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thanks for your help on KA-BAR


Sergesquadron
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Sergesquadron

Hello
I'm new to the KA-BAR collection.
Can you tell me for reconaitre an original WWII KA-BAR, i ni understood anything of the dagger of the Second World War, I'm looking for an original USMC in very good condition, thanks for your help.
Serge

 

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-USMC-Kabar-Camillus-Fighting-Knife-Near-Mint-Named/163226019694?hash=item260107676e:g:jtoAAOSwxHdbhYVV

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Sergesquadron

Please add pictures to ebay listings - the listing will not last forever. Thanks

 

 

thank you for pictures

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The Camillus guard marked US USMC MARK 2 you linked is WWII but it seems overpriced to me.

 

mikedon,

What do think selling price should be on this item?

John

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According to Frank Trzaska there were 3 contracts for the Camillus USMC Mark 2, 10/1943, 6/1944, and 1/1945 totaling 353,000. I am not sure when the switch from blade marked to guard marked was made.

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I usually consider the guard marked thin pinned pommel Camillus Mark 2s as made in 1944, and correct with the plastic sheath. If in a leather sheath I usually look for the nine rivets as opposed to staples, but the leather sheath seems to be found generally with the blade marked, thick peened pommel versions. That's just my general rule, but others may have other opinions.

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I don't think Camillus made any USMC MARK 2 knives during the war with a thick peened pommel.

 

From Frank's Knife World article January 2006.

 

 

CAMILLUS CUTLERY CO.

Camillus Cutlery had three contracts for the USMC 1219C2 fighting / utility knife. The first Camillus contract, dated 10/1943, was for 150,000 knives conforming to the 1219C2d specifications hav­ing the thin 1/4 inch pom­mel that was pinned com­pletely through the tang. This was a Camillus solu­tion that they had already applied to the Mark 2 knives they were making for the Navy. The first knives supplied by Camillus were blade marked U.S.M.C. on the ricasso and CAMILLUS, N.Y. on the opposite side. Camillus was also the only manufacturer that did not make a knife with the red spacer handle. All Camillus production was with the short wide guard and thin pinned pom­mels with all leather wash­ers in the handle. The sec­ond design made by Camillus presented a change in the markings. Camillus was the only manufacturer to make a guard marked USMC 1219C2 knife. The rest of the knife followed the same form as the previous version but it lacked any blade markings at all. The Army had switched to guard markings as it was thought that the blades would be weakened from the heavy stamping. Camillus switched their production to all guard markings on the USMC knives along with the Navy knives. This would also add to the expediency of using any blade for either con­tract. As the Navy and Marine contracts were running concurrently with each other, it made production sense to use this method. Camillus also submitted several samples over the years to the government, involving various changes. They made the guard marked chrome plated knives for the Naval Advanced Base units as well as models with M3 handles, M3 pommels and plastic Mark 1 pommels as experimental. The three Camillus contracts for the USMC were as follows:

NOM41977

10/1943

qty. 150,000

NOM45092

6/1944

qty. 150,000

NOM47205

1/1945

qty. 125,000*

 

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Sergesquadron

Hello
I thank you for all your answers.
Your review about SE camillus Mk2 original WWII or after war? and date of manufacture.
Thank you.
Serge

 

 

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It looks like an original late WWII Camillus guard marked USN MARK 2 but I would like to see a large picture of the whole knife to be sure, also the front of the sheath.

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Don't recall anyone reproducing the Navy knives from WW2, so it's probably good.

Does anyone have a list of the Navy contracts for the various MK2's during WW2?

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mikedon is correct "I don't think Camillus made any USMC MARK 2 knives during the war with a thick peened pommel."

I should have referred to the screw pommel, which was a thick pommel and was changed to the thin pommel with pin when it didn't hold well.

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mikedon is correct "I don't think Camillus made any USMC MARK 2 knives during the war with a thick peened pommel."

I should have referred to the screw pommel, which was a thick pommel and was changed to the thin pommel with pin when it didn't hold we

 

Just for the sake of accuracy, it is my belief that while many early USN Camillus MK2s came with leather sheaths, the so-called "screw-top" had a sheath unique unto itself. While the other leather sheaths had two flat rivets on top, the correct sheath for the screw-top had all 9 rivets with round-tops.

I've never seen this information in print, but it was passed on to me by a collector who owns a dozen or more of them and I've yet to find his information incorrect. Also, while not specified in the text, the pictures of screw-tops in Silvey's book show the knives with round-top riveted sheaths.

Will be interesting to see if Bill Walters has any photos of these in his upcoming book as well.

 

Art

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