Home / Knives / KA-BAR Makes Jarosz Design Affordable with Maker’s First Production Folder

KA-BAR Makes Jarosz Design Affordable with Maker’s First Production Folder

August 12, 2016

KA-BAR has released a new folder from popular custom maker Jesse Jarosz that is already arriving at leading dealers. Called the Jarosz Folder, it is the first folding knife that Jarosz has produced in collaboration with KA-BAR. The designer has been a member of the KA-BAR team since 2013, and other Jarosz designs that have gone into production include the Globetrotter, the Turok, and the Rambler Skeleton.

The Jarosz Folder is based on Jarosz’s Tetrad custom knife. The Tetrad can be had with either thumb studs or a flipper, but the production Jarosz Folders are only available with thumb studs. There are two versions of the Jarosz Folder available: the 7505, which features a drop point blade, and the 7506, which sports a tanto. Both blades are 3.5-inches long and made from AUS-8A steel. The handle emulates the signature curves and contour of Jarosz’s custom original, and the scales are made from GFN plastic.

Jarosz Folder Drop Point

With an impressive .15” blade stock and a beefy liner lock, this medium-sized folder is built for hard use, and nothing we could throw at it during testing caused the lock to budge or blade play to develop. The AUS-8A, a tried-and-true value steel, performs well, and the factory edge from the Taiwanese production facility is as sharp as they come.

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The ergonomics make for a comfortable grip and the use of cost-saving GFN is standard for a knife at its price point. If there is a flaw in the KA-BAR Jarosz Folder its the lack of handle scale texturing. It’s hard to get a firm enough hold of the smooth plastic handle to apply any serious pressure to cuts. The scales of the new Cold Steel Pro-Lite or the Buck Bantam don’t suffer the same drawback.

The good news is handle scale flaws sometimes make a knife a target for modders, which can fuel social media image sharing and greater awareness. A pimped out version in G-10 or Micarta would take the Jarosz Folder to whole other level.

The KA-BAR Jarosz Folders are tough, good-looking blades and the aesthetics alone are sure to make them strong sellers.

Knife featured in image: Jarosz Folder Drop Point 7505

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