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Head to head

Ka-Bar USMC Fighting Knife 1217 vs Morakniv Pathfinder Black Blade

Ka-Bar USMC Fighting Knife 1217 runs a 7″ clip point blade in 1095 Cro-Van; Morakniv Pathfinder Black Blade runs 6.8″ of drop point in C100S Carbon. The Morakniv Pathfinder Black Blade is the lighter of the two by 2.03 oz.

01234567 in
  • Ka-Bar USMC Fighting Knife 1217 · Clip Point
    7″ blade · 0.165″ spine · 11 oz · 1.188″ tall (published)
  • Morakniv Pathfinder Black Blade · Drop Point
    6.8″ blade · 0.13″ spine · 8.97 oz · ~1.84″ tall (derived) · family outline
Spine thickness, same scale
0.165″
0.13″
Length and spine thickness drawn to true scale from published specs. Outlines traced from makers' photos, except where marked as the shape family's.
SpecKa-BarKa-Bar USMC Fighting Knife 1217Check priceMoraknivMorakniv Pathfinder Black BladeBuy from Morakniv
Blade length7″6.8″
Spine thickness0.165″0.13″
Overall length11.875″11.7″
Weight11 oz8.97 oz
Blade shapeClip PointDrop Point
Steel1095 Cro-VanC100S Carbon
GrindFlatScandi
LockFixedFixed
Handle materialStacked LeatherTPE
Country of originUSASweden
Price bandPremiumPremium

Tinted rows are where these two differ.

The steel difference

1095 Cro-Van

Ka-Bar's 1095 with chromium and vanadium added — a little more wear resistance, still very much a carbon steel.

C100S Carbon

The carbon steel Morakniv uses in the Garberg and Bushcraft lines. Tough enough to baton and easy to bring back with a stone in the field, at the cost of rusting if neglected. The black coating on the blade is corrosion protection, not decoration.