All About Pocket Knives

Before I get into the knife, please allow me to introduce myself as a new member and first time poster. My name is Eric and I'm a long-time pocket knife user, and occasional casual collector. My most treasured pocket knives have a personal or familial connection. This knife is a case in point (no pun intended!).

This knife that you see is an older Ka-Bar folder. I have no idea what pattern it is (Stockman? Serpentine Jack?), I don't know the model number and I do not know when it was purchased. What I do know is that it came back from France shortly after March 25, 1945. This pocket knife belonged to my grandfather and he was killed in WWII, just a few days before the end of the war. He carried this knife with him from the US to the war and it came home in a box of his belongings.

The knife is NOT in collectible condition. If this knife could talk, the stories would be incredible. The scales used to be mother of pearl. They crumbled some 20~25 years ago. My dad and I did what we could to keep the rust to a minimum, but there is nothing that we could do to save the pearl. I don't believe that there was a shield, or a place for a shield, if I remember correctly. The missing pin must have come off with the pearl at some point, although neither of us can remember seeing it in the ziploc bag with the crumbled pearl pieces. As a child, I was always interested in pocket knives, and my dad had asked me to try and clean this one up and get some of the rust from the blades. If I remember correctly (and that was about 40 years ago?), I used some fine grit sandpaper and cleaned it up as best as I could.

I thought I that I would put it here in this forum first, before checking out the repair forum. It's a great little knife. It still has good snap, walk and talk for it's age and I love the slim design. Because of what the knife means to my dad (and myself), I would like to get a set of scales back on it in the next year or so. Anyway, I thought you might like seeing an old knife with a bit of history behind it. If anyone would like to chime in with the model name or model number (or any other knife history), please feel free.

Sorry to hear your granddad didn't survive the war. It is indeed a "stockman" pattern. The original handle scales were not pearl as pearl doesn't deteriorate and KA-BAR did not make this knife in genuine pearl. Scales were celluloid which does disintegrate and the darkness of the bolsters is the result of the celluloid "gassing out" and the gas was really corrosive. There are several guys here who can replace the scales but it would not be good to use celluloid again so it can never really look like it originally did. Nice bone or stag would likely look nice.

boybacon, to AAPK!
As I read your interesting 1st post, I was thinking the same that member Gunsil stated, celluloid handle material, out-gassing. I don't know anything about real mother of pearl but I do know the bolsters on your grandfather's old Kabar look like they have been exposed to the gas that occurs when some celluloid handles deteriorate. A new set of handles should make everyone happy with this very special knife.
Remember to share a picture when you have it redone.
Treefarmer

Welcome to AAPK. And thanks for sharing your grandfather’s knife and his story along with it. As others have said the handle covers were almost assuredly celluloid. Probably a variety called imitation pearl since you remember it as looking like pearl. Difficult to tell for sure from the pictures but it’s likely the knife can be restored with some newer synthetic like Corelon or Kirinite that resembles the imitation pearl.

Your thought regarding checking he knife mechanics subforum here for someone to do the work is spot on. Find someone, or a couple of them and send them a PM or email request.

Ken

Welcome to the forum, boybacon.
You have a good foundation for getting that knife in good order again.
There are some talented guys here who can make your knife a nice family heirloom.
It was nice to read your story and I hope the best for you in getting the Ka-Bar restored.
I hope you can show us pictures of the results.
Stick around.

Welcome! I can’t add anything to what the others have said. But I do encourage you to contact one of our excellent knife mechanics. It would be well worth it to gave your grandfather’s knife in restored condition. Fortunately, if you want it to look close to the original there are tons of choices out there that won’t deteriorate like celluloid.

Great knife and history. Welcome to AAPK!