Best fixed blade replacement for the Ka-bar?

[kennethsime]

Well could always go with a smaller knife too.

Like a Winkler Belt Knife, this one is in 3V.

I'd really like to try a Winkler sometime in the next year or two, especially in 3V or another CPM steel. It seems like he mostly uses 80CRV2. The Belt knife looks like a great option.

[vivi]

they make some beautiful knives. I've been to their shop in boone. I like their belt knife, blue ridge hunter and sd2.

[VashHash]

Maybe look at the cold steel recon scout in 3V if you want a guard.

[toomanyquestions]

Does anyone have any opinions about the now discontinued Buck Ground Combat Knife (GCK)? That model has always interested me as a possible Ka-Bar replacement. It's too bad they discontinued it.

[2002WRX]

When I was still serving in the U.S. Army (88-96), I carried my trusty Mamba (made by Black Jack Knives) and my M16A1. I still would carry my Mamba. In addition, an updated Leatherman multi-tool. I still carry my original Leatherman with the built in blasting cap crimper, but the newer ones are much nicer.

[2002WRX]

Does anyone have any opinions about the now discontinued Buck Ground Combat Knife (GCK)? That model has always interested me as a possible Ka-Bar replacement. It's too bad they discontinued it.

One of my friends who is a former 5th Special Forces soldier loved his. I looked and messed with it and seemed like a good blade.

[toomanyquestions]

When I was still serving in the U.S. Army (88-96), I carried my trusty Mamba (made by Black Jack Knives) ....

That is quite a blade! :)

[SchoonerBum]

I hear that the Benchmade Nimravus has been popular with military folks for a while. I picked one up a year or so ago and it has become one of my favorites. It won’t replace the Aqua Salt for me but it’s one of my next most favorite knives for general outdoorsy stuff.
The Fallkniven S1 is another one that’s really good, and their A1 could almost be a direct Ka-Bar replacement.
I gave away my Becker BK7 when I purged all of my non-stainless knives, but that’s another one that is really excellent. If I wanted a Ka-Bar and didn’t care about stainlessness, I’d buy another one of those. Or maybe an SRK. I haven’t used one but they’re sure tempting.

[SchoonerBum]

The Bradford Guardian 5.5 is also excellent. I have the Elmax version but it comes in 3V normally.

[shunsui]

Something a little more like an SRK or an ESSE 6 from the Scrapyard Knife Company. Not a very catchy name though: DB-421.

[MacLaren]

I would 2nd what Jim said with the Randall model 14 and also the Busse Combat Team Gemini

[2002WRX]

When I was still serving in the U.S. Army (88-96), I carried my trusty Mamba (made by Black Jack Knives) ....

That is quite a blade! :)

Thanks! It’s been with me for all these years and it has never let me down.

[kennethsime]

When I was still serving in the U.S. Army (88-96), I carried my trusty Mamba (made by Black Jack Knives) ....

That is quite a blade! :)

Thanks! It’s been with me for all these years and it has never let me down.

Seriously cool knife. Bark River did a run of them at some point, I think for the 25th Anniversary? Still nearly ipossible to find.

[kennethsime]

I hear that the Benchmade Nimravus has been popular with military folks for a while. I picked one up a year or so ago and it has become one of my favorites. It won’t replace the Aqua Salt for me but it’s one of my next most favorite knives for general outdoorsy stuff.
The Fallkniven S1 is another one that’s really good, and their A1 could almost be a direct Ka-Bar replacement.

When I was selling knives to dads whose kids were headed to Iraq + Afghanistan, the common choices were the KABAR, the Nimravus, or the Green Beret based on price point.

We sold a heck of a lot of the Nimravus, and I was surprised to see it discontinued. That thing just screamed “weapon.”

[kennethsime]