Camillus Find

[Striker57]

Grandson and I were going thru some old foot lockers in the attic, he asked about this?  It is not marked Ka-Bar but Camillus U.S.   I was in USMC AAV's in the mid 70's and guessing it came from that time frame given the vehicle marking on the back of the sheath. Thought I would try to get a little more information before passing it along to him.  Thanks

[mikedon]

It is a Post War MIL-K-20227 knife. With the markings yours has I believe it was made between 1974 and 1989. According to a Knife World article by Frank Trzaska the "N.Y." was dropped from the CAMILLUS stamping on the blade on February 1, 1974.

[Yuri Bezmenov]

I'm just glad to know my sheath isn't the only one out there with numbers painted on it. 

[GUDMAR1975]

These were the standard issue knife for Marines armed with the pistol: officers, staff NCOs, machine gunners, radiomen and the like. Riflemen received bayonets.  We called the knives "kabars" even though -- as noted -- they were made by other companies.  The painted number on the sheath is for armory accounting purposes.  The knives and bayonets stayed in the armory for the most part unless needed for an exercise or operation.

 

Kabars - made by Kabar - were available for private purchase at the PX or off base retailers.  Some Marines would buy them and carry them in the field.  These were reproductions of the WWII issue knifes and marked "USMC" on the blade.  

 

The reproduction Kabars are still available in the PX, although the packaging and price have changed over the years.  I do not believe the black sheathed government issue knives like the one in the photo are procured or issued any more.

[Blacksmith]

It’s hard to tell from the photos, is the sheath black or brown?

 

Thank you.