Full-Size Serrated Ka-Bar Fighting Knife – (Read our Review): A proven, heavy duty survival/utility/camping/hunting knife. It has a full tang, 7 inch long, 0.165 inch thick fixed blade that comes with or without serrations. There are several versions of handles; solid synthetic handles or handles made from stacked leather washers. The knife has a hilt and flat pommel. The blade is made from Cro-Van Steel which rates 56-58 on the Rockwell C hardness scale. Between this knife and the Ka-Bar Machete, we have survival knives covered.
Ka-Bar Cutlass Machete – (Read our Review): Around camp and on day trips, a machete is more useful and easier to carry than a hatchet. It can’t quite do the job of an ax on large trees, but an ax does a poor job on small stuff. The machete can be easily hung from a belt in it’s sheath or simply thrown in a day pack. The Ka-Bar Cutlass Machete has an 11 inch blade and is 16.5 inches long. I like this style blade with the bulging re-curve belly for the extra weight it provides at the sweet spot for chopping wood. Until I find a blacksmith that can make the type of machete I used in West Africa, the Ka-Bar is the best I have found, especially for the price. I used my Ka-Bar Machete to cut both ends off the log in the photo.
Hey, I was wondering about the Ka-Bar knife, I heard it had a rat-tail tang, not a full one. Cheers -James
Hi James: The Ka-Bar knives have full tangs, meaning the tang extends the full length of the handle. A full tang may or may not extend the full width of the handle. The Ka-Bar knives have been cut down some (See Tang Stamping & Grinding), but I wouldn’t call it a rat-tail. Most true stick or rat-tail tangs are for decorative purposes only. The Ka-Bar knife is not flimsy and will take all the punishment you can dish out in the field.