USN Mk2

P

pauldulson

Joined
Mar 22, 2000
Messages
355
I bought a USN Mk2 last weekend , it is marked Ka-Bar and USN Mk2 and is in mint condition. Does anyone know when / if these knives ceased to be issue items ? I gather the USMC still issue their fighting knife .
The scabbard for the one I have is marked USN Mk2 but also has markings on the back , the only part of which I can remember right now is NORD, I assume this is the maker.
Any hints on how to date this blade would be appreciated.
Of course I now need a Marine fighting knife as a partner to this one, this game just never ends.
Paul.
 
I have a Mk. 2 knife. You are correct in saying the the knife itself is a Kabar, but the sheath is the interesting item. It was issued as a the knife for the Navy's UDT frogmen and, as such, it has a spring clip to hold the blade in the sheath, which is made of some plastic/fabric material veery much like the WWII/Korea vintage bayonet scabbard. My personal guess would place issuance of the Mk.2 as late WWII through Korea and early 1950's. Mine was given to me for Christmas by a friend in about 1956 or 1957, indicating that they had been surplussed by then. I had used it as a general camp knife and such until my brother took it scuba diving in salt water and forgot to clean it. What a mess! He bought me a new one at my parent's insistence. That one has seen little use, as I had my Randall by then. All told, however, it seems a very good attempt at a scuba diver's knife for its time.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
I know that I have seen books on U. S. military edged weapons of later vintage than the 19th Century and one of these, if you can locate it, should be able to give you what you need on the Mk. 2 knife. I tried various search forms in Amazon with no luck, but I swear that I have seen such books for collectors of U. S. Military knives. If not there is a column in "Tactical Knives" magazine on military knife collecting that might well be able to answer your questions if you were to write them.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
Thanks Hugh, just the kind of info' I was looking for .I still have a bit more research to do on this one , but heh that is a big part of the fun , well for me anyway.
Which Randall do you have , a Model 16 ?
I have a model 14, when I first saw one of these I thought it was the finest knife I had ever seen .I never thought I would own one but my Wife surprised me for 40th birthday a few years back. That made it very special.
Thanks again , Paul.
 
I bought a Model 12 6" Hunter's Bowie for all of $25 when I was 18 back in 1961. The store called my parents for permission for me to buy it, but they were out and my 23 year old brother gave the permission. Boy, were my parents peeved at my paying that much for a knife. I've never regretted it, obviously. I then bought a No. 1 in 7" length in 1978. It's a sweety as well. I love my Randalls and would love to buy more, but, lordy, the prices.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
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