This is the Ka-Bar Corser Folder, it’s a folding pocket knife and part of the company’s USSF (United States Space Force) product line.
On April Fools Day of 2019 American knifemaker Ka-Bar made a lighthearted post on their social media channels about a new model called the “Space-Bar,” a fighting knife designed for the use in space by the then-new United States Space Force.
As it happens people loved the idea, in fact they loved it so much so that Ka-Bar went and trademarked “USSF” for use in knife and tool making, so they could actually make the Space-Bar a reality. The knife was officially released for sale – while it has its roots in comedy the knife itself is just as capable as any of Ka-Bar’s other battle-tested knives.
Each knife ships out in its own box carrying the Ka-Bar USSF branding.
Since 2019 Ka-Bar has released a number of other USSF products including the Bridge Breacher, the TDI Astro MP, and the Corser Folder.
The Unusual Origins Of The Name “Ka-Bar”
During WWII the United States Marine Corps recognized the need for a new combat knife to replace the earlier models. The Marine Corps reached out to several knife manufacturers, including Union Cutlery Company, Ka-Bar’s original company name, to design and produce a reliable and versatile combat knife.
The Union Cutlery Company eagerly took up the challenge and started working on the project. The company’s designers, led by a man named Howard E. Cole, developed a new knife design that incorporated feedback and requirements from the Marine Corps.
The knife featured a 7 inch blade made of high-carbon steel, with a clip point, and a serrated section near the handle. It had full tang construction, meaning the blade extended all the way through the handle for added strength. The knife’s design allowed for effective thrusting, slashing, and cutting actions, making it ideal for combat situations.
The unusual-looking handle is maden from a light blue GFN-PA66, a hard-wearing plastic, with a pattern designed to offer good grip – even when wearing space suit gloves.
After extensive testing and refinement, the knife design was approved by the Marine Corps and officially adopted as the standard issue fighting/utility knife for the Marines. The knife quickly gained popularity among the troops, earning a reputation for its durability and effectiveness in the field.
To distinguish this new fighting knife from other models, the Union Cutlery Company wanted to give it a unique name. They ran a contest among their employees, inviting suggestions for a name that would capture the knife’s qualities and the spirit of the Marine Corps.
One of the company’s employees, a lady named Mary Elizabeth Hain, submitted the name “Ka-Bar.” The name was inspired by a testimonial letter the company received from a hunter, who recounted how he had used the knife to kill a bear that had attacked him. The letter was damaged badly when it arrived, but according to what could be read of the hunter’s words he had used the knife to kill a bear, though only the letters “k a b ar” were legible.
The name “Ka-Bar” resonated with the Union Cutlery Company, and they decided to adopt it as the official name for their new combat knife. It became so popular that they later adopted it as the name for the company as a whole.
Once folded down the knife measures in at just 3.5 inches and it has a pocket clip on the back, making it a good daily-carry pocket knife.
The Ka-Bar USSF Corser Folder
The Ka-Bar USSF Corser Folder is the newest model in the growing Ka-Bar USSF model family, it has a tanto blade and a lock back design to ensure it stays safely locked open when in use.
The knife has an AUS 8A stainless steel blade with grey powder-coating and it has a Rockwell Hardness rating of 56-58. The blade has a thickness of 0.114 inches and a length of 3.5 inches, the knife measures in at 7.875 inches in overall length when open.
The eye-catching blue handle, a feature of all Ka-Bar USSF knives, is made from GFN-PA66, a hard-wearing plastic that will apparently stand up to the rigors of use in orbit.
At the time of writing the price of the Corser Folder is a little over $35 USD and you can visit the Amazon store here to read more or get yours.
Images courtesy of Ka-Bar
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
