Ka-bar 471-5 sheath question

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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chorizotaco
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Ka-bar 471-5 sheath question

Post by chorizotaco »

Here's my latest purchase and she's nice. I was cleaning the snap cover (the bottom portion is gone) and found something interesting under it, take a look at my first pic. It has " U.S. F. CO. -+- " Anyone know what the lettering underneath means....Gene??

Thanks.
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edge213
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Re: Ka-bar 471-5 sheath question

Post by edge213 »

chorizotaco wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 7:27 pm Here's my latest purchase and she's nice. I was cleaning the snap cover (the bottom portion is gone) and found something interesting under it, take a look at my first pic. It has " U.S. F. CO. -+- " Anyone know what the lettering underneath means....Gene??

Thanks.

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I have no idea, but now I am gonna have to look at all my sheaths.
I wonder if it has to do with the manufacturer of the snap??
David
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
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chorizotaco
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Re: Ka-bar 471-5 sheath question

Post by chorizotaco »

I thought the same thing!!
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zzyzzogeton
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Re: Ka-bar 471-5 sheath question

Post by zzyzzogeton »

Gene will be back with us after his fishing trip is over. I think he still has a week to go on this current 2 week excursion.
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Re: Ka-bar 471-5 sheath question

Post by Gunsil »

Well, I am on vacay, and right now parked in front of a place where I can grab some wifi, no TV or wifi in the cabin I'm saying in. Dan, nice example 471 with proper sheath!! I have people argue with me often that the 71 series should have a sheath that follows the blade profile but they do take the "V" shaped sheath as yours has. You are correct, the letters on the snap half are the snap manufacturing company's mark. As yet I don't know who made the sheaths for KA-BAR. I do know that the fancy sheaths for the Royal Trading Post models were made by Shipley's of Kansas City. I don't know if KA-BAR had their own leather shop or not. I do have a small bag of Western States marked snaps that came from the Olean, NY dump back when the old factory was cleaned out so perhaps they did have sheath making capabilities at one point. The snaps I have are smaller than fixed blade sheath snaps, I think they were for pocket knife "purses". I also have seen an early Western States marked 571 in a sheath with the WS bucking bronco, but the snap said KA-BAR. Dan, I think in one of the brochures you got from me that there are shown "special" sheaths that could be ordered in several different styles, and I think KA-BAR/Union Cut may have been the only company to do so although there are some rare Shipley made Case sheaths. Hope everybody is well an having fun!! I had a blast fishing for squids tonight (we use them for bait)(except for those my buddy's wife steals to eat).
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Greenman
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Re: Ka-bar 471-5 sheath question

Post by Greenman »

The snap on the OP’s sheath was manufactured by United States Fastener Company. In 1929, United States Fastener merged with a company named Carr to become United Carr. Later snap fasteners were marked “United Carr” to reflect this change. So at least the female half of the snap on said sheath was produced prior to 1930.

.
Josh

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chorizotaco
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Re: Ka-bar 471-5 sheath question

Post by chorizotaco »

Thanks everyone!!!
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chorizotaco
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Re: Ka-bar 471-5 sheath question

Post by chorizotaco »

Okay here is another one F MFG CO. NF NY (Niagara’s Falls NY?) and this would be another US Fastener I guess
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