KA-BAR USMC Pommel Pin Question

J

jedidove

Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
62
I just got my first KA-BAR today, standard vanilla USMC :D

One thing I noticed though is that the pin going through the pommel is only visible on one side, so it doesn't go all the way through the pommel. The other thing is that the side that is exposed is....well...exposed, that is to say that they didn't paint over the ground off pin in black like I thought they do.

I just wanted to see if these things were normal or if its new to the production.
 
jedidove said:
I just got my first KA-BAR today, standard vanilla USMC :D

One thing I noticed though is that the pin going through the pommel is only visible on one side, so it doesn't go all the way through the pommel. The other thing is that the side that is exposed is....well...exposed, that is to say that they didn't paint over the ground off pin in black like I thought they do.

I just wanted to see if these things were normal or if its new to the production.
Click to expand...

The pin goes all the way through, but doesn't come out on the other side. Once the pin is in, its ground off to be flush with the pommel plate. The way you got yours is the way that I have gotten all of mine, about 5 or 6 I suppose, and all the ones I've handled have come that way, and that is quite a few.

Your's is just like mine, and Rsmith77's (:D). Enjoy.

Moose
 
Awesome! Just making sure. The kabar site says "The pin is inserted into the butt cap, driven part way though the tang, then ground off and painted." so I guess that's a mistake or an old thing they didn't update?
 
jedidove said:
Awesome! Just making sure. The kabar site says "The pin is inserted into the butt cap, driven part way though the tang, then ground off and painted." so I guess that's a mistake or an old thing they didn't update?
Click to expand...

Eh, if they came painted, I've never seen one. :D Mine are always ground off, and left bare. Not sure, I can ask tomorrow if you wish.

Moose
 
the pin can in theory be removed as well. according to Toooj himself: tap a dimple with a punch, then use a slightly small drill and go at it. shouldn't have to go far to get it to spin out.

replace with similar material, copper, nail, whatever. i might be tempted to drill the hole clean through, for ease of tapping it out later, but i'm sure there's a good reason they didn't do that.

same on the MK-I iirc. also silver not painted. sharpie if it bugs you.
 
moosez45 said:
The pin goes all the way through, but doesn't come out on the other side. Once the pin is in, its ground off to be flush with the pommel plate. The way you got yours is the way that I have gotten all of mine, about 5 or 6 I suppose, and all the ones I've handled have come that way, and that is quite a few.

Your's is just like mine, and Rsmith77's (:D). Enjoy.

Moose
Click to expand...

Indeed it is,
and I know i have thanked you in private, I will also thank you in public for my new Ka-bar
I am hoping to get it out this weekend and put it through its paces, and if i dont forget my camera i will post pics :)
 
moosez45 said:
Eh, if they came painted, I've never seen one. :D Mine are always ground off, and left bare. Not sure, I can ask tomorrow if you wish.

Moose
Click to expand...

I'll take your word for it!

Doesn't bother me, I was just curious since I remembered reading that.

Now I just have to decide whether or not to get the swedge sharpened...that is something they used to do in production right?

EDIT: Oh, and the handle totally smells like baked/bbq beans :cool: awesome lol

EDIT2: Turns out I might not be so crazy: http://forums.gunbroker.com/post.asp?method=ReplyQuote&REPLY_ID=2539669&TOPIC_ID=324274&FORUM_ID=4 mentions the pin used to go completely through but was cut short in more recent runs in order to keep it from getting knocked out. And http://www.survivaltopics.com/forums/knives-blades/8337-kabar-news.html mentions the fact that they used to epoxy over the pin (and answers my question about the swedge). :/
 
Last edited:
All,

We used to paint over the pin end but a lot of people complained that there was a defect on the pommel so we just left the pin exposed. It is a stainless pin so corrosion is not a problem. An exposed pin seems to look better. Phone calls have stopped.
The pin goes through the tang but it is blind ended so it can only come out from one side as opposed to both sides.
Bladite is correct; if you need to remove the pommel, the pin can be removed. If you bugger up and destroy the pin, we'll send you out another.
Baked Bean smell was not intentional but I guess that's a bonus.
The swedge used to be sharpened but some states say that it's a double edged knife so we stopped. Sorry. However, if you take a file....
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
 
Toooj said:
All,

We used to paint over the pin end but a lot of people complained that there was a defect on the pommel so we just left the pin exposed. It is a stainless pin so corrosion is not a problem. An exposed pin seems to look better. Phone calls have stopped.
The pin goes through the tang but it is blind ended so it can only come out from one side as opposed to both sides.
Bladite is correct; if you need to remove the pommel, the pin can be removed. If you bugger up and destroy the pin, we'll send you out another.
Baked Bean smell was not intentional but I guess that's a bonus.
The swedge used to be sharpened but some states say that it's a double edged knife so we stopped. Sorry. However, if you take a file....
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! lol @ the baked beans, I'm guessing its just the tanning chemicals or whatever you use to treat the leather. Thanks for making an awesome knife!
 
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