HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

The KA-BAR brand originated as a trademark of the Tidioute Cutlery Company. Tidioute was later taken over & renamed the Union Cutlery Company which continued making the brand until Union eventually adopted it as the company name in 1952. Cutco Corporation later acquired the company in 1996.
stockman
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by stockman »

Kevin11b wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:14 pm Thanks for pic of the newer knife that’s a beauty. On that knife you can clearly see the indent in the bolster. That worried me Till Harold posted a pic of his. That bolster looks more like mine. Harold do you know when approximately yours was produced ? Ours look similar maybe the dogs look a little different. Harold can you post a pic of the tang stamp? Thanks again guys
I will get a picture,

Harold
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by Kevin11b »

Thanks Harold. Or if that’s a pain just let me know what it says. If ours are the same maybe one of the gurus can help us pin down a closer mfg date. But some knives all you can get is a range. Kevin
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by doglegg »

Very knice Kevin. Wonderful knife. ::tu::
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by Kevin11b »

Thanks really panicked after buying that it would be a total disaster!
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by stockman »

KA BAR/REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. You can kinda see the tang stamp.

Harold
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by stockman »

Kevin Goin’s, some don't agree with this date.

Harold
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by stockman »

Kevin you have a nice knife different tang stamp from mine. I would not worry about your knife. Enjoy it. Harold
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by RalphAlsip »

Kevin11b wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 1:31 am Thanks Harold. Or if that’s a pain just let me know what it says. If ours are the same maybe one of the gurus can help us pin down a closer mfg date. But some knives all you can get is a range. Kevin
If you are expecting to learn that your knife was produced on October 12, 1926 at 3:00 PM by an employee named Sam Jones, you are very likely to be disappointed. As far as I know, those types of records do not exist.

This link will take you to a description of Union/Ka-Bar tangs stamps and approximately when they were used.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=56208&p=633734#p633734

The documentation found at this link corroborates what Harold stockman provided, which is that the tang stamp on your knife was used between 1923 and 1952 - a span of 30 years. My personal opinion is that your knife was made closer to 1923 than 1952. Because 1938 is the mid-point between 1923 and 1952, one could also say my opinion is between 1923 and 1938.

Starting in 1970, Case started using "dot" system in their tang stamps that identifies the specific year of manufacture. As far as I know, this is the first instance of a knife manufacturer marking their knives in a way that would identify year of manufacture.
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by Kevin11b »

Thanks Ralph and Harold for all the time you have given me and yes thanks to harolds pic I could see that the tang stamp sets the dates you have stated. No Ralph that wasn’t what I expected I would have also liked to have known sams middle name!! I tend to be overly detail oriented like I suspect most knife and coin type guys are. Not an American knife maker but puma has done an excellent job dating its knives since the mid sixties. 1923-38 really cool Thanks again to you both
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Re: HUNTER'S & COKEBOTTLE'S (Pre 60s)

Post by Kevin11b »

And....I want Harold’s knife !
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