Ka-Bar: I'm puzzled-----Is this an early or late model combat fixed blade?

G

Gabriel1

Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
7
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...rgzibpzhz.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...bmbpzi1f8.jpg/

This is a really sturdy and decent knife but I'm confused since almost all the images that help date Ka-Bars have the markings on the ricassio as: 'Ka-Bar' and beneath it 'Orlean, N.Y.'.

Mine only has 'Ka-Bar' stamped on one side (no city and state) and 'USMC' (in fairly small letters) on the other.
Rectangular tang & butt is held with a pin.

Blade has no bluing or parkerizing left....some minor pitting here and there and looks to have been sharpened at some time in the long past.

The sheath is very old looking but still fairly supple----stitched and stapled with a brass snap button closure.

Is this a WWII blade or later...?

Thanks!!
 
Gabriel1 said:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...rgzibpzhz.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...bmbpzi1f8.jpg/

This is a really sturdy and decent knife but I'm confused since almost all the images that help date Ka-Bars have the markings on the ricassio as: 'Ka-Bar' and beneath it 'Orlean, N.Y.'.

Mine only has 'Ka-Bar' stamped on one side (no city and state) and 'USMC' (in fairly small letters) on the other.
Rectangular tang & butt is held with a pin.

Blade has no bluing or parkerizing left....some minor pitting here and there and looks to have been sharpened at some time in the long past.

The sheath is very old looking but still fairly supple----stitched and stapled with a brass snap button closure.

Is this a WWII blade or later...?

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

The photos are not showing up. Perhap you could post another link, perhaps directly from the page header.

Mose
 
Gabriel1 said:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...rgzibpzhz.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...bmbpzi1f8.jpg/

This is a really sturdy and decent knife but I'm confused since almost all the images that help date Ka-Bars have the markings on the ricassio as: 'Ka-Bar' and beneath it 'Orlean, N.Y.'.

Mine only has 'Ka-Bar' stamped on one side (no city and state) and 'USMC' (in fairly small letters) on the other.
Rectangular tang & butt is held with a pin.

Blade has no bluing or parkerizing left....some minor pitting here and there and looks to have been sharpened at some time in the long past.

The sheath is very old looking but still fairly supple----stitched and stapled with a brass snap button closure.

Is this a WWII blade or later...?

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

Yeah, the links need to not have those ellipsis in there. It's reading them as part of the actual URL.

Older KA-BARS may not be stamped with Olean, NY. If I'm not mistaken, when they were made by United Cutlery, they were not coming out of Olean, or at least, were not stamped as such.
 
Ok, man, that thing has seen much, much love.

A real relic there.

From the roll stamps, I'd say "Yeah, its a KA-BAR". :D

Awesome knife, hopefully Toooj will be able to give you some more info.

Moose
 
Gabriel1,

You have a late model WWII USMC Fighting/Utility knife. Circa 1945. In the collecting venacular: 4th generation F/U knife.
Inspite of the knife being pretty worn and beat up. It is a valuable knife.
KA-BAR made the F/U knife from 1941-1945. Then again in 1976 to present.
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
 
Wow....what great input!
Thank you to everyone for helping explain to me the background to this Ka-Bar----you're the best!

I'm hooked now & gonna be looking for more vintage Ka-Bars to add to my knife collection!
 
Gabriel1 said:
Wow....what great input!
Thank you to everyone for helping explain to me the background to this Ka-Bar----you're the best!

I'm hooked now & gonna be looking for more vintage Ka-Bars to add to my knife collection!
Click to expand...

Tell me about it. I can't pass up a flea market, or surplus store without going in to find them. I have about 7 now, I think, and they are something to behold.

Talk about history of the hand in the blade.

MOose
 
I have an old Ka Bar that looks just like that one except mine is in slightly better condition and the blood groove is different. I bought it in the early 90s, but it seemed to be already a long-stocked item when I got it.
 
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