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The Ka-Bar Knife

• Suggested by makarov92

Ka-Bar (trademarked as KA-BAR, capitalized) is the contemporary popular name for the combat knife first adopted by the United States Marine Corps in November 1942 as the 1219C2 combat knife (later designated the USMC Mark 2 combat knife or Knife, Fighting Utility). It was subsequently adopted by the United States Navy as the U.S. Navy utility knife, Mark 2.

Additionally, KA-BAR is the trademark and namesake of a related knife manufacturing company, KA-BAR Cutlery Co., Inc. (formerly Union Cutlery Co.) of Olean, New York, a subsidiary of the Cutco Corporation. Although KA-BAR Cutlery, Inc. currently makes a wide variety of knives and cutlery, it is best known for the KA-BAR fighting utility knife, which has traditionally used a 7 in. (178 mm) 1095 carbon steel clip point blade and leather-washer handle.

The owner of the KA-BAR trademark, the Union Cutlery Co. of Olean, New York, began using the name on its knives and in its advertising in 1923 after receiving a testimonial letter by a fur trapper, who used the knife to kill a wounded bear that attacked him after his rifle jammed. According to company records, the letter was only partially legible, with “ka bar” readable as fragments of the phrase “kill a bear”.

In 1923, the company adopted the name KA-BAR from the “bear story” as their trademark. Beginning in 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.

After the United States’ entry into World War II, complaints arose from Army soldiers and Marines issued World War I-era bronze or alloy-handled trench knives such as the U.S. Mark I trench knife for use in hand-to-hand fighting. But the Mark I was relatively expensive.

In response to a specification requesting for a modern individual fighting knife design for the U.S. Marines, ordnance and quartermaster officials requested submissions from several military knife and tool suppliers to develop a suitable fighting and utility knife for individual Marines, using the U.S. Navy Mark 1 utility knife and existing civilian hunting/utility knives such as Western’s L77 as a basis for further improvements.

On December 9, 1942, after the start of World War II, KA-BAR submitted a knife to the United States Marine Corps in hopes that it would become general issue to that branch of the military. Production began of an improved fighting and utility knife for the Marines. As the War escalated, the USMC KA-BAR knives became so well-recognized for their quality and so abundant in number that “Kabar” became the name by which many referred to this knife pattern, regardless of whether the knife was manufactured at the actual KA-BAR facility.

Working with the Camillus Cutlery Co., 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 blade, guard, and pommel were coated with a non-reflective matte phosphate finish instead of the brightly polished steel of the original prototype. The design was given the designation of 1219C2. Notably, the 1219C2 used a thicker blade stock than that of the USN Mark 1 utility knife, and featured a stout clip point. After extensive trials, the 1219C2 prototype was recommended for adoption.

The Marines’ Quartermaster at the time initially refused to order the knives, but his decision was overruled by the Commandant. The Marine Corps adopted the new knife on November 23, 1942, still under the designation 1219C2. The 1219C2 proved easy to manufacture; the first production run was shipped by Camillus Cutlery Co. on January 27, 1943.

After the U.S. Navy became disenchanted with blade failures on the USN Mark 1 utility knife, the latter service adopted the 1219C2 as the US Navy Utility Knife, Mark 2. The Marine Corps in turn re-designated the 1219C2 as either the USMC Mark 2 Combat Knife, or simply the Knife, Fighting Utility. In naval service, the knife was used as a diving and utility knife from late 1943 onward, though the stacked leather handle tended to rot and disintegrate rapidly in saltwater.

Today, the original USMC Fighting and Utility Knife remains the first choice for many men and women of service who carry it as their personal knife option. It is also a favorite of adventurers, survivalist, outdoor sportsmen and, of course, knife collectors who know that this knife deserves a place in their collection.

Info sources: Wikipedia | Op Adventure Team

Interesting. Oh and I still want one of these.

Truth!

This, I need it! Fucking awesome.