Ka-Bar Kollector Klub Knives 1976-2005

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Mar 27, 2011
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THE KA-BAR COLLECTOR'S CLUB KNIVE"S
The start of the Ka-bar Collector's Club was formed in 1976 with the release of the 200th Anniversary USMC Knife, Some say it all started with the release of the 1973 Vietnam memorial USMC knife or at the very least that is the knife that sparked the new found interest of Ka-Bar and the company getting new people started with collecting of their products as all manufacturers hope to have interest in their products which mean's more sale's, lets face it if no interest no sales. The Club's demise came in 2005 as sales and lack of interest finally brought the Club to an end. Fortunately during the 30 year's of the club they released alot of great knive's as all will attest once we get this thread going, keep in mind that all knives in fact very few were produced by Ka-Bar or in later year's of the club Alcas, CASE and QUEEN were the manufacturer's of most of the club knive's with Ka-Bar having control over Quantity and Quality. I will ask for help during this thread as there are way to many knive's, I do have most of the club knive's but will ask for help with some, from my fellow Ka-bar enthusiest.

Please post photo's of only the knive's I ask for as to keep in order

THIS THREAD AS THE KA-BAR YEARLY CK KNIVE'S IS DEDICATED TO MY COUSIN WARREN (USN, CIA) WHO PASSED DURING 2011 AND PASSED HIS LOVE OF KNIVES ONTO ME THANKS FOR TAKING A LOOK AND HELPING WITH THIS THREAD

OK WHO HAS THE 1976 USMC 200th ANNIVERSARY FIRST CLUB KNIFE (PLEASE POST PHOTO'S) IT LOOKS LIKE THIS
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All info always appreciated as I am no expert,
1960's Kabar owned by Brown Family 1966 sold to Cole National
Cole maintains and operates Ka-bar 1966-1996 Cole sells assets and product line to Alcas Corporation of Olean NY May of 1996
Info found on Google which takes you to Kabar site with their history

PS Do not know maybe toooj can find out but if boxes have anything to do with it check the picture below of the Yearly CK Knive's
I believe year's 1979-1980 Done by Ka-bar as they are in Kabar Boxes
1981-1998 in black and silver boxes Cole National
1999-2004 Green and white boxes Alcas
2000, 2005 USMC DONE AT KA-BAR

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I found a picture of the first club knife this is not mine and was found online if anyone does have 1 please post picture's as This is one of the few I do not have (YET)
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This is another shot found online
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The 2nd Knife in Collection is the 1976 Bicentennial Trapper with Red , White, and Blue Handle's
The knife come's with a star spangle box, COA, and a nice white leather holder. Please feel free to post your photo's of this modell as mine is #538 and was fairly easy to find as production of this knife was 7500 knive's.
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The 1977 Collector Knive's #3 and #4 are a serialized set of Dog Head Folder's with one being single blade and one being 2 blade. Knive's have sanbar stag and look real nice as Ka-Bar had control of the quality of these knive's, if you do see some imperfection's more than likely just my fat hands mucking up the knive's as this was a 2 Day affair.The Stag Knive's are a favorite of mine as you will see Thanks for the help guys and please post picks of the 1977 serialized set's if you have, mine are #0070 and are in very nice shape this is 1 of 1100 sets.


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1978 USMC SERIALIZED 1 of 1500

#5 in series this one comes from AAPK member (marcellusW) this is a gun blued USMC in a nice wooden box

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1978 #6-#7 in series 1 of 3000

A great folder to add to the series and stag is one of my favorites please feel free to share yours as they would be # VII/77 , #VIII/78

A 2 BLADED FOLDER OR SINGLE JUST SOME GREAT LOOKING STAG AS I TRY TO SHOW BOTH UNCARRIED AND HANDLED WITH CARE

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1979 saw another great stag handled knife placed on a 1186 frame with a nice back lockback.

Please feel free to post pics of yours 1 of 750


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1979 #9 in Series 1 of 500

The 2nd knife of 1979 is a Giant Jack or Jackknife with genuine stag handle's and stag seems to be a popular handle material on alot of the early knive's as all can tell. 1979 saw the release of 6 club knive's and was the 1st year of the Yearly CK Knive's (see Yearly CK Knive's Post) for more photo's.

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1979 #10, #11 in Series
#10 knife a pearl handle canoe noted as #1015 with production of 940 knive's
#11 knife a stag handle canoe noted as #1020 with production of 915 knive's


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1979 #12 and #13 knive's in Series

Both the 401 and 402 are some of the hardest to find in this series as the limited production of both knive's was just 629 total knive's and probably some of Ka-Bar's best work IMO as these knive's are just amazing.

#12 knife noted as #401 being a big folding hunter with genuine Ivory Handle and a great looking knife production of 331 knive's
#13 knife noted as #402 being a 5" folding hunter with Pearl Handle another great knife with a production of 298 knive's

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1980 #14 in Series 1 of 2,162 Knive's
The Yearly CK Knife being a Gun Stock with Ka-wood handle's, the material being a laminate natural grain was in warehouse for over 20 year's prior to being used on this yearly CK knife. 1980 saw 4 knive's released and they are some real nice one's with my favorite being the last one produced for 1980

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1980 #15 knife in Series 1 of 806

2nd knife of 1980 is a pearl handled congress or some will refer as 1/2 congress being only 2 blade's again a great little user with a serialized # this being #0232

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1980 #16 Knife 1 of 585 knive's

The 3rd knife of 1980 is a sweet Genuine India Stag handled 1189 with brass engraved bolster's and a 440 mirror polished blade. The 1189 being one of Ka-Bar's best selling pattern's since being introduced in 1973 with wood handle's as a Competitive knife to the buck 110 both similar in size and both having a very sturdy lockback. This knife is a real beauty as stag seems to be a favorite for the user as well as the collector I really like this one as all 585 produced and bought must be a favorite to most who collect or use. Just can't bring myself to use this one to pretty I wish they would make one not so nice with some stag and same frame that could be used and carried. Sorry forgot to mention this one came with a nice blue velvet pouch in the box I quess someone at Ka-Bar liked this one also.

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SORRY ABOUT ALL THE PICTURE'S BUT I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE
 
1980 #17 in Series, Last knife of Series for 1980 Very Limited 6 of 100

Ask and you Shall recieve, this is my favorite knife from the club releases. Carry, Show, EDC, the last knife of 1980 being a 1199 Lockback Sambar Stag Folder and They are 1 of only 100 made, one of the least amount run from the Ka-Bar Club. This knife caught my eye the first time I saw it a 5" folder with a 4" Blade 440 mirror polished after the 1189 that has been in Production since 1973, throw on some stag handle's and there you go 1 GREAT KNIFE (IMO) If looking for this knife you must get the one that has Stainless 3/80 on opposite side of blade from the 1199 as Kabar did release alot of stag 1199's.

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1981 #18 in Series the YEARLY CK Knife 1 of 2003

This being 1 of 4 knive's released by the club in 1981, knife is a giant Genuine India Stag Coke Bottle from the early day's of Kabar(union cutlery) all tooling found at factory except forthe master blade tooling, the knife features brass liner's nickel silver bolster's and a mirror polished etched Blade. Club membership at 10,000 strong.

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1981 #19,#20,#21 Knive's in Series 1 of 358 Sets

The first set of Triplets, these knive's for the club are a very nice set of 2 bladed Gunstock's, limited to 358 set's Initial cost $125.00

Triplet 1 Genuine Stag from Sambar deer of India natural shed Horn
Triplet 2 Brilliant Pearl from the Phillipine Sea
Triplet 3 Chestnut bone

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1982 #22 knife in Series The CK82 1 of 1752

The 1982 Yearly Club Knife is a large Coke bottle with green jigged bone Handle's

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1982 #23 knife in Series 1 of 1308

#23 (RT82) knife in Series is a Giant Trapper Lockback with some Stag Handle's She is a Beauty

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1982 #24,#25,#26 Knive's are the second set of Triplet's in Series 1 of 457

The second set of triplet's are the Trapper's with Handle material being Bone, Stag, and Pearl another great set of triplet's with a special run of only 457 produced note quite a few of the collector knive's from Ka-Bar are making their way into NKCA Museum, this set of triplet's cost 1982 $125.00

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