Dating kabar tang stamp

[Alex_93]

Hello I recently got my hands on this cool hawkbill and I was wondering if anyone could possibly tell me what era it Is from. Thanks!

[Ridgegrass]

Alex, Scroll up to the "Knife Q&A Forum" above. Click on "Tang Stamp Charts". Type in "Kabar". There is a pretty good chart of tang stamps there. Good luck, J.O'.

[Gunsil]

Alex, Scroll up to the "Knife Q&A Forum" above. Click on "Tang Stamp Charts". Type in "Kabar". There is a pretty good chart of tang stamps there. Good luck, J.O'.

The KA-BAR tang stamp chart is so full of mistakes as to render it almost useless. The Case chart is not proper either. These charts were made by peoples memories which are notoriously lacking. Neither of these charts are backed up by old literature, they are merely the memories of folks who were in their 70s when they made the charts or were asked by those who made them.

KA-BAR did not start marking model numbers on blades until about 1969 when they were owned by Cole National so the knife in question is no older than that. By about 1975 the KA-BAR factory in Olean, NY ceased production and they had their knives made elsewhere by other companies. I do not know the end date of the hawksbill knife, I like KA-BARS made in Olean so I have never studied the newer knives or the literature that might have the end date of the later knives. I think KA-BAR does have a list of the later knives and the years made.

[Alex_93]

Thank you for replying guys. I agree the chart is lacking, very inconsistent and doesn’t give much information for my situation. I appreciate the input. She’s a snapper, I’m impressed how well it’s held up over the years. Thanks again.

[Alex_93]

I must add, I have seen different tang stamps on other hawkbillS online. For example, some of the others I’ve seen have the configuration of the 1100 I have next to the knife in question in my picture which the entire stamp is larger. I’m curious as to which one is earlier and which is later.

[Mumbleypeg]

Suggestion - Kabar is currently in business, and has a website. https://www.kabar.com/ There you can find a “Contact Us” link (scroll to the bottom).

If you contact them and get the info you seek please return to this thread and share what they say so we will all know.

(The last time I recommended contacting a company that made the knife in question, the member who posted the question got mad, said he thought people here were supposed to know the answers and if no one here could answer it he did not want to be a member. So he asked to cancel his membership and requested all his posts be removed from the forum. I’m hoping you’re not going to be similarly agitated!)

Ken

[Alex_93]

No offense taken buddy, all input is appreciated. I will send them an email, see what they say and settle this once and for all. Hopefully they’ll respond faster than case does :0

[eveled]

Chasing their tang stamps will make you crazy. They seem to have used a lot of different stamps on identical knives.

With KA-BAR it is important to figure out if it was made before Cole bought them or after. Usually the feel if tge knife will tell you more than the tang stamp.

[Alex_93]

Here’s what Kabar said. Btw they respond lightning fast. I was disappointed with the answer.

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks for posting the reply you received. I’m not surprised, but sorry you’re disappointed. Most cutleries didn’t change stamps often, and don’t have records of what was made when. Their old catalogs are typically our best, and often only source for that.

Case was the first cutlery to use date code stamping on knives, in 1970. Within a few years as knife collecting caught on as a hobby some (but not all) others introduced their own date code systems. Knives manufactured prior to that time can typically only be narrowed down to a range of years. Unfortunately today’s collectors have expectations of getting a more concise date. The reality is knives were made as simply tools, to be used and disposed of when they became worn. Folks back then had no idea that some future day someone would want to know when any given knife was made.

Ken

[Gunsil]

There is nobody at the present KA-BAR who know much or anything about the products made before Alcas/Cutco buying the name. They don't have a factory of their own, they are basically a marketing firm. There is no way you or anybody else can determine the exact year a KA-BAR knife was made except for the KA-BAR Collectors Club knives which are dated. These knives were made for them by Queen. If you wish to own knives that you know the exact year they were made you should collect Case knives made 1970-now since they mark the dates on the knives for "collectability". If they are correct that the hawkbill ended production around 1978 and we know yours was made no earlier than about 1969 that is a ten year period which is pretty good for dates on a KA-BAR product. The only way to get closer dates on all your Kabar marked knives you would have to acquire all the catalogs and price lists they put out between 1968 and say the mid 90s. It only took me 30 years to find the KA-BAR Outdoor knife brochures they published between 1923 and 1938 and there are only six of them. Price lists are even harder to find for the older stuff, but they show when models were discontinued. KA-BAR made their reputation as premier knives before WW2, the quality if their folding knives started to decline about 1943 and just declined more over the years.KA-BAR was sold four times I think and not much was saved from previous owners by the newer owners. I donated copies of the pre-war brochures I have to them yet people still ask them about knives that are in those brochures and the folks at KA-BAR still give improper answers.