When referring to a Kabar knife, two things can be meant:

1. A knife made by Ka-bar Knives, a knife company from Olean, NY.
2. A knife (not necesarilly made by Ka-bar Knives) based on the USMC Fighting Knife design originally created by Kabar.

When folks as for a Kleenex, they really want any type of tissue. The same way, Ka-bar is often use to stand for any type of short military style knife. They don't realize that while many companies make knives similar to Ka-bar, only Ka-bar knives delivers the quality they are looking for.

They may say K-bar, kbar, kabar, ka-bar or Ka-Bar. KA-BAR knives have became so well recognized for their quality and so abundant in number that "Kabar" references an entire knife pattern.  However, regardless of how you spell it - true KA-BAR knives mean quality knives that help sportsman, hunters, police and soldiers do their jobs.

Founding:
What is now known as Ka-bar knives was founded in1897 as Tidioute Cutlery Company. Over the years, it would change names several times, being known as Union Razor Company, Union Cutlery Company, Ka-Bar Cutlery, Inc., and finally as KA-BAR Knives, Inc. The company has changed owners even more times thanit has names, and has almost become extinct on more than one occasion. But just like their knives, Ka-bar is tough and has stood the test of time.

The Name:
Ka-bar branded knives were first sold in the 1920's. Where the name Ka-bar came from is not completely certain, but the accepted story is that a trapper wrote the company a letter describing how his gun jammed and he had to use his knife to kill a bear that was attacking him. In his poor english, "kill a bear" apparently looked like "k a bar".The name stuck and has become nearly legendary.

The Kabar Fighting Knife
On December 9, 1942, Ka-bar submitted a fighting knife design to the Marine Corp, hoping that their knife could be used as standard issue for all Marines.After several revisions, that is exactly what happened. Demand for the knife exceeding Ka-barsmanufacturing abilities, though, so the government commisioned other companies to manufacture knives of the same design. The knife was also used by Navy, Coast Guard and Army. Today, many Marines and other soldiers choose to carry the same Ka-bar Fighting Knife.

The 7" USMC Fighting & Utility Knife is the knife that made Ka-bar famous. As mentioned earlier in the hub, other companies also make their own version of this knife. The most popular version is the one made by Kabar Knives, though.

They describe the knife as "The most famous fixed blade knife in the World", saying that is was designed for our troops to use during World War II, and it is still in use today!

The specs:
Weight: 0.68 lbs.
Blade length 7"
Overall length 11 7/8"
1095 high carbon steel
Leather sheath
Leather handle

When you want a versitle and dependable knife then a Ka-Bar knife is what you need! Whatever your need, Kabar has a knife that will meet your need and you won't be disappointed with Ka-bar.

With the vast variety of knives on the market, it can be difficult to know which Ka-bar knife you need. Choosing a knife is not hard if you know what you're looking at.

1. What do you plan to use the knife for? Are you looking for an all-purpose utility knife, a hunting/sporting knife, or a military/tactical knife.
   
2. Fixed blade or folding blade? - A primary feature that you should think about is whether you need a fixed-blade (more compact - but slower to bring into action) or whether a folding knife would suit your purpose.
3. What type of materials and handle do you prefer? - This is part based on use - for example, if you are looking at substantial amounts of water work you want to be sure to factor that into the materials decisionget a waterproof handle. But this is also an aesthetic decision. If this will be your primary knife, this becomes an even more crucial factor to consider as you'll be looking at this knife a lot.
4. The warranty - will this knife really last? - You may want to be sure the manufacturer will back up their product should it ever stop working at peak performance or in the manner in which is intended and/or promised.

This artlce on "Ka-Bar Knives - What makes a Kabar Kniefe So Great" is another good source of ideas on how to make your selection.

A good knife only stays good when properly cared for. Here are some ideas for sharpening your knife, particularly a hunting knife, and keeping it in perfect shape.

• Inspect the blade of for nicks or gouges. Grind down damaged areas if the damage is not severe. The blade must be discarded if the nick is too great to file down.
  
• Run the blade down the length of a piece of paper to determine how dull or out of true the metal has become. A clean straight cut is what is desired. Any jagged tears or failure to make any cut at all is an indication that the blade needs sharpening.
  
• Use a sharpening stone to hone the edge of the hunting knife's blade. Drag the knife's blade across the sharpening stone at the angle at which the original edge was honed. Looking at the knife's blade edge will give an idea of the angle to draw across the stone.
  
• Pull the blade slowly and carefully towards the body at the proper angle. Alternate edge sides after each draw. Continue to hone the edge until the hunting knife's blade will easily slice through a piece of paper.
  
• Leave a more pyramid-like edge to the blade if it will be used for chopping. Move the blade from side to side to remove any burs or rough areas. I know all your hunter types hate it, but go ahead anyway and wear eye protection and gloves during this project.

A great addition to your kit is a Diamond sharpener with pocket clip for sharpening even in the field.