How would you make a Ka-Bar knife?

[Mitsurugi]

I am just starting out as a bladesmith and i would like to know how to make a Ka-Bar knife, I'm open to any suggestions/methods

[reefera4m]

I am just starting out as a bladesmith and i would like to know how to make a Ka-Bar knife, I'm open to any suggestions/methods

The Ka-Bar's I'm familiar with from my Marine days were fairly heavy knives with a fairly thick spine, about a 10" blade, full tang with pressed leather disks for handle material. The blade was not made of very high carbon steel, probably to make it easy to sharpen in the field (or maybe to save $$). Probably just a little more carbon content that mild steet. The butt of the handle served a dual purpose as a hammer (hammering tent stakes). The finish was non-reflective black. You can Google/images to find thousands of examples

[petersenj20]

True on all accounts accept they are 1095 carbon steel.
Knew I read it somewhere. Here

These are up to about $75 new around here.

[ThomasPowers]

Like you would make any other knife: Pick the correct alloy, Forge to shape, rough grind, heat treat, final grind, hilt, scabbard and only then sharpen.

If you need detailed instructions may I suggest you get a good bladesmithing book like "The Complete Bladesmith" rather than depending on short internet posts.

[shortdog]

Aren't Ka Bars stamped like so many other production knives? I have a buddy who works for a company that grinds railroad crossties among other things. One day while running the grinder, he happened to look down at the conveyor and found a Ka-Bar blade blank resting on top of one of the crossties. The blade is marked on both sides, but unbeveled. Alas, he will not part with it for love nor money. Says it's too good of a converstaion piece.

[Avadon]

I guess you can make a really cool personalized ka-bar knife but i've seen them on ebay in many variations for 60$ and under. Personally, I like to forge things that can't be bought easily. I sorta go with that addage of never doing something that someone else is already doing quite well. But that said I suppose making something personalized does have it's value.





and I actually have this one below which I absolutely love. Got it for a song on ebay It has such a thick spine that you never have to worry about breaking it. Great survival knife as when your in back country a lot of knife use is chopping.

[Avadon]

I do have one criticism of that ontario knife. The serrated teeth on the back, although they look cool they are not aggressive enough to do much other then give a tree a slight rash. Maybe some day I'll give them a very aggressive profile on my knife. I'm not really sure what their idea is with such slight serration but you can totally forget sawing through a 1" limb with it. You'd there till the end of time. Probably start a fire before you cut through it lol

[Dodge]

Official Marine Corps issue Ka-Bar has a 7" blade and is 12" overall. Originals are Ka_Bar brand and later ones (Viet Nam and later??) were Camillius and Conetta. This is my collection;

[reefera4m]

Official Marine Corps issue Ka-Bar has a 7" blade and is 12" overall. Originals are Ka_Bar brand and later ones (Viet Nam and later??) were Camillius and Conetta. This is my collection;

Yep, those are the one's I remember! I'm surpised that they were made of 1095 even though that's what the manufacturer says their current Ka-Bars are made of (not wiki). The reason I'm skeptical is that I remember them as being very easy to sharpen and they didn't hold an edge all that long.

[Dodge]

The one on the left is a (poorly stored) genuine Kabar. Then the Conetta and Camillus

[Edit] <sp> of Camillus

[brucegodlesky]

The ease of sharpening is all in the heattreat.
A lot of the sawtooth configurations ya see on "survival blades" are for cutting aluminum and sheet metal, as in helicopter skins.