Kabar knives quality

I had an old Kabar knife and it was perfect. Then I gave it away to someone as a present and decided to buy myself a new Kabar 1217, thinking it should be of good quality, being made in USA and all.
Well, I was bitterly disappointed. I bought the knife from a respectable vendor and it was not a cheap copy, but it was faulty and looked like it was made in the worst sweatshop in China. I wanted a replacement thinking I was simply unlucky. Well, today I received the replacement knife and it still looks like the worst of what China has to offer.

Generally in the old days you could buy something of quality for a reasonable price. Not anymore. If you want something minimally decent you have to pay big money. Pretty sad.

That's surprising. Mine is probably about ten years old now, and it was perfect. I haven't had a good look at a new one recently.

I have heard Kabar fit and finish has gone downhill the past few years. I haven't bought one in longer than that though. The steel is reportedly still pretty good though. There are still some other US companies making nice knives. Check out Ontario or ESEE. Ontario stuff is just as affordable as Kabar and it seems the fit and finish are a little better. ESEE is a little more expensive but the fit and finish is superb.

I recently picked up an Ontario 499 USAF Survival knife. Indeed it's rather cobby and hardly finished as well as many of the other blades of similar style, but:
1. It's made in the USA
2. It has a reputation as being extremely durable
3. Ontario has some legitimate cred for building a pretty good knife. Not at all attractive though.
4. For less than $40.00 it's a hard deal to beat

Indeed a Randall it is NOT.

Another good choice for a no-frills working blade is the Grohmann Canadian Belt Knife. Their "Survival" model has worked for me over the years. Reasonably priced and well made...in Nova Scotia, Canada...eh???

I have vintage and brand new Ka-Bars, and see no difference.

Sure it isn't the Case "Marine Combat Knife" look-alike? They ARE inferior in quality, IMHO. (Or the Chinese $10 Ka-Bar clone- ugh).

I also bought this year the new Ka-bar Ek knife, and am 100% pleased with that one's quality.

Where Ka-Bars vary is price. Got the tanto-style leather handle for $44 when they discontinued it ... could not get that Ek for less than $90, though.


AA

No, not look-alike. It's the genuine Kabar with their logo, and instructions, and box, and everything.

Kabar stacked-leather skinners have gone downhill too. The one I had in the 80s was twice the knife of the replacement I bought ten years ago.

"Generally in the old days you could buy something of quality for a reasonable price. Not anymore. If you want something minimally decent you have to pay big money. Pretty sad."

I don't argue with comment. Obsolescence is designed into many products.

I had a knife passed on to me from my dad, circa 1930-40's, which I lost. It was a good knife that served me well. I investigated on YouTube what might be available at a reasonable cost. I don't need a 7" blade. A smaller 4" blade, for me, is more maneuverable and will do 95% of the jobs I might ask of a knife. What became pretty obvious to me was Scandinavian knife manufacturers make decent utility type knives for a very good price. Their knives are made from decent carbon or stainless steels.

Some manufacturers are Mora, Hultafors, and Marttiini. They aren't a work of art but very serviceable tools with comfortable handles, 3/4 tang, and hold a pretty good edge which can be touched up with a few strokes on a stone and leather strop. At $9-$20 they are real bargain.

I have used a carbon steel model to process cardboard boxes, cut rope and general tasks around the home and camping. I have used a stainless steel model in the kitchen for food processing. Initially, I thought the plastic sheaths might be a problem. It has not and is very functional. In five years of use they have been one of the best bargain purchases I have made.

Agree. If there isn't a "Mora Knife" thread, there should be. Spectacular value utilitarian gems.


AA

I picked up a couple Ka Bar Short knives with stacked leather handles a couple of years ago and am still happy with them.

Space_Cadet said:

I had an old Kabar knife and it was perfect. Then I gave it away to someone as a present and decided to buy myself a new Kabar 1217, thinking it should be of good quality, being made in USA and all.
Well, I was bitterly disappointed. I bought the knife from a respectable vendor and it was not a cheap copy, but it was faulty and looked like it was made in the worst sweatshop in China. I wanted a replacement thinking I was simply unlucky. Well, today I received the replacement knife and it still looks like the worst of what China has to offer.

Generally in the old days you could buy something of quality for a reasonable price. Not anymore. If you want something minimally decent you have to pay big money. Pretty sad.

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For less than half the price, I'd recommend the Cold Steel GI Tanto: https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-T...465924868&sr=1-1&keywords=cold+steel+gi+tanto

There's a knife destruction testing series on Ytube........they actually had to do 8 episodes to kill this knife instead of 1!!
I have several Cold Steel blades and all have been exceptional, all have come hair shaving sharp out of the box and it's the brand I carry for my self defense blade EDC.
For a few buck more but less than you spent on the KA Bar, Cold Steel makes a LeatherNeck SF series. the Sheath is excellent as well as the knife

im know im going to catch flak for this, but just because it says made in the USA doesnt mean its automatically good quality. just curious could you put up pictures of the issues?

tetraodon said:

im know im going to catch flak for this, but just because it says made in the USA doesnt mean its automatically good quality. just curious could you put up pictures of the issues?

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Why would you catch flak for that? It's simple math. To stay competitive on price, a US company that pays more for labor has to use less of it on its products.

hydro-magic said:

Why would you catch flak for that? It's simple math. To stay competitive on price, a US company that pays more for labor has to use less of it on its products.

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Yup. And if labour costs are higher, companies will reduce staff to save money, but still expect that the same targets (or higher, allowing for business "growth") are met by the remaining staff. Result= Something has to give. Happens in most industries.

Sorry to hear about your experience, Space_Cadet. It seems that perhaps Ka-bar is resting on their laurels and not producing knives that are up to their reputation.

I live very close to, and work in the same town as the Kabar/Cutco factory. My in-laws retired from there. Unfortunately, I can tell you that there is a good possibility it was made in china depending on the model you got.

I just bought a new 1217 (stacked leather handle, blackened blade) ... my first-ever KA-BAR to purchase or handle ... and it seems fine to me. There's no "made in USA" stamped on the blade anywhere, but there is "Olean NY" on the blade. The box (FWIW) says the knife was made in USA and the sheath in Mexico.

Hopefully the're not "pulling a fast one" with a knife made, or mostly-made, in China and calling it "made in the USA" because someone tacked the final rivet on there or something.

Doc4 said:

I just bought a new 1217 (stacked leather handle, blackened blade) ... my first-ever KA-BAR to purchase or handle ... and it seems fine to me. There's no "made in USA" stamped on the blade anywhere, but there is "Olean NY" on the blade. The box (FWIW) says the knife was made in USA and the sheath in Mexico.

Hopefully the're not "pulling a fast one" with a knife made, or mostly-made, in China and calling it "made in the USA" because someone tacked the final rivet on there or something.

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If it says Olean, it was made here. I think the USMC style are still all made here. A good portion of the smaller folders and some of the zombie and odball stuff are mainly the things that are made outside the US now.

Ad Astra said:

Agree. If there isn't a "Mora Knife" thread, there should be. Spectacular value utilitarian gems.


AA

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Morakniv products are fantastic. Extremely good blades for the money, I picked up one for my dad as part of his father's day gift, I thought it would make an excellent bait knife.

gb12549 said:

For less than half the price, I'd recommend the Cold Steel GI Tanto: https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-T...465924868&sr=1-1&keywords=cold+steel+gi+tanto

There's a knife destruction testing series on Ytube........they actually had to do 8 episodes to kill this knife instead of 1!!
I have several Cold Steel blades and all have been exceptional, all have come hair shaving sharp out of the box and it's the brand I carry for my self defense blade EDC.
For a few buck more but less than you spent on the KA Bar, Cold Steel makes a LeatherNeck SF series. the Sheath is excellent as well as the knife

Click to expand...

I have a Cold Steel fixed blade, not bad at all for the money. It doesn't keep the greatest of edges but its tough as nails and since its not expensive and don't mind abusing it a bit more than I would other knives.