Towards the end of the 2020 holiday shopping season, Ka-Bar announced a small selection of USSF tools and knives, with the slogan Defend Your Space attached to marketing images.
The United States Space Force is a real thing – it was founded in 1982 under the US Air Force, and established as an independent branch of the US military at the end of 2019.
But, as far as I can tell, all of the new Ka-Bar USSF tools and knives are completely unaffiliated with the United States Space Force. Instead, these all seem to be “inspired by” products. (Anyone, please correct me if I’m wrong!)
Still, I can’t shake the comical image of USSF astronauts of the future walking around with foot-long (11.75″ overall length) combat and utility knives. Are any of these tools something that a modern-day satellite monitoring tech might need??
Ka-Bar does make combat knives, similar to the fighting/utility knife design shown below, and they have made knives for US military branches. There have not been any public announcements or contracts from the United States Space Force about these or any other Ka-Bar equipment, and so the USSF line is likely aimed (primarily? solely?) at civilian users.
Ka-Bar USSF Space-Bar Knife
The Space-Bar is the knife for a “post-orbital world.”
It features a 7-inch powder-coated blade, Kraton G blue handle, and grey hard plastic MOLLE-compatible sheath.
I’ve come to the conclusion that this is for collectors or fans of the Ka-Bar brand.
I own and have used several fixed blade knives in the workshop, but I can’t think of any place I’d use something like this. Unless of course you count “product unboxing” – a task that, if you go by many YouTubers and “influencers,” can only properly be done with a bowie knife, sword, or other type of large-bladed product. I believe I’ve seen chain saw unboxing coverage a couple of times, although I try to block such things from memory.
Despite being marked “USSF,” this couldn’t possibly be an official United States Space Force knife. It’s got to be “inspired” by the USSF, or maybe it’s to celebrate the USSF? Right?
It looks to me that this is basically a blue-handled version of the popular Ka-Bar USMS fighting/utility knife.
Country of Origin: USA for the knife, Taiwan for the sheath
Price: $75
Buy Now via BladeHQ – (out of stock everywhere)
Ka-Bar USSF Bridge Breacher Tool
There’s also a new Ka-Bar USSF breacher bar, which is basically a sturdy one-piece pry bar.
The knife discussed above is simply Ka-Bar’s plain-edge utility knife but with USSF markings and blue handle. As far as I can tell, this Bridge breacher bar design is unique to the Ka-Bar USSF lineup, although other brands have made similar tools in the past.
Ka-Bar has a marketing image, showing the USSF Bridge Breacher Tool being used “on a space shuttle” with what are supposed to be astronaut gloves or similar. I’d think that any hand too intended for use in space would have a larger tether hole and also rounded corners.
The USSF breacher bar is 13″ long and weighs 1.6 pounds, with the end of the handle coated in blue Plastisol.
It features a pry bar tip, slotted multi-size wrench opening, and chiseled blade. The cutting edge measures 2″ long.
Both the USSF utility knife and breacher bar are made from 1095 Cro-Van steel.
The Ka-Bar USSF breacher bar might be a practical addition to some tool boxes. I bought a flat breacher bar tool a few years ago for $9 and used it a couple of times, but the design ultimately didn’t work for me.
Country of Origin: USA
Price: $55
Buy Now via BladeHQ – (out of stock everywhere)
Ka-Bar USSF Corser Folder Knife
The USSF Corser Folder is a pocket knife featuring a tanto-style 3.5″ blade made from AUS 8A steel, and a blue plastic handle (GFN-PA66).
Here’s where we also get a look at the Ka-Bar USSF packaging, which sports NASA “worm” logo-like lettering.
Country of Origin: Taiwan
Price: $31
Buy Now via BladeHQ – (out of stock everywhere)
Discussion
I don’t know why, but my mind keeps coming back to the Space Force show on Netflix.
