Ka-Bar 1207, 1208, 1209

[BigAl62]

I know this topic has been thoroughly beat to death but I want to bring it up again. I know the 1207 was stacked leather handle with a chromed carbon steel blade. The 1208 was the same blade with a wooden handle (pakkawood?). Was it also chrome over carbon steel or was it stainless? I know the 1209 was the same handle as the 1208 with a parkerized blade. I assume the 1209 was carbon steel?

Some seem to be fullered and some not. I have seen pics of 1208 blades with stacked leather handles. I have also seen pics of 1209’s with bright blades. It seems very inconsistent. I know that model numbers appeared after maybe 1967 or thereabouts after the Cole National purchase in 1966.

I have three 1207’s and a 1209. I need to find a good 1208 to fill out the set. As you can see, one of the 1207’s is un-fullered and two have fullers. All are assumed to be dated between 1967 and 1980 due to model numbers.

Also, is the 1205 considered part of this “series?” I don’t have a 1205 yet either.

Is there any kind of consistency to these or a definitive story or is it luck of the draw or maybe later mods by collectors? Sorry in advance for all the questions but I know there’s a few very knowledgeable experts here.

[zzyzzogeton]

The 1207/1208/1209 were all made with 1095CV, the shiny ones being chrome plated.

The 1205 was not part of this series. It was part of the now dead stacked leather lineup = e.g., the 1226, 1232, 1233, 1235, 1236, 1237

Model numbering did restart under Cole sometime in 1969. I determined that from a couple of NIB offerings of the same model knife on fleabay where they both had literature included that had 1969 dates. One had a model number and the other didn't.

I say "restarted" because a few pre-WW2 fixed blades had model numbers stamped into the guard.

[BigAl62]

The 1207/1208/1209 were all made with 1095CV, the shiny ones being chrome plated.

The 1205 was not part of this series. It was part of the now dead stacked leather lineup = e.g., the 1226, 1232, 1233, 1235, 1236, 1237

Model numbering did restart under Cole sometime in 1969. I determined that from a couple of NIB offerings of the same model knife on fleabay where they both had literature included that had 1969 dates. One had a model number and the other didn't.

I say "restarted" because a few pre-WW2 fixed blades had model numbers stamped into the guard.

And there, ladies and gentlemen, is one of those very knowledgeable experts.

Thank you for that info.

[BigAl62]

Well, I lucked out and with diligent effort have now found and procured a 1208. . The trifecta.

[BigAl62]

So on that “we sell everything” bidding website, I see lots of 1209’s with what looks like carbon steel blades. Not parkerized but not shiny chrome either. They have 1209 stamped on the blades and have the pakkawood handles but non-parkerized blades. Are these knives that have simply lost the coating either from use or maybe from intentional removal? Or were there 2 versions of the 1209? One parkerized and one carbon steel without the chrome plating?

And somewhere I recall seeing a pic of a 1208 tang stamp with a stacked leather handle on a forum. Was Kabar building Frankensteins or are these a result of user mods?