USMC standard issue Ka-Bar question

[DanR217]

My dad's retirement is coming up soon and I wanted to get him a Vietnam veteran commemorative Ka-Bar like the one he carried over there. Looked at the website and they sell two, one with serrations and one without. Was there a standard for the USMC over there at the time?

 

[SAK Guy]

I'm no expert but of all the Vietnam era USMC style knives I seen over the years at shows and on the net, none were serrated.

 

[PaintedFanatic]

Ka-bar knives were not officially given to USMC soldiers in Vietnam. There were both serrated versions and non serrated. I think getting the non serrated would be better for a commemorative knife, as those were used during WWII.

 

[The_Knife_Man]

I think the general consensus will be plain edge. Serrations get caught on ribs.

 

[DanR217]

Ka-bar knives were not officially given to USMC soldiers in Vietnam. There were both serrated versions and non serrated. I think getting the non serrated would be better for a commemorative knife, as those were used during WWII.

My dad said they had them... he could have bought his own, but I doubt it. If they weren't issued the Ka-Bar, what were they issued?

I think the general consensus will be plain edge. Serrations get caught on ribs.

thanks, I figured it would probably be plain edge, just wanted to make sure. Hate to get too graphic, but he said they sharpened the swedge so they wouldn't have to flip the knife around to cut throats.

 

[leghog]

My dad said they had them... he could have bought his own, but I doubt it. If they weren't issued the Ka-Bar, what were they issued?

NSN 1095-00-392-4102, specification MIL-K-20227/MIL-K-20277a/MIL-K-20277b/MIL-K-20277c/MIL-K-20277d, Combat Knife. Utica, Camillus, Ontario, and Conetta.

No serrations.

And, yes, they were issue knives.

I'd buy him an unserrated Vietnam Commemorative Kabar.