Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. The originator of the KA-BAR trademark, Union Cutlery Co, began using the name in 1923, having received a letter from a fur trapper who had used the knife to kill a wounded bear which attacked him when his rifle jammed. According to company records, the letter was only partially legible; "ka bar" could be read, as fragments of the phrase "kill a bear". In 1923, the company adopted the name Ka-Bar from the "bear story" as its trademark. From 1923, the KA-BAR trademark was used as a ricasso stamp by Union Cutlery Co. on its line of automatic switchblade pocket knives, including the KA-BAR Grizzly, KA-BAR Baby Grizzly, and KA-BAR Model 6110 Lever Release knives. The company produced about 1 million knives with the trademark on the ricasso.
This is a fantastic service-used example of the legendary WWII Production U.S.M.C marked Mark 2 "Ka-Bar" fighting knife with leather belt sheath. Marine Corps issue knives are much harder to find on the market than the U.S.N. marked variety. Overall length of this Mark 2 knife is 12 inches, with a 7 inch clip-point blade. The markings on the hand guard are as follows:
U.S.M.C.
CAMILLUS N.Y.
The Mk2 Knife was developed as an improvement over the Mk1 design, which had issues with blade snapping due to the thinner design. Working with Union Cutlery, USMC Colonel John M. Davis and Major Howard E. America contributed several important changes, including a longer, stronger blade, the introduction of a small fuller to lighten the blade, a peened pommel (later replaced by a pinned pommel), a straight (later, slightly curved) steel crossguard, and a stacked leather handle for better grip. The knife was officially known as the 1219C2, but it was commonly called the "Ka-Bar" after the trademark of Union Cutlery that was on the blades of early examples. The first production order went out to Camillus Cutlery Company, who produced the largest number of knives during WWII. The design was subsequently adopted by the Navy as the US Navy Utility Knife, Mark 2, and the USMC adopted it as the USMC Mark 2 Combat Knife, or simply the Knife, Fighting Utility.
In 1944, the US Navy put through a change order to have the markings moved from the blade to the cross guard, so this knife was produced after that change. It also has the later war "swept back" cross guard. Knife features original leather washer grip, which is in excellent condition, with no cracks or splitting, and it has a 1/4" steel pommel with cross pinned tang. The grip is quite darkened from service-use, as it still has most of the original factory "buffed" finish.
The blade shows most of the original black finish, with some missing near the tip. There is a bit of wear and discoloration from the leather sheath, which it has been for decades.
The leather sheath is the standard type used with the Mark 2, and is in just lovely condition. It is marked under the securing strap U.S.M.C. BOYT 43. These were originally issued in natural leather, and this has faded just a bit fo a very light chestnut brown. There are no cracks or other damage, with all the stitching intact, and just some verdigris around the brass fittings. The securing strap is intact, but the strap no longer fits around the grip of the knife, likely from shrinkage. The back of the scabbard is marked GRONSKI, but there are several Marines with that last name who served during World War II, so we cannot identify the soldier.
An excellent example of an exceptionally hard to find USMC-marked "KA-BAR" knife, which looks to have never been issued! No collection is complete without one! Ready to display!
Specifications:
Blade Length: 7"
Blade Style: Clip-point "Bowie" Style
Overall length: 12“
Crossguard: 2 7/16”
Scabbard Length: 7 3/4" with Belt Loop
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