A lil Sample-r

tank · Post by **tank** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:53 pm

Hi guys,
Picked up a new Sampler for my collection. it's a 1992 Ka-bar Collector's Club ediion made by Union. It's 5" closed with a 3-1/2" D-2 blade. Can anyone tell me about Union Knives please?

muskrat man · Post by **muskrat man** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:04 pm

jfarmer · Post by **jfarmer** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:03 pm

I don't know anything about it Anthony but I sure do like it.

James

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:01 am

Nice knife tank!!

I believe Union was the company name until 1951, when it changed to KA-BAR. Bernard Levine's Guide mentions some re-issues between 1979-1996 with a Union stamp. Goins' book mentions 1975-1996, when the company was sold to ALCAS. I do believe it is a contract knife, since I think they stopped making knives around 1976(?). But, I don't know who made that nice one for them.

Bill

tank · Post by **tank** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:24 am

Thanks guys!
Bill thats wonderful info and much appreciated. Gotta love AAPK!
This is one thing i love about collecting unusual knives - uncoverng the mystery.

tank · Post by **tank** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 1:29 am

Well no luck on my knife but i found the origin of the ka-bar name very cool.
"The KA-BAR company was founded in 1897 as Tidioute Cutlery Company; following its financial collapse and take-over it was renamed the Union Cutlery Company. KA-BAR was initially a trademark but in 1952 the company renamed itself KA-BAR Cutlery Inc. The headquarters are currently located in Olean, New York. The Alcas Corporation, parent company of Cutco, acquired the company in 1996.[1]

Soon after its introduction in the mid-1920's, the KA-BAR trademark became widely known and respected. There have been many versions of how the KA-BAR name came to be, but all evidence points to a letter received from a fur trapper. This particular fur trapper's testimonial turned out to be the most significant ever received by the company.

He wrote, in very rough English, that his gun had jammed and that he had therefore relied on his knife to kill a wounded bear that was attacking him. In thanking the company for their quality product the trapper described using his knife to kill the bear. All that was legible of his scrawled writing was "k a bar". The company was so honored by this testimonial that they adopted this phrase and used it as their trademark, KA-BAR"

"Ka-Bar Knives have been made by different companies including: Kabar, Camillus Cutlery, Case Knives, and Ontario Knife Company. "

The man i got it rom said it was made for the 1992 Ka-bar Collector's Club
with less than 100 made.
By this info and it being D-2 and thier history of contracting ,i'm thinking Queen made my knife.

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 1:44 am

hey tank according to richie and stewart it is a 1993 ka-bar club knife. 802 produced with cherry wood handles and a bar shield. original price-$42.50.

does it say d-2 on the blade? queen made quite a few of the ka-bar club knives.

tank · Post by **tank** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 1:56 am

Oh wow jonet I was misinformed but I still love it. Yes on the pile side tang it's stamped CP-D2

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:26 am

tank, it's a great knife and if you decide to sell, please let me know. i have several of the ka-bar club knives and a couple of different samplers. my old eyes could'nt make out exactly what the tang markings were. btw the kil a bar story was a marketing ploy, but is still interesting.