Mine is 30 years old. I have used it as a mallet, chopped branches, you name it. I lost it one time and found it over a year later. I was out of the sheath exposed to all 4 seasons. Rusted over blade. I brought it back to life and still looks great. Never have conditioned the leather, looks great. It is in my car everyday. Invaluable tool. Thanks Dad!

Kabar knives have been proven in the field over and over from a fighting knife to digging a trench pounding tent pegs u name it it has done it. I am a marine tunnel rat Vietnam veteran it became one with me then and ever since.

I purchased mine from The Marine Shop in Quantico, VA in 1982. Its the traditional leather handle and has been half around the world and back again with me. I’ve worn out 2 leather sheaths. It has never let me down.

I have several Ka- Bars. Including my grandfather (who has passed). He was a ww2 vet. Navy. He loved his ka-bar I especially love the dog head k bar. They are awesome knives

Whatever else I carry, a Kabar is my backup. You get the most knife for the weight.

Have my USMC Kabar Vietnam issue for over 40 years of hard use. It's still going strong. Have my dad's USN WW II Kabar, and it's still going strong!

Thank you for creating this detailed review, your points and knowledge about Ka-Bar - and even the quick mentions of your personal history with any of those knifes. Your channel is underrated, IMHO.

I got one about 40 years ago when the hardware was still parkerized. It is sharp as hell. I used it for camping & the parkerization has not worn off like the powder coating on today's blades.

Cheers for posting, mate! I love the Ka-Bar! Great work!

I got my K Bar Army on my deployment as a combat knife liked it better then my Gerber fix bladed. Used the K Bar a lot never had issues with it.

Years ago , the first thing we did with issue Camillus and Kabars was to remove most of the top guard and lightly sandpaper away the varnish off the handles .Removing that varnish allows them to absorb neatsfoot oil or olive oil works great . Never use motor oil or petroleum based products like weapons cleaner . My preferred blade for butchering large game animals and general camp use for 45 years . Thanks for your video Matt and thanks for your service .

Nice quilt bro!

I have a Ka-Bar USMC and I will say they’re extremely excellent blades great for some utility purposes but not for extreme utility purposes good for light chopping. You could baton with it if you absolutely needed to. I have got a custom made sheath as well made of Kydex with a leather loop with snap closure from a leather smith. You know your stuff man good video. You know more than I would.

My sheath that came with my KA-BAR lasted me through both deployments. It’s personal to me I have little designs and carvings I put into the leather

Thanks for the information, much appreciated.

I have my fathers, KA-BAR, he used it during his time in Okinawa during WW2 he kept it in a tool box he used and as far as I know did nothing to keep it in shape. The sheath is very rough but not hopeless and the leather handle is in great shape as is the blade. It has a razors edge on it and the sheath has my dad's name and the year 1944 on it carved into the leather. Even though it is a 78 year old knife I believe it is still stronger and better than anything built today.

Great video! I love Kabar. I just stripped the entire coating off a Kabar 1220, forced a patina, and used a fine grade sandpaper to give the blade an antique look and it looks awrsome!!! Waiting on an unstamped Kabar sheath to complete my knife because I didn't serve but I love Kabar and I want the Jax Teller Sons of Anarchy look. Also, I haven't sharpened my Kabar but I did refine the bevel with a ceramic honing rod. Kabar is great quality, comes hair popping sharp, and I love the smell of the leather when I got mine. You don't smell pain & suffering with a Kabar unlike like these cheap Chinese made versions which come as dull as a butter knife!

1317-a beast of a knife.

I like the handle scales on the BK 9. An incredible heavy duty knife.

My Ka Bar did the same thing. The leather contracted after a couple of years. I lubricated it with some kind of leather softening oil. I can't remember. The handle has been re-hydrated twice. It's been about 10 years since I've had to oil the handle and the handle seems to be firm in place for the foreseeable future.

I have owned my M2 Kabar since I got it in the early 1970s when I was stationed in the west Pacific (Guam.) It is bomb proof. One problem we ran into over there was the high humidity, leather sheaths especially, and to a lesser degree handles didn't like the humidity. What we did was get an empty bean can place our Kabar handle down into the bean can, and fill the bean can with neatsfoot oil till the oil level covered the hilt. We would let take a piece of aluminum foil and push it down onto the knife, so the blade poked through, to form a "lid" of sorts, really just to keep bugs and such out of the oil, then let the knife sit and soak in the sun, on the inside window sill for a month. We'd stick the sheath in as far as it would go, but it was longer so we'd do half, then flip it over after about 2 weeks to oil the other half. Letting the oil cover the hilt allows the oil to seep down into the tang to preserve the leather from the inside, while the oil is being absorbed from the outside as well. Once the few week soak is finished, remove the knife from the oil, wrap in some paper towels, and let it "sweat" all the excess oil for a few days. Do the same with the sheath. The leather will darken, but so what. The leather is now waterproof. Humidity in the air, rain, even a saltwater dunking won't harm the knife. Of course, we also took the time to constantly monitor and maintain our equipment, something lazy people don't do. I never used petroleum based oils on the blade, because I would use my Kabar to cut my food sometimes, so I kept her oiled with olive oil. Worked great! About every 6 months, I would put my Kabar handle down in the bean can when I racked out, then wiped the handle when I rose. That's all it needed to maintain its waterproof quality. Back in the late 80s, I made a wooden sheath for it, since the old leather sheath was falling apart from heavy use. The knife, and it's leather handle, however, were in PERFECT condition, even now 43 years later! The leather handle looks black, from all the deeply impregnated oil, decades of dirt, grim, hand oils, but I always wiped it clean, kept it oiled, and never abused her. This knife will outlast me. JA

I bought my K-Bar back in 94 new at a Army Navy store in Calgary Canada . I've used many times over the years and aside from a sharpening the only other up keep I've done is putting Vaseline on the grip and sheath once about 10 years ago . It changed the color of the leather darker but still looks new , except for the scratches made by walking through brush but that just adds to the patina : )

Enjoyed the vid. Maybe landscape it next time though. Ka-Bar's are great knives for sure. I slightly prefer the OKC spec fighting/utility knives due to their thicker stock and lower price.

Good review. Thank you.

Matt, I’m a Marine, my knife I did modify, used in 4 continents in 29 years of service. Just given a 6.5 “ tango (with rubber handle, can I remove it and wrap properly with 550 cord? My Ka-bar has the eagle,globe, anchor, on the blade and sheath. Old school!

I like to put o-rings in the groves of the leather handles. It makes it a bit more grippy and comfortable in the hand. I have the Army version of the combat utility knife and the big brother. If your leather in your handle starts to shrink. You can heat up some mineral oil and soak the handle overnight it'll tighten back up.

I'm from and live in Olean NY. Awesome sir

thanks for sharing the knowledge, Teufel Hunden. Semper Fi.

I gotta remember to put black tape over that doggone pommel pin on my knife. I'm worried about the glare off the pin giving away my position which is far right of center.

Put the handle in neadfoot oil that should take care of the stacked leather it keeps it from drying out tighten up guard I was issued mine in 68 it's a Camillus still have it 1 more thing the Gunny said" this is for one thing and one thing only and that is not opening C ration cans"

Kabar D2 has both blade styles available. Straight or Serrated edges. Three different sheaths.. flipping awesome!

thats awesome man, I loved Skynyrd!

Real smooth presentation.

1. Ka Bar used to make the Knife with U.S.Army markingsfor the commercial market. The Ontario company manufactured a similar model for use by the Army

Kabar has been in business since 1898. That dog's head is a copy of the KABAR D2. Also KUDOS for pronouncing Olean correctly, most people say Oh Leen.

Nice review thanks!

Stay away from the Kydex sheath it rattles and will dull the blade. Bought my Ka-bar back in the early 80s, and the swedge is sharp on mine. Love the leather sheath, but then again I make my own. This is a combat knife first, and then a utility knife.

@Matt the Marine, I bought an KA-BAR Army knife about 10 years ago. Its one of my favorite knives. Yesterday I ordered the KA-BAR USMC knife from Amazon and also made an order for the USAF pilots survival knife from Ontario, to add to my Military knife collection. Amazon told me I should get them this coming Wednesday. You talked very little about on Ontario knives. What is your input on the Ontario USAF pilot knife ? And did the Air Force always used Ontario, or did they also use KA-BAR ?

Fun facts: There are 5 main versions of the KABAR fighting knife: The original style stacked leather USMC and leather sheath, and the 4 modern versions, Black handle and blade: Foliage Green handle and black blade, Desert Tan handle and black blade, and BLUE handle and GREY blade for the US Space Force (USSF) Each is available in straight or serrated blade. They all come with a matching kraton sheath (USSF matches the blade instead of the handle)

Good review. I've always been couirious about the "dog head" version of this.. I think the Becker BK 7 is the best of both there worlds. Bushcraft/fighting. Anyone have an opinion on the BK 7?

I have both a US Camillus which was made around 1977 which I bought in 1979 as a field knife and I bought a KA-BAR 1217 at the US MARINE BASE in San Diego back in 2004. The Camillus knife served me well in my chosen field at the time (which was field archaeologists) hiking in the back mountains and deserts of California, while I not really used my KA-BAR 1217. Funny I never really considered the Camillus a special knife, I just found it very useful to have, but lately some people who have seen it in my Truck, have offered me good money for it. I do not know why but they have. As for the KA-BAR it is still box new. Now, I would never recommend using either for cutting kindling or wood using the baton method. The blade seems just too thin or fragile for that kind work. I used my Camillus primarily like I used my scuba diving knive eg, small diggings in the desert, poking under rocks, and of course stabbing things.

Ka-Bars are just plain awesome. Mostly, this is due to their rich history, making them one of the most iconic knives of all time. I have only two minor criticisms: 1. The tang is a bit narrow, making it more susceptible to breaking under stress. 2. The tang meets the blade at a 90 degree angle, instead of being rounded. Again, this makes the blade prone to snapping off where the tang begins, as a 90 degree angle creates a major weak spot. However, if I understand the history, the Ka-Bar was created specifically as a combat knife. It was intended to be used for a few light, non-combat chores, but combat was its primary purpose. I enjoy the whole survival/bushcraft thing, but I’d never use my Ka-Bar for anything like that. But if the s**t hit the fan, you could do a lot worse than relying on a Ka-Bar.

Quality info...thanks friend...

I love my KA-Bar 🔪 I subbed

I'm fortunate to have been a usmc collector and have half a dozen of t hem and take real great care of yhem

I’ve got Kydex sheath. I use it primarily. Its a better functioning sheath. The leather is nice to hang onto tho.

I like the modified tanto which is really a traditional tanto.

Ka-Bar has a lot of different knives, and I love them all. I think my favorite is the Big Brother. Basically..if a BK9 mated with a Ka-Bar USMC and had a baby, it would be the Big Brother..a little over 9" but looks like the USMC fighting knife..with serrations on the spine instead of the edge. A real beast of a knife. Instead of sweat, it drips testosterone, lol. '

I Like Mil-Spec knives, I also have the Ontario OKC 3S Bayonet and I got it razor sharp. I only use the top 5-inches of it, and if I need to cut thick rope, well there is the serrated part. This is probably the best bayonet out there and you can sure do a lot with the OKC 3s. It's one of my top favorites.

Only a marine sharpins his pencils with a big ass blade 👍🇺🇸⚓️ Love it

I got the ultra scary Ka-Bar D2 Extreme and upgraded it to the hard sheath where it really clicks in and it doesn't fall out.

I got the black 1211 ...I like it.

I like that ironwood

I'm waiting on my D2 straight edge I hope it's here before XMAS.

Thank You for sharing your knowledge. Got the "KA-BAR 1217 Full Size USMC Fighting Knife 7" Plain Blade"coming in the mail so, I appreciate You talking about these knives. I was keeping my fingers crossed that this would be a good knife for my hiking/camping trips.

Nice review, I live in Detroit as well! Are you still in the area?

I totally agree, I don't think the Kraton handle Kabar such as the 1211 are a better model of Kabar, I bought one a few months back with a Kydex sheath, and I noticed after handling it, it just didn't feel right, I compared it with my USMC 1217 Kabar and the Handle is a bit longer on the USMC which is more comfortable for me when I swing it to cut small branches. I don't like the shorter handle on the 1211 so I'll stick with the 1217. What do you think about the SOG Bowie?? I have the Tech Bowie and the sheath drives me nuts. I'm a highly active guy and my constant moving around causes the blade to rub inside the kydex sheath which dulls parts of the blade, mainly the belly portion. I live in Canada so I can't afford to buy the $300 SOG Super Bowie which is what I originally wanted after seeing it on Terminator 2 Judgement Day, but I digress...

My KA BAR knife arrived today. I haven't tested it yet, but it felt robust in my hand

Cool video, awesome knife even though he used an old knife. I think its old because theres a weird smudge on the blade thats covering the U.S. Army stamp. Still cool though.

thank you sir

I would like them to improve the steel, maybe some o1 tool steel or anything better that is still easy to resharpen and keeps an edge

I have a Kbar, sadly i left it in central america, I need another one just in case cause I know its the best knife I have ever had.I guess no one cant talk bad about our Ka bar.

Nice video, sir

My thanks

Don’t buy ONE.... buy TWO of them. I am a Kabar fan boy. I have 2 BK2 rigs. Each one resides in our family vehicles. I have a Kabar 5013 or 1213 (Tan) for my canoe and back packing trips. And in my “Get Home” bag rests a Gerber StrongArm. Enjoy the knife / tool addiction. Edited 18 Oct 2020 before hunting season. My 1213 Tan Kabar is attached to my hunting stool for the deer season. Should I tag out, then the TOPS Iraq Jack will do the skinning along with the Kabar 1213. Most excited! Be strong and be safe out there!! Cheers

I'm getting one tomorrow

That's why I purchased the D2 krayton version.

Good video. You can't go wrong with a kabar. But if your on a budget go with Ontario

Ka-Bar knives in general are very good, I love the history of the original Marine Corp. WWII issued 'fighting' knife, I've never been disappointed in buying or owning them.... However there is one Ka-Bar that I find was a mistake and should never have been made and it is a folding knife that came with smooth mycarta handles, the knife is heavy and just generally feels like a 'brick' with a blade attached to it, some of you may know the knife I'm referring to; for the life of me I can't remember the model, I have it tucked away somewhere in the dark shadows of my knife cabinet where it lingers in shame never to be used.....

I love my Kabar

15 bucks is not a KaBar 77- 120 depending on wear you buy it

Greetings Mr. Matt, I just found a Ka-Bar at my local vintage shop that i have dated to 1950's-1970s. Looks just like the the first one you showed but the leather has shrunk a bit and the hilt wiggles ever so slightly. Either way, I was wondering if you would consider it reasonable for me to use it as a throwing knife from time to time, or if you think it might break due to the rat tail tang. I mean, afterall, isnt that what the Armed Services used to do in their down time? If they ever got it :/

you can get a synthetic handle one with a plain blade.

KA BARS are tried and proven. I have one , best knife I own skinned and gutted many deer and elk with one.

Kabar and Ontario are badass

The Kabar and Ontario knives are made about 20 miles from each other.

Used to have a 1211, don't know for the life of me what happened to it, just woke up one morning and the sheath was empty. Anyways, that's considered a through-tang, not as strong as a full tang, and as for the pin, if I recall correctly, I put liquid cold blue for guns on there,and I think it worked ok. Considering buying a 1256 soon.

If the shiny spot is carbon steel then vinegar or just about any kind of acid will cause it to darken.

Ive always wanted one of these since I was a teen. I finally bought myself one yesterday. I realized my knife and sheath screamed USMC and I have no affiliation. Although I decided scrape it off of my sheath out if respect for the USMC, is it false valor that my knife has USMC stamped on it?

In California these can be legally carried as long as attached to the waist in holster in open sight- correct? Can somebody confirm?

Can I ask if there was a way to get the tang thicker and more than the handle that's wood Also want the have the handle a rectangular size and not an oval shape

See what could be improved... I'm gonna go ahead and start with your video quality. It was 2020 when you oploaded this, even then 1080 was expected, minimum 720.... I hope you managed to upgrade since... otherwise good 👌🙂

I've been try to find info on my K-bar. No markings on blade, markings are on finger guard only. There is no blood groove (fuller), I've found one that looked like it. WW11 camando, any ideas?

Leather wears out because you put mink oil on it. Only use sno-seal.

Hi, I cook backstage for bands and have also talked to the whole band. I like to camp and I'm looking for 1 knife that will last me even if I'm rough with it. What knife do you suggest? Price doesnt matter

My ka-bar has a synthetic handle and it doesn't have a serrated edge

You have an awesome set of Kabars there!! My next Kabar will be the Dogs head because I like how you can put paracord on that one but not with the 1217. I have the 1217 and I love it, It's my EDC knife except when it's raining hard, I will either leave it at home or not go out, but this knife serves me well and I will be buying another one. The only thing that sucks is, they are expensive here in Canada. I paid $135 for my Kabar at Cabela's.

If you buy the rubber handle one, you completely take out the problem of the leather rotting and wearing out.

Very nice video!!

Actually have my pops from the war. He was on Guadalcanal. His number is carved into the back of the sheath. I will never part with it.

Thought I liked the dogs head until I saw them side by side

i just wondered that how can i buy a kabar knife from vietnam, seriously ?

I have the one on the right.

what if i seen one at the naval exchange for 34 bucks...same shit?

Bought mine in 2004 before I left the marines on base on camp Pendleton. Still sharp and i use it for cutting my deer.

Semper Fi!

Beckers don't have stacked leather handles. But if they did....

I'm not a very large or strong man, but can take a military style K-bar in my bare hands and bend it at the hilt. They are low cost fighting knives. They are not meant for bush craft.

On the leather sheath it come with can I attach a clip to it? Like are there holes in the sheath

Mine showed up today. At the start of a WAR