KA1218-BRK USMC Fighter Serrated

This is a great knife to have in certain situations. One episode of Myth-Busters (on Youtube) showed how a knife can be beneficial in a gun fight. There are other benefits of knives over guns: they are quieter than guns, have fewer parts that can fail (the name “KA-BAR” derived from a letter from a hunter whose gun had failed in Killing A BeAR), are lighter, waterproof, do not require ammunition, do not require a lot of skill to use, are relatively cheaper, and won't put bullets through walls to potentially harm the innocent, like a gun could. I’m not pitting knives against firearms; I’m just saying there is a time when a knife is the preferred tool. Concerning this particular knife, one Youtube blogger suggested putting O-rings in the slots of the handle of this knife, in order to “make it grippier,” but I find that the cut-outs of the leather handle actually make the handle plenty grippy. The leather sheath matches the color of the knife handle nicely, and fits the knife perfectly, especially the snap flap that holds the handle. This knife will definitely do everything it was designed to do, and will do it in style.

This knife is built like a tank. It's heavy, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. There's a lot of metal behind the cutting edge, which makes it easy to use as a chopper. The blade is tough and it keeps its edge for a very long time. The serrations are great, not too agressive so it glides through material, but jagged enough to saw though it. The serration teeth are rounded so you don't have to worry about chipping or denting delicate tips.The leather sheath is basic but very functional. The leather stretches when inserting the knife. This firmly secures the knife even without using the leather snap (although I strongly recommend using it) but I feel it may reduce the life of the sheath.Unfortunately, when I bought this knife, I meant to buy the straight edge version not the serrated version. Nothing against the knife, I just prefer a straight edge. I sold it and bought the straight edge version. Whatever version you get, you won't be disappointed.Now, that's not to say this knife doesn't have any flaws. There is no such thing as a perfect metal for a knife. The blade is carbon steel and it will rust if kept in very humid conditions. The black coating on it helps prevent rust, but that will eventually wear off. Keep this knife dry, clean it after using it. Leather will also be negatively affected by humidity so keep that in mind.None of these flaws prevent the knife from lasting a lifetime and more.

Very sharp out of the box . Overall quality was very good.

Though one of those 'SHTF' scenarios seems pretty unlikely, I plucked up a new Ka-Bar to compliment my Sig. Out of curiosity (and partly joking) I took my new knife and tried to shave my arm hair. First pass it took out a neat little square patch. Of course, the next plan of action was to see how it stood up to a couple weeks worth of facial hair.Right out of the box, I got a better dry shave from this knife than I've ever gotten from your more expensive razors from Gillette combined with any number of those elaborate shaving kits. DRY SHAVING. RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. Three days later I'm happy to report that an ingrown hair has yet to present itself.Ka-Bar has always been the standard in knives while holding their edges extremely well. The balance and weight of this knife has only improved my already lofty opinion of this company's incredible quality. While you shouldn't necessarily take this thing as your primary method of shaving, it does serve to illustrate the fact that Ka-Bar's high standard of quality holds true from the moment you pull the top off the box. This is a knife that, barring any extreme, extenuating circumstances, will last me for the rest of my life. Its premium quality exceeds that of knives three times its price. I could not recommend it more.

Absolutely fantastic. From the handle, hilt and blade to the sheath, these are quality knives. KA-BAR is the classic American high-quality knife maker for our combat Marines for over 100 years, and right out of the box it is easy to see why. The grip is sturdy and solid, the hilt minimally sufficient (as it should be), the blade clean and formidable, and excellent weight and balance for wielding. --If you plan to use it, *please* get some training; this is a weapon of WAR. For those uncomfortable or unwilling to use firearms, this is an excellent self defense weapon. For those who use firearms, this is an excellent CQC weapon and backup device. Our Marines swear by these knives, and as a defense contractor who has seen all the available tools and gadgets, I rarely hear the kind of ubiquitous praise KA-BAR combat knives routinely receive.Whether you'll be putting this on your belt or displaying on a shelf, you'll love it. I just can't believe I didn't buy one sooner.

The KABAR USMC Fighting/Utility knife is something I've always wanted. First off, it just looks good the style of the blade and the handle even the color. The historical background sells this knife alone. As I held it in my hand I thought of all the stories knives like this could tell if they could. Upon holding it seems to have a very good balance and feel to the grip. The blade is quite sharp has a typical factory grind with burly (not delicate) serrations at the base. Glad to see the sheath proudly displaying the KABAR logo at the top and USMC logo and acronym at the bottom. Wish the sheath was American made but thankfully it was Mexican made not Chinese. There may be knives out there that could be better, believe me I have looked, but this one feels 'right'. I believe every man and even woman needs a good knife even if it isn't a KABAR starting at the teenage years. It gives responsibility that carries into adulthood.