KA-BAR Full Size USMC Review

Ka-Bar is the contemporary popular name for the combat knife. First adopted by the United States Marine Corps in November 1942. As the 1219C2 combat knife, and subsequently adopted by the United States Navy as the U.S. Navy utility knife, Mark 2.

Ka Bar USMC fighting knife is the genesis of the main fixed blades we know. It started out in World War II and handed to the US military troops and was kind of the original survival fighting knife. 

So we’re going to review it, and tell you everything so that you can decide if it’s really worth a purchase for you.

The blade of the knife is made out of 1095 cro van high carbon steel with a rockwell hardness of 56-58.

It’s a partial tang with spine thickness around 0.16 or 5/32 inches and blade width around 1.2 inches. You can do some chopping or get some kindling going for fire. It’s not a great idea to use it for batoning though.

Due to its thickness, it might damage your baton. But yeah if you want to get the job done, it will do that for you.

It has a clip point blade and a flat type, saber grind with 20° grind angle. It comes in serrated as well as in plain. 

It’s razor sharp and you can do some fine work with this blade.

And you can also get some shaving for fire in your camping trip or your hunting trip

Handle has a super iconic and classic leather stacking on it. It’s very ergonomic, nice and easy to gripe.

Even if your hands are sweaty or wet your grip on the knife will not suffer.

They also make this exact model in Kraton stacking as well. I have heard stories about handle leather bulges out as years goes by due to moisture and humidity. But if you are in hot and dry environment you don’t have to worry about that.

For wet and humid environment kraton stacking is a perfect choice. 

At the front there is a finger guard. It really keeps your hand locked in and gives you an extra bit of control over the knife. At the rear there is an oval shaped non lethal pommel

Now coming to the sheath, it’s a classic leather sheath.

I love the construction and overall feel of leather. It got a drainage hole to keep your knife nice and dry and lanyard loop to keep it secure around your legs.

There is a strong retention strap which allows knife to stay inside the sheath. And eliminates all the possibilities for your knife to fall off or accidentally stabbing you.

At the back there’s a huge belt loop and you can easily attach it to any tactical belts or any other kind of rigs. It’s a very basic leather sheath but a great one. 

I have seen great knives costing double or triple than this but have a horrendous sheath, so it’s nice to have some basic but good.

At the end all I can say it is kind of a jack of all trades master of none. It is good in almost anything but not great in a specific thing. There are better tactical knives or wilderness survival knives out there today.

But if you’re just looking for an overall general purpose knife, which you can use for self defence, camping/hiking trips. Then it might be for you.