# Good fighting knife



## fivehourfrenzy

How about this one?










It's a Ka-bar. Cheaperthandirt.com has it for $60...good deal?


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## James NM

Here's one of my favorite fighting knives:









357 8 Times. :smt068 Daddy always told me "Don't bring a knife..."


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## fivehourfrenzy

Oh don't worry, I'll always have a .45 on hand. :mrgreen:

But I'd like a good, fixed-blade knife to take in the woods with me...the Gerber Gator doesn't always cut it (no pun intended).


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## Baldy

Your not going to catch this oldman in any knife fight. :smt027I can promise you that.:smt005


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## fivehourfrenzy

OKAY, I should've clarified that it's meant to be used as an outdoors/hunting/fishing/camping knife, not for fighting. It just falls into the fighting knife category. Lol.


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## submoa

The KaBar is a hybrid fighting knife and utility tool. The blade is thicker and heavier than need be for fighting so that the knife can be used as a prying tool, saw, can opener, etc. When you are contemplating bringing back game as well as all your camping crap to the car, weight is everything.

Unless you want to spend a lot of time getting to know your kill in intimate ways, I suggest a knife with a gut hook, or a specialized gut hook to go with a general purpose knife. The gut hook is also useful as a safety knife to cut belts and webbing when you are in a hurry (skydive, vehicle, etc.).


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## SuckLead

I seem to normally see the Ka-Bar knife selling for between $70-$80, so yeah, it isn't bad. HOWEVER, do check the shipping cost on it from cheaperthandirt.com. I went to buy a shirt from them once that was a good $10 below everyone else, but they pushed shipping up to $15. For a shirt.

If you want a really good knife, I could give you some custom knife makers to look into. If you want a "fighting" style knife, check out Bill Maynard Combat Knives. The knife won't cost you $60, but his prices aren't bad at all for hand made knives that'll out live your grandkids.

Here's some examples. I'm sure these particular ones are gone already, but I think he remakes most of them:


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## fivehourfrenzy

submoa said:


> The KaBar is a hybrid fighting knife and utility tool. The blade is thicker and heavier than need be for fighting so that the knife can be used as a prying tool, saw, can opener, etc.


The Ka-bar is used by the Marines, and probably other military branches. I looked at it because, like you said, it's a fighting and utility knife. Definitely looks like something I could take in the great outdoors and use for whittling, rope cutting, skinning, fileting, and so forth. I figure if it's durable enough for military use, it's tough enough for me. I really like the large handle and 7" blade that's got a serrated section on it.

Sucklead, those are some fine looking knives.


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## PanaDP

I have a knife like this that belonged not to my Dad, not my grand-dad, but my great-grand-dad. Yes, it's that old and it's nice and sharp and works great. That'd be my pick. It's not flashy like that you're talking about, but any knife that can keep going for 80+ years is a pretty good one.


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## BeefyBeefo

I have a Gerber Mark I with the black blade that I'm looking to sell if that's what you're looking for. Bought it about 13 years ago at a gun show and it's been sitting in my safe ever since. I have the sheath, box and all.



-Jeff-


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## Wyatt

FHF,

My daily carry is a small KaBar folder. Very sharp and holds an edge well.

Kabars are good knives and $60 is a good price for the knife in the photo. I believe the one you've pictured is the 1214 and on Ka-Bar's website it goes for $79 with the leather sheath and $92 with the glass filled nylon sheath. I'd go with the synthetic sheath personally and pay the extra. If it includes the nylon sheath for $60 then the deal is even better. 

Note also that the knife you pictured has the Kraton G grip (synthetic). The knife also comes with a leather grip (#1212). Again, I prefer the Kraton grip over the leather. I just think the synthetic grip is more consistent than the leather over a variety of conditions, like in the rain or mud, or if your hands are sweaty.

Coincidentally, I've a very good friend who is obsessing over this exact knife you pictured (the 1214). If he doesn't get it by his birthday in August, I'm getting it for him. So if you do acquire it I'd be interested in hearing your impressions.

It is also available in a straight edge w/o the serrations (#1211 / 1213).


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## bruce333

That looks like a great deal on that knife. Says it includes a Kydex sheath.

FYI: CTD uses FedEx as their standard for shipping, so shipping can be a little high (they add "$2.99 for package protection"). Their US Postal option is always about $4.00 cheaper to my location.


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## JeffWard

One of my next toys... er tools... will be a Karambit folder... or a Ken Onion Leek folder.

I can't wait to whip out that Karambit to clean my nails in public...

LOL

Jeff


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## kev74

A few years back, I bought a nice quality hunting knife blank and wrapped the handle part with parachute type cord. The knife will take an edge that I could shave with and the handle fits my hand perfectly. As an added bonus, if I'm out in the woods and need to get crafty, I've got a couple of yards of rope with me.

As for fighting, I think if I found myself in a knife fight, with my physical prowis and conditioning, I'd have no problem with running away and looking for something big and heavy to hit the other guy with. :numbchuck:


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## nelskc

I have carried a SOG Seal knife into the woods for many years, and it has been a great deep woods companion. The SOG SEAL knife went through an intense test program: tip breaking stress, blade breaking limit, sharpness, edge retention, handle twist off force, two week salt water immersion tests, gasoline and acetylene torch resistance, chopping, hammering, prying, penetration tests, cutting six different types of rope and line, plus an intense hands-on competition in the field. Used by many special forces groups, and it works great in the wet climate I live in, worth the extra money.


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## James NM

Hey submoa, I liked your first post better...................Well actually, it scared the hell out of me!

It confirmed my belief that _my_ first post did, in fact, have the proper fighting knife for me. No way I'm ever going to let you get within 21 feet of me!:numbchuck:


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## submoa

James NM said:


> Hey submoa, I liked your first post better...................Well actually, it scared the hell out of me!
> 
> It confirmed my belief that _my_ first post did, in fact, have the proper fighting knife for me. No way I'm ever going to let you get within 21 feet of me!:numbchuck:


Ha ha.


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## PanaDP

submoa said:


> Ha ha.


That was kinda scary, dude.:smt027


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## SuckLead

fivehourfrenzy said:


> Sucklead, those are some fine looking knives.


They're some fine working knives, too. There are more than a few of them accompanying our troops right now.


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## Mike Barham

For general outdoor use, rather than fighting, you're probably better off with a smallish, sharp folder or fixed-blade knife and a small axe or hatchet. But such simple tools aren't nearly as cool as a Ka-Bar "fighting knife." 

The Army does not issue Ka-Bars, by the way, though some individuals carry privately-owned ones.


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## Liko81

fivehourfrenzy said:


> The Ka-bar is used by the Marines, and probably other military branches. I looked at it because, like you said, it's a fighting and utility knife. Definitely looks like something I could take in the great outdoors and use for whittling, rope cutting, skinning, fileting, and so forth. I figure if it's durable enough for military use, it's tough enough for me. I really like the large handle and *7" blade* that's got a serrated section on it.
> 
> Sucklead, those are some fine looking knives.


Yeah, well, the Ka-Bar's a very good survival knife, but many state laws prohibit carrying one except under very limited circumstances (being engaged in hunting is one of them). For a utility/MBC knife for use in civilization, I'd recommend a Spyderco Endura or Native III. The Endura is a large, no-nonsense folder, while the Native (both older and newer styles) is more ergonomically designed to fit your hand. Both will do any job from letter-opening to getting an attacker off of you. Both are affordable and will last a very long time.

As far as a dedicated fighting knife, here's one I would recommend:










The Spyderco Bram Frank Gunting. It's long been discontinued, but if you can find one it's the sturdiest, most versatile fighting tool made. The horn and elongated tip can be used for pressure point control, and the horn also allows for a variety of ways to open the knife, such as your everyday gravity drop or flick (including forward flicking with a motion similar to throwing the knife from sidearm; difficult with most other knives), to more advanced "kinetic opening" moves like drawing it past your wrist or along the stomach of your attacker. All in all a very nasty piece of business that does not require you to open the knife to subdue your attacker.


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## Wyatt

FHF,

My buddy just recently bought the Ka-Bar 1214 online. Paid $55 plus about $8 shipping. It included the Glass filled nylon sheath:

http://www.tomarskabars.com/AllBlackFighters.html

He said it arrived at his door in a couple of days, no hassles.

Now that is a REALLY good price.


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## fivehourfrenzy

Well I got the Ka-bar 1214. It's pretty sharp, but it could be sharper. One of my buddies has a professional sharpening kit and I'll get him to put a nasty edge on it. I really like the kraton G grip, and the kydex sheath is really nice. It clicks in once fully inserted, so it won't fall out. I tied it down on my left backpack strap upside down so I can reach up and grab it, then reinsert it. Works great for camping.

I also got one of these:










I really like the Fin (also by Ka-bar)...it's pretty sharp, but as always, could be sharper. The lock is extremely tight so it won't come undone unless you deliberately unlock it, and the tip is good and sturdy.

Once I get my 870 back from the gunsmith I'll get everything out and get some pictures.


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## SuckLead

Ka-Bars come pretty dull. The one I bought over the weekend and the TDI were both pretty much blunt. But they sharpen up wonderfully.


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## niadhf

im sorta with you here mike. Although mine isn't folding, it is a Forst cutlery carbide blade 3-1/4", with plain birch handle, or my Cold Steal Mini-bushman. And a good tomahawk. and both of them together were under 30 bucks. (ok the frost and the tomahawk, not the Cold Steal, that bumped it to 32 lol)


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## niadhf

ok, I can no longer resist............
How about this for a fighting knife?........


:anim_lol:
:numbchuck:
:smt171


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## Old Padawan

I carry three knives when I camp. I have a Victronox Swiss army knife (I actually carry one with me at all times), a CRKT M16 (a tough medium sized folder), and a cold steel Tanto that I have owned for 15-20 years. I guess it goes to four knives If you count the leatherman blade. 
My advice may be a bit late, but I recommend against a serrated knife as a camping tool. It is a lot easier to maintain a straight blade with a couple of stones (wet stones for camping not oil stones, you can always spit on a wet stone). If you don’t know how to use these, buy a couple (soft and medium), buy a small knife and practice. Whittle a bunch of branches to dull it and then sharpen it. You can use the shavings to practice one match fire starting.


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## SigShooter127

I have a small business I run that sells all sorts of knives, holsters, and outdoor goods...I'll spare you all the sales pitch, but here's my two cents on a good reliable knife.

First and formost for an outdoor knife thats going to be used to clean game, or even just for fishing is corrosion resistance...Most high quality knives are made with stainless blades, but some dont fight corrosion as well as others...The K-bar pictured above is just made of black coated High Carbon steel. It holds a decent edge, but really lacks in corrosion qualities,(but then again for 60-80 bucks you get what you pay for).

Personally I wont carry anything thats not either layered seki steel (san mai III, or damascus) or anything made IN OREGON by Benchmade, not that their chineese made knives arent quality, Im just a union man and dont dig on outsourcing even if it means I get my knife cheaper.

The spyderco pictured (the guteng) is a decent martial arts knife, great as a non-lethal tool, but tip of the blade on mine broke off from a six foot drop, this has also happened with an endura I own, the VG-10 steel spyderco uses as its standard has exelent edge qualities, but is VERY brittle, if I only had one knife I better be able to drop it and still have a functioning knife after.

For a fixed blade Id recomend a Benchmade Nimravus with a 4.5 inch blade, or the Presido with a 6.32 inch blade. Both are 154 CM steel (a very high quality,AMERICAN MADE, stainless steel), and are avaliable with the black BenchCoat finish which exceeds the current military standard for saltwater, and scratch resistance. These have very ergo handles to fit ANY grip and will be the ONLY knife you will ever need to buy again, thats a good thing because they retail between 150 and 200$.

As for a folder I carry a benchmade Skirmish, as far as folders go, this is by far the best there is, dont belive me...just go to your cutlery shop and hold one


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## Wyatt

SigShooter127 said:


> ...Personally I wont carry anything thats not either layered seki steel (san mai III, or damascus) or anything made IN OREGON by Benchmade...
> 
> ...For a fixed blade Id recomend a Benchmade Nimravus with a 4.5 inch blade, or the Presido with a 6.32 inch blade...


You mentioned that the above Benchmade Nimravus is US made, but you advise NOT buying the Benchmades made in Oregon. I'm a little confused. What exactly is the problem with the ones made in Oregon? And how can one identify whether or not a Benchmade knife is made at the Oregon facility?

Thanks.


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## SigShooter127

No, I was recomending the ones made in Oregon. The ones from china say "designed in USA" where the american ones say of course "Made in the USA"...Theres nothing really wrong with the chineese ones, Benchmade still runs the quality control and oversees production, its just like I said above Im a union man and no matter how much I save on a knife, Im not going to buy one that was outsourced...this outsourcing (amung about a thousand other things) is killing our american soverenty...


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