KA-BAR KB1245 Tanto Black W/Leather Sheath

This is my third knife I got so far, and my first real fixed blade. Part of the reason I bought this particular knife is that it is made by KA-BAR, a company synonymous with its battle-tested, and proven, combat/utility knives. I've researched on other knives that are just as good or better as KA-BAR's but none had the ideal mix of quality and affordability that KA-BAR offers. There were knives with exceptional quality but are just way out of budget even when marked down at retail prices, then there are those that are just simply cheap through and through. I do not claim to be an expert on knives nor its components, this review is primarily from what I've experienced with this knife. General Impressions: When I took it out of the black box, the size of the knife is imposing to say the least. I already have one of those Chinese knock-off survival knives that I got from a friend; that paled in comparison to the KA-BAR tanto. Holding it gingerly at first; having this "high" that is rather indescribable. I figured this is from the fact that, in my hands, is a knife made by skilled men and women who makes knives to those who are fighting for our freedom everyday. As I inspect the knife in its entirety it looks like it is built like a tank, no "soft spots", no loose ends. It looks and feels well-made as I expected from this company. The blade: Out of the box, it is very sharp. Not straight razor sharp but it will cut paper as clean as scissors. While the serrated edges have round points, it cuts just as well. I chose the American-style tanto blade primarily because it looks really cool to look at (I'm a sucker for futuristic-styled blades); yet it is still practical enough for camping and (heaven forbid) fighting off bears and what not. The grip: The grip on this knife is made of some sort of rubber-like polymer. It feels perfect holding it in my hand, almost like a custom-built knife. Even when moisture accumulates on the surface, there's no worry that the knife would slip. Also, the cutouts on the sides of the knife are a nice touch; providing some interesting gripping styles. The balance: Based on my experience with this knife, the balance (or rather weight distribution) is biased much more on the handle side, but it does not detract from it's overall handling. In fact, it is not tiring at all when swinging this knife in any direction. And the design almost lends itself for reverse grip use, it felt natural and not cumbersome at all. The sheath: Nothing much here, although I've read previous reviews about the issues of this sheath wearing way at the surface of the knife due to a partially exposed button rivet. It looks like KA-BAR corrected it and made it so the buttons are slightly recessed, preventing it from scratching the knife's surface. Other than that, it's just your typical plastic sheath with holes for MOLLE type vests and a belt loop. It comes with a locking system and two straps (kind of overkill to have two, but ok I guess) to keep the knife in place, however. For a knife that is made here in USA with quality steel (specifically in New York of all places), $60 retail is an amazing bargain. Again, there are better knives than this but cost a lot more and there are those that are cheap but have too many bells and whistles (like that survival knife I mentioned earlier), this knife is right in the middle. Simple, durable and affordable.

I love this knife! Upon inspection you may find yourself bedazzled by the quality and craftsmanship, as I was and inspected every detail before putting it through the paces. A beautiful piece.. Build: This baby is a serious weapon before it is a tool, unless you consider them one-in-the-same. The first attribute you may notice is the spine of the blade (narrow and more a dull blade then flat surface) which follows traditional Tanto style. It is truly built as a puncturing/stabbing tool. The blade edge is very sharp out of the box, with almost no imperfections in honing. The serrations are the smoother non-aggressive type, in sets of three, with four hollows separating them (OXOXOXO). The full tang and overall length bring this behemoth to a surprisingly light 11.5 ounces, with the center-balance point on the grip, about a 1/4" before the bolster/guard. Ergonomics: As the title states, this blade feels like a small machete. The thinner spine may save a little weight, but the overall length make this blade a bit uneasy to wield nimbly unless you practice proper form for safety, or are already trained in knife fighting. Holding this knife in the fighting style (thumb up, blade down), the blade's length bring the tip close to the bend of my elbow, plus the very aggressive point will easily snag and tear any sleeve with ease, should you hold/conceal it that way. Both very small notes when you consider the reach of the blade, but just keep in mind that the points above. As for this being a survival type tool, the major drawback is the thickness of the spine in the case of splitting wood, since you would hammer it through with another piece of wood. The thin spine is more like a dull edge so you will end up destroying your improvised hammer. Also, the weight is light and spread out, leaving the pommel your best option for blunt force. The handle grip is very comfortable and non-slip, yet not tacky. The bolster/guard also assures you that your hand will not slide onto the blade, should you find yourself driving this into the nearest zombie skull. Overall: I recommend this for the knife collector or those with knife fighting experience and the will to carry such a long blade. For a more agile version I recommend the stubby version. If a survival tool is what you are looking for, I HIGHLY suggest the Gerber LMF II. That little beast is a.........beast. Remember: American Made = Americans Paid

Superb fighting knives. I now have two KA1245-BRK black Tantos, and one Foliage Green 02-5012 Clip Point. All three eclipse my other fixed blade knives. No, they are not the most expensive, but rather, amongst the best value knives I've owned in my 68 years. Light, yet robust, durable, well balanced, with a great grip/handle that few others can equal. In other words, superb. Fit, finish, design, and manufacture- all are the best quality. A little word to those that don't like the retaining strap that further anchors the knife, going above and over the cross guard... The wonderful folks at KABAR told me that, yes, you can cut it off. HOWEVER, it will void the warranty of the sheath/scabbard. Me? I'll just use some electrician's tap, securing it to the back of the seath/scabbard, and do the same for the snap/attachement that would/does further anchor the knife within the sheath/scabbard. If I need my blades, they'll need fewer steps to draw and use... For quiet carriage, the strap does end any possibility of vibration and noise- at the cost of speed... All in all, price wise, the KABAR can't be beat. Likewise, as an adjunct to my Sig 226 TACOPS pistols, these blades do represent battle proven qualtiy, dependability, and reliability. You won't be disappointed when you need the best, and they're at hand, ready to go... Five out of Five Stars, and no, these are mine, and you can't have them...

This knife is AMAZING I love it!!! It comes razor sharp out of the box, high quality strong steel and handle material, it is extremely durable and the handle fits very comfortably in my hand. The best part is being a big knife with a quite bit of weight to it feels almost weightless and perfectly balanced to wield in a single hand, and deadly sharp making it extremely lethal, I would take this knife camping, hunting/fishing or hiking as a utility knife and to defend against bears, YES ITS THAT DEADLY. Its weight and perfect balance makes it effortless to chop and also slice, slash, stab and even throw. I cracked a brick in half with the blade of this knife (like I saw in a YouTube video) the edge held, zero damage to the edge, just a few scratches but the edge can still cut clean through paper. KA-BAR never disappoints these are my favourite knives EVER!!! This knife is a BEAST and I recommend this to anyone who loves knives, it will pass your expectations I promise 😉

Es un producto Ka Bar. La calidad de materiales y de fabricación es muy alta. Este cuchillo te da la sensación de que podrá hacer los trabajos más rudos y exigentes que se requieran. El estilo con influencia asiática le proporciona un aspecto intimidante y disuasivo si hablamos de uso de defensa personal. Al comprar productos Ka Bar no te decepcionarás. Lo recomiendo al 100%

Hab’s für mein Beruf gekauft macht guten Eindruck Versand hat bisschen gedauert aber sonnst alles gut einzigste was mich persönlich bisschen stört das dieses Messer kein Leder griff hat ist aber mein persönliches Ding ansonsten geiles Teil klare kauf Empfehlung wer Zweifel hat soll einfach mal YouTube schauen was des Messer so alles aushält

Perfect shippment, carefuly packed, arrived in 2 days with Amazon Prime, knife condition is perfect: solid, really sharp and black on the blade as no scatches or any marks on it. I really don't undstand those who are saying that kabar knifes are fragile? I'm a blade and knife collector, I have blade from many part of the world like blade from Gil Hibben and other blade from world reknown best forgerons and KaBar knives are easily in the top 5 of the chart, their blades are one of best seen everywhere, they used quality iron and are manifactured in the U.S. with care for each part of the process. The handle are made and craft using material like leather and kraton that ensure you to have a great take on the knife and that you will not drop it by mistake. I recommand every Kabar knives in this series (US Marine,2211,1245-1 Tanto) I'm convinced that you'll not regret it like me and many others blade collectors

Augenscheinlich ein robustes Messer, wobei die Tanto-Form für Kampfmesser nicht so zweckmäßig ist, wie die Dolch-Form, wegen der Penetrierwirkung. Als Überlebensmesser durchaus zu gebrauchen, da es zum Abschlagen von Ästen und zum Aufspalten von Brennholz relativ gut geeignet ist. Es ist nicht wirklich scharf. Wer damit Tomaten schneiden will, muss es nachschärfen. Auf jeden Fall ist es groß und ausreichend martialisch, ohne dabei übertrieben und damit lächerlich zu wirken. Eine würdige Ergänzung für die anspruchsvolle Messersammlung.