Help Me ID This Ka-Bar

[JSMcustoms]

Okay, so I got this old Ka-Bar a while back, but I don't really know much about it other than the fact that it's pretty old and that it's an MK2. I'm not really sure how old though? Can anyone help me put a date to this knife?

[C_Tanner]

I would say that its....an old Ka-Bar fo' sho'.

[Toooj]

JSMcustoms,

If the Stamp is on Ricasso, I need some closeups of the ricasso area (both sides) . If the stamp is on the guard I need to see that. I also need to see the side and back end of the pommel. Then I can give you all the info you need.
BTW, KA-BAR only made the contract Navy Mark II during WWII. However, there were 4-5 generations during that time frame.
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives

[morfield]

I could be mistaken, but I think that scabbard was only issued with the M3 and M4 bayonets, while the Mark II came with a leather sheath. If you post photos of the stamps on the ricasso, someone should be able to identify it for sure.

[sac troop]

I could be mistaken, but I think that scabbard was only issued with the M3 and M4 bayonets, while the Mark II came with a leather sheath. If you post photos of the stamps on the ricasso, someone should be able to identify it for sure.

Different scabbard. The M8 scabbard was introduced to replace the M6 leather sheath for the M3 fighting knife. When G.I.'s in WW2 demonstrated that they wanted bayonets for their M1 carbines the M3 fighting knife was modified into the M4 Bayonet. Also the original M8 scabbard was modified into the M8A1 scabbard due mostly to what G.I.'s wanted in the field. The M8/M8A1 scabbard fit the M3 combat knife and the M4, M5/M5A1, M6, and M7 bayonets.
The scabbard above is the MK2 made in WW2 for the Navy along with the MK1 scabbard for a 5" utility knife.



Top left original M8 scabbard. Note the short webbing and lack of a M1910 wire hook.
Many of the original M8’s were modified after being returned to unit arsenals to a M8A1 webbing configuration so you can find them both ways as well as with different “theater” modifications.
Below left M8A1 scabbard.
Center right MK 2 scabbard
right MK 1 scabbard recently removed from original wrap.