Some companies make knives that should be kept in a safe, only brought out under dimmed lighting and handled with gloves. Other companies, like KA-BAR, make knives that are meant to be worked and beaten mercilessly.
The perfect example of this kind of knife is the KA-BAR MULE.
Standing for Military, Utility and Law Enforcement, the MULE is the very definition of a workhorse knife. It features a sturdy 3.875-inch black-coated blade made from functional AUS 8A stainless steel, a reliable lockback mechanism, and a nearly indestructible black Zytel handle.
But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. KA-BAR describes this heavy-duty tool as the folding knife's answer to the traditional KA-BAR fixed blade. While no folder can ever compare to a fixed blade as storied as the KA-BAR, the MULE has proven time and again that it can take pretty much anything you throw at it.
The relatively thick 0.125-inch blade has a versatile clip-point profile and opens effortlessly with a dual thumb stud.
The handle is simply designed with enough texture and shape to ensure the knife stays in your hand comfortably during heavy use.
Because the knife has a backlock, dual thumb studs, and a reversible pocket clip, the MULE is a truly ambidextrous knife.
It also comes with a polyester sheath for those times you want to attach it to your belt or pack.
Specifications | |
Blade Color | Black |
Blade Edge | Plain |
Handle Color | Black |
Handle Material | Zytel |
Knife Type | Folding |
Point | Clip point |
Making a quality KA-BAR product requires the talent of experienced craftspeople performing dozens of processes with precision and skill. Each knife undergoes specific manufacturing processes to ensure corrosion resistance, strength, edge holding ability, and an out-of-the-box razor sharp cutting edge.
Soon after its introduction in the mid-1920's, the KA-BAR trademark became widely known and respected. There have been many versions of how the KA-BAR name came to be, but all evidence points to a letter received from a fur trapper. This particular fur trapper's testimonial turned out to be the most significant ever received by the company.
He wrote, in very rough English, that his gun had jammed and that he had therefore relied on his knife to kill a wounded bear that was attacking him. In thanking the company for their quality product the trapper described using his knife to kill the bear. All that was legible of his scrawled writing was 'k a bar'. The company was so honored by this testimonial that they adopted this phrase and used it as their trademark, KA-BAR.