Kabar tang stamps

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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atrco
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Kabar tang stamps

Post by atrco »

I have been trying to put together a time line for Ka-Bar tang stamps. There are some charts out there, but they are very broad. i just got this folding hunter with the KABAR in small case letters. what is interesting is that most references shave seen show this tang stamp as in the 1960's. it could very well have been used in the 60's, but i got this knife with it's original plain white box. on the box was the correct barcode for KaBar. This means that the knife was not sold until the late 70's because barcodes were not in use at all before 1974. Obviously, this knife could have been manufactured years before it was sold, but i thought this might interest a few of the members in this forum. its also interesting, i think that this knife has the dog's head and not many kabars i have seen with this small case tang stamp are dog's heads.
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folding hunter  Kabar - USA tang stamp.jpg
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btrwtr
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Re: Kabar tang stamps

Post by btrwtr »

I think you will find that a timeline for KA-BAR stamps will have more blurred lines than defined lines. My experience with KA-BARS lends itself to the old knife adage, "read the knife not the stamp". The knives are easier to put on a timeline than the stamps are.

Does the knife you show have anything written on the other tangs front or back? Definitely looks like a 70's vintage knife to me. Possibly a KA-BAR Collectors Club knife?

Wayne
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atrco
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Re: Kabar tang stamps

Post by atrco »

Hi Wayne: you are definitely correct about the blurred time lines. no the tang stamp shown in the pic is the only marking on the knife. it is definitely NOT a club knife. my guess was the late sixties, early seventies. i think the date of manufacture with the small case Kabar goes from the late 50's or early 60's to the mid 70's. i know in the late 70's kabab started including the pattern number on the tang stamps.

Duke
Trapperxx
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Re: Kabar tang stamps

Post by Trapperxx »

Hi duke!

Well, the first thing i notice is it only says Kabar and then USA down below it, which is interesting, of the ones from the 50s-60s era would say some sort of model number, or it would also have some sort of system in place where the blade flick up towards the middle and stop, now thats not super specific for an era, but that does give u something to go on a bit. Guessing by this one, i would say mid 70s is probably about right, but its hard to say. Still a good knife none the less.
wyland deals
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Re: Kabar tang stamps

Post by wyland deals »

Hello fellow Ka-Bar and Vintage Knife Collectors. I have an older Ka-Bar knife that’s still in its Factory original box and dust cover too. I’ve looked at Tang Stamp charts and it looks like my knife was made in the 1920’s, but I’m nit absolutely positive, and I don’t want to market it for sale incorrectly. Any information is Greatly Appreciated. Pictures attached. Thanks Marty.
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chorizotaco
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Re: Kabar tang stamps

Post by chorizotaco »

wyland deals wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:11 pm Hello fellow Ka-Bar and Vintage Knife Collectors. I have an older Ka-Bar knife that’s still in its Factory original box and dust cover too. I’ve looked at Tang Stamp charts and it looks like my knife was made in the 1920’s, but I’m nit absolutely positive, and I don’t want to market it for sale incorrectly. Any information is Greatly Appreciated. Pictures attached. Thanks Marty.
In 1979 Ka-bar produced the MOP like yours and a real Ivory one same pattern. Both had production numbers around 200. These were produced for Ka-bar Club members.
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chorizotaco
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Re: Kabar tang stamps

Post by chorizotaco »

atrco wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2016 4:32 pm I have been trying to put together a time line for Ka-Bar tang stamps. There are some charts out there, but they are very broad. i just got this folding hunter with the KABAR in small case letters. what is interesting is that most references shave seen show this tang stamp as in the 1960's. it could very well have been used in the 60's, but i got this knife with it's original plain white box. on the box was the correct barcode for KaBar. This means that the knife was not sold until the late 70's because barcodes were not in use at all before 1974. Obviously, this knife could have been manufactured years before it was sold, but i thought this might interest a few of the members in this forum. its also interesting, i think that this knife has the dog's head and not many kabars i have seen with this small case tang stamp are dog's heads.
Looks to be a gorgeous knife, can you post the complete knife? If you search for "kabar stamp" you will find threads talking about timelines. This stamp is from the early 50s according to documents on this site. Shortly after this Ka-bar started stamping with KABAR in italics.
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