Military or ???

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.
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steve99f
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Military or ???

Post by steve99f »

This knife pictured below is marked USN on the reverse ricasso, 5 1/8 blade, blade is blued. Sheath looks civilian and not KABAR marked. Is this an issued military knife or something like the PX knives mentioned a few times elsewhere? Haven't bought it yet, it is on a popular auction site :D Thanks for any guidance.
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USN Blued blade KABAR.jpg
USN Blued blade KABAR c.jpg
USN Blued blade KABAR e.jpg
USN Blued blade KABAR d.jpg
steve99f
Gunsil
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Re: Military or ???

Post by Gunsil »

Nice original MK I Steve! Definitely WW2 issue knife. they came in two types, one with a fuller and one flat ground as pictured. Some had USN marked sheaths, but yours looks like a proper sheath.
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steve99f
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Re: Military or ???

Post by steve99f »

Well that is good news. Thanks Gene. The blued steel is what caught my eye, don't have any like that in my pile yet. It'll probably be awhile before it gets here. Thanks again for the information! ::tu::
steve99f
eveled
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Re: Military or ???

Post by eveled »

steve99f wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:06 pm This knife pictured below is marked USN on the reverse ricasso, 5 1/8 blade, blade is blued. Sheath looks civilian and not KABAR marked. Is this an issued military knife or something like the PX knives mentioned a few times elsewhere? Haven't bought it yet, it is on a popular auction site :D Thanks for any guidance.
Nice knife! USN knives are a big part of my collection and yours is a nice one. The sheath I think is a replacement but it’s a good one.
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steve99f
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Re: Military or ???

Post by steve99f »

Thanks for the kind comments eveled. It would be nice if the USPS would deliver it before I shake off this mortal coil. Almost a month after I bought it and it is still stuck in Grand Rapids. Seems to have taken up residence there. :D

On the other hand, we are still receiving Christmas cards in the mail that have been traveling longer than the knife.
steve99f
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cody6268
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Re: Military or ???

Post by cody6268 »

steve99f wrote: Sat Jan 16, 2021 3:38 pm Thanks for the kind comments eveled. It would be nice if the USPS would deliver it before I shake off this mortal coil. Almost a month after I bought it and it is still stuck in Grand Rapids. Seems to have taken up residence there. :D

On the other hand, we are still receiving Christmas cards in the mail that have been traveling longer than the knife.

Just last week, my folks got one postmarked Dec. 7! What I don't get is that about a week after the postmark, Informed Delivery said I was supposed to be getting it that day. Does that mean it got lost at the local Post Office?
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1967redrider
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Re: Military or ???

Post by 1967redrider »

I had a USPS package shipped on December 11th that I got on December 31st, but had one shipped on Tuesday that I got yesterday. Very strange. ::shrug::

Great looking U.S.N!!!
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
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steve99f
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Re: Military or ???

Post by steve99f »

I guess the secret to mail delivery is to talk meanly about the USPS. The knife was in today's mail. :shock: Eveled's question about the sheath will have to remain unanswered. The sheath has no markings aside from the stamps on the backsides of the snaps. The construction features appear to be KABAR though with the stitching and the rivets used. The sheath does look newer than you'd expect for a WW II knife, real nice condition.
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