Queen & Ka-Bar, Who Made Who?

Joe58

Joe58

Joined
Nov 11, 2002
Messages
1,969
I came across a couple gunstock models during my attempts at reorganizing and I got to wondering who made who.

The Ka-Bar is a 1980 run for the collectors club, and the Queen is an 82.

If I'm assuming correctly, Queen was the maker for Ka-Bar? I know I've read here that Queen has done quite a bit of contract work for many knife companies over the years, but I don't recall seeing the same being said for Ka-Bar.

Looking at the knives, it's pretty obvious they're from the same plant as the are virtually identical in manufacture aside from the furniture on them and tang markings. The Ka-Bar has the jigged wood handles, I think that pakkawood stuff, and the Queen is jigged delrin. I'm pleased that both have good QC and no blade wobble or anything.

Gunstock jacks are among the top three or four patterns I tend to favor. But that seems to change often. Occasionally during the same day. :)

Does anyone know which flavor of stainless blade steel they used back then? I'm guessing a flavor of 440, or maybe 420HC?



 
Those are QCC. I'm looking forward to someone chiming in on the history of Ka-Bar. I'd like to know myself when they started having SFO's made under their name and stopped producing their own slip joints.
 
Rockon75 said:
Those are QCC. I'm looking forward to someone chiming in on the history of Ka-Bar. I'd like to know myself when they started having SFO's made under their name and stopped producing their own slip joints.
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I have heard (but never fully verified) that the original Kabar factory closed in 1976 or 1977. After that, Camillus made the standard production Kabar pocket knives, and Queen made the limited run club knives.
 
cilohaefink said:
I have heard (but never fully verified) that the original Kabar factory closed in 1976 or 1977. After that, Camillus made the standard production Kabar pocket knives, and Queen made the limited run club knives.
Click to expand...

Perhaps this might be answered in the KA-BAR sub.
 
Hey, thanks for taking it to that sub-forum. I didn't think to look for one just for ka-bar knives. Good info!

It is interesting how they all seemed to work together for production runs like that. Although it does make it confusing for collectors. Although I imagine at the time they weren't worried to much about collectors. Now days I doubt this would be happening in such a larger scale.

These two gunstocks I have here are both well made and the blades will take a nice edge. At least as good as I can get it with my Sharpmaker. Being sharpening impaired such as I am. The blades remind me of Vic steel. Takes a super edge but you just need to touch it up a little more often as compared to more "higher end" steel. Which is no biggee.

I read here that Queen did have a few rough spots with their QC now and then so I'm happy these are ok. I do find it odd they put a half stop on the main blade and not on the secondary small one. Dunno why.

But if you get the chance to snag one of these, I think you'd be pleased. If you're wanting SS blade steel.
 
You are welcome. Those are some fantasic knives. And while I don't collect those, I certainly won't look another direction if they come across my eye line. I think it's great how those companies, at one time, worked together to bring about some of the best pocket knives on the planet.
 
More information is developing over at the KA-BAR sub regarding this topic. Paul Tsujimoto (Toooj here on BFC), is the Director of Engineering over at Ontario Knife Company. Before he moved over to Ontario, Toooj used to oversee engineering at KA-BAR, and before that worked with Camillus (back in the day). He chimed in on this topic and answered a lot of questions

Toooj is a wealth of knowledge. Thanks

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-KA-BAR-or-Queen-a-Tradional-History-question
 
Really pretty cool to get a look behind the curtain so to speak. I should maybe put the Ka-Bar away just cause, and use the Queen since they're the same anyway. No sense having both out and I like the blade stamping on the old Ka-Bar.

I know they aren't worth a ton of money or anything. Just nice older knives is all.

Thanks guys...
 
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