I paid for this item with my own money and this review was conducted independently of the manufacturer. My blog does contain links to buy this item that may generate the site a small remuneration that does not increase the price you pay.

Super Speedy Summary Review

This outdoor knife has a well deserved heritage as far back as WW2. Given that most of us aren’t in combat I would suggest opting for the shorter blackened tanto tip version and I think its well worth spending a few extra bucks for the leather sheath option. The blade is easy to keep sharp and coated in a black baked coating which helps prevent the potential rust you can get on this type of steel if you don’t take proper care of it. Strong, practical for outdoor use and a wide range of uses from trowel and digging, opening cans and cutting and slicing the shorter, rubber handled black blade version represents the best value for money and practicality in their range.

Main In Depth Review

A Knife with a Proud Heritage

The name of the knife dates back to the early 1900s from a fur trapper testimonial. He wrote that while out hunting his gun jammed leaving him with only his knife to kill a wounded bear that was attacking him. He thanked the company for saving his life and signed the letter in such a way that it was hard to read the name. All that could be read was ‘K a bar’.

Honored by the testimonial the company adopted the phrase and the KA-BAR became their trademark.

After the start of WW2 the KA-BAR began working with The US Marines to create a fighting knife which became hugely popular with over a million sold during the war.

Today the knife is popular with the US Marines, Army, Navy and Coast Guard and Underwater Demolition Teams.

Steel Blade

The knife is deferentially heat treated with the tang being slightly softer than the blade. This is done on purpose so that the knife is more likely to bend than break. This means you can use this kind of knife to do things like digging and levering as much as you can as a cutting tool.

The blade is made from High Carbon Cro-Van Steel which makes it easy to sharpen but more susceptible to rusting. The main part of the blade is covered in a smooth black epoxy ‘baked’ powder coating to prevent rust.

I found this knife to be useful for cutting wood, roots, wire and even metal cable.

There are two blade length options, with the longer one at a lethal 7 inch blade which frankly probably breaks most US State laws for knife carry rules and isn’t really needed unless you are in actual combat. The 7 inch blade would be bulky, long and cumbersome on your body in most civilian uses. I opted for the shorter version 5.25 inch blade version with an overall 0.4lb weight which sits much more comfortably off my belt when I’m in the Outdoors.

There is also a D2 blade option that is more expensive and slightly more resilient to rust. I don’t think this is worth the extra money.

Tanto Tip

This blade comes in two options, the standard drop tip and a tanto tip. I chose the tanto because it generally provides a strong knife with a high point and flat grind giving it the ability to punch through much harder materials, and I even use it to open cans. Tanto blades are easy to sharpen.

Tanto tips became more popular in the 1970s and 80s and were inspired by the tip design of Japanese katana blades.

Grip and Handle

The grip is oval shaped and fits the hand well with good traction grooves on the rubber handle even when my hands were wet.

The handle has a downward bent guard (quillion).

Tang and Pommel

The knife has a visible Rat Tail Tang which means the knife has a thinner rod of metal through the handle than other knives, saving some weight but generally I’m less of a fan of this because it usually makes the knife weaker than one with a full tang through the handle. The Butt Cap (pommel) is attached with a headed steel pin.

Leather Sheath

There are two options for the sheath, a heavy duty plastic one which is MOLLE compatible which I feel doesn’t quite do this heritage knife justice and a rather nicer black leather sheath which I opted for.

Knife Care

I suggest keeping a very thin layer of mineral oil on these type of blades to prevent corrosion along the sharp edge. I suggest keeping the edges sharp as needed with an Arkansas stone.

Knives made with D2 Steel require diamond or ceramic sharpeners and should not ever be sharpened on a belt sander or grinder.

Verdict

This outdoor knife has a well deserved heritage as far back as WW2. Given that most of us aren’t in combat I would suggest opting for the shorter blackened tanto tip version and I think its well worth spending a few extra bucks for the leather sheath option. The blade is easy to keep sharp and coated in a black baked coating which helps prevent the potential rust you can get on this type of steel if you don’t take proper care of it.

Strong, practical for outdoor use and a wide range of uses from trowel and digging, opening cans and cutting and slicing the shorter, rubber handled black blade version represents the best value for money and practicality in their range.