On December 9, 1942, amid the onset of World War II, KA-BAR submitted a knife to the United States Marine Corps with the hope that it would become the standard issue for that military branch. Collaborating with the Marine Quartermaster Department, the initial design underwent revisions, leading to the production of an enhanced fighting and utility knife tailored for the Marines.
As the war progressed, USMC KA-BAR knives gained widespread recognition for their quality and abundance, with "KABAR" becoming a colloquial term for this knife pattern, regardless of its manufacturing origin.
The USMC KA-BAR found adoption not only within the Marines but also across the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Underwater Demolition Teams. Long after World War II, these knives were unofficially reactivated in subsequent conflicts such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and The Global War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2019, KA-Bar expanded its horizons by partnering with Spartan Blades, LLC to establish Pineland Cutlery, Inc. This collaboration aimed to fulfill the vision of John Stitt, CEO of both KA-Bar and Pineland Cutlery, to produce an upgraded version of the iconic "KA-BAR" knife, boasting enhanced edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance. The result of this endeavor was the Spartan-KA-BAR.
CPM MagnaCut® was the chosen stainless steel for this project. Manufactured by Crucible Industries, a renowned American company specializing in specialty steels, CPM MagnaCut® was specifically developed for the cutlery industry and the exacting needs of discerning cutlers. Spartan Blades, assigned with the task of developing this knife, employed state-of-the-art processes such as CNC machining, deep cryogenic treatment, and PVD coatings.
Please note: A Flat Dark Earth (FDE) coated blade may exhibit streaking or staining when inserted and removed from the black leather sheath due to dye transfer. This is not permanent and can be cleaned with acetone, reoiled (WD40 or light oil), and wiped dry with a clean cloth to restore the original clean coatings finish.
Specifications:
- Knife Name: Spartan-KA-BAR
- Designer(s): KA-BAR Knives®
- Overall Length: 12”
- Blade Length: 7”
- Blade Thickness: 0.165”
- Blade Steel: CPM MagnaCut®
- Blade Hardness: 61-63 HRC
- Blade Style: Fixed, Flat Saber ground Clip Point
- Coating: PVD – Tungsten DLC (Flat Black) or ZrN (Flat Dark Earth)
- Handle Material: Kraton G®
- Butt Cap/Guard: 301 Stainless Steel, PVD – Tungsten DLC (Flat Black)
- Weight: 10.8 OZ (Knife)
25 Reviews
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Best Made Ka-bar
This is the best-made Ka-Bar. Best ever in fact, at least to this point in History. I believe it to be well-worth the price. I have two and love them both. I'm a little traditional, so I prefer the black blade the best. Nevertheless, I have both. Originally, the name of the knife was "Knife: fighting, utility". And that is and should be the use of this style knife. I can't say enough good about Spartan Blades. I've wanted one for years. I love mine. Buy yourself a couple. You will never regret it.
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Spartan kabar
Excellent knife quality. Sheath of high quality , but extremely tight. Even after loosening screws, I had to use rubber mallet to get it to release. I am hoping that this will improve with use.
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Best Ka-Bar Ever
This is the finest Ka-Bar ever made to this point in History. I think it's worth the investment. I'm thinking about buying another.
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Excellent Blade
I had a Ka Bar from Spartan a couple of years back and stupidly sold it. I wont make that mistake again. Just received another. You cannot beat this blade for utility or heaven forbid for an altercation. As I understand it the Magnacut blade is the finest knife steel available. Buy this knife!!
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Spartan-ka-bar
An absolutely amazing quality knife, feels really good in the hand and extremely well balanced. The service was exceptional and is second to none. I live in New Zealand and the knife arrived in record time with a personal hand written note, which I thought was super cool. I Highly recommend spartan blades for quality products and expert service. thanks team.
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Spartan Kabar
I got the all blacked out versions, and I absolutely love it. They fixed the issue with the weak tang and weak steel. It’s in magnacut and just simply has a way better tang. I’ve dug this knife through tires, brush, whole nine yards, and it has held up perfectly. Only complaint I have is with the sheath but that doesn’t matter a whole lot to me a I mostly use this as a backpack mounted knife
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Magnacut Ka-Bar
Beautiful knife and excellent craftsmanship. The customer service was great from them emailing when it was shipped and expected, to a hand written note in the box. Not only will I recommend this company to others, but I’ll be buying from them again for sure.
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Spartan Ka-bar
Slowly becoming one of my favorite knives that I own. Especially, if you’re a fan of the Mark II. The quality is absolutely outstanding.. cannot say enough good things about the blade, simply remarkable craftsmanship. Should’ve bought two!! Fantastic job, spartan blades.
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Killer knife!!!
The Spartan Ka-bar is one of my favorite fixes blades. Punches well above its weight class. I really like the FDE option because I wanted something different, has a great handle/plenty grippy, and at a great price!!!
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USMC Fighting Utility Knife
The Spartan/KA-BAR version of the USMC Fighting Utility knife is the highest quality manufacture version of this classic on the market. Made in the USA using the premium steel Magnacut, this blade will hold an edge and remain tough even in corrosive environments. As a U.S. Marine a have a small collection of this fighting utility knife, but the Spartan-KA-BAR is the one that is now the field user. The excellent Kydex sheath matches the design of the traditional leather sheath by where the belt attachment loop is positioned. The Kydex provides a secure retention yet still assessable deployment of the knife. The knife and sheath are an integrated system. Modern premium materials with traditional design make this a masterpiece.
