All About Pocket Knives

Memorial Day weekend we went to Central Oregon to visit my son and his family and my wife and I got to do a little antiques/junk store shopping and we both found things that interested us. Besides seeing grandsons and family the trip was also a success from the recreational shopping standpoint. always a good thing!

I found this Kabar 1207 that has some definite possibilities. I searched 'Kabar 1207' here on AAPK and only got two hits one, one from a member who hasn't logged in for eight years and the other was posted by zzyzzogeton, whom I'm coming to think of as one of our top fixed blade experts on AAPK. I'm certainly hoping he will see this and render an opinion.

Some of the research I found online was that the Kabar 1207 was sold in the military exchange system during Vietnam. The knotwork on the pommel of this knife looks military to me and knotwork usually seems to imply Navy in my experience, although I have seen a few Marines attempt it, (with mixed results I might add).

Also if you look at the pommel of the knife in the pictures there is some designs and names scribed into it, it appears to be S. F. Ford Jr.

I purchased the knife without a sheath, so I am not sure what the original sheath look like. About the only real cleaning I did on this knife was the blade and that was just to wipe it down with a liquid cleaning to remove some of the dirt that was on it. I wanted to leave the patina intact both on the blade and on the pommel and guard.

I would love to have whatever information anyone may have on this knife, especially the date it was made, possible value and any thoughts you might have on the knotwork, designs and name scribed into the knife in various places.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Dale, Thank you for the compliment. I 'm simply a guy who remembers way too much trivia about sharp/pointy objects. I don't have the ability to remember song lyrics like so many others can.

The 1207 come out in the "mid-60s" and was discontinued in 1980. Last retail price was $20. This info per a pdf I snitched off the Kabar website many years ago.

The "mid-60s" mean after 1965 because it has the model number on the blade, a Cole-National innovation after the purchase Kabar.

The 1207, 1208 and 1209 were three new knives for the C-N line. The knives were the same blades; the differences were in the handle. These are not my photos. They were snitched from the internet because most folks take better pictures than I do.

The 1207 was stacked leather and had a natural tan taco fold sheath.



The 1208 had a grooved rosewood handle and a natural tan leather taco fold sheath.



The 1209 had a green tinged, smooth wood handle and a black leather taco sheath.



The fancy work is that of a sailor. No Marine work I've ever seen was that neat and tight. The side pommel etchings are simply a design that meant something to Mr. Ford. I suspect that Ford was an enlisted. Most officers can't do fancy work. Exceptions are mustangs who were boatswain's mates.

I have a Cole catalog with a life size photo of this knife and the knife does not have a model number on it and the catalog was produced in 1968. We know Cole bought KA-BAR in 1966 but so far I have seen no proof that the model numbers started right away which would be unlikely. I have not yet been able to determine the year they began with the model numbers on the blades. The knot work looks more like the plastic stuff they used to give out at Boy or Girl Scout camps and other camps in their craft classes. The knot work could have easily and maybe likely done by a scout rather than a navy man. My JASM could do any of those fancy knots as well as anyone.