| | |  | Hunting Knives | Home » » » » Ka-Bar Black Kukri Machete | | | | | | | Description: | | Perfect for chopping down weeds, clearing a camp site or cutting small branches, the black KA-BAR machetes make great all-purpose utility knives. | | | Features: | |
• Black Kukri-style machete with carbon-steel blade
• Ideal for chopping weeds, clearing campsite, and more
• Ergonomic Kragon G thermoplastic elastomer handle
• Includes black leather/Cordura combination sheath
• Blade measures 11-1/2 inches; weighs 1.7 pounds
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 18.0 inches | | Product Width:
| 5.0 inches | | Product Height:
| 2.5 inches | | Product Weight:
| 2.0 pounds | | Package Length:
| 18.25 inches | | Package Width:
| 4.75 inches | | Package Height:
| 3.25 inches | | Package Weight:
| 2.1 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 223 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 223 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
169 of 171 found the following review helpful:
Quality Control is amazing.Jul 01, 2009
By K. Quakenbush
"HalfBak3dM0nkey"
There is a lot to say about this kukri that makes it one of the best to own in its class. The steel is 1085 high carbon and holds an edge really well. It is a bit stiffer than most machetes, due to its hefty solid feel and huge blade thickness. It acts as a wedge when batoning, and it splits wood rivaling hatchets that I've owned. I've found that it really is comfortable with the Kraton handle, and using it for hours cutting wood, it still is comfortable. The sheath that it comes with is on the stiff side, with leather snaps and heavy Cordura on the sheath material. I really have close to no complaints about it, except that the metal loop to put the lanyard in the handle is prone to bending in throwing situations. It is exactly how a kukri should be built worksmanship-wise (albeit not traditional in the slightest in design though). It comes with a good edge but the relief cut in that edge might be best for utility, as it is a wider angle.
Rated 5 out of 5. Thanks for reading this review.
106 of 109 found the following review helpful:
Excellent Trail MacheteOct 18, 2009
By William Connor
Purchased this item recently to replace my standard sized machete which I found to be too long and awkward to carry when traveling off trail here in Hawaii. The item was sent promptly and arrived quickly with no issues.
The machete is fairly short yet heavy for its size (and actually, much more so than my cheap WalMart Coleman) but not uncomfortably so and came out of the box razor sharp. The handle is drilled to allow for a small slip rope (I'm using paracord which fit perfectly) can be run through to prevent it flying out of your hand and the loop at the bottom of the sheath allows it to be strapped securely to your leg to streamline your gear, which is fantastic when traveling through underbrush.
Chopping with this item tool is much more comfortable than with the standard machete. Since the majority of the weight is at the head of the blade, I feel like the blade is doing the majority of the work as opposed to my arm. This thing makes short work of bamboo, koa bushes, and thick grass when traveling and coconut husks when I'm hungry.
I can whole-heartily recommend this item for any trailblazers out there or those who need to do light clearing work. Just keep in mind that it's a short blade.
58 of 60 found the following review helpful:
Great Utility KnifeSep 09, 2008
By M. Hilbert
"Those who fail history are doomed to repeat it..."
This knife has proven to be quite handy. I have used it mostly for chopping branches and cutting down small trees. The knife is built solid and the blade is weighted enough to carry through branches and saplings in one strike.
This is a good knife in comparison to machetes and corn knives I have owned and used, but I think because of its size and design it will be much more versatile and useful.
45 of 48 found the following review helpful:
Its Bite is More Than its Bark!Mar 13, 2010
By T. Smith
I got this machete a couple weeks ago and am seriously impressed. I've been using cheap machetes as very handy all-purpose garden and "etceteras" tools for years now - from thinning and weed whacking to pruning, edging, and grubbing, machetes are highly versatile tools I will always make a point of having on my tool shelf or stowed away when going camping. After hearing of the leverage power lent to the machete by adapted kukri design, I felt I had to try 'em out. After using this on overgrown roses and to reshape and limb the trees in my backyard I have certainly been sold on incorporating the down-curved blade into a machete and believe any of the kukri machetes at this price and below must be easily worth the cost. If you need a simple hacker, the Cold Steel version for much cheaper may be all you need. The basic design and functionality of the blade shape is not the reason to go for this pricier Ka-Bar option.
Just looking at this (admittedly attractive) blade really tells little of the power it holds. Honestly, it looks a little smaller than I expected. Picking it up quickly gives you a sense of reason for its size. With a linear distance of only 11.5" from the tip to where the inside edge meets the handle, the thing weighs a little over 1.25 lbs. Feels very close to the feel of holding a large wood-handled hammer for driving nails. This poses a bit of a body mechanics issue when swinging the machete - you should commit to every swing! Backing your weight off or pulling back from a swing out of concern of missing or hitting something with snap-back could easily hurt your wrist and elbow over time. Committing to a swing against a large branch will allow either a deep bite or smooth roll around to achieve your cut or save your wrist and the sharp edge will usually take care of the twigs you may unconsciously flinch at in case of snap-back. The balance point is very near the edge and just under 9" from the tip, so it is very front-heavy with a great deal of the resting weight lying within the sharpened edge length of the blade.
And please pay heed when I say "sharpened," for this comes out of the box with a finer edge than the utility/fighting knives Ka-Bar sells and I actually gave myself a clean shave to my cheeks without water or shaving cream. I had my file and whetstone all ready to go when I opened this thing, expecting to be filing down the rough edge most machetes have (and most knives are left with for shipping purposes). But not with this - it is seriously as sharp as a well honed razor for 9" the length of the blade and the tip has the initial grip of an Exacto knife. If dropped from more than 3' tip-down following the grain of hardwood, it will likely penetrate enough to stand upright for a bit. The factory sharpened edge cuts through 1.5mm full grain leather strapping slung over the edge with no lateral slicing and just a couple pounds of pulling tension. Even wearing leather work boots, you should be careful not to drop this on your foot.
I was tempted to remove the rough black finish at first since I had heard stories of moisture being locked beneath such coatings and because it tends to grip sliced material more than a clean blade, but it is really durable and wipes clean easily enough. The somewhat rough texture has actually helped ensure a feeling of secure grip when holding the back of the blade for planing and added accuracy in notching branches for grafting. It also makes me feel a bit more confidant the couple times I've used this to lightly hammer in small nails.
The handle is very comfortable but it is a small diameter, as others have complained. I do not see this as a detriment, however. Holding this with a fist is ineffective and could cause undue tendon strain. The handle contours easily when gripped as though reaching for a doorknob or to shake a child's hand. Few would appreciate this analogy, but the grip is remarkably similar to the hand position necessary to lock in a portafilter handle for espresso preparation. When gripped with your thumb pointed forward in line with the back of the blade, the finger guard acts as a broad platform and the curvature of the blade then follows the line of resistance straight through a partially curved arm all the way to the shoulder girdle. If you bite the blade into a thick branch with a fisted grip, the shock would reverberate through your elbow ligaments whereas following the line of your thumb and forearm in what feels like a lighter grip actually carries more power all the way from your back and shoulder into the bite of the knife. The first few swings I took on 3"+ branches I was worried I'd strain my thumb in such a position, but the curve of the blade and handle do a great job of distributing the shock with a minimum of stress right through the palm.
The hook shape at the back of the handle is a feature I hardly considered when buying but has helped tremendously. I mentioned earlier that this has a propensity for falling tip-down - this is a knife that wants to be freed to bite into the nearest piece of wood and the hook in the handle really gives a nice extra bit of control and also assists in pulling from the sheath and reducing fatigue when simply holding the blade stationary.
What few faults I can find I see in the sheath, but these are really just nitpicks that probably wouldn't exist if the sheath as a whole were not so well constructed. It is thick leather to the inside (where it would be against a user's leg) and multiple-layers of cordura to the outside. The leather belt loop is connected with a sturdy metal D-ring allowing for flexibility while the ring off the tip for a leg tie is a stiff hard plastic ring. This inconsistency is a little irritating and I worry about compromising the connection point of the plastic, but it's minor. The D-ring has a tendency to squeak against the leather even when oiled, but this may eventually remedy itself. There are two button-down leather straps holding the blade in place. These retain their curvature when released, so you really do need to look when re-sheathing the machete. I actually really like the straps. They release very easily when pulled but hold tight against the blade. I don't really see much use for the lower strap, since you can easily insert and remove without unsnapping the lower strap. Makes for slightly more carefree re-sheathing, I suppose. I do worry about the sheath a bit... Despite being very heavy-duty, the multilayered nature combined with the sharpness and weight of the blade suggest that it would be very easy to accidentally insert the blade right through the seams of the sheath... Being a machete and a sharp-edged tool I tend to look carefully every time this thing approaches my legs, but I can imagine this issue popping up. Still a far better sheath than I had imagined for a blade shape such as this.
I do suggest that users of this machete wear at least light gloves to protect against abrasion if not work gloves to protect against reverberation or cuts. Use as much caution in swinging this as you would any hatchet, pick, or axe - the angle of swinging this in an arc aligns the tip to slice straight into the middle of one's quadriceps into the weakest point of the femur. Chop into branches at a ~45 degree angle to maximize speed and effectiveness of the bite. Keep dry, store outside of the sheath if it gets wet, and wipe with a light knife mineral oil to protect from moisture. With proper are, this ought to last a lifetime. With inadequate care, it would still be an effective tool for many years despite heavy rust and a dulled edge. Nepalese Gurkha
Warriors adapted the Kukri from a farm tool to the battlefield and here it has been adapted back to taking on plant life with your backyard or campsite as a battlefield.
27 of 28 found the following review helpful:
this thing rocksOct 18, 2009
By Greg Kelley
"survivalist"
so my roommate got one of these a few weeks ago. straight out of the box i'm already impressed with the intimidation factor of this thing. so we test out its cutting ability against a 1095 carbon steel straight sword. it easily does just does just as much cutting damage as the sword (impressive because its wielded with one hand instead of two and its much smaller.) i was pretty impressed. went on a 25 mile hike through the forest and camping. i took my machete and he took the kukri. the kukri cut down some trees that were easily 5-7 in around at base. and about 10-15 ft tall. it literally took no time at all to strip all the branches off the tree (one swing for most) and had loads of firewood for the whole night. i didn't even bring my machete home i left it, cause i'm ordering one of these. all around best tool you could have for hiking/camping.
and after the beating that it took all weekend clearing trails cutting up firewood its still just as sharp as before we left. i'm sold
See all 223 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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