1219C2 Fighting / Utility Knife (USMC / USN Mark II Ka-Bar Knife)

E

EM_AR

New Member
Hello everyone,

I'm a university student trying to gather some data on Ka-Bar knives. More specifically the 1219C2 Fighting / Utility Knife (USMC / USN Ka-Bar Knife). I know many of you may be familiar with this knife, but for the sake of fairness please refer to the picture below.

douem1.png

I'm only interested in this knife and nothing else at the moment. I've created a simple survey that addresses both military and non-military owners of this knife. If you all could be so kind in taking this survey it would really mean a lot as well as be a great help. The link is at the bottom of this thread.

Here's a little taste of what I've been doing so far:
I'm currently working with a military knife collector in helping me get some text to support my findings. I'm also doing a lot of "boots on the ground" work by going to military surplus stores to collect data. Lastly I'm trying to interview both active duty soldiers or veterans who use/have used the Ka-Bar in their time of service. I happily invite any active military personnel or veteran to contact me if they want to give their personal story behind their Ka-Bar. I'm studying anthropology, but this kind of research is more on the archaeological realm. I chose the Ka-Bar since it has a specific culture that surrounds it and carries many stories behind it. My goal is to explain why this relatively simple knife design remains popular to this day.


Survey Link (Spread The Word Please!): https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HHX9NDW


**Note: This is strictly for academic purposes on a current research project of this military knife.
 
OOOOOOO!!!! ME ME ME ME !!!!! TEACHER!!!!
OK, sorry got a little carried away.
I served in the Marines from 87'-91' and bought my Ka-Bar new at a PX in Camp Legeune in 88'. As soon as I could I took it out into the woods and hacked and wittled everything I could to see what it could hold up to. After getting a couple of blisters and frightening everything in the local South Carolina swamp for 3 miles I decided that was enough. It was duller than it was when new but would still cut and in my thinking at the time I could still kill with it if I had to. Taking it back to base I touched it up with a whett stone and put a shaving sharp edge on it with a crock stick.
It was quickly lashed to my gear and I carried it that way for years. In and out of the sand box during the Gulf war, it never let me down. I used it for things a knife isn't intended to be used for, a pry bar, screw driver, tent peg, fire starter, hammer, chisel, punch, cooking utensil etc.
I was looking at this very knife last night and it has quite a few more rough spots and the pommel is seriously scarred due to hammering with it, original sheath is long gone but everything is still tight and yes it will still shave. The leather washer stacked grip is as tight as ever and this knife still has many many years left in it.
I hope this helps.
 
EM_AR said:
Hello everyone,

I'm a university student trying to gather some data on Ka-Bar knives. More specifically the 1219C2 Fighting / Utility Knife (USMC / USN Ka-Bar Knife). I know many of you may be familiar with this knife, but for the sake of fairness please refer to the picture below.

douem1.png

I'm only interested in this knife and nothing else at the moment. I've created a simple survey that addresses both military and non-military owners of this knife. If you all could be so kind in taking this survey it would really mean a lot as well as be a great help. The link is at the bottom of this thread.

Here's a little taste of what I've been doing so far:
I'm currently working with a military knife collector in helping me get some text to support my findings. I'm also doing a lot of "boots on the ground" work by going to military surplus stores to collect data. Lastly I'm trying to interview both active duty soldiers or veterans who use/have used the Ka-Bar in their time of service. I happily invite any active military personnel or veteran to contact me if they want to give their personal story behind their Ka-Bar. I'm studying anthropology, but this kind of research is more on the archaeological realm. I chose the Ka-Bar since it has a specific culture that surrounds it and carries many stories behind it. My goal is to explain why this relatively simple knife design remains popular to this day.


Survey Link (Spread The Word Please!): https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HHX9NDW


**Note: This is strictly for academic purposes on a current research project of this military knife.
Click to expand...


You might want to introduce yourself in the introduction forum before you pump us for information?

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Coondog said:
OOOOOOO!!!! ME ME ME ME !!!!! TEACHER!!!!
OK, sorry got a little carried away.
I served in the Marines from 87'-91' and bought my Ka-Bar new at a PX in Camp Legeune in 88'. As soon as I could I took it out into the woods and hacked and wittled everything I could to see what it could hold up to. After getting a couple of blisters and frightening everything in the local South Carolina swamp for 3 miles I decided that was enough. It was duller than it was when new but would still cut and in my thinking at the time I could still kill with it if I had to. Taking it back to base I touched it up with a whett stone and put a shaving sharp edge on it with a crock stick.
It was quickly lashed to my gear and I carried it that way for years. In and out of the sand box during the Gulf war, it never let me down. I used it for things a knife isn't intended to be used for, a pry bar, screw driver, tent peg, fire starter, hammer, chisel, punch, cooking utensil etc.
I was looking at this very knife last night and it has quite a few more rough spots and the pommel is seriously scarred due to hammering with it, original sheath is long gone but everything is still tight and yes it will still shave. The leather washer stacked grip is as tight as ever and this knife still has many many years left in it.
I hope this helps.
Click to expand...

I want to thank you for your service. If you need a new sheath for that knife, I would make one for you for free brother. If interested, pm me.
 
@Coondog

Awesome! Good to see another Persian Gulf veteran that’s used the Mark II Ka-Bar. One of the folks I interviewed recently was a Lance Corporal during Operation Desert Storm. Still uses his Ka-Bar he got in Virginia before his deployment. Told some good memories in using his Ka-Bar during that time.

@rhinoknives

My apologizes, I've been swamped with work and my research that I've been impulsive in getting some data on my survey. I'm a student at the University of Arizona with the Department of Anthropology. The research design is based on "behavioral archaeology." In other words I'm studying how humans react and interact with specific objects. I chose the Mark II Ka-Bar despite many people asking me why I'd bother looking into an old knife.

Which is precisely why I decided to look into it in the first place, it's an artifact (old enough for the archaeological record). It has a specific culture that surrounds it as well as subject that isn't often into; yet has so much history and information most people overlook.

For me, I love the history of weapons. Whether they are practical or not there's always stories behind them and a big part of human society in general. I hope to one day specialize in the subject of arms and armor. Not so much to encourage which items is better. Rather, to give good information as how objects were used, why they are replaced/or not, and how did it influenced human society during the time of item's use.

So there's my brief intro of me and my fascination of old weaponry and armor.

:biggrin:
 
EM-AR,
I also am a student of Military Knives, swords and accouterments and weapons that go Boom in general as well as a maker of knives up to about 15" in length. I primarily make culinary knives these days but have made all kinds of blades that cut.

If you want to read some more about the testing and analysis of this knife you have chosen, I suggest you read the books written by Mr. Ed Fowler. he has a few of them published and his Knife Talk series is the one I believe that he wrote extensively about your knife of interest.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
If you make it to Blade Show this year I will have three authentic military knives at my table and will discuss them during my seminar on Saturday.
All are welcome to visit them, hold and discuss what you see.
Will have the following:
Huber Bowie made around 1832
Ames Rifleman's Knife
T Backed Wootz blade from the Khyber Pass during WWII
Each has been used hard and has its own story.

Do not mean to divert the thread about K-Bar knives, just share insight that we can gain when we learn to see. You covered a lot of insight about the true combat knife and its function, well thought out and special because you learned it on your own.
 
Last edited:
rhinoknives said:
EM-AR,
I also am a student of Military Knives, swords and accouterments and weapons that go Boom in general as well as a maker of knives up to about 15" in length. I primarily make culinary knives these days but have made all kinds of blades that cut.

If you want to read some more about the testing and analysis of this knife you have chosen, I suggest you read the books written by Mr. Ed Fowler. he has a few of them published and his Knife Talk series is the one I believe that he wrote extensively about your knife of interest.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
Click to expand...

Many thanks Laurence, managed to find some great sources from Mr. Fowler's books.
 
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