Some questions. Vintage Ka-Bar USMC??

N

Norse_Nightcrawler

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May 11, 2013
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Today i scored what i believe to be an old Ka-Bar USMC.
I got it from my father in law who bought it some 35 years ago. It has a leather sheath and pressed leather handle and it seems to me to be the real deal.
So my questions now are:
#1: Where there made copies of the usmc 35 years ago.
#2: If there were copies produced what signs should i look for to confirm that my knife isn't a fake.
#3: It's somewhat beaten up, so is there any safe way to take it apart to restore it? (I'm a little conserned about rust in the tang.


Thanks in advance for any information you can give me
-Norse-

Moar pics:


 
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A few more details please... what is stamped on the blade near theguard or on the guard? Could you please provide a pic of the pommel itself, from the side, showing any pins holding the pommel on and from the end, showing how the tang goes through the pommel? A pic of the stampings would be great, as well. TY.
 
That's the thing. It's not stamped at all, so that's what threw me off. However the pommel seems to have been secured to the tang by flatening the tang a bit. I think it's what they called peened. No pins or such holding it.

I'll get som more pics out after work ;)
 
Updated the first post with more pics. I've started sanding it and it seems to have been the victim of a pretty poor attempt of sharpening it on a bench grinder or something.
But that's ok. Gives me something to work with;)
 
IMHO what I can see from the pictures makes me feel that this is most likely one of the many copies of the 1219C2 pattern knife made oversea's for the commercial market.
 
To me, it looks like one of my old Ontario's.

Except, this one's been through the mill.

Maybe through the parking lot of the mill too.

MOose
 
Well, if it's an ontario i'm not gonna complain. I have a couple of ontario knives allready, and they're pretty tough blades.
+ i got it for free :D
 
I'm pretty sure that the Ontario's will still have the cross pin holding the pommel to the tang. This was the case with the contract knives from 1960's thru the 70's. Utica, Camillus, and Conetta are all attached with a cross pin.
If it is a copy made oversea's that doesn't mean it's automatically a cheaply made knife. Some of those are pretty good quality. Where ever it's from the price is right.
 
I never realised there were so many companies producing these knives. I suppose you learn something new every day;)

Well, i'll get to see how she holds up when she's all prettied up and ready to be abused.
 
Cheap Japanese knock off probably from the late 60s early 70s. They were sold in some PXs back in the day. NOT a Kabar or issue model. It should have the KIFFE Japan name on the ricaso. They were marketed by the Gutman Co.
 
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If it was a Ka Bar USMC it would be stamped as such on the tang....Camillus also made some good ones during WWII...Ka Bar couldn't keep up with the need.
Actually, the one pictured looks like it's in pretty good shape (I've seen a lot worse)...if the leather handle is solid and not loose, I would leave it alone.
 
Say Heah Guys, Yeah, I have a Camillus Fighting Knife I also have a couple of W.W. 2 Ka-Bar's infact on a sheath in ballpoint are dated, names and even to whom that knife should go to like on one's a guys son. I also have one that all markings were grund off and I suspect that was to make it sterile for maybe a mission of sort. I also have a Ka-Bar MK-1 with a glossy coating in nice condition does anyone know if these knives were coated during the W.W.2 Theather, It's not a dull black like the new Ka-Bar Knife, but rather a shiny coating, any info would be appriciated, Thanx in advance
 
Pictures are required for identifications/info. Overall pics, and of any marks/stamps on the the guards or ricassos.

Any mark grinding was not due to "special missions". The marks on government issue knives were sometimes ground off when dumped into the surplus market.
 
I dunno all that, Thank You for the information, I just thought that it might be similar to a Fighting Knife I bought from Gerber. It's the Silver Trident, It came in a Sterile Model, I got it debt out with top and bottom serrations and NO MARKINGS that makes it sterile, I just ASS-U-ME'D that's what they use to do back then ? But I was wrong, Thanx, Brother. But I also noticed with the older Ka-Bar's and even my Camillus model, The edges are much thinner than the one I use. Even though it too is a old one, I can lite baton with it, peel bark off for walking sticks etc. Oh and make feathers, although it's not the best to make feathers, it can. But with my older MK-1 which has a Glossy, a very shiny black blueing like coating and both have the leather handles. I couldn't put the MK-1 Sheath on my older canvas military belt, I was able to use my O.K.C. Pilot sheath with a sharpening stone in the louch, it fit in my military belt and fit the MK-1 perfectly ( F.Y.I. ). But, I also have a penned over round tang that either someone thinned down the handle it's thicker towards tge gaurd and thinner towards tge pommel, The chopping motion is great on it. The finish on the leather seems to be just like all the other Ka-Bar's but that knife is very thin at the bevel and extremely sharp, The Ka-Bar that had all the markings grund off seems to be the most solid made. It has a round peened tang and I left the writing on the sgeath, I believe that one dates to 1942 ? Infact all of them seem thinner at the edge than my older new Ka-Bar, mine has to be over 20 years plus or maybe more, old. But I keep it sharp maybe not as sharp as the others because of their thinner edges, ut with my older MK-1 wearing them with a canvas pouch is fun to wear, and I didn't have any problem practicing survival at the cabin, Infact tge two complement eachother nicely.
 
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