vietnam USMC commerative K-Bar

A shooting buddy got me a K-bar for Christmas, and a huge Bowie knife with my leather shop initials engraved in it for my cowboy outfit.

Here's the Bowie in the sheath I made for it, along with the door prize and grand prize I won at the bow shoot on Sunday. The drop leg is for a customers 1911.

K-BAR modified by my deceased friends' Dad...a USMC Lance Cpl during WWII ( circa 1943 Pacific Theater ).

It was the only thing his estranged wife would let me have when my friend Jerry died...all of

his extensive firearm and knife / sword collection went to the highest bidder at an estate sale

that I was told about after it happened. This probably was missed and she thought it was just scrap...

I have 2 KA-BARS. Well my brother does as I have given them to him.

First pic is one I picked up in the 70s. Hasn't been used, but has been sharpened. Has the PAL style case with the MARINE CORPS seal on it. I put the plaque together with the Marine Riflemens creed for the Christmas.

Second pic is one I got about 3 years ago at an antique store in North Carolina. I was looking at a Ka-bar that was displayed with some other Marine Corps items. It also had the PAL stype sheath. The knife was in terrible shape and priced at $75. I asked if there were any more and was directed downstairs and to find an old gentlemen who worked down there. I found him and he had been in the Marine Corps during WWII and a few years afterwards. He said he had donated a load of military items and there was a KA-BAR in the display that he had been issued in the South Pacific during the war. It was priced at $55. Knife has been sharpened a LOT and the sheath is almost deterioated.

I have no reason to disbelieve him. It is NOT one of the origional issues (1943-1944). If it were it would have a RED spacer between the blade and handle. Also the hilt would be turned and the pummel screwed on and peened over. This one (if he was correct) was issued (1944-45). Between the two issues the design was modified a little, most notabily the hilt was flat, the pommel was fitted on and then it was peened over. Also NO red spacer.

The first issue was for very few units. They are kind of rare. Most prices I have seen are around $800. They were issued to very few Marines. Second issue was in bulk and for general issue. Most prices are around $50-100 depending on shape. If it has never been sharpened and the sheath is in good shape the more value. Today they are still made by about 6 different companys. But no longer as a gerneral issue item in the Marine Corps......that ended in Korea.



The UNION cutlery company had the contract during WWII and it ended in 1945. Only issued KA-BARS during that time were to the Marine Corps and US Navy. Left over knifes after the war were issued thru Korea until they ran out.

I have

the bq knife , I knew I had a pic.

Yep ,No stamp on the blade on the one I believe was to be issued. Remember , these are from Camillus , not K-bar. Also made in the 1980's .
For retail on the left , issue on the right.

On the issue one , the date and manufacturer is on the bolster ( if that is the correct term )



The retail version had the blade stamped like this :

The issue one may have seen a stone once since I got it . Likely rejected at some point as the snap had pulled out of the leather.
The retail one took some time to reshape the edge so I could make it resharpen-able.

RIP : 1876 - 2007
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camillus_Cutlery_Company