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KA-BAR Red Spacer Variation/Oddity


usmce4
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This post may be considered a slight redundancy as I mentioned it in a previous post "Addition To My Collection", but I realize that was an error as I'm sure an awful lot of the USMF members I am trying to reach would skip right by that subject.

I hope this post is OK as it is aimed directly at the subject I'm hoping to get input on.

 

According to the article by Frank Trzaska in "Military Knives" discussing the Red Spacer MK2 he notes, and illustrates on pg.55, what he terms an "oddity". Rather than having one thick red spacer at the guard the knife in question has two thin red spacers. In discussing the subject with Frank he has told me that since that article was written in 1999 he has seen a "few" more but still considers them "unusual".

Having just acquired one of these oddities, I am naturally very curious as to just HOW unusual these are. I would greatly appreciate it if anybody else on the forum who has or has seen any of these let me know - either by posting on here or PM.

Photo of the subject attached

Thanks, Art

post-168413-0-69443000-1516391062.jpg

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I have owned three early red Spacer Kabars and one of them was split at the top like the one pictured. Ill look to see if I have any old pictures of it.

 

Craig

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi,

 

I have one of these "twin thin spacers" Ka-Bar, and it has two other specific features : there's no pommel's red spacer and the tang is not welded and grinded, but hammered.

 

My take is that it's an evolution to enhance productivity by simplifying the knife ... remember those red spacers' Ka-Bars were mostly handmade.

 

My 2 cents ... E

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More than likely just something done on assembly due to not having a thicker piece of (red)spacer material or using up scrap pieces during assembly.

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Judging by the four (five counting mine) shown or described on here not nearly so rare as stated in the 1999 article. Perhaps common enough to be considered a "variety" rather than an "oddity" (?)

 

JMHO Art

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Frank Trzaska

More than likely just something done on assembly due to not having a thicker piece of (red)spacer material or using up scrap pieces during assembly.

 

Bingo, agreed.

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