RARE STERILE WW@ KABAR FIGHTING KNIFE on the bay

[Boy Howdy]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-STERILE-WWII-KA-BAR-FIGHTING-KNIFE/164775250933?hash=item265d5ecbf5:g:QgAAAOSwOBhfZkze

 

Ladies and gentleman,

What is your take on this?

[BILL THE PATCH]

What are they even saying, sterile?, I don't get it.

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[Boy Howdy]

I don't think the seller does either.

[mikedon]

I believe It is just an unmarked variation. Frank Trzaska states in his August 2006 Knife World article about KA-BAR Mark 2 knives: "unmarked vari­ants can be found with round peened tangs, rectan­gular peened tangs, and thin pinned pommels." KA-BAR just used the parts they had available resulting in many variants.

I have several. 

 

[Boy Howdy]

That makes sense.

[SKIPH]

Read the description in the ad. "Sterile", possibly for the marines in the OSS. Come on, if you were an operating OSS member, and smart, you'd carry a German Mauser bayonet or boot knife. You can't convince me that a Japanese, or German soldier who found a MK2, or M3 with no markings would say. " Oh, no markings, can't be an American knife.!" I don't recall any other country who made either of those knives during WW2, strictly US.  Kind of hard  not to be able to explain "country of origin". Granted, OSS did use copies of British Commando, and Smatchet knives, but country of origin would point to the Brits, probably not to the US. Just my opinion on this "sterile" knife thing. I believe the left over parts theory.   SKIP 

[thorin6]

Here you go.

 

[sactroop]

Never made much sense to me why OSS troops would be issued Colt 1911's with "U.S. Government Property" on them, then go to a lot of trouble to make other things sterile.  Just because they are in the OSS doesn't mean they function clandestinely.  If they do function clandestinely I don't see them caring a 7 inch blade knife.  Just my opinion.

[doyler]

5 hours ago, BILL THE PATCH said:

What are they even saying, sterile?, I don't get it.

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maybe it cant reproduce?? 🙄

[doyler]

5 hours ago, mikedon said:

I believe It is just an unmarked variation. Frank Trzaska states in his August 2006 Knife World article about KA-BAR Mark 2 knives: "unmarked vari­ants can be found with round peened tangs, rectan­gular peened tangs, and thin pinned pommels." KA-BAR just used the parts they had available resulting in many variants.

I have several. 

 

 

 

I agree and two things come to mind. The item either slipped through the cracks when manufactured not getting a stamped guard

( any one who has ever worked in a factory or manufacturing job can relate) or its one assembled from parts and sold post war surplus.

 

The whole sterile super spook commando ranger  thing is like the "rigger" made stuff that generally turns out to be post was surplus.

[Rancid Polecat]

Another plug for Bill Walters' excellent book 2 - it shows a few versions of these unmarked Kabars, apparently made during the war and nobody is sure why. But most likely done intentionally. PAL made a few sterile mark 2's during the war as well.

[thorin6]

Like all books, as new information becomes available we learn a bit more.  As to PAL (I don't know about the Kabars), I have acquired three of the PAL blank blade knifes Bill Walters refers to in his book in the past year.  Two are marked PAL and one is marked RH PAL/USA 37.  One marked PAL shows the USMC mark ground off.  The other PAL marked knife does not show any evidence of the USMC being ground off.  The RH PAL/USA 37 marked knife does not show evidence of the US NAVY being ground off either.  Note that they are all marked with the PAL manufacturer's mark in some way, so not really sterile.  Bill Walters believes the Kabars were unmarked intentionally, but doesn't offer a reason.  As for the PALs, it seems likely these were made at the conclusion of the 1943 contracts out of parts (hence the use of smooth handles and aluminum pommels much like on the PAL RH 36) and either sold commercially or provided to the military in some way.

As to why the Kabars are unmarked, lacking any documentation it remains speculative, in my opinion.

PS If it weren't for Bill Walters book I never would have recognized the PAL blank knives.