Ka-Bar vs. M9 vs. AK-47 Bayonet
Just as an overall utility knife, what would be your preference and why?
I have much experience with AK-47 bayonet, just got an M9, seems like a very decent knife, though it is a little bulky compared to AK-47 bayonet. Anyways, would love to hear the experts.
I have much experience with AK-47 bayonet, just got an M9, seems like a very decent knife, though it is a little bulky compared to AK-47 bayonet. Anyways, would love to hear the experts.
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If I'm not going to stick it on the end of my rifle for fighting, I'll take the Kabar over the other two.
My understanding is that bayonet blades are deliberately made of softer steel so that they won't shatter when subjected to the stress of hard stabbing.
So for general use, I'll take the general use knife.0 -
Kabar beats both by an easy mile with the AK47 second and the M9 a distant third. The Kabar is a much harder steel then the AK bayonet and can hold a good edge which the AK bayonet can't do.
The manufacturers of the M9 should be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan to use that peice of trash. It is extraordinarily hard with the ability to hold a great edge. BUT, it is exceedinly prone to snapping right inside the handle where the blade stops and the flat piece goes through the handle. I got some of these broken bayonets about 12 years ago from a friend of mine that was an armorer on Bragg and had a heck of a time welding them back together. He said they had a lot of these break in this spot but the army just destroys them.
I'll take the Kabar, thank you.0 -
The M9 is more of a survival tool than the KaBar. You can use it as a wire cutter, hammer, hoe, etc.
Having both the M9 and a KaBar, and you'd be pretty well off.0 -
Thanks ya'll. I have all three now, well, I just got Ka-Bar Next Generation, classic Ka-Bar 7" is next.
Read a bit about Buck using 425M steel for their blades, meaning Buck 188 and Phrobis are out. I have Lan-Cay, wonder if this one is any better.0 -
I saw an AK bayonet that had a sharp saw blade on the top edge and a very sharp edge plus the wire cutting feature. The blade was hard chrome plated.
It looked like it would make a more useful knife than Army bayonets I've seen.
The scabbard had a rubber bushing around the upper part.
It looked better made than my Norinco AK bayonets.0 -
v35, like this one? 0 -
Have you seen the newer M10 Bayonet? It's nearly the same as the KaBar, only rubber instead of leather handle, plus a muzzle ring (or whatever it's called) and clip at the base. I've never had much use for a knife larger than a skinning knife or gut knife. 0 -
Interesting, never heard of M10. Looks good, though, I'll have to check it out.
When backpacking, a large knife can be very useful.0 -
yeah. I'm not too impressed with the quality of the metal anything on the AK bayonet. (so I never got one) I did have an M9 (Lan-Cay) and a Ka-Bar (KA-1222), and as said above, they both have their virtues.
the M9 is one thick, tough hunk of metal. when sharpened properly (altering the blade angle helps a lot) it's a great chopper. you can cut wire and the handle is electrically insulated to 700 volts. it has a sharpening stone glued to the sheath. the diamond-shaped cross section of the tip is specifically designed to penetrate body armor. the saw back is good for cutting through softer metals such as aluminum, or making notches in wood for triggers on a trap -but not as a survival saw. I think it's very well constructed and looks quite menacing. plus, as a survival knife, the ring on it allows you to tie it to a stick and make a spear if need be.
the bad points are, it weighs too damn much, I don't like the round handle, and as said above (I didn't know this until just now) it breaks. not good. plus, the Lan-Cay that I got was ridiculously blunt. not just "not sharpened", the edge was just a slab. I had to take a grinder and hollow grind the side of the slab just so I could make a normal V-grind out of the last 1/8" of the edge, and sharpen that. nothing like the Buck M9's, those are made right in the first place. it would have been worth it to spend the extra money so I didn't have to mess with it, and have a factory edge to begin with.
this here is probbaly the only hollow ground, and sharp, Lan-Cay in existence. ech! but I sold it.
the Ka-bar was just right for a survival knife. not too long, not too short, lightweight, the 440A steel keeps an edge for a good while. (the ding dong I bought it from at the gun show swore up and down it was AUS-8A) the rubber grip and noiseless kydex sheath won't rot. the friction clip at the top of the sheath was a great idea -you don't have to use the rubber loop all the time, which is slow and clumsy anyways. however, I wasn't happy with the clip point and false edge. I haven't found a Ka-Bar yet that I like the point. not a good chopper either because it's too light for that. oh well. the bead-blasted non glare finish was a plus.
spray paint sticks to it. not well, but good enough. it doesn't have to be pretty. it works.
they're both good for something. if I had to pick, with no stated purpose to go off of, I'd choose the Ka-Bar.
I'm sure there's a better all-around survival/utility knife out there.0 -
buschmaster, good review, thank you. What was the reason you sold your Lan-Cay? Mine's I guess the next production as it has a more comfortable handle, doesn't have a honing stone glued to the sheath (which is preferable, I'd rather carry my own. Well, we'll see what the Ka-Bar I ordered will be like, it looks like it's same as one you got:
Btw, so far I've been happy with my AK bayonet, it held the edge relatively well, and I like how it feels in my hand. I'll post pictures of mine in a little bit.0 -
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-To me, the AK bayonet is kind of junky. The M9 is clunky and, like the AK knife, tries to be too many things to too many people.
I think a bayonet should have a 10"-12" blade, have a spear type point, be about 1 1/4" wide and have two or three blunt barbs on the top surface about half way back. The blade should be sharp, but not too sharp. Rockwell hardness of about 55 is about right.
The K-Bar Marine fighting knife is the best knife of the three. Hell! I would duct tape it onto my rifle before I'd use the AK bayonet! The Ka-Bar has a good hardness factor, the blade is carbon steel and is 7 or 7 1/2" long and is a rock solid weapon. One swipe will virtually take off a head. Plus it is still designed well enought to handle routine cutting jobs at the front, on a hunting trip, in a survival situation or self defense.
Just my 29 cents worth.0 -
all around knife, the k-bar. then the ak bayonet.
my personal faves however impractical, are the 07 wilkinson, p14 bayonet or the 03 springfeild they just have that sword like quality. that is reminesent of the old knight days.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Rockatansky
buschmaster, good review, thank you. What was the reason you sold your Lan-Cay?didn't need it.0 -
Can't beat a Ka Bar 0 -
Here's a link to the USMC M-10. It's a good knife, but stupid expensive at this link. I'm sure you can find it cheaper, but I'm not going to do all the legwork for you.[;)]
http://www.gijoesmilitarysurplus.com/product_info.php/cPath/71_81/products_id/1422?osCsid=94477958fb0a39eb41a1800bcfeb6bef0 -
cce1302, thanks. I did find a few yesterday, though, looks like it's exactly the same thing as M9, except no ring to attach it as bayonet. 0
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