Kabar vs. Khyber

The KA-BAR brand originated as a trademark of the Tidioute Cutlery Company. Tidioute was later taken over & renamed the Union Cutlery Company which continued making the brand until Union eventually adopted it as the company name in 1952. Cutco Corporation later acquired the company in 1996.
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Byrd
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Kabar vs. Khyber

Post by Byrd »

I thought you Kabar fans would enjoy this side by side picture of a Kabar and a Khyber. I've had both for 25-30 years and don't remember where I got them. I know I didn't pay much for either. Both are made in Japan and both are well put together. The fit on both is great and both hold an edge well. I carried the micarta Khyber for a few years and it did everything a pocket knife needed to do. It's obvious both were made in the same facility.
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kootenay joe
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Re: Kabar vs. Khyber

Post by kootenay joe »

I think the Khyber knives were made for Kabar.
kj
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Byrd
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Re: Kabar vs. Khyber

Post by Byrd »

I would have thought it was the other way around. The Kabar tang says Cleveland Ohio and the other side says Japan. I guess I figured Kabar outsourced to Khyber in Japan. So it's the other way around?
If the thunder don't get you then the lightening will!
kootenay joe
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Re: Kabar vs. Khyber

Post by kootenay joe »

We are saying the same thing. Kabar contracted a knife manufacturer in Japan to make knives and mark them "Khyber".
kj
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Re: Kabar vs. Khyber

Post by knifeaholic »

kootenay joe wrote:We are saying the same thing. Kabar contracted a knife manufacturer in Japan to make knives and mark them "Khyber".
kj
To put a finer point on it, Cole National (company that owned the Kabar brand) had some Kabar knives made in Japan and also owned the Khyber trademark used on knives made in Japan and imported to the US.

Cole National always had several brands that more or less competed with each other like Kabar, Monarch, and Sabre and later Khyber.
Steve Pfeiffer, author of Collecting Case Knives: Identification and Price Guide published by Krause Publications.
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Byrd
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Re: Kabar vs. Khyber

Post by Byrd »

Appreciate the info! I think it's interesting how intertwined the knife manufacturers are.
If the thunder don't get you then the lightening will!
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