USN "KA-BAR"

[Ricardo]

Hi Folks,

 

Please, the USN "KA-BAR"s are rare or comum to find?

 

Which are the differences between the used models of the WW2, Korea and VN?

 

PS. I am 100% "Green" in this subject...

 

Thank you!

 

Best regards,

 

Ricardo.

[gunbarrel]

Hi, Ricardo,

 

I'm going to defer to Greg to explain the differences between the WWII and Viet Nam, or "Post War," Mark 2's (in Korea they used WWII era knives). Greg is a real expert on Mark 2's. I will tell you that the USN Mark 2's are fairly common. If you can read Spanish (I know you speak Portuguese), you may enjoy reading this post:

 

http://miarroba.com/foros/ver.php?foroid=1...p;imprimible=si

 

GB

[Ricardo]

Hi, Ricardo,

 

I'm going to defer to Greg to explain the differences between the WWII and Viet Nam, or "Post War," Mark 2's (in Korea they used WWII era knives). Greg is a real expert on Mark 2's. I will tell you that the USN Mark 2's are fairly common. If you can read Spanish (I know you speak Portuguese), you may enjoy reading this post:

 

http://miarroba.com/foros/ver.php?foroid=1...p;imprimible=si

 

GB

 

Hi GB,

 

Thank you so much!

 

I have one USN Type and I need more information to put on display in Museum.

 

PS. I will take off some images.

 

Best regards,

 

Ricardo.

[Greg Robinson]

Hey Ricardo

 

UNION CUTLERY aka "KA-BAR" manufactured the US Navy Mark 2 knife from 1943 until the end of WW2. 1st production were the early knives with the heavy pommel peened on a round blade tang and had the early maker mark that included "OLEAN NY". And they were simply marked "USN" on the blade. The 2nd generation KA-BAR Navy Mk 2's were still marked on the blade but they now added "MK 2" to the markings and the "OLEAN NY" was dropped. And they made a 3rd generation with markings on the cross guard and they had the later thin pommel pinned in place.

 

Here are pics of a 1st generation KA-BAR Navy Mk 2 in a early BOYT HARNESS manufactured scabbard with 1943 date. Later Navy scabbards retained the "USN" markings but the "BOYT 43" was dropped.

 

None of these WW2 "k-bars" are what I call "common" anymore. But the ones with the later cross guard markings are much easier and less expensive to find than the blade marked versions. And most you see for sale today are in the later war grey plastic scabbards. Many, many of the guard marked version saw service in Korea and Vietnam. It wasn't until 1960 that production of this pattern knife resumed. UTICA made the first post WW2 knives followed by CAMILLUS and CONETTA. They differ from the WW2 version by having marks on the blade of "US" and the maker name but no branch of service markings. And most of the post WW2 production have the "oxblood" (dark reddish brown) color handles and scabbards.

 

Greg

[gunbarrel]

Ricardo,

 

Here is a different kind of Mark 2 from my collection. It's a WWII "theater" knife.

 

GB

[Ricardo]

Hi Friends,

 

Thank you so much!!

 

My K-BAR:

 

 

Best regards,

 

Ricardo.

[Ricardo]

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[Ricardo]

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