Some of my favorites

[FRJ]

Wow, a bunch of really impressive knives.

elbertson, my favorite of your favorites is the Ontario Parachutist USMC-94.
Thanks for showing them guys.

[elbertson]

Thanks,I'd really like to use that Ontario,too. If I had another, I surely would!

[Owd Wullie]

Elbertson,

You'd have LOVED my stash of old mil surp stuff that I sold off in the late 90's.

Most of it came from Bannerman's Island Arsenal if that gives you any idea.

The one I regret selling the most now was a "forager's knife" made at Watervliet Arsenal. Looked a lot like the Hospital Corps knife, but the sheath was different. Had a trowel bayonet too.

Oh well.

[philco]

Thanks for showing us your great collection Elbertson. I don't collect fixed blade knives. I have chosen instead to focus like a lazer beam on my slipjoint collection. Oh, now and then a fixed blade knife will come along and follow me back to my house, but really, I don't collect them......

[philco]

A few more...............

[philco]

Just a few more..........

[rangerbluedog]

Thanks for showing us your great collection Elbertson. I don't collect fixed blade knives. I have chosen instead to focus like a lazer beam on my slipjoint collection. Oh, now and then a fixed blade knife will come along and follow me back to my house, but really, I don't collect them......

Wow, it's a good thing you don't collect them - otherwise you might need a bigger house!
Those collection of Bucks are nice. That Bark River and Savage made sheath in the last picture REALLY got my attention! Is the sheath custom or did it come with the knife? (it looks like a horizontal rig...)

[philco]

Blue that Savage made sheath for the Bark River knife was a recent ebay buy for me. My Barkie came with a kydex sheath that I found not to my liking, so after a wait of over a year I broke down and purchased the leather one from Savage. It is set up for vertical carry.

Phil

[rangerbluedog]

That is quite an improvement! I'm not a fan of kydex - nothing like leather for a good sheath or holster.
I just visited his webpage http://www.savagemadesheaths.com/
The man is an artist...

[jerryd6818]

I fell in love with the Kabar/fighting knife/combat knife/MK-2 or whatever else you want to call it, while I was in the service. I'm sure I've told the story about buying my first Kabar while stationed at 29 Palms, CA from a guy that worked in supply and then getting it stolen from my wall locker. I finally got one to keep (Camillius) from a local Army/Navy Store back sometime in the late '70s or early 80's. Take a look and let me know if you think it was an issue knife. (not one that was issued but one that was made to be issued) It was brand new when I bought it with a raw untouched handle. I "aged" the handle so it would look like the ones the Sergeants and Staff NCOs carried.

[jerryd6818]

I picked up a couple of KA-BARs sometime around 2000.

And one of the short models.

[jerryd6818]

Also a Case

And an Ontario

[philco]

Jerry,

How would you compare the overall quallity of the Case, Ka-Bar, and Ontario knives you have shown ?

[elbertson]

Phil - those knives of yours are nice! I really like the blade shape on that Bravo

Jerry - My guess on your Camillus is that it wasn't made for issue, mainly based on the handle not being coated with that Ox-blood brown or black coating, which would be spec. Other than that, I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be anything else about it that I can see that would be different than the issue ones. Markings would put it at 1974 or after.

Is your Ontario 440A?

[jerryd6818]

Phil, I'm assuming you're talking about "quality = fit & finish" and not the quality of the steel or usefulness of the knife.

I think it's a tie between the Ontario and the KA-BARs. I don't know what that finish is on the blades of the KA-BARs, whether it's powder coat or paint. It pretties up the blade but I'm not especially fond of it. Ontario failed to clean that little bit of gunk out of the fuller. Though it may get the goat of others, that's not a real big deal to me. For production knives, I think they're both pretty well put together and I can't really pick one over the other.

I'm guessing leather is difficult to turn on a lathe but both the other knives are well done, the Case isn't. I'm sure it's a sturdy knife and I don't have a problem with a parkerized blade (I really like that work horse Camillus) but except for the Camillus, these are all display knives and there's no excuse for sloppy workmanship.

[jerryd6818]

Phil - those knives of yours are nice! I really like the blade shape on that Bravo

Jerry - My guess on your Camillus is that it wasn't made for issue, mainly based on the handle not being coated with that Ox-blood brown or black coating, which would be spec. Other than that, I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be anything else about it that I can see that would be different than the issue ones. Markings would put it at 1974 or after.

Is your Ontario 440A?

I gotta tell you, that Kabar that came out of Marine Corps supply didn't have any kind of coating or finish applied to the handle. It was raw, almost white, fairly rough leather and I know for sure that was an issue knife. What I don't know is, what brand it was. I was 18 years old and used brand names like they were God's own truth so to me it was a Kabar no matter what was on the tang.

As far as the date on the Camillus, that's probably just about right. I kinda think I bought it in the late 70's but not positive.

Nothing in or on the box to say what kind of steel in the Ontario so sorry, I wouldn't have a clue. I don't know diddly about steels so I don't get involved with that. I'm a shallow man and just go for looks.

[rangerbluedog]

Jerry, of all those, I like the first Camillus the best! <edit: cheez, I just noticed the steel pot in the background - too cool>
Got me to thinking about all the adventures I had carrying the issue Ontario I showed in the first post.
Carried that one for years. It had kind of gotten lost in my collection until recently. Brings back a lot of memories.
Just bought this little CRKT Sting today, along with a new sheath for my Ek Model 3. My reward to me for a hard week at work!

I got the foliage green one

I'm too good to me - but I deserve it!

[philco]

Careful there Blue. You'll work that arm out of socket doing all that back patting.

Nice additions to the pile.

Phil

[elbertson]

Blue, how's the retention on that sting sheath? Is there a kydex liner or something that holds it secure?

[zed6309]

wow guys these asre amazing, ive only one fixed blade knife a winchester, nothing in these legues but a nice knife and comfy,

[rangerbluedog]

Blue, how's the retention on that sting sheath? Is there a kydex liner or something that holds it secure?

I'll let you know when it gets here. I took a bit of a chance on this one. There is a kydex "clip" on the sheath that fits into the spoon shaped divot on the handle.
If it comes back home with me after the first hike through the briars, I'll consider it acceptable.

[rangerbluedog]

Turns out, the sheath is all kydex, with a cloth/nylon cover. It holds the knife very securely - better than I expected.

HOWEVER, I've decided this knife is just too small for my purposes. I think I'm gonna turn it around and try to trade it. Only 7" OAL - 3 1/2" blade bah!

[justold52]

This is the one that started me looking at more knives with the mans name of D'Holder on them.

Even on the Schrade the knife feels very well balanced. The drop point seems just right to me also.

Schrade D'Holder Burled Maple

Ken ???? will this ever stop wanting more????