This is the Ka-Bar Wrench Knife, it’s one of the more unusual offerings from the storied American knifemaking company, and is make the ideal garage or shed knife for general duty use due to its wrench-like design.
Each of these knives is made from 425 high carbon stainless steel, this means they’re excellent for heavy duty tool-like use, and they they offer good corrosion resistance. They come in a hard plastic sheath to keep them safe, and to keep the blade out of harm’s way when not in use.
Each of these knives is made from 425 high carbon stainless steel, this means they’re excellent for heavy duty tool-like use, and they they offer good corrosion resistance.
History Speedrun: Ka-Bar
Ka-Bar’s origins date back to 1897 when a group of 38 men founded a company named the Tidioute Cutlery Company in Tidioute, Pennsylvania. Initially, they produced a variety of straight razors and folding pocket knives.
In 1902, the company was restructured under the name Union Cutlery Company. The new company expanded its production to include high-quality hunting knives, and its products gained a solid reputation for durability and sharpness.
The Ka-Bar name came about around this time. According to the company, a trapper sent a letter to Union Cutlery, recounting how his knife had helped him “kill a bear” when his rifle jammed. Parts of the letter were difficult to read, and the phrase “kill a bear” was interpreted as “k… a…. bar.” This name stuck and became the brand’s defining moniker.
Ka-Bar would achieve legendary status during World War II when the U.S. Marine Corps adopted its fighting/utility knife as its standard issue, this knife was officially named the (USMC) Knife, Fighting Utility (USN Mark 2 utility knife).
This Ka-Bar knife design was well-suited for combat and utility tasks, and it became synonymous with the Marine Corps. Other branches of the military, including the U.S. Navy and Army, also used KA-BAR knives during the war, and it’s these knives that the company is best known for today.
In the years since, the company has continued to thrive, creating a broad range of new products including a series of US Space Force knives, a Ka-Bar “Tactical” Spork, a Ka-Bar Slingshot, Wrench Knife, and the popular Field Kit Spork/Knife camping cutlery set.
The Ka-Bar Wrench Knife
The Wrench Knife is one of the more popular designs from Ka-Bar, it’s affordable at around $45 USD, and it’s wrench-like design means it fits in well in a tool box or up on a wall rack with your other wrenches and tools.
The Wrench Knife is one of the more popular designs from Ka-Bar, it’s affordable at around $45 USD, and it’s wrench-like design means it fits in well in a tool box or up on a wall rack with your other wrenches and tools.
This knife measures in at 7 inches long, it had a 3 inch blade, and it weighs 3.2 ounces – making it an easy everyday carry knife if you need it. The blade has a Rockwell Hardness rating of 56-58, a 20º edge angle, and a flat grind.
It’s now available on the official Ka-Bar Amazon store here and at the time of writing it’s in stock – although this item does seem to sell out from time to time as it’s made in batches in the United States.
Images courtesy of Ka-Bar
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