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I'm looking for this Ka-Bar MK2. Any Help Appreciated


usmce4
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First off I apologize for putting a modern issue on here, but there is always (ok, "usually") someone on here who can answer any question.

I passed this Ka-Bar by at a show and I regret doing so. I'm trying to find one for myself. I've got that unsatisfied "one that got away" feeling eating at me. Can anybody steer me to one?

 

Luckily, I did take a picture of it. It has several differences from all the other modern issues.

Obvious of course is the wood case with an EGA on the cover, the pin shows on both sides of the thick pommel, there aren't any black spacers in the handle, "Olean NY" and "USMC" are stamped more like the vintage Ka-Bars, not as large as the other modern ones, the blade is beautifully hot-blued.

 

Art

post-168413-0-66804900-1540919346_thumb.jpg

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Art I'm guessing this one has a blued blade as opposed to parkerized? Also are there any engravings on the blade and pommel?

It has a high quality polished hot-blued blade and no, there wasn't any engraving or markings other than the usual "USMC", "Ka-Bar" and "Olean NY".

Except for the pin thru the pommel rather than a round peened tang it's just like what Bill Walters calls the 4th Gen in his new book, or what some refer to as the transition model.

Art

Note the similarity:

 

 

post-168413-0-25625800-1540937439_thumb.jpg

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I don't think it's one of the 1200 knives,(which I believe was 1500), but I could be wrong. Those knives for the 200th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps that were made for presentation were pretty ornate. The lower the serial number the more ornate. I believe they were all engraved on the blade. Some of the lower serial numbers had gold plating on the pommel and the guard if memory serves me correctly, at this point it might not. :unsure: Also I believe the blades were plated bright.

These have been very hard to run across.

With the blued finish, no black spacers and the different stamp, I'm wondering if this knife wasn't made by Camillus for Ka-Bar during the time period of the 200th Anniversary knives.

 

post-17422-0-12952200-1540951506_thumb.jpgpost-17422-0-07958900-1540951543_thumb.jpg

 

These are the Camillus S-cards for the order to KA-BAR. The blades alone were for the presentation knives as I understand it. It does look like they may have also supplied finished knives also for sale.

Looks like Camillus weren't just for girls. Sorry I couldn't resist. :D

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I don't think it's one of the 1200 knives,(which I believe was 1500), but I could be wrong. Those knives for the 200th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps that were made for presentation were pretty ornate. The lower the serial number the more ornate. I believe they were all engraved on the blade. Some of the lower serial numbers had gold plating on the pommel and the guard if memory serves me correctly, at this point it might not. :unsure: Also I believe the blades were plated bright.

These have been very hard to run across.

With the blued finish, no black spacers and the different stamp, I'm wondering if this knife wasn't made by Camillus for Ka-Bar during the time period of the 200th Anniversary knives.

 

attachicon.gifCamillus-KABAR.jpgattachicon.gifCamillus-KABAR1.jpg

 

These are the Camillus S-cards for the order to KA-BAR. The blades alone were for the presentation knives as I understand it. It does look like they may have also supplied finished knives also for sale.

Looks like Camillus weren't just for girls. Sorry I couldn't resist. :D

 

 

 

IMO, Camillus sure seemed to have a tighter, more consistent product..(and the FIRST 1219C).

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Art and I have been exchanging some PM's, and now I think he and I were talking apples and oranges. Maybe it's due to the differences in the hilt, but I don't believe now that this knife is from the 70's, but more likely, IMHO from the 90's.

Anniversary of the knife, not an anniversary of the Marine Corps. Much more likely that this piece is completely from the KABAR factory.

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1975

Richard "Dick" Sturm, founds the KA-BAR Collectors Club, and for the first time since World War II, the standard KA-BAR USMC Fighting/Utility knife is put back into production in Olean, New York, at the CUTCO Cutlery facility. CUTCO continues to make these knives for Cole National Corporation for two decade.

 

USMC picture in post #1 was made in mid to late1970s with a projected run of 5000.

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Art and I have been exchanging some PM's, and now I think he and I were talking apples and oranges. Maybe it's due to the differences in the hilt, but I don't believe now that this knife is from the 70's, but more likely, IMHO from the 90's.

Anniversary of the knife, not an anniversary of the Marine Corps. Much more likely that this piece is completely from the KABAR factory.

This just appeared on ebay 163347360012

Camillus US Marine Corp USMC Commemorative Mark 2 Fighting Knife 1941-1991 w/box

Is this the one you are referring to? Note the differences to the one I listed above - (This is the girls version :) )

Art

post-168413-0-18214300-1541072295_thumb.jpg

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No these are Camillus marked knives. I've never seen any Camillus made 1219C2 knives marked (U.S.M.C.) made after WW2 any earlier than the 1990's.

I've been checking my collected notes on the various 1219C2 knives made over the years. Frank Trzaska wrote a piece on KABAR commemoratives where he describes the 1976 production of the first commemoratives, the 200th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, and others. From his descriptions a knife he ID's as the second commemorative sounds very much like the image you posted, except for the lack of a serial number. Here's Franks description.

 

"The next commemorative to be released by KA-BAR was in 1978. This knife was to commemorate the U.S.M.C. FIGHTING KNIFE OF WORLD WAR II. It was a much simpler affair then the previously issued knife. The finish on this knife was the only difference from the regular production item, this knife had a very deep gun blue on all the metal parts. It was also available in a presentation case to mark it as a commemorative and was serial numbered. Prices are as follows. Serial numbers 2 - 100 $150.00, 101 - 500 $75.00, 501 - 1000 $60.00 and 1001 & up $50.00. The total production figures for this knife are 1200."

I'm wondering if the serial number may have been on the presentation box. (?)

Still I'm pretty sure that KABAR had long before 1978 gotten their tooling setup to produce the 1219C2 again. So I don't think you'll have to give the knife to your wife, if you don't want to. :)

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No these are Camillus marked knives. I've never seen any Camillus made 1219C2 knives marked (U.S.M.C.) made after WW2 any earlier than the 1990's.

 

 

Now that I know what it is I just have to find one again.

 

Thanks! You're a good researcher, I'll be asking for your help again around tax time :lol:

 

Art

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is a much better pic of the Ka-Bar I'm looking for. It's serial numbered on the guard and evidently they made more than the previously thought 1200.

If any of you guys can steer me to one I'd be extremely grateful.

 

A big THANK YOU to new member H&MS26 for the pic.

 

PS: Nov. 10 1775 --- HAPPY BIRTHDAY JARHEADS!!!

 

Art

 

post-168413-0-52706700-1541899238_thumb.jpg

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  • 10 months later...

Here is a much better pic of the Ka-Bar I'm looking for. It's serial numbered on the guard and evidently they made more than the previously thought 1200.

If any of you guys can steer me to one I'd be extremely grateful.

 

A big THANK YOU to new member H&MS26 for the pic.

 

PS: Nov. 10 1775 --- HAPPY BIRTHDAY JARHEADS!!!

 

Art

 

 

By chance did you find the Kabar shown above? The Kabar in the photo was awarded to the SGT MAJOR of the Marine Corps serial #0003

post-162317-0-41662700-1568857350_thumb.jpg

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