Ka-Bar 1317, Dog's Head Utility Knife W/Sheath, Brown, 12"

Though it has been mentioned many times, this knife is essentially the same as the original KA-BAR Marine fighting knife, except it has a wider pommel and crossguard. It also has the "Dog's Head" symbol stamped on the knife and sheath instead of "USMC," which particularly appealed to me because I am not a military member, and do not feel I should be carrying a symbol for a service branch I do not belong to. Also, I've read rumors that KA-BAR knives stamped with the Dog's Head eventually become more collectible and valuable, though I can't verify that.The knife has all the good features you will find in any similar KA-BAR: polished leather washer handle with an oval shape for more comfortable grip, made of sturdy 1095 steel, and with a perfectly-finished, evenly-ground blade that is razor sharp right out of the box. The wider pommel of the Dog's Head appealed to me, because I very often use the pommel of my knives to hammer on things, and this provides a much wider area to do so. The longer crossguard is also nice, because it gives you a lot of security to prevent your hand from slipping onto the blade.As with any product made of leather, no two will be the same. My handle and sheath have many more "dark lines" than the ones in the picture do, though I actually think this gives it a really appealing pattern and makes it look unique and cool. I used mink oil on the handle and sheath, then applied a few very light coatings of beeswax. The handle is already very well treated, but the oil and beeswax darkened the sheath a bit and gave it really cool color and smooth feel. The knife is made in the US; the sheath is made in Mexico, but appears to be of very high quality. Mexico makes very nice leather products if quality control is good; my family has been buying great leather items out of there for years. The sheath is both sewn and riveted, making it very sturdy, and it fits the knife very well.Overall, this is a great knife for either collection/display or everyday use. Not sure if I'm allowed to post links here, so Google "KA-BAR Dog's Head review": the second listing (right below the official KA-BAR website) is a great chronicle by a man who used the knife for all sorts of bushcraft tasks over a period of months, and a much better guide for this knife than I could have written.*5 out of 5 stars*

I've always loved the vintage marine knife. However, I'm retired army. I have never felt right wearing the Marine knife, as I have never earned the right. Same as I would be upset if someone wore a ranger beret without earning it.So when this knife came out, I was thrilled. I it's basically the same knife without the logo, and a better crossguard and pommel. The flimsy crossguard was the only thing I never liked about the old marine knife. So far, it seems to be exactly what I wanted.I read in another review that they thought the sheath was too thin. After receiving the knife, I don't think so. It's thick enough for sturdiness, but if it were any thicker, that would just be added weight. Anyone who has had to lug everything around on their back, doesn't want any more weight than necessary.In one of the old Bill Mauldin WWII cartoons, there's a joke about soldiers throwing the jokers out of their card decks to conserve weight. Anyone that has LIVED out of a backpack for extended periods of time gets that. If it were not intended for a soldier to wear all day long, day in and day out, I'd say go with a thicker sheath. But honestly, after a point, extra thickness is just more than a soldier wants.Some people complained that the knife showed up un-sharpened. It has the proper bevel, so I don't see that as any concern whatsoever. I can sharpen my knife myself. To me that's sorta like complaining that the boots they ordered didn't show up tied to their feet.Basically, this has the same feel, blade, thickness, and size of the old marine knife. Better crossguard and pommel. Without the marine logo.Five stars from me.

I love this knife!It is seriously the last heavy duity / combat knife you'll ever need!It came seriously sharp!I would recommend getting the kbar sharpener that I'm including in the 2nd photo, just to keep a razor edge to it!I'd give this knife 10 stars, if I could!If you need one and only one knife, get this one!

i have several ka-bars and hands down i love my dogs head . i cant find anything wrong with this knife .made in the USA !!!! i jazzed mine up a bit with a Holtzman's Gorilla Survival Fire Starter Gift Set Emergency Ferro Rod Kit W/Leather Sheath. another great bush craft ferro rod. the sheath is well put together ,had to oil it but that's not negative . i recommend this knife , it my second dogs head . also the negative reviews are made by people that doesn't know what's in their hands. these are sturdy knives and if you break it KA-BAR will send you a new one no questions asked . this is a great knife. there's a lot of theories about the name .ive heard a couple but in my opinion the first one is the pummel is shaped like a dogs head. its up to you go out on YouTube and check it out. i love this knife defiantly my most favorite KA-BAR in the collection.

I've always wanted a KA-BAR knife. My wife gave me this one for my birthday. It is all that I expected it to be... a quality knife, feels great in my hand, and it's razor sharp out of the box. The sheath is made in Mexico, but is very good quality. Overall I'm very pleased with my first KA-BAR.

Sharp works great and holds an edge

Nice Knife

Its a good knife for the price. wasnt as sharp as I like but still sharp enough.