Jump to content

MODERN MADE MARINE KA-BAR


Greg Robinson
 Share

Recommended Posts

Greg Robinson

Unfortunately, I no longer have an example of this knife but UNION CUTLERY AKA "KA-BAR" had made a reproduction of their WW2 USMC knife since the 1970's. Early production was very close to the originals. The scabbards marked with eagle globe and anchor and "USMC" were a giveaway but the fakers often inserted the rero knives in WW2 scabbards and called the set "WW2". I got hung with two of those before I wised up. And it took a letter from the military knife collector Mike Silvey to finally make me realize I had a fake. I didn't believe it when a collector first told me this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greg Robinson

YEP....that's it. Take that knife and age it and put it in a WW2 leather scabbard and it might fool a lot of newbie collectors.....it did me at one time. :(

 

There are many small discrepancies such as fonts of markings, fuller, sometimes the finish, etc etc. But the best indicators are as follows: ANYTIME you see a Marine KA-BAR knife which has that unique KA-BAR thick heavy pommel and it is PINNED to the blade tang....it's NOT an original. During the war they were always peened....sometimes the peening was to a round blade tang so it looks "screwed" on but on mint examples you can see the peening. Later knives had rectangular bland tangs and the peening folded over the outside of the pommel and had that "sunburst" pattern. Either way it's was NOT pinned in place. And the reproductions will have thin black spacers at each end of the leather handle....this was not done on originals. So when you see these features on a so called "WW2" knife....walk away from it. I don't think I've ever been to a show where somebody didn't have one of these for sale and called it "WW2".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Paramarine

I see these for sale often as well. I usually send notice to the seller that it's a "new" knife. Sometimes it's pulled, but often, I'm ignored, and then I email the buyer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greg Robinson
I see these for sale often as well. I usually send notice to the seller that it's a "new" knife. Sometimes it's pulled, but often, I'm ignored, and then I email the buyer.

 

Yeah...I used to do that but not any more. Nobody, neither the seller nor the buyer, seems to appreciate my doing that so I gave up. But I did have one success emailing an ebay seller who thanked me for tell him and he pulled the auction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Paramarine

The advantage to these, is I use them for living history. I love meeting WW II Marines, but would rather they drop one of these than an original!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

problem is there's no way to get them all, as these are still sold at PXes to current Marines to be used in the field and in combat. KABAR is still a popular fighting knife here in Iraq, so I expect we'll continue to see sellers pawning them off as original continuously

 

a lot of new ones, though, have a feel to them that's heavier than the originals. unfortunately, you actually have to hold the thing to realize this

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greg Robinson

A couple of pics to show original pommels. Note that the one to the far right that is pinned is a thinner pommel than the other two. It's the ONLY WW2 pinned pommel used by Union Cutlery aka "KA-BAR" during WW2.

post-4-1167741763.jpg

post-4-1167741809.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

i got caught out this year in begium with one ...and i had my ref books with me..

traded it back with the frence dealer after i puffed my chest out and got a nice camillus instead..one to watch and do your homework on..good info greg.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These are given out as raffle prizes in the Marine Corps League in Florida, usalyy fundraising for the scholarship program...A worthy cause

 

Bill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 years later...
Wedgehead30

I believe this would be a textbook example of a newer reproduction that could easily be passed off as an original WW2 era knife. Heavy thick pommel that is pinned. Rectangular tang, not peened. Thin black spacers.

 

When I bought it I thought it was actually a wartime knife. As you can see this one has some age to it and looks salty. Placed in a WW2 sheath and you have all the makings of a deceptive sale and swindled buyer, not cool. Thankfully I did a little research and found this thread. Had I not this would have been unknowingly & mistakenly presented as an original.

 

19260776_10209579930480684_498693533184919511356_10209579930640688_254513800493619510138_10209579930600687_8262243217405

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I carried one of these when I was in the Marines (1983-1989). I bought it at the MCX at Camp Lejeune, NC. I still have it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

I have one of the parkerized versions too. (maybe '76-'78ish?) s-l1600.jpg

I use my grampaw's NORD sheath for it though, and works well as my "beater", but is in great condition.

s-l1600.jpgs-l1600.jpgs-l1600.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From what I understand KA-BAR was using the parkerized finish up until 1991 when they changed over to the present type of finish used now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...