KA-Bar 1221 Second Gen Fighting Knife

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Art In Colorado
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KA-Bar 1221 Second Gen Fighting Knife

Post by Art In Colorado » Thu May 02, 2019 3:32 pm

Bought this knife 15 plus years ago and always wondered what kind of steel it was. Called Ka-Bar this A.M. and the nice lady put on hold to find out and came back with the info that it was Sandvik 12-c-27 steel. Kind of pleased with this. Not D-2 like their higher priced Fighting knives but not just some 440 stainless. What do the knife gurus here think of this steel?
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: KA-Bar 1221 Second Gen Fighting Knife

Post by OLDE CUTLER » Thu May 02, 2019 8:45 pm

Any way we could see some pictures of the knife?
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
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Art In Colorado
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Re: KA-Bar 1221 Second Gen Fighting Knife

Post by Art In Colorado » Thu May 02, 2019 10:28 pm

Not good at that. It is just the normal Marine fighting knife. Instead or the leather wrap around the handel it is Kraton. Makes it second Generation I guess.
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Captain O
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Re: KA-Bar 1221 Second Gen Fighting Knife

Post by Captain O » Sat May 04, 2019 3:19 pm

If KaBar heat treats it properly, it is akin to an "improved" 440A. Don't expect it to hold an edge like 1095 CroVan steel, but it isn't "trash steel" either.
This post is approved by Arf The Wonder Chicken. :wink:
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Art In Colorado
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Re: KA-Bar 1221 Second Gen Fighting Knife

Post by Art In Colorado » Tue May 21, 2019 8:44 pm

Called K-Bar and they told me it is Sandvik 12-27. Pretty average from what I can find out.
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cody6268
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Re: KA-Bar 1221 Second Gen Fighting Knife

Post by cody6268 » Wed May 22, 2019 5:17 pm

Sandvik 12C27 is not really a bad steel. I have quite a few knives (mostly smallish folders and a fixed blade) in it, and they all perform well.
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