Pal Ka-Bar WWii

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Dokka
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Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2021 2:02 am

Pal Ka-Bar WWii

Post by Dokka »

I'm very new to this. Looking to purchase a vantage WWII Ka-Bar for my dad. This Pal is available, but not sure if it's authentic and/or a good value. Would appreciate any thoughts by those who are more knowledgeable than I. Dealer is asking $350.
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Ripster
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Re: Pal Ka-Bar WWii

Post by Ripster »

Dokka wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 12:02 pm I'm very new to this. Looking to purchase a vantage WWII Ka-Bar for my dad. This Pal is available, but not sure if it's authentic and/or a good value. Would appreciate any thoughts by those who are more knowledgeable than I. Dealer is asking $350.
It looks good, the price is high ,maybe the US NAVY stamp ,those ones tend to bring more money. Would do some shopping around,condition is important,is the knife tight, does it have the right marks the right Scabbard ,etc . There’s a bunch of them out there,have a few here somewhere myself that picked up for a lot less .
JP
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zzyzzogeton
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Location: In the Heart of Texas on the Blackland Prairie

Re: Pal Ka-Bar WWii

Post by zzyzzogeton »

PAL red spacer USN-MK2s usually have a higher price tag that other authentic WW2 1219C2s/USN-MK2s for no other reason than their scarcity. PAL only made about 100,000 USN-MK2s and only a small per centage (unknown #) of those had red spacers. Most PAL MK2s are lacking a red spacer.

As Ripster said, the $350 is a little steep, but it IS a red spacer, so..... the final price is what the buyer will pay. There is a really good condition one on fleabay for only $299 B-it-N with an original leather sheath.

The one you are looking at at the pawn shop or antique dealer is a later marriage of knife and sheath. Either the original leather sheath damaged/lost or rotted and replaced with the fiberglass sheath, or the knife and sheath were mated some time after the war. All PAL1219C2s/USN-MK2s were most likely issued with leather sheaths as the fiberglass sheaths did not become available until well after PAL shipped their final 1219C2/USN-MK2 production.
Dokka
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Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2021 2:02 am

Re: Pal Ka-Bar WWii

Post by Dokka »

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback. I just have a personal problem with eBay and the problem of being scammed and not getting what you paid for, that's why we tried to find one at a dealer.
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tongueriver
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Re: Pal Ka-Bar WWii

Post by tongueriver »

Perhaps another maker might be more affordable?
eveled
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Re: Pal Ka-Bar WWii

Post by eveled »

I know you said you want a vintage one. You should know The new KA-BAR’s are very nice and are a lot cheaper. Functionally they are equal to the originals.
Maddogfl
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Re: Pal Ka-Bar WWii

Post by Maddogfl »

If you just want a WWII Mk.2 knife, and it doesn't have to be a PAL, you can find one in decent condition for $125.00. You can pick up a nice PAL RH-36 (Mk I) for under $75.00. If I were going to spent $300.00 plus, I would consider a MK. 3, the iconic American WWII fighting knife. Other good choices for WWII, for half of what you are looking at for the PAL, would be a Cattaraugus or Case quartermaster knife. If my son gave me any of the above knives I would be tickled. (in fact, he has, and I was ;) )

Good Luck!
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