Just a few Kabars, or KA-BARs I have

[Papa Bones]

Had these with a few assorted knives in a roll. I figured it was time to do a little PMCS

[eveled]

Nice knives. I have a folding hunter like yours. It’s a handful. I have 2 1026’s that don’t resemble yours at all anymore. They were worn and broken and found new life as my whittling knives. Seems funny to see what they used to look like.

KA-BAR isn’t known for their pocket knives, but they did a good job on them. The KA-BAR “Loomfixer” is one of my favorites.

Interesting now that I look at them. All of mine and yours have two blades on the same end.

[Papa Bones]

Nice knives. I have a folding hunter like yours. It’s a handful. I have 2 1026’s that don’t resemble yours at all anymore. They were worn and broken and found new life as my whittling knives. Seems funny to see what they used to look like.

KA-BAR isn’t known for their pocket knives, but they did a good job on them. The KA-BAR “Loomfixer” is one of my favorites. C0A071CE-66A8-4566-8DA7-0797D770C79B.jpeg

Interesting now that I look at them. All of mine and yours have two blades on the same end.

Nice Eveled. I really like the loom fixer. I don't have many Ka-bars. I have a couple other folders but they are well worn. I always look for others. Like yourself, I think they made very durable knives. Plus to me, any of the knife makes who had ties with the military at one time, I just have a thing for.

[zenithman]

eveled, just read your reply in which you said that Ka Bar isn’t noted for their pocket knives. I beg to differ. To knowledgeable collectors, the Union Cutlery brand (which evolved into Ka Bar) is very highly regarded. Their quality is on at least par with Case, Queen, and other brands made during the same time period. I collect and have collected mainly Case and Ka Bar knives of the 20’s and 30’s and have done so for almost 50 years. I find the variety of the Union Cutlery/Ka Bar knives to be much more diverse than the Case line. True, among newer collectors the name Ka Bar evokes the WW 2 fighting knife. Do a bit of digging into the vintage Ka Bar line, examine some at a knife show and I think you will be favorably impressed.

[RalphAlsip]

the Union Cutlery brand (which evolved into Ka Bar) is very highly regarded.

Just wanted to chime in with some support for Union knives pre-1930. If you have not done so, I would encourage spending 5 minutes looking at the pictures and posts in this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=78&t=46206&start=90#p472867

[eveled]

eveled, just read your reply in which you said that Ka Bar isn’t noted for their pocket knives. I beg to differ. To knowledgeable collectors, the Union Cutlery brand (which evolved into Ka Bar) is very highly regarded. Their quality is on at least par with Case, Queen, and other brands made during the same time period. I collect and have collected mainly Case and Ka Bar knives of the 20’s and 30’s and have done so for almost 50 years. I find the variety of the Union Cutlery/Ka Bar knives to be much more diverse than the Case line. True, among newer collectors the name Ka Bar evokes the WW 2 fighting knife. Do a bit of digging into the vintage Ka Bar line, examine some at a knife show and I think you will be favorably impressed.

I stand corrected, and certainly meant no disrespect. To union cut co’s line up. I knew of the connection, but from my limited observations the KA-BAR named seemed to be used on their fixed blades more than their pocket knives. Knives that actually might be used to “Kill a Bear” as the story goes.


Even though KA-BAR is currently a thriving business I’m learning it is a shadow of its former self.

Thanks for the link to an epic thread RalpAlsip

For better or worse for most people the KA-BAR name evokes images of only one knife. The rest are in the shadow it casts.

[PigStikr]

I only have a couple late K-bars but in the 80's they was very desirable for older ones & outta my price range they brought good $$$ like older Case's.....

[Gunsil]

Most Kabars with model numbers on them were not actually made by KA-BAR, and the club knives were made by Queen. Ed, Union Cut adopted the KA-BAR trademark in 1923 and all their pocket knives were extremely fine quality and bear the KA-BAR mark, whether hunting fixed blades or pocket knives. Quality declined during WW2 and never returned to pre-war quality. The pre-war KA-BAR/Union Cut knives are highly sought after and way better made than any Queen ever was and in my opinion better made than most Case knives of the same era.

[eveled]

Thanks Gunsil. I’ll keep an eye out for the pre WWII ones.

The 1126’s (I think are contract knives)above are obviously not the same quality as the “Loomfixers”, (which must be from before the war).

[Gunsil]

The "loom fixer" shown above is a post 1951 knife since it has Kabar rather than KA-BAR tang stamp. Might not be a loom fixer either, KA-BAR made a similar knife to a loom fixer but they called it a "New England Whaler".

[knifeaholic]

Hard to read, but the handle imprint is KABAR LOOM FIXER

[Gunsil]

I guess KA-BAR didn't know what to call this pattern, here's one marked "New England Whaler" and I've seen it in slick black too.

[jerryd6818]

Be it 'Loom Fixer', 'Half Hawk' or "New England Whaler", whatever you wish to call it, I like 'em and wish I had more than one.

The Ka-Bar brand has been slapped on several other patterns during the past 30 or so years and I find all that I've acquired along the way to be well made knives.

[doglegg]

Knives that regal deserve to have their individual name. Like them what ever they are called.