The Ka-Bar Page

Listed here is the Ka-Bar USMC 1219C2 Fighting / Utility knife. This is the knife we get the most requests on as to originality. These knives can be seen at just about any gun or knife show listed as WW II era knives. Constantly listed on eBay as WW II carried, even the owners will swear they carried them in the war. This reproduction is the most often faked knife we know of.

Ka-Bar_1976a.JPG (1214822 bytes)    Ka-Bar_1976b.JPG (1261916 bytes)    Ka-Bar_1976c.JPG (960969 bytes)    Ka-Bar_1976d.JPG (829155 bytes)    Ka-Bar_1976e.JPG (498625 bytes)    Ka-Bar_1976f.JPG (394858 bytes)    Ka-Bar_1976g.JPG (376575 bytes)    Ka-Bar_1976h.JPG (567430 bytes)    Ka-Bar_1976i.JPG (668637 bytes)    Ka-Bar_1976j.JPG (854702 bytes)

This is the first year of production model. It is a Parkerized finish and is the most often seen version called a WW II knife. These are very easy to spot as the repro. Note the thick 3/8 inch half pinned pommel. This was never used on the WW II knives. All thick pommel WW II knives were peened tangs, both round and rectangle. The WW II pinned pommels were of the thin variety being 1/4 inch thick. These knives have the thick black spacers at the pommel and the guard, another thing the WW II originals didn't have.

 

Ka-Bar_Post_1977a.JPG (1245347 bytes)    Ka-Bar_Post_1977b.JPG (1243882 bytes)    Ka-Bar_Post_1977c.JPG (807213 bytes)    Ka-Bar_Post_1977d.JPG (618014 bytes)    Ka-Bar_Post_1977e.JPG (577596 bytes)    Ka-Bar_Post_1977f.JPG (510754 bytes)    Ka-Bar_Post_1977g.JPG (1235818 bytes)    Ka-Bar_Sheath1.JPG (1203393 bytes)    Ka-Bar_Sheath2.JPG (1193769 bytes)

This the post 1977 up to the current version Ka-Bar. These knives follow the same pattern as the above knives except the finish is the baked enamel type. They have the half pinned thick pommel, the instant giveaway to a current knife. They also have the thick black spacers. Don't be fooled by this one, it is current. Note the two different scabbards, a light blonde color with rivets and a darker brown with staples. The Eagle, Globe and Anchor marking was never used in WW II, don't be fooled by it, again they are only available on current knives.

 

Ka-Bar_Armya.JPG (1197262 bytes)

Last but not least we have the U.S. / Army marking on a Ka-Bar. This is pure fantasy, these were never made during WW II with this marking. In fact they first appeared in the late 1990's for a commemorative knife and were kept as sales were strong. A truly modern adaptation of the Ka-Bar.

 

Kabar_Fake_viet.JPG (57910 bytes)

Here is an example of a knife that was trying to be passed off as Vietnam Era. If being made in 1976 is that time frame so be it. The owner has scratched Vietnam 66/67 into the blade and cut in sawteeth. This is just one example of the hundreds we have seen over the years. 

Mk2 RBR kabar fantasy 01.JPG (16719 bytes)   Mk2 RBR kabar fantasy 02.JPG (22828 bytes)  Mk2 RBR kabar fantasy 03.JPG (17778 bytes)    Mk2 RBR kabar fantasy 04.JPG (10901 bytes)    Mk2 RBR kabar fantasy.JPG (24273 bytes)

Rebuilt possibly using PAL parts

 

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