HAPPY BIRTHDAY 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.
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Old Folder
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by Old Folder »

Today, Sunday April 29, 2018 KA-BAR celebrates its 120th anniversary.
In recognition of your Birthday, I shall post a picture of my favorite Ka-Bar fixed blade from my collection.
A 6" fixed blade Little Hunter. This is Ka-Bar at its finest. Beautiful handle, stag butt. Original leather sheath.
Rear of blade marked: Union Cut. Co. Olean. N.Y. U.S.A. 1923-1951?
Share picstures of your favorite KA-BAR. (Fixed or Folder)
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Dan
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by stockman »

Some K-Bar

Harold
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Gunsil
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by Gunsil »

Old Folder your knife is a nice one but it is not a Little Hunter, it is a Little Trading Post. All Little hunters have saber ground 3&1/2" blades and all Little Trading Posts have 3" flat ground blades. I am away at a knife show but when home can post photos of both if necessary. When new, Little Trading Posts will have that name etched across the front side of the blade if they are pre WW2 ones.
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by BWT »

Old Folder wrote:Today, Sunday April 29, 2018 KA-BAR celebrates its 120th anniversary.
In recognition of your Birthday, I shall post a picture of my favorite Ka-Bar fixed blade from my collection.
A 6" fixed blade Little Hunter. This is Ka-Bar at its finest. Beautiful handle, stag butt. Original leather sheath.
Rear of blade marked: Union Cut. Co. Olean. N.Y. U.S.A. 1923-1951?
Share picstures of your favorite KA-BAR. (Fixed or Folder)
IMG_0012 (2).JPGIMG_0010 (2).JPGIMG_0007 (2).JPGIMG_0006.JPGIMG_0005 (2).JPGIMG_0004 (2).JPGIMG_0003.JPG
What a knife Dan, very nice thanks for sharing!!!
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by eveled »

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This one in the middle is my favorite. A WWII Navy deck knife. Ka Bar is one of the scarcer variants. The other two are modern KaBar reproductions.
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by jerryd6818 »

I only have a handful of Ka-Bar folders. There's one Dog's Head, Stag Handle Stockman but I think this Loom Fixer beats it out as my favorite.
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All but one of my fixed blades are current era issue except one. It's a USMC 200th Anniversary Commemorative and very hard to find but the one that beats it out in the favorite department is a Viet Nam Commemorative that was a gift from TJ Murphy. Thanks Tom. I love this bad boy.
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by Quick Steel »

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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

My favorite Kabar knives are the folding hunters like this one. I think the number is 62107.
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by chorizotaco »

Hard to choose my favorite, Happy Birthday Ka-bar.
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by Gunsil »

KA-BAR "LITTLE TRADING POST" knives, not to be confused with "LITTLE HUNTER" knives which all have 3&1/2" saber ground blades while the Little Trading posts all have 3' flat ground blades. If the Little Trading Post knives have the Union Cut Co mark on the reverse of the blade they had the LITTLE TRADING POST etch on the blade when new.
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by Gunsil »

KA-BAR "Little Hunters" which all have 3&1/2" saber ground blades, the stag/stag ones will never have the fuller in the blade while all the celluloid handled ones will. I hope everyone can now see the difference in these two very sought after KA-BAR models. The bottom knife in the photo is a Little Trading Post for comparison. The Little Hunters came in carbon steel or stainless and were first produced earlier than the Little Trading Post models which were never offered in stainless. The Little Hunters were produced the whole time the Little Trading Posts were made. Unlike the Little Trading Post knives, the Little Hunters will never be found with the model name etched on the blade.
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Miller Bro's
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by Miller Bro's »

Gene, outstanding knives and great information as usual ::tu::
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by Gunsil »

Thanks, Dimitri!!The last issue of Knife Magazine and an issue last year showed a Little trading Post and had it designated as a Little Hunter incorrectly so I thought when seeing the OP that I should set things straight. These little knives are among my favorites and although I must have 20 or so Little Hunters I don't have all variations known. Little Hinters can be found with Case Tested, Western States, and Henry Sears marks, and I wouldn't be surprise if another mark showed up. I have never seen a Little Trading Post with any other stamp than KA-BAR.
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Miller Bro's
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Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KA-BAR

Post by Miller Bro's »

Gunsil wrote:The last issue of Knife Magazine and an issue last year showed a Little trading Post and had it designated as a Little Hunter incorrectly so I thought when seeing the OP that I should set things straight.
I'm glad you did Gene, I don't like misinformation perpetuating itself ::tu::

Now I gotta get to looking around to see where I put mine! :)
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