Ka-bar 1232

[Producer]

Just got this little one. Was in rough shape but cleaned it up a bit.
I don't know when it was made. Anyone?
I had an extra Marbles sheath that fits it pretty good.
I like it's size. Will make a good pumpkin carver.

[zzyzzogeton]

Just got this little one. Was in rough shape but cleaned it up a bit.
I don't know when it was made. Anyone?
I had an extra Marbles sheath that fits it pretty good.
I like it's size. Will make a good pumpkin carver.

Producer

Digging through old threads, I found this one where you have not been answered yet. You can date most post 1965 (fixed blade) Kabars to a "period" by the stamps.

Since this one has a model number on it, that makes it after 1966. Since it doesn't have Cleveland, Ohio or Solon, Ohio or Olean NY on it, that limits the last production date to "whenever Cole got around to putting Cleveland Ohio" on their knives. I have always suspected not later than 1970, but I have yet to run across any specific dates.

Cole National bought Kabar in 1965. Prior to that, Kabar knives generally did not have model numbers on them. Some 1930s models had guard stamped model numbers.

To ID the end time for any period of post-1965 knives, you gotta look at Kabar History.

After Cole moved Kabar HQ to Cleveland, Cole started having "Cleveland Ohio" stamped on the knives. Then in 1982, Cole went bankrupt and sold Kabar to American Consumer Products who shifted headquarters to Solon, Ohio, so for a while "Solon, Ohio" was stamped on the knives.

Then ALCAS bought Kabar in 1986 and moved HQ back to Olean.

[Producer]

Just got this little one. Was in rough shape but cleaned it up a bit.
I don't know when it was made. Anyone?
I had an extra Marbles sheath that fits it pretty good.
I like it's size. Will make a good pumpkin carver.

Producer

Digging through old threads, I found this one where you have not been answered yet. You can date most post 1965 (fixed blade) Kabars to a "period" by the stamps.

Since this one has a model number on it, that makes it after 1966. Since it doesn't have Cleveland, Ohio or Solon, Ohio or Olean NY on it, that limits the last production date to "whenever Cole got around to putting Cleveland Ohio" on their knives. I have always suspected not later than 1970, but I have yet to run across any specific dates.

Cole National bought Kabar in 1965. Prior to that, Kabar knives generally did not have model numbers on them. Some 1930s models had guard stamped model numbers.

To ID the end time for any period of post-1965 knives, you gotta look at Kabar History.

After Cole moved Kabar HQ to Cleveland, Cole started having "Cleveland Ohio" stamped on the knives. Then in 1982, Cole went bankrupt and sold Kabar to American Consumer Products who shifted headquarters to Solon, Ohio, so for a while "Solon, Ohio" was stamped on the knives.

Then ALCAS bought Kabar in 1986 and moved HQ back to Olean.

Thank you for the great response. Much appreciated.