Small KBar

[rarefish383]

About ten years ago I was at a big estate auction. I was looking at Savage Rifles, of which I bought 2. My friend was scanning the pics of the sale and almost jumped out of his skin. If you can, get me that K Bar! I didn't even see it. Later, I got it for him for $80. After he got it he said he was able to find out from the serial number it had been sent to the South Pacific in WWII. It showed no sign of ever being used, so he figured it had never been issued. Don't know if any of that is true? It makes a good story if nothing else. A few months later I was at another big auction, with 3 auctioneers. In one section there was a K Bar that looked just like the Marine knife I got for my friend, but about half the size. I couldn't be in two places at one time, so I asked my cousin to bid on the knife for me. I didn't get the item I was bidding on, so I went to find my cousin. I told him to go $20 on it. He said he had $19 and another guy got it for $20.I think about that little K Bar now and then. Looked like it would make a nice belt knife for hunting. Anyone know what model that knife might be? I'm kind of looking for one again.

[CarMan]

About ten years ago I was at a big estate auction. I was looking at Savage Rifles, of which I bought 2. My friend was scanning the pics of the sale and almost jumped out of his skin. If you can, get me that K Bar! I didn't even see it. Later, I got it for him for $80. After he got it he said he was able to find out from the serial number it had been sent to the South Pacific in WWII. It showed no sign of ever being used, so he figured it had never been issued. Don't know if any of that is true? It makes a good story if nothing else. A few months later I was at another big auction, with 3 auctioneers. In one section there was a K Bar that looked just like the Marine knife I got for my friend, but about half the size. I couldn't be in two places at one time, so I asked my cousin to bid on the knife for me. I didn't get the item I was bidding on, so I went to find my cousin. I told him to go $20 on it. He said he had $19 and another guy got it for $20.I think about that little K Bar now and then. Looked like it would make a nice belt knife for hunting. Anyone know what model that knife might be? I'm kind of looking for one again.

I have one of the small versions of the Ka-bar. It fits me well since I am somewhat of a runt. Unfortunately I am not where my knives are right now, but hopefully will be in a few days. I will try to remember to get the info off of it & some pics when I am there.

[Gunsil]

Interesting story but KA-BAR knives were never serialized with numbers or anything else to know where they were sent. None were "sent" to the south pacific, they were issued here. As for smaller USMC type KA-BARs, they were only made in the 2000s and never issued to any government military organizations. Any half the size of the original 7" blades were not made by KA-BAR in the USMC type of knives. Maybe you saw a small KA-BAR hunting knife not in the USMC style?

[rarefish383]

Thanks for the info guys. The knife was stamped Ka Bar, and I felt it was a hunting knife. I should have said it was similar to the military ones. I'll call my friend and see if I can get the info, and where he got it from? He was really excited about it, and still has it. He's one of those guys that has no attachment to things. I was giving him a list of people to give my collection of Savage 1899's to if I croak early. I told him my 1912 22 Hi Power with the original 1912 Malcolm scope was going to Kurt and he got all sad and said he thought I would give him that one. I said no way, you always say that one gun is just a stepping stone to sell, and buy the current one he wants. The fact that he still has that knife means it's special, if only to him.

[Gunsil]

There is a big difference between knives stamped KA-BAR and those stamped Kabar. None marked Kabar were made during WW2, that mark began in 1952. Kabar knives with model numbers (not serial numbers) on the blade didn't appear until 1969. None of the USMC or USN knives were ordered by the US government after 1945. KA-BAR has made re-issues of the USMC knife since 1976 but none have been government issue. It is easy to tell an original USMC KA-BAR from a re-issue, the newer ones all have much thicker lettering on the blades and pinned on "fat" pommels which none of the originals had.

[CarMan]

About ten years ago I was at a big estate auction. I was looking at Savage Rifles, of which I bought 2. My friend was scanning the pics of the sale and almost jumped out of his skin. If you can, get me that K Bar! I didn't even see it. Later, I got it for him for $80. After he got it he said he was able to find out from the serial number it had been sent to the South Pacific in WWII. It showed no sign of ever being used, so he figured it had never been issued. Don't know if any of that is true? It makes a good story if nothing else. A few months later I was at another big auction, with 3 auctioneers. In one section there was a K Bar that looked just like the Marine knife I got for my friend, but about half the size. I couldn't be in two places at one time, so I asked my cousin to bid on the knife for me. I didn't get the item I was bidding on, so I went to find my cousin. I told him to go $20 on it. He said he had $19 and another guy got it for $20.I think about that little K Bar now and then. Looked like it would make a nice belt knife for hunting. Anyone know what model that knife might be? I'm kind of looking for one again.

I was able to get the pictures of mine tonight. Is this the knife you were asking about? It is next to a full size USMC marked KABAR. I hope this helps in some way. Definitely nice for those of us with little girl hands.

[rarefish383]

Size and shape it looks like the one I saw, but I'm pretty sure it had a leather grip on it. It was about 10 years ago and I only got a quick look at it.

[CarMan]

Size and shape it looks like the one I saw, but I'm pretty sure it had a leather grip on it. It was about 10 years ago and I only got a quick look at it.

I’ve had this for more than 10 years. I honestly don’t remember if I saw one with a leather handle or not.