History of KaBar 1217?

nozh2002

nozh2002

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KaBar USMC my faivorit big knife. I think it is like AK among the military knives.
Is there any article about KaBar USMC history, does MC still use it, etc?
Should be some legend around such a great knife.
Thanks, Vassili.
 
One of the BladeForums moderators, Greg Walker, wrote a book about KaBars. If you do a search on Greg Walker you should be able to find some posts about it.
 
Is there something on the net (available right now)?
This book is about old NextGeneration made from Sandvic 12C27, right? Is there info about original KaBar history?
Are there other books like this?

Thanks,
Vassili.
 
Hello Vassili,

I just had a look on Amazon.com at the table of contents for Greg Walker's book. Chapter 3 is about the original Kabar.
 
I tried some Google searches on "Ka-Bar history" and "Ka-Bar story" but did not find any lengthy articles. However I did not check beyond 7 or 8 pages of the search results.

There is a bit of company history on www.ka-bar.com. Otherwise the longest article I found about the knife was here.

You might try emailing the Ka-Bar company to ask what is available.
 
I also found the website, www.knifeworld.com, which claims to have the largest inventory of knife books. There were several books about U.S. military knives, although I did not see a book listed on that site that was strictly about Ka-Bars.
 
OK! Lets make this article here:
Q1. It was introduced in 1942 but was accepted by military and went to the troops at the end of 1944 - right before war ended (1954). So it was used by MC during the War abouwt 1 year. Is it right?
Q2. Was it widely used in Korean, Vietnam, Iraq 1, Afgan, Iraq 2 wars?
Q3. What contries did also accept it as standart military equipment?
Q5. Are any feadback from the real customer? Any legends etc?

A Russian guy read my web site and desided to make KaBar as a birthday present for his friend - serving in special forces fighting the same war US joined few years ago. He sad his friend was overexcited when he saw this present. Now he like to know more about this beautiful knife - almost everithing:
http://www.knife.ru/Forum/read.php?f=1&i=26565&t=26565
I fill kind of responcible to give him this information now - it was my web page which inspiered him to buy this knife.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
Let's here it for the Mk 2!
THE all time classic that just won't quit.

Be it known that Ka-Bar knives was just one of the numerous contractors, fulfilling the needs of a knife hungry army in WWII.
http://arms2armor.com/Knives/usmk2.htm
So one just shouldn't read about the Ka-Bar version alone, without first getting into its geneology.
Thus, you may just have to read about the other related blades of the era, to fully appreciate the Mk 2 and how it got where it is today.
This has been posted above, and makes a great introduction http://www.grunt.com/collectingusnavyfightingknives.htm
This site should be read. PERIOD
(March. 1996 U.S. FIGHTING KNIVES of WORLD WAR II PART V) http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/okca_1996.htm
Some bits here and there, you just need to pick it out.
http://www.oregonknifeclub.org/frank3.html
http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/knife_knotes_2.htm
The Ka Bar 1942 Blue Print
http://www.eabco.com/images/Kbar02.gif
http://www.eabco.com/images/Kbar01.gif
An old thread, where some speak of the 'k-bar'
http://talk.shooters.com/room_55/11328.cfm

Hope this keeps you busy for a while yet!


Krizzard, out

"...Whoever kills with the sword must be killed by the sword... "
- The New Testament, Revelation 13:10
 
Thanks a lot - great aticles you gave me!
I'll be buzy now for a while to read this and update my website.
-< off topic >--------------------------
Anyone like to have a good knife - even there it is hard to consider as a weapon. But even well armed solders, as I understand, like to have good knife together with rifle, machinegun, tank, missile etc.
I think it is because a knife is pure weapon, first things made prehistoric man to recocnize himself as the man not a monkey. This almost genetic memory make everybody, from boy to old man desire a good knife. And KaBar/Mark-II is still the best - one of this optimal design which serve human kind for a long time.
----------------------------------------
Thanks, Vassili.
 
I read carefully all articles in the links, but have a few questions:

Was KaBar in production after WWII?
I found that it was stoped. And in Korea, Vietnam etc. no any KaBars were used oficially.
Is it correct, and only 32 years later production was restored?

Am I understand correctly this:
"The design settled on was the Marbles Ideal blade pattern made in a 7 1/2 " blade with a flat pommel so it could be used for pounding in tent pegs or other utility chores."
from:
http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/okca_1996.htm
and Union Cutlery was not actual author of the 1219C2 design but Marbles?

Thanks, Vassili.
 
Try reading "A Few Interesting Dates" 'n "New Purchases"
@ http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/current_knotes.htm

Ka-Bar the knife manufacturer ceased production of the Mk II after WWII, but came out with a commemorative remake in the late 1970's (sorry, can't be too sure of the year). After which, it was then added to the regular line up of Ka-Bar products untill today.

If I am not mistaken Union Cutlery did not design the Mk II.

Marbles was THE brand for hunting knives pre-WWII, and thus many a knife military or otherwise, had incorporated features found in Marbles fixed blades; amongst which was the blood groove and metal butt. On second thoughts, why not try Bernard Levine @ his forums?

Hope this helps.


Krizzard, out

"...Whoever kills with the sword must be killed by the sword... "
- The New Testament, Revelation 13:10
 
They issued me a kabar in the RVN/USMC 1970

Standard issue for us then.

Stained blade, leather handle could use some work refurb, lots of memories while carrying it.


Brownie
 
Does it means that USMC Fighting/Utility (KaBar) never was used in Korea, Vietnam and etc?
Or it was left enough of them after WWII? Or it was someoneelse who supplay this knives?

KaBar states that they offer this design to military in 1941. What was that then? Or it was some Marble Ideal modification?

Thanks, Vassili.
 
Oh, I am sorry Brownie, I do not know what is RVN. Now I understand that you mean Vietnam War. Please, excuse me, I am just start learning US history.
So it was used in Vietnam by USMC then, but, probably, it was not KaBar who made them?
How KaBar was on duty in USMC from WWII?
Us I understand it is not standard issue now.
Thanks, Vassili.
 
No apologies necessary sir.

RVN= Republic of VietNam. Mine that was issued was Kabar, there was another maker authorized and I seem to recall some of them being used as well [ looked exactly the same ] but the name escapes me now, though I would remember it if spoken. Gotta remember, that now goes back 32 years I've been out. Old timers [ Alzeimers ] starting to set in I guess.

I would assume if we were issued them in "70", they saw service in Korea. I'm not sure what the Iraq "91" conflict brought the troops for an issue knife. Perhaps some vets from that era can enlighten me as well as others here.

I'm pretty sure the army brats were issued them as well in RVN, never really took notice when we ran into them during patrols and I + I [ thats r + r to most of you who will remember ].


Brownie
 
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