years later, you're still doing them!!!
Nice video. I have owned my Ka-Bar USMC for almost 20 years, and have use it on camping trips, hiking, and prepping for hunting season in the areas that I will be hunting. It can take a lot of punishment, putting O-rings in the handle grooves is a great idea. I will go to my local Ace Hardware and get the O-rings. I like your ideas, you know when you have to take life to a HIGH LEVEL of self preservation. Be safe and enjoy life!
My new small baby is the 7" KA-BAR 1281 D2 Extreme Fighting Utility Knife. That D2 steel is freaking tough. As for any of the 12xx series (yours is the 1217, btw) KA-BAR combat knives go, DON'T SHARPEN THEM BEFORE THEY GET DULL!!! KA-BAR is very meticulous in sharpening their blades to have a balance between edge durability and slicing. Out-of-the-box, the edge is perfect for that knife. Remember, while professional cutlery knives (sharpened to about 10/10 degrees) are really sharp, and quality razor blades (sharpened to about 3 degrees) are impressive for cutting flesh, paper, and fabrics, they dull quickly and are at risk of rolling the edge when doing things like hacking bone and splitting wood. The USMC KA-BAR is basically a replica of the (in)famous WWII KA-BAR knife, which was meant to puncture any part of the enemy's uniform - INCLUDING their steel helmets, slice flesh quickly and effortlessly, have enough length to puncture the heart (and even slice though the ribs on the way in), as well as being able to pound tent stakes, clear brush, open metal ammo barrels, be balanced enough to throw if absolutely necessary, and retain grip even when completely soaked in coagulating blood. There have been many uses for this iconic knife, so don't you think KA-BAR has figured out the best sharpening angle for their flagship knife after nearly 85 years? Yeah, don't sharpen it in a noob electric grinder/sharpener; use a quality whetstone or diamond stone, and re-sharpen it to 20/20 degrees (40 degrees included), which is a common butcher knife angle (and the factory angle for the 12xx series) that slices meat to the bone effortlessly. Ceramic stones are perfect for getting that final edge with their ultra fine grain. However, I recommend you stick with the 20/20 degree angles KA-BAR chose. The 12xx series KA-BAR fighting utility knives are killing tools, not your shaving blade.
You should do a review on the Mtech Extreme Raptor. I just ordered that knife online not too long ago and I can't wait to get it!! That knife is a beast, I was thinking of doing an unboxing once I get it, but yeah it's a badass knife. Good job on your videos!!
I've seen Ka-Bars stand up to some ridiculous testing, but also seen them fail ridiculously. Could have just been a bad lot, but I saw one bend at the hilt after being thrown a few times. It was the classic style which I know has the skinny tang. The ones I've seen stand up to brutal testing were the newer models with the polymer grips - not sure if they changed the tang on those or not, but no bending. Outstanding edge and point retention also.
I wonder if that handle is wrapped with the same dyed leather as the Estwing Sportsman's Leather Grip Handle Axe found in some box stores.
Anyway, I heard thats the first thing to deteriorate when it gets repeatedly wet.
I also learned somewhere on YT that another way to improve the grip on the USMC knife is by wetting the handle so it causes it to swell.
At 3:12 I damn near fell of my chair laughing. Probably the funniest damn thing I have seen in a while. Good stuff.
I always test my knife edges by seeing how well they cut through thick manila rope.
Does it cut watermelon ?
I'd fucking LOVE to hear the Marines at Tarawa's review, rather than this guy's review...
I've never understood the water bottle test. Never been attacked by one, never had to cut one in a survival situation. That being said I like your videos and the full knife rundown was great. The BK9 is next on my list, keep it up.
For those who like the Ontario Air Force Survival Knife, the #15 O ring trick works great for this knife as well.
"You don't have to feel bad about capitating the bottles, because i've made them look evil..."
ROFL
Chris, you are a great entertainer!
Great tip on the o-rings, thanks!
Next friend who buys a new knife ima ask him how well it can decapitate evil water bottles
I usually like your reviews but you are testing a fighting knife out by chopping water bottles? You say you don't like the grip and then get out another knife that doesn't deserve to be in the same video as the iconic Ka-Bar. If it's good enough that the marines have used it since ww2 then it's good enough for anybody.
BK9 is a Ka-Bar too FYI. An actual full tang 1095 knife not a brittle rat tail tang like the fighting knife. That BK 9 could chop the fighting knife in half and still keep going.
Robertjr82: I love my Ka-Bar 1217. Big fan. But, saying “if it was good enough for the Marines, it’s good enough for anyone,” isn’t exactly true. Now, I agree: the Ka-Bar 1217 is more than capable of being a reliable knife. If I was lost, defending myself, whatever, and all I had was my Ka-Bar, I’d count myself lucky.
But, these days, a lot of knife enthusiasts have jumped on the bandwagon of this whole “you should be able cut down a tree and not break the blade” concept. I don’t see that as good or bad, but it’s what some people want. A Ka-Bar simply cannot take the same level of extreme stresses that some of the more modern blades can handle. If you try to use a Ka-Bar to perform the same tasks as, say a Esee 5, you’re going to have a bad day....LOL.
But, for how use my knives (any of them, not just my Ka-Bar), I have never had a single problem or complaint, and everything I need done, gets done. I like everything about the design, even the rattail-tang. When you consider what it was originally intended to do, that rattail tang maintains the balance, and keeps the weight down, which would certainly reduce fatigue if you had a SUPER suck day, and had to fight with it.
That 90 degree nonsense where the blade and tang meet is kind of dumb, but it’s not a dealbreaker, or an issue considering how I use my knives.
I have, quite literally, trusted my life with it. When I was 18, I was hiking up around Grand Lake, CO., decided to take a shortcut to this well known waterfall, and like an idiot, got myself lost. LOL...I didn’t have water, not even a friggin’ granola bar....but I had my Ka-Bar....so I didn’t panic. I wish there was a really cool adventure, but by the end of the day I managed to orient myself, and found my way back to camp.
🤷♂️ So, I like it. If people use it the way it was intended to be used, I’d just about guarantee that it will outlive the person who bought it, and probably outlive their great-grandchildren.
Hi Cris ! Thought I'd go back in time for a visit ! Loved seeing Becky again .
Ah the godlike feeling of a good cut!
What a great tip with the O rings. 👍
We've had an influx of zombie water bottle attacks so this appears to be the proper defense weapon.
this is like those videos you see of guys swinging there katanas around in their backyard.
Grip?
The grip is great on the KA-BAR.
I like the idea of the o rings to improve the grip. One question? Would the rings interfere with cleaning? I usually give mine a good cleaning twice a year including a wipe down with saddle soap on the leather then mink oil about a week later.
I absolutely lost it when you cut off the ping-pong ball.
good idea with the rings i love my usmc ka bar bad ass knife but not the best to chop with they do the job well but they can fail its a grate fighting/servival knife so a bit of light chpopping and battoning is going to be fine some people try to batton through a 6 inch log full of knots and end up braking the handel off .
It's really just a sharpness/stroke angle test. Try cutting a bottle with a blade not sharp enough and you get disaster. This video demonstrated that perfectly. Some people live for the bottle test though....
Chris, You can also use a section of bicycle tyre tubing to give an even better grip
Ahhh sorry to be a pain Chris could you please tell me the best Gun Blueing solution to Blue the blade after I strip it? Thanks Chris
I can tell you're a good guy. I like your videos, they are pretty entertaining as well as informative, and that's a great idea for the Kabar. But what are those, rubber seals, for plumbing?? I was thinking of getting a kabar, and I agree with you on the handle, they do look rather uncomfortable.
Can you review the "Ka-Bar Big Brother Knife"?
What can be done with the handle of the bk9 so it won't slip so much? The handle sucks
well, which knife is better
going in woods, Ka Bar, Fiskars X7, Fiskars folding saw, pocket knife, good to go for anything
"I thought I was done with knife reviews" lol
Nice drive. Did it hit the fairway?
Got to try that,the o ring thing
Which angle did you use on the Work Sharp to sharpen this knife?
the K bar is a nice knife but I myself carry the case xx Marine fighting knife you get the legendary case quality and its cheaper than the Kabar
Nice test
Great idea with O rings! Just wondering do you have the stock handles on the BK9 ?
If you do, I'm telling you get the Micarta handles.
It made a world of difference to my BK2, especially in wet conditions.......such as water bottle survival lol.
Thanks,
Notice how the neighbors have built fences to keep this dude out xD lmao
😂
Where you get yours
you need to do a redoe of the ka bar...& zoom in on your handle on what ya did...
You do some nice reviews. Unfortunately this wasn't one of them. You hold in your hand a excellent knife with a great history that's kinda made look goofy in this
I fuckin love my Ka-Bar ! It's just my go to knife when I'm hunting or just out in the sticks ... Hell I still have other brand new fixed blades I haven't used yet because I love it so much ! lol I definitely have to try the o-rings, the only time the leather is grippy is when there's deer blood on my hands and the handle .
the synthetic handle ones grip awesome
i love your sarcastic tone hahaha
Hey are you going to strip the KaBar?
Hotter can you stop the bk9 from slipping so much? The handle sucks
I couldn't stop laughing when you cut the the ping pong ball I knew you would cut it
She doesn't say anything since I don't film when anyone is home, and if I much up the carpet I get out the Hoover Steam Vac. I'm more worried about what she's going to say when see sees the hole I melted in our new deck box with the Biolite stove!
Those three will get it done. Not a fan of the BK2 myself...I sold mine. I always favored the BK9 so I never carried the '2.
Brought out my USMC K-BAR new in box that I bought about 20 years ago to check it out and will definitely do the O ring Mod but I wanted to upgrade the sheath...Kydex or Nylon??
Thanks, I'm looking at the K-Bar Kydex around 15.00 on Amazon.
Fun review. Made me smile.
Did you happen to do a review on "the patriot" or "the call of duty" knives
do u think the cold steel tanto lite would be as strong as this knife? I want to get a good medium sized blade but don't wanna break the bank
Ryan , try the shade schf36, it's a great medium sized wood processing, utility knife that runs around 35 dollars plus shipping. Defiantly a high quality knife, but it comes with a horrible sheath. the sharpening stone and ferro rod it comes with does help take the sting of a poor sheath easier to bear.
Can anyone confirm that this has the same steel, heat treat, and edge angle as a Becker BK9? I beat the snot out of my Becker delimbing branches & it's still sharp while my Fiskars hatchet turned snaggletooth working on the same wood.
well, about the ka-bar usmc.. it's a damned fine knife.
I have an original 1940s one carried in battle but i will never get to sharpen it so its good for looking at.. it was the first thing i got when i turned 18yrs. but if shit hit the fan it's the first thing i would grab. Looking at buying a busse or another k-bar-d2
Will Jones you sir are very lucky i love ww2 military gear used has even more character
“No more neck for you” lmaooo
lmao! Dude, your neighbors must think your a fuckin' fruit loop! They're probably like, "Oh look, here comes Chris again choppin' fuckin water bottles out on his rear deck." HAHA! Nice video though! I especially like the part about the ethical treatment of water bottles! =)
Just remember, every time you waste water, you make Cody Lundin cry!
that comment made my day lol
Why do you count yourself while it is already recording?
i watched this vid just so i could see becky again!
i am sooo gunna buy a bk9
nice review brother...great info on the o-rings...i subbed...takecare
can you review the buck tops nighthawk?
You can make any knife sharp enough to cut threw a water bottle. Ka-bar is known for being extremely durable and reliable.
Nice, after I buy this knife I wil use it to teach some water bottles a lesson they wont forget.
Does anyone know how to tell and original issued like if it was military
thanks to this video i probably gonna buy this knife
I took the leather off and put antler on mine and a new hand guard
What o ring size(s) did you use?
#15 he said
I sell Firearms & Knives. KA-BAR is best bang for the Buck when it comes to knives! The USMC is weighted nicely for throwing too! The leather handle is very nice! Great vid bud!
Hey Chris, you gotta get a GSO 5.1 cause I wanna see you review it :P
excellent videos
Great knife!
I once saw a guy cut through 13 water bottles with a ka-bar... So I don't think that you need to worry about the edge on one
Great play on words de "cap" itated.
Check the Medford knives USMC fighter!
It is the same Ka-Bar but with a better design and steel :)
Ahhhhh, memories...😂🤣😃😄😅😆😂🤣😃😄😅😆😁😎😎 One of your best reviews EVER.
Take it easy brother. Did you ever review a Blackhawk Tatang??? I couldn't find it if you did. Great blade if you haven't messed around with one. Peace out.
What did these poor defence less water bottles ever do to you ,you have got to learn how to forgive and forget
I thought they made this with the kraton handle now
both
228! Strike that, 1k!
You thought whaaa? What happened?
How did you the ball dead center, hahaha!
Thumbs up just for the o-ring trick.
+Tiki Tavi While that is a neat trick, I find that the leather grip when properly oiled has an insanely good grip, even better than the synthetic Kraton G grips you see on many models. The down side is it requires more maintenance to make sure the leather stays malleable/flexible. Also oil the leather sheath. I love the dark cherry-wood-varnish-like leather grips on the vintage WWII KA-BAR knives, so I submerged both the grip and sheath in Neetsfoot oil, which often causes brown/tan leather to darken to that cherry wood varnish over time. Saturating the leather helps keep a near permanent layer of oil on the tang, preventing corrosion. Saturating the sheath helps repel moisture, and puts a light coat of oil on the blade when you put it in the sheath. It also protects the belt loop and grip strap from getting dry, and eventually cracking. If you and your descendants take good care of your KA-BAR 1217 USMC fighting utility knife, it'll easily last over 100 years of use... maybe even 200 years!
If your curious about what I said about darkening the leather, see this picture of the same 1217 model you have (obviously the KA-BAR in the picture):
scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13072770_1197466170266637_6860667271005114946_o.jpg
And:
scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/1936546_1114251525254769_7649880865395488400_n.jpg?oh=284b450a9d61f8a69ab537b950f9ba55&oe=57AF1FD2
The other knife is about a 1967-1969 vintage Edge Brand model 473 stag horn hunting knife my dad carried in the Vietnam War, if you were wondering.
+Goattacular Kraton G is a lot simpler and easier.
*****
True, but I do love the stacked leather. The synthetic grips do have that wonderful all weather characteristic, though, so there's something to be said about that. Heck, of the four KA-BAR knives I have at this time (models 1211, 1217, 1245, and 1281), only the 1217 has the leather grip and sheath. It's the coolest and best looking of them, but the 1281 is my EDC knife due to the hefty pommel and guard, all weather Kraton G grip, and that sweet D2 tool steel blade. The sheath also has a pouch on it, and has 2 buttoned MOLLE straps that make (un)equipping the sheath to your belt or backpack super fast and easy. That leather 1217, though... Mmm-hmm! Awesome aesthetics!
Interestingly enough, the 1211 seems the most balanced of them all for nailing targets at 10 feet when thrown (as seen on my channel). The 1281 is the hardest to throw, but with practice I've got it down... not that I'd throw my knife unless absolutely necessary in the absolute worst scenarios, since you would effectively disarm yourself and give your attacker another weapon if you fail.
plz do the bk3
BK9 vs. Ka-Bar piercing test!
Dude you are hilarious. You say some crazy stuff. "Oh so you like my girlfriend huh..." :) AWESOME!
Worksharp got corrected to worksharp.