WW-2 KA-BAR MK-II Fighting Knife?

[1srelluc]

I found this KA-BAR in a USN MKII Nord 4723 sheath at a yard sale this morning for $10.00.

 

As best as I can tell it's a 1943ish MKII. No guard marks, KA-BAR on the left side.

 

If it is what I suspect would it have had a leather sheath?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mikedon]

It should have a leather sheath. Can't tell for sure if the blade finish is Bonderized, (light grey), or Parkerized. They came with both blade finishes marked like that with the thick round peened pommel, both came in a leather sheath.

 

A steal for $10.00!

[1srelluc]

It should have a leather sheath. Can't tell for sure if the blade finish is Bonderized, (light grey), or Parkerized. They came with both blade finishes marked like that with the thick round peened pommel, both came in a leather sheath.

 

A steal for $10.00!

 

No worries, I have a extra Boyt 43 sheath in my footlocker-o-knives I can use. I guess someone decided they would rather have the plastic sheath.

 

I think it might be the gray finish but as you say it's really hard to tell.

[mikedon]

An example of one of mine with the Bonderized, (grey), finish.

[SKIPH]

Great deal! Yard sales can be great! SKIP

[zzyzzogeton]

The BMC/VP NORD sheath is perfectly appropriate for the knife.

 

The leather sheaths were the sheaths initially issued by the Navy until the BMCs were available and the only sheaths officially issued by the Marines.

 

Down the road, any 1219C2/USN-MK2 could be issued with the BMC sheath as the knives were NOT separated by service if issued out through the Navy side of things.

 

The Navy could be shipped 1219C2s from the Supply Depots and the Marines could be shipped USN-MK2s from the same Navy Supply Depots. The Supply Depots didn't care what was on the knives. They shipped out whatever they had in stock to who ever needed an order filled.

 

The KABAR/No Branch knives could go either way very easily.

[sundance]

What a beauty - and for $10. - Wow

[mikedon]

The BMC/VP NORD sheath is perfectly appropriate for the knife.

 

The leather sheaths were the sheaths initially issued by the Navy until the BMCs were available and the only sheaths officially issued by the Marines.

 

Down the road, any 1219C2/USN-MK2 could be issued with the BMC sheath as the knives were NOT separated by service if issued out through the Navy side of things.

 

The Navy could be shipped 1219C2s from the Supply Depots and the Marines could be shipped USN-MK2s from the same Navy Supply Depots. The Supply Depots didn't care what was on the knives. They shipped out whatever they had in stock to who ever needed an order filled.

 

The KABAR/No Branch knives could go either way very easily.

That is curious. I have 19 Bonderized blade and 6 Parkerized blade KA-BAR blank blades and they all came in leather sheaths.

[Tony V]

Congratulations! Just one super buy.

Tony

[boogiedoogie]

I have 10 Mark 2 examples with some variation of "KA-BAR" marked on the obverse and unmarked on the reverse. Most are obverse marked "KA-BAR" only but a few are marked "KA-BAR over OLEAN, N.Y." Finishes are either bonderized (light grey) or parkerized (dark grey/black). All have a thick pommel and peened tang. Some tangs are rectangular while some are round. All 10 came in a leather sheath. Most of the sheaths have staples but some on the earlier knives, the ones with "OLEAN, N.Y." in the marking, have small rivets and a glove snap on the keeper strap, a sheath most associated with the Blue Blade variations. In any case, all 10 of my "Blank" blade KA-BAR's came in a leather sheath.