Was there a reason KA-BAR used plastic covers on traditional folders?

[North Shore]

In an era when most were using jigged bone and stag, why did KA-BAR frequently use the black and yellow plastic covers we are used to seeing? Was KA-BAR supposed to be a more economical alternative in those days? Were they on to something as far as durability? I have seen some older KA-BARs with jigged bone but they're much more scarce in regards to the plastic. It had to be a business decision, not sure whether it was price point or function. I love KA-BAR and have consciously become a "KA-BAR Guy" but if I had a preference some of my older specimens would have prettier cover material.

 

[jrawk]

profit, most likely.

EDIT:

Trying to not sound like a troll here... If you want those older specimans to be different, I want to encourage you to try replacing the handle covers on one of your knives. Believe it or not, it's fairly simple process and requires minimal tools and materials. It is a little time consuming, yes, but will be very rewarding. There are some excellent guides in the maintenance and tinkering subforum, some other knife forums have step by step guides.

 

[22-rimfire]

Years ago when plastic was sort of a new thing (40's and 50's), it was used and there was an exclusivity aspect to it. But in the case of Kabar, I suspect it was purely a profit/cost cutting decision for them.

 

[North Shore]

I do plan on doing some resto-mods at some point, there is a wealth of knowledge on these boards that I plan on reading.

If i put some kind of nice ebony covers on a knife like this and reused the inlay and everything, I would be taking away from the value big time correct?

 

[cilohaefink]

All knife companies (Kabar included) in the pre-WWII era primarily used jigged bone along with stag, yellow composition, black composition, and other handle materials.

After WWII and through the 1950's most of the knife companies continued to use jigged bone, bu also started to make use of the (then primitive) synthetic materials that simulated jigged bone.

For example, Case, Schrade, Ulster, Camillus, Queen, Utica, Robeson, Boker USA, and Western all still used jigged bone into the 1950's.

For some reason Kabar decided to transition to the jigged black composition in place of jigged bone almost 100% after WWII. As others have said, it must have been a cost-cutting move, even though the plastic-type materials available in the 1950's tended to shrink and to decompose.

But looking at many Kabar knives over the years as well as older Kabar catalogs, it appears that the used virtually no jigged bone on knives made after WWII. Though they were still using genuine stag and genuine pearl.

By the early 1960's, when better plastics like Delrin became available, all of the companies mentioned above with the exception of Case, moved to synthetic handles as a substitute for jigged bone.

 

[VashHash]

Would it detract from the value for you is the question you should ask yourself. If i modify a knife i don't intend to sell it so to me it's value increases as a tool. Of course i didn't get into knives for their investment purposes.

 

[North Shore]

Would it detract from the value for you is the question you should ask yourself. If i modify a knife i don't intend to sell it so to me it's value increases as a tool. Of course i didn't get into knives for their investment purposes.

Yeah, I agree but to a point they are not cheap and in the event someone falls onto hard times they could be liquidated. I use knives, but also keep some if not most to take out and handle, show other people and use in photograph compositions etc. as a lot of people do.

 

[Buzzbait]

I'm not too put out by the plastic handles on KA-BARs. Their 1152 scout/camp knife is one of most useful scouts ever made.

My guess is that the choice to use plastics may have largely been dictated by the real manufacturer of the knives. I'm not sure when KA-BAR stopped making slipjoints in-house. After a certain point in history, Camillus used very little in the way of natural handle materials, for any of their customers, greatly favoring Delrin.

 

[TheChunk91]

All knife companies (Kabar included) in the pre-WWII era primarily used jigged bone along with stag, yellow composition, black composition, and other handle materials.

After WWII and through the 1950's most of the knife companies continued to use jigged bone, bu also started to make use of the (then primitive) synthetic materials that simulated jigged bone.

For example, Case, Schrade, Ulster, Camillus, Queen, Utica, Robeson, Boker USA, and Western all still used jigged bone into the 1950's.

For some reason Kabar decided to transition to the jigged black composition in place of jigged bone almost 100% after WWII. As others have said, it must have been a cost-cutting move, even though the plastic-type materials available in the 1950's tended to shrink and to decompose.

But looking at many Kabar knives over the years as well as older Kabar catalogs, it appears that the used virtually no jigged bone on knives made after WWII. Though they were still using genuine stag and genuine pearl.

By the early 1960's, when better plastics like Delrin became available, all of the companies mentioned above with the exception of Case, moved to synthetic handles as a substitute for jigged bone.

In addition to this excellent explanation I would like to add that the major bone suppliers to most knife companies (rogers) had a fire in the 50's, the damage was extensive IIRC. Most makers had to find an alternate source of knife handles, once the bone supplies dwindled is when delrin really took over. This is partly why bone is more common on older knives, but synthetics (like rough black and celluloid) were around at the same time and were a good economical option.

 

[North Shore]

I'm trying to figure out the time frame on this particular knife, the plastic is throwing me off. The blade stamping combination is fairly early from what I've seen, no model number no USA no Oleans. The blade construction also seems unlike knives of theirs I've seen with the match strike long pull and the deep cut swedge.

 

[cilohaefink]

I'm trying to figure out the time frame on this particular knife, the plastic is throwing me off. The blade stamping combination is fairly early from what I've seen, no model number no USA no Oleans. The blade construction also seems unlike knives of theirs I've seen with the match strike long pull and the deep cut swedge.

My guess would be pre-WWII. Does the second blade have the Union Cut. Co tang stamp?

The handles are most likely not plastic, but either celluloid (unlikely) or a hard rubber material.

 

[North Shore]

I'll get better pictures on Sunday as it is at my parents house in storage currently. It's due for a good oiling and some better pictures.

 

[cilohaefink]

I'll get better pictures on Sunday as it is at my parents house in storage currently. It's due for a good oiling and some better pictures.

I see that you're in MA. Have you ever been to the NCCA knife shows? Marlboro MA three times a year and the big one coming up in Mystic CT.

 

[North Shore]

I see that you're in MA. Have you ever been to the NCCA knife shows? Marlboro MA three times a year and the big one coming up in Mystic CT.

No, but I've heard of it and I was going to try and go this past November? but I had something going on. Is there good deals to be had there? I would like to at least go to take all the sights in but I assume everything is super marked up?

 

[cilohaefink]

No, but I've heard of it and I was going to try and go this past November? but I had something going on. Is there good deals to be had there? I would like to at least go to take all the sights in but I assume everything is super marked up?

You'll find a mix of good deals and some too high.

 

[Bartleby]

Bone was relatively more expensive during the period after WWII, until the 1990's as it was used in other industries (e.g. film and fertilizer) more widely. It was used industrially during its heyday because it was a waste by product of meat packing (cheap and available). Plastics were a cheaper substitute.

 

[knarfeng]

You also need to remember that up till the ~1980's pocket knives were primarily utilitarian objects. Everyday tools. Aside from being cheaper, plastic is tougher than bone. Folks who just wanted a good tool saw plastic as an improvement over bone. Less expensive AND lasted better.

I've owned pocket knives for decades, starting in the 1950's. I never had a bone handled knife until I started hanging out here. If someone had offered be a choice between bone and plastic covers in those days, I'd have chosen the plastic hands down.

 

[Bartleby]

You also need to remember that up till the ~1980's pocket knives were primarily utilitarian objects. Everyday tools. Aside from being cheaper, plastic is tougher than bone. Folks who just wanted a good tool saw plastic as an improvement over bone. Less expensive AND lasted better.

I've owned pocket knives for decades, starting in the 1950's. I never had a bone handled knife until I started hanging out here. If someone had offered be a choice between bone and plastic covers in those days, I'd have chosen the plastic hands down.

This was true until at least well into the 1980's. Bone started to make a comeback with Case offering a lot of handle variations in the 90's (really kickstarting collecting in the modern sense). My father, a child of the depression, always thought this a giant step backwards!