KA- BAR

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.
Post Reply
Jacknifeben
Posts: 1560
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:06 pm

KA- BAR

Post by Jacknifeben »

When was this knife released? KA-BAR 1004 USA.
Attachments
A4DE9386-2D9B-4F15-B496-9E26852DD633.jpeg
0CD89186-804E-452C-8BF4-67282BD96FB2.jpeg
User avatar
chorizotaco
Posts: 159
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 1:17 pm

Re: KA- BAR

Post by chorizotaco »

Probably in the mid 70s from my research. There is a list floating around showing models and issue date/price but I can't find mine right now and it's accuracy is questionable. When Cole bought Kabar back then they started adding model numbers...late 60s.
User avatar
zzyzzogeton
Posts: 1722
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2017 8:47 pm
Location: In the Heart of Texas on the Blackland Prairie

Re: KA- BAR

Post by zzyzzogeton »

1969 is the earliest that model numbers apparently appeared on the Cole-National Kabar knives.

Cole-National bought Kabar in 1966. I've seen NIB knives with 1968 dated brochures that did NOT have model numbers on the knives and likewise, an NIB knife with a model number on it had a brochure with a date of 1969 on it.

The model 1004 was introduced in "the mid-60s" per the document chorizotaco mentioned and the same document states that the 1004 was discontinued in 1984.

So that puts your knife as having been made between 1969 and 1984, although I would put the last potential manufacture date as 1983, since Cole-National would not have made more knives right before they decided to discontinue a model. They would have discontinued making the knives long before they would have finally discontinued a model and put it on discounted sale.
Jacknifeben
Posts: 1560
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:06 pm

Re: KA- BAR

Post by Jacknifeben »

Thanks, that was serious information.
Post Reply

Return to “KA-BAR Knife Collector's Forum”