There were 4 versions of the full sized (7") tanto bladed Kabars.
1244 - Full-sized, tanto point, plain edge, black Kraton handle and blade
1245 - Full-sized, tanto point, combo edge, black Kraton handle and blade
1264 - Full-sized, tanto point, plain edge, stacked leather handle w/ polished blade
1265 - Full-sized, tanto point, combo edge, stacked leather handle w/ polished blade
I have a 1245, a 1264 and a 1265. The 1244 tanto was discontinued long enough ago and, apparently, sold so poorly that I have only seen 2 on eprey in the last 3 years. Got outbid spectacularly on the first one and got vultured at the last second on the second one. The last one I saw was up for auction nearly a year ago.
As far as Kabar reusing model number goes, Kabar was into recycling long before it became popular.
Take the venerable model 1255.
Currently, that model number is used by for the combo/tanto/short Kraton handled shorty. Stock photo snitch from eprey.
Prior to that, back in the 1970s, there was a fixed blade rope/rigger's knife, similar to this
And prior to that, back in the 1960s, when Kabar first re-started stamping model number on knives (1920s-1930s, they model numbers were stamped into the guard, the no model numbers for 20years), the made a hunter/skinner sized/styled knife. I can't find the pic of right now.
"this space saved for when I find the hunter 1255"
BUT, we're not done yet.
Take the 1255 rope/rigger knife referenced above. The knife in that kit picture above is stamped 1375. A similar kit was part of a SeaScout kit back in the late 1930s to early 1940s. The 1937 to 1939 version had a sheepsfoot blade, cocobolo handles with 3 small rivets and a lanyard hole. The 1940-1942 kit had a drop point blade. Both versions came with a 5.5" marlin spike. The name assigned to both was the "Voyageur".
So just because you have a "Kabar model xxxx knife", that does not mean you have every version of "Kabar model xxx knife". And just because you have a Kabar knife of style a, blade b, handle c and sheath d as which is listed as "Kabar model yyy", this does not mean you have every version of Kabar , that doesn't mean that the same knife is not also listed, either earlier or later, as the "Model ZZZ".
Back in the 20s/30/40s, Kabar's model numbers meant something - the first digit was a handle material, the next 2 were pattern type. A letter following the numbers indicated a specific pommel material and a trailing number indicated rough blade length. A 471G-5 would have meant "Stacked plastic (bakelite) discs handle, stag pommel pattern 71, 5 inch blade". When Cole National re-implemented model numbers on the knives, they used a bean counter mentality for assigning model numbers.
edit to reattach/fix pics.
