KA-BAR Big Trickle

KnifeHead · Mar 13, 2007

This is a "big trickle"(instead of a flood) because we are going to show you some really nice old KA-BARS, but not all at once. First up: 5" KA-BAR Cherry Tree Chopper

Closed length is 5", blades are stamped "UNION CUT. CO. , OLEAN. N.Y."

Sword and Shield · Mar 13, 2007

Darn nice one.

Proud pins to tighten the axe and all.

Tony Bose · Mar 13, 2007

This knife has never been sharpened, there is no land on the edge of the blade or the hatchet. It must have come from the factory that way.

Sword and Shield · Mar 13, 2007

Not the first knife I've seen with extra pin stock showing- makes it easier to maintain, supposedly. Though... since it's unsharpened, maybe a sampler?

msiley · Mar 13, 2007

So was the hatchet just for show? Was it just a gimmick?
I mean... it had to be for fun right?

KnifeHead · Mar 13, 2007

Ok. Not alot of excitement over the Chopper so we'll move along with the next entry. This is a 3 3/8" KA-BAR-LO with (I think)smooth stag handles, two blades, iron bolsters, brass liners. It is stamped Union Cut Co Olean N.Y. on the pen blade

Correction...I learned later from Tony that it was common on Barlo's to use inner sawcut bone. The groove on this that looks like stag is from the hollow(marrow) inside part of the bone. This one is so smooth the sawcuts are worn or possibly it was originally fashioned smooth.

sunnyd · Mar 14, 2007

msiley,

That little mini axe blade was made to be used, however, it is quite the find anytime when one discovers an unused example to examine.

I am exited over the chopper!. and the Barlow as well.:thumbup: Great vintage Kabar pieces there Kerry.. Any more trickling of the same??

KnifeHead · Mar 14, 2007

sunnyd said:
msiley,

That little mini axe blade was made to be used, however, it is quite the find anytime when one discovers an unused example to examine.

I am exited over the chopper!. and the Barlow as well.:thumbup: Great vintage Kabar pieces there Kerry.. Any more trickling of the same??

Sure is, we have some winners coming up. Tony tells me that the KA-BAR-LO was made for only a couple of years. It would be nice to see if there are any more out there that we could get images of for this thread. If anyone else has some vintage KA-BARs, by all means stick em up!

KnifeHead · Mar 14, 2007

Next up on the runway, the lovely stag KA-BAR Trapper. The stag on this knife is really thin. Blades on this knife are in really good condition and barely a mark on them. Doesn't look like this knife was used much. Same Union Cut. Co. stamping. Check out the tiny N/S cap. 3 more on the way

KnifeHead · Mar 14, 2007

Another great knife made before 1940. This knife sports some amazing amber stag, N/S bolster and cap, and brass liners. Blade is in lightly used condition with slight recurve on the edge. (watch and tie fob belonged to my great grandad)

knowtracks · Mar 15, 2007

Man you are sure right about great stag Kerry!!
Love the ivory too!

waynorth · Mar 15, 2007

Nice Ka-Bar collection Tony, and well photographed Kerry! It's interesting that you show the thickness of the stag on some. It confirms to me that the style for a long time was "thin is best"! Thick stag is a later trend, and not always pocket friendly.
But it would take a while to chop down a cherry tree with that CTC! Maybe it's a cherry chopper ( leaving out the tree part)?

Seriously, I guess it was intended for wood carving, or kindling. Survival fires don't have to be big, after all.
Anyone know the history of those CTCs?

?

KnifeHead · Mar 15, 2007

This next one is probably my favorite of these KA-BARs in the way that it is made and works. Both blades have half stop tangs and the action on them is tight. The images of the bolster end with the blade in open and close positions will show some of how much went in to making this great knife. The bone handles have a rich, root beer color and perfect feather jigging. Again with this one, as with the others above, this knife is a Union Cut. Co. knife made sometime in the 30's.

Isn't this the knife that the Remington Bullet is fashioned after?

waynorth · Mar 15, 2007

What amazing fitting, on what I assume is a production knife!! If modern stuff was this good, custom makers would have a tougher time making a living!
And how the blazes do you get such clear photos of a hand held knife??? I'm ready to fling my camera out the window!!

KnifeHead · Mar 15, 2007

waynorth said:
What amazing fitting, on what I assume is a production knife!! If modern stuff was this good, custom makers would have a tougher time making a living!
And how the blazes do you get such clear photos of a hand held knife??? I'm ready to fling my camera out the window!!

I'm still learning alot about knives, so take what I say about them with that in mind...BUT, this is why I can appreciate the way Tony and Reese makes a knife. The standards of production slip joints seem to have "slipped" over the years. If you look at many of the great knives made before the 40's, you'll see the inspiration for the quality that those two put into their knives.

about the camera, it's a Nikon Coolpix 2500 and I used a tripod and crossed my fingers

waynorth · Mar 15, 2007

There is quite a contrast in the bone jigging between the "chopper", and this big "bullet" trapper. I wonder if they are done by hand or machine? They each have their own appeal, but I think I like the more random chopper's jigging better.

waynorth · Mar 15, 2007

How can you hold a knife with your fingers crossed

? Or look in a camera with all those knives in your head

?? Do you take tylenol???

Thanks about the camera. I'm going to have to look at one of those Nikons.

KnifeHead · Mar 15, 2007

waynorth said:
How can you hold a knife with your fingers crossed ? Or look in a camera with all those knives in your head ?? Do you take tylenol???

Thanks about the camera. I'm going to have to look at one of those Nikons.

Oh..forgot one small detail. I use the self timer function on the cam. Gives me 10 seconds to fine tune the position, take a breath and let it out, SNAP!

Tony Bose · Mar 15, 2007

I beleive this dogshead trapper was made in the early 20s because it has pat pending under one of the stamps. The old chopper was made in the teens, it has hammered pins and the trapper has spun pins. That dates it for me.

KnifeHead · Mar 15, 2007

Last of the trickle....This knife works like new. The blades are still very bright and clean. The clip blade has a crescent match striker pull and very nice swedges. N/S bolsters and caps and brass liners. Marked UNION CUT. CO..