I forgot all about tool dip. I have a couple of cans laying around - thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Wolf
Printable View
I forgot all about tool dip. I have a couple of cans laying around - thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Wolf
It is not a matter of being "right."Quote:
Originally Posted by klkak
You simply have a different opinion.
A failure to discuss the possibilites than one might NOT have the correct "tool for the job" in EVERY single wilderness/survival scenario is a sign of immaturity.
I am glad you are prepared for every possible emergency there is. I am not and the reason I posted my own non-scientific experiences in the first place.
Did you even read my posts?
I did not advocate anyone run outside and begin batoning wood!
I DID advocate that if forced to rely on ONE knife (not a hatchet, not an axe, not a machete...) that it be exceptionally durable and sturdy.
Back on topic, once again and I won't mention the "B" word.
Anyone out there have any blades that didn't make the cut (so to speak)?
Surprisingly (in today's lawsuit-crazed society), there are a few knife manufacturers that offer to repair and/or replace their knives "no matter what!"Quote:
Originally Posted by Blood Groove
From what I've read, the Gerber LMF II has been really shining in the Sand Box and has taken on a multitude of combat-oriented tasks (hammering, prying, and cutting things a little harder than wood) with no failures.
I guess when the bullets are flying, the "right tool for the job" is the one you have at the time, huh? ;)
I can vouch for Gerber. Friend and I jabbed, pried and tore a softball-sized burl from a pine tree's root using a gerber folder. Only bent it a little bit when we were getting disgusted at the holding power of that damn wart
You've got that right. When I was a kid everyone carried a Case XX pocket knife and except for youngsters nobody bothered carrying a fixed blade. You did everything that swam, walked or flew with one pocket knife that lasted for many years, sharpened until the blades were gone. The only fixed blades were Old Hickory butcher knives always sharpened well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Leighman
Gerber knives are definitely a "mixed" bag as some are very good while others (usually the China made imports) can be iffy at best.
Their LMF II is quite stout but a bit heavier than I prefer for woods carry.
The sheath is equally as solid and the retention is very secure.
Some folks don't like serrations (me included) but overall, I would rate the knife's durability as a 8.5 or 9 (scale of 1-10).
For the asking price, it's a heck of a heavy-duty knife.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ole WV Coot
I recall mine was a Buck 3-bladed stockman type....it went everywhere I went, including school (in those days)!
Then one year my uncle (living in Eurpoe at the time) sent me my first Victorinox Swiss Armk Knife; a "Huntsman" model. The saw blade was the envy of all my friends.
Talk about sharpening a blade until there was nothing left!!! :D
One I forgot....an early production Schrade Extreme Survival fixed blade design. The saw teeth on the spine were pretty useless and the blade appeared to be little more than a polished/chromed bayonet (i.e. M7).
the butt end incorporated a horrid claw hammer and the "survival" sheath was flimsily made. Not one my better purchases.
Check out www.knifetests.com
Keep in mind, this guy takes things to extremes with regard to "abuse."
Thanks for all the info. guys. I just wanted to learn some things from people with hands-on experience with knives.
before i really knew anything about good knives, i went to big5 and bought a smith and wesson folder for like 50$. i thought it was the coolest knife. a week later the stupid thing started falling apart! the screws that held the pocket clip on all fell off, the locking mechanism started getting weak and there started to be a lot of blade play, and the blade didnt stay sharp very long. thats what got me into learning about good knife makers...i dont want to be carrying a crappy knife that can fall apart at any moment while im on the job.
Do as you choose.
Yes I'd definitely agree with you there. I'd really like to have an LMF II they do look amazing. The most interresting thing about the knife I think is how it's insulated from electricity. I heared a story about a guy who cut through the hot-wires of a building and was fine doing it! But I've also heared that the handle wears out though. I've never had any experience using the 12C27 steel it's made of, but it's supposed to be good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Leighman
I bought the 6" SRK knife in Kuwait on my way to Iraq in 2007. Didn't use it much but when it was strapped to my leg the TCN's (Third Country Nationals) seen it they said it was intimidating. So it served that purpose at least.
Iv'e just learned a bit about stick tangs on knives. Is the stick tang a single component or piece, or a bunch of collpsable pieces fit together?
ONE MORE question, I just need to know this. Is the Ka-bar knife a single piece of metal from tip to butt cap? No glues or anything, just one piece? I know that it is full tang but I have little experience with knives and I was a bit confused as to if the ka-bar was one single piece, even with the stick tang.
The previosuly mentioned site(www.knifetests.com) puts a Gerber LMF II to the test and it performed quite well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blood Groove
Again, this fellow ("Noss") completely destroys the knives and while not really a scientific approach, he shows how much abuse certain types of knives can withstand before they eventually fail.
Oddly enough (or not), some very very inexpensive knives have outperformed some of the higher end versions (i.e. Chris Reeves).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leighman
Cool site. I was surprised to see how well the USAF pilot knife did, thats the knife i use. It out did the USMC Ka-Bar.
Same here with S&W. Fortunately, I learned early on (before sinking too much $$$ into my hobby) that the majority of knives made by gun manufacturers should generally be avoided.Quote:
Originally Posted by tonester
Of course, there are always exceptions, such as Glock's field knife. It's not the sharpest out of the box but for $30 it's not too bad, either. Definitely makes for a good trunk or "second" knife.
IIC, some H&K-marked folders were made by Benchmade. Tough to go wrong there, as well.
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/6350/kbar.htmQuote:
ONE MORE question, I just need to know this. Is the Ka-bar knife a single piece of metal from tip to butt cap? No glues or anything, just one piece? I know that it is full tang but I have little experience with knives and I was a bit confused as to if the ka-bar was one single piece, even with the stick tang.
The leather handle of the KA-BAR Fighting Knife is formed by stacking 22 slotted genuine cowhide leather discs over the rectangular tang and then compressing them under great pressure to turn the discs into a solid unit - so solid in fact, it resists absorbing moisture or contamination of any kind and is highly shock proof. With the leather discs in place and still under pressure they are locked together by topping them off with a 3/8" solid steel pommel pinned right through the tang from side to side. With this accomplished the knife is assembled into one virtually indestructible piece and ready for the finishing operations of adding five grooves around the handle for a comfortable, slip resistant grip, polishing the leather and finally hand sharpening and honing the blade to a razor edge. The finished knife is then a truly battle-ready KA-BAR.
Break a Ka-Bar??? You must be a VERY manly man to break a Ka-Bar.Quote:
Is the tang on the Ka-bar leather handled small or big enough to were I can put on a makeshift handle if it breaks?
I have dug foxholes, broken banding staps on pallets of C -rations, ammo and other gear, broken the wire on cases of C-rations, open C-rations cans, built shelters, pounded tent pegs. skinned and cleaned animals & fish, Cut comm wire, built snares and fish traps and I haven't broken mine yet. It need sharpened several times but Broken Not yet.
I think it is one-piece, just not near the width of the blade itself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jericho117
If you look closely at the butt/pommel, you will se the rectangular size of the tang (pretty small). You can also see where it is "pinned" if looking on the rounded side of the butt itself.
While Ka-bar's have a rich & deserved combat history, I think knife making has evolved so much since WWII (i.e. blade steels, thicker tangs, grinds, handle composition, etc) that they may be a bit outdated to some.
That said, I've never been able to "kill" a Ka-bar and once a proper convex edge is added, they make for a good all-around slicer and a so-so chopper.
I say "so-so chopper" only because thel overall weight of the knife limits the amout of the blade's chopping efficiency; that's probably why Uncle Sam issued an Ontario made machete! ;)
That and the fact that "some" $20 Chinese imports outperformed some very high-end blades!Quote:
Originally Posted by backtobasics
Of course, there are many "kinfe snobs" out there (just like "gun snobs" in the shooting community) who bash the guy's techniques but it's interesting to see how certain brands/models hold up (and don't) when it comes to complete & total destruction.
Lastly, better HIS knives than MINE! :D
My best knifes: Got a USAF Survival Knife issued by the Air Force while in Thailand in the early70's http://www.bestglide.com/AF_Survival_Knife_Info.html) and it served with me up to a year ago, in the humid jungles, the big sand box and everywhere in between. It is beat up, chipped but retains its edge and is easily sharpened . Not bad for a 30 plus year old knife. It now resides on my "love me wall" in my den. My constant companion for at least as long has been my pocket knife, a two bladed Barlow brand, the blade is somewhat thinned by years of sharpening, one of the handle pieces is broken, but it is still ticking. It has been used as a screw driver, can opener, gaping spark plugs and even occasionally as a pocket knife :)Here is a site for the type, of course mine is US made, not China as indicated in the site http://www.knifecountryusa.com/store...e-handles.html
I just try to keep things simple:D
Sharp looking knife you have there PAL.
I just wrote a little on the forum "Not So Good Knives" About the USAF knife, have had one for 30 plus years and all good experiences.Quote:
Originally Posted by backtobasics
That is very reassuring.
Nell: Just wish mine were still that "purty". But they have aged gracefully (like me :eek:)
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,eh Pal? And since you be-holding that knife,it's beautiful right?:)
Well put. I "beholding" them forever
Along with Bean's chores with his Kabar, mine doubled as a diving knife, has chiselled scallops off rocks, chopped wood like an ax, has won one knife throwing contest, and has never let me down. I bought it from a Navy guy when I was 13 years old.
The only reason I do not use it anymore, it's a collectors item now and I want to hand it down to my son. The knife accompanied me through my early hunting years, my USMC years, it has been around the world, wet in the Atlantic, Pacific, swamps of Panama, and the waters off Oki.
Hands down, you can not go wrong.
FVR is right on. I guess the AF knife is ok, I have one and don't care for it, personal preference. I have an Ontario style Kabar and it bent easily at the guard. My retired Kabar is 45yrs old and is like a razor including the false edge. It has saved my bacon and helped fry it. The only treatment the leather handle has had is sweat, dirt and a little blood and I know it's a compromise and not a fighter, but nobody told me so it worked fine, not as good as my EK fighter, also 45yrs old and retired but it just feels right in my hand and never let me down.
I've never owned a Ka-Bar and many here swear by them. They are good looking knives. I'll probably end up getting one. One more knife can't hurt, right? I just never thought i needed a knife with a blade over 5 inches, but hay, I'll give it a try. Maybe I'm missing out on something.
The "Next Generation" Ka-Bars are not as traditional in appearance as the orginal leather handle/1095 carbon steel versions but have some features that some prefer.Quote:
Originally Posted by backtobasics
A single guard is the best improvement I've seen. if you ain't goin' toe-to-toe with the enemy in a knife fight, the top part of the guard is pretty useless and many fans of the Ka-Bar simply grind off the top guard.
The butt/pommel (while still flat) has a lanyard hole (important to some, not so much to others).
Some type of black semi-hard rubber Kraton type handle as opposed to the leather washers.
Partially serrated (and plain) blade styles are available.
Some type of stainless blade (440A?). I'll take to easy-to-sharpen 1095 any day.
Sheath options of leather, thermopalstic kydex type, and nylon. The Nylon is made by Eagle (I think) and VERY well constructed.
There may be a few more minor differences but these readily came to mind.
Having owned and used both I would take the original Ka-Bar and just upgrade to a better quality sheath/scabbard for it.
On the www.knifetests.com, The Scrap Yard Knife Company's "Scrapper 6" (with a 6 1/2" blade) had the highest rating of all the knives tested! (only $99.95) It's a Busse brother knife Company. Below is the info.
Scrapper 6
The Scrapper 6 serves as the debut model of the Scrap Yard line. It features SR-77 steel, which is a slightly modified version of S-7 tool steel hardened to 57-59 Rc. S-7 is commonly used in jackhammer bits and is well known for its enormous toughness. Through the use of deep cryogenics and our proprietary heat-treating protocol we are able to wring the maximum performance out of this incredibly tough tool steel.
Cost $99.95
The Scrapper 6 features a 6 1/2" long blade and near full-length tang construction. The end of the tang is less than 1/4" from the butt of the handle. The thicker than 1/4" blade (.275" thick) features a full-height flat ground bevel with a convex edge adding to the strength and cutting power of this abuse loving American made blade. The exclusive, non-hygroscopic Resiprene C handles have been proven in the harshest combat conditions around the globe. With an overall length of 11 1/2" the Scrapper 6 is the perfect sized blade for day campers, combat professionals, and those who choose to venture into the uncharted wilderness.
No detail has been overlooked in the construction and design of the Scrapper 6. These details include all radiused corners at the blade handle juncture, which, although covered by the handle and unseen by the user/abuser, greatly increases the overall strength of the Scrapper 6 at the point where most other knives can fail under extreme conditions. Other details include a radiused "plunge" at the beginning of the blade bevel and a generous sized choil for ease of choking up on the blade. The choil also facilitates ease of re-sharpening along the entire edge without bumping into the plunge of the bevel. The black coating is both non-reflective and protective against the elements.
The Scrapper 6 is built like a tank and is far tougher than most every other blade on the market today.
Specs at a glance:
Steel: SR-77
Hardness: 58 - 60 Rc
Handle: Resiprene C
Thickness: .275 (Between 1/4" & 5/16")
Blade Length: 6.5"
Overall Length: 11.5"
It's a great knife for THAT price!
http://www.scrapyardknives.com/intro.htm
ANY knife made by Busse/Scrapyard/Swamprat will outperform just about any production knife out there, not my opinion but a generally recognized fact; hence their fierce and loyal following.
I have the Scrapyard "Dumpster Mutt" (blade a bit shorter than a Scapper, also in SR-77) and have found it be as durable (if not more so) than the majority of the higher end production knives on the market.
Good or bad, there is somewhat of a cult following and finding one available for the MSRP can be tricky at times as the company produces certain models in small batches.
I've had my dads Ka-Bar for some 40 years now and it isn't a bad knife but knives have come a long way since the Ka-bars were designed. I also had 20 years in the military carrying a pilots knife either in my SV-2 (avaitors survival vest) or in the field as a survival instructor. I found it so wanting that I carried a Benchmade Bushmaster in my SV-2 as well as the pilots knife. I wound up trading the pilots knife for a mora knife. I think I got the better part of that deal. As to the Ka-Bar's tang, I'm not sure if it is one piece, but most rod tang knives have the tang welded to the blade. The Ka-Bar falls into the general catagory of Bowie as far as blade design. It was designed to do everything good enough (from fight to survival) . If i wanted a fighting knife (I don't know why I would, there are no winners in a knife fight, only 2 badly bleeding losers) there are plenty knives designed for that. If you want a utilitarian (survival)knife there are plenty of those on the market. Decide what you really need or want the knife to do for you and then decide.
Just so you will know there are bunches of knock off copies around most surplus stores.
GW, we've got to get together so I can get a couple of those knives.
You're right, with everything that's gone on the past month, I forgot.... sorry :o
Luckily, copies are pretty easy to spot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuckahoe
The Marine combat knife is currently made by Ka-Bar, Ontario, Camillus (presently out of business), and some by Case (base of blade is marked).
If by chance, you happen to "find" a Ka-Bar marked on the crossguard (blade side and marked either Ka-Bar or Camillus, designated as USN, MK II), snatch it up as these are THE real deal from WWII and somewhat collectable.
Many of the WWII origianls (specifically Camillus) came with a gray plastic/fiber scabbard (looks like a bayonet sheath) with metal throat and gray canvas belt hanger.
The USAF/USN Pilot's Survival Knife is presently made by Ontario (possibly older ones by Camillus) and the manufacturer/production date (or date of gov contract) is marked in very small letters/numbers on the flat of the pommel nutt.