KA-BAR equal end jack

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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313 Mike
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KA-BAR equal end jack

Post by 313 Mike »

I just received this solid KA-BAR equal end jack today, great knife, quite snappy and zero blade wobble...
3 5/8 " closed
I know dating KA-BARS by tang stamp alone is a bit of a crap shoot, but looking at the knife as a whole, can anyone venture an educated guess as to time of manufacture? Some of what I found has suggested late 40's as a strong possibility...?
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Mike

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FRJ
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Re: KA-BAR equal end jack

Post by FRJ »

Mike, you've got a real sturdy one there. Good catch. ::tu::
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XX Case XX
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Re: KA-BAR equal end jack

Post by XX Case XX »

I checked Goins, but I can't find a single Ka-Bar print that has that weird looking "K" on it. That "K" has a slight bend in it and all the ones in Goins are straight.

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313 Mike
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Re: KA-BAR equal end jack

Post by 313 Mike »

Thanks for the comment Joe, and thanks for checking Goins for the stamp Mike. What dates does it list for that stamp with the straight K?
Mike

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RalphAlsip
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Re: KA-BAR equal end jack

Post by RalphAlsip »

Nice old Ka-Bar. This link has some information relating markings to dates.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39799&p=478928&hilit=Kabar#p478928

My guess is 1950's because it says "Olean" and doesn't say "Union".
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XX Case XX
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Re: KA-BAR equal end jack

Post by XX Case XX »

313 Mike wrote:Thanks for the comment Joe, and thanks for checking Goins for the stamp Mike. What dates does it list for that stamp with the straight K?
Mike:

This photo is taken from Goins Book. Your knife says Olean so I agree with Ralph: 1923-1950. If you want more photos of Ka-Bar stamps from Goins let me know. I can send them to you easily.



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313 Mike
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Re: KA-BAR equal end jack

Post by 313 Mike »

Thanks for the info gents!
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DM11
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Re: KA-BAR equal end jack

Post by DM11 »

Good score on that Kabar! ::tu::
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Re: KA-BAR equal end jack

Post by Gunsil »

Goins'has some incorrect info on KA-BAR marks. The KA-BAR over Olean NY mark started with the WW2 military knives in 1943 and all other WW2 era KA-BARs will carry that mark after or in 1943. There was also a big drop in quality of their civilian knives in that time and they never did get back to the pre-war quality that made KA-BAR knives so sought after. By about 1948-49 the mark changed to KA-BAR over USA, and then in 1951-52 to Kabar lower case in italics. Goins also states that knives marked KA-BAR over Reg US Pat Off are 1925-1930, this is patently incorrect as there are knives with this mark that were not made until 1941-1942.
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