Page 1 of 1

USMC KA-BAR

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2024 9:50 pm
by Ridgegrass
Got this today in a 10 knife deal. Is it legit? Sheath legit? What era? Iron guard and pommel, sheath snap replaced and broken, Blade in good shape, shows use but not abuse. Thanks for any info. I'll trade it or sell it. Not my wheel-house. J.O'.

Re: USMC KA-BAR

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2024 11:26 pm
by Gunsil
J.O", you got a real WW2 one. Early one, 1943, fat peened pommel. fat grips. WW2 sheath too.

Re: USMC KA-BAR

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2024 2:07 am
by Ridgegrass
Thanks Gene. Took a chance in a pawn shop. Just felt right. Wanted to hear it from you. ::handshake:: J.O'.

Re: USMC KA-BAR

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2024 3:28 pm
by Gunsil
Glad to help. It's easy to tell the 1976-now ones from the originals. The re-issues have thicker letters on the blade and all the re-issues have a fat pommel that has a pin going halfway through it. None of the originals with a fat pommel used a pin to secure the pommel and the later originals with a pinned pommel had thinner pommels and the pin went all the way through.

Re: USMC KA-BAR

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2024 4:39 pm
by eveled
Good info Gunsil. The smaller Ricasso on the originals always jumps out at me too.

Re: USMC KA-BAR

Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2024 1:08 am
by Ridgegrass
I'm not a fan or player of e-bay. I've been looking today and the range is ridiculous, I won't quote them here, but they are puzzling to a flea-market , second hand store, pawn shop denizen like me. ::handshake:: J.O'.