CHASEUSA11B Posted May 24, 2011 Share #1 Posted May 24, 2011 Hello everyone, i just picked this Ka-Bar style knife marked "CAMILLUS, NY" and "USMC" on the guard. It has a little bit of rust on the blade, the sheath is cracked, and it definitly shows some age but I think its a good honest piece of history. The man who sold it to me said he got it from the attic of a house he was cleaning and was told it had been up there for 40 years. I was wondering if anyone could tell me anything more about the knife, and possibly determine how old it would have been. Thanks! Chase P.S. I apologize in advance if I have used any incorrect terminology-I'm not a knife guy and this is my first piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHASEUSA11B Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share #2 Posted May 24, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted May 24, 2011 Share #3 Posted May 24, 2011 WW2 model.A later style model after they quit stamping the blade.If I recall they changed the marking sometime in 1943 from the blade to the guard. RD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHASEUSA11B Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted May 24, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted May 24, 2011 Share #5 Posted May 24, 2011 This is my 1943 K-Bar. Notice your guard is bent, similar to a M3 Trench knife. There are a few different reasons for this........I'm told one reason was to tighten the handle pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHASEUSA11B Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted May 24, 2011 Thanks for the responses guys, my next step is to clean this up a little without damaging it......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still-A-Marine Posted May 25, 2011 Share #7 Posted May 25, 2011 Thanks for the responses guys, my next step is to clean this up a little without damaging it......... For the metal I use 0000 steel wool and gun oil. Nice knife. Don't over do it. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony V Posted May 25, 2011 Share #8 Posted May 25, 2011 Chase Congrats on your first ! Be carefull blades can be rather interesting and sometimes addictive. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smwinter207 Posted January 29, 2013 Share #9 Posted January 29, 2013 How long did they manufacture this style of knife with these particular markings? 1943-? I'm buying one and hope they were not manufactured through the 50s... Thanks, Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still-A-Marine Posted January 29, 2013 Share #10 Posted January 29, 2013 How long did they manufacture this style of knife with these particular markings? 1943-? I'm buying one and hope they were not manufactured through the 50s... Thanks, Sean Camillus had their first USMC contract in 1943. The Camillus blade marked USMC would have been made in 1943-1944. In 1944 the change was made moving the markings to the guard. The version with USMC on the guard would have been made in 1944-1945. The contracts ended at the closing of WWII. Camillus did not have another contract until 1962. Then the markings changed. They no longer marked them to a particular branch of service. The ones used between 1945 and 1962 were WWII leftovers. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still-A-Marine Posted January 29, 2013 Share #11 Posted January 29, 2013 WW2 model.A later style model after they quit stamping the blade.If I recall they changed the marking sometime in 1943 from the blade to the guard. RD The change took place in 1944. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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