Is She The Real Thing ?

[USMCJAS]

I recently inherited a KABAR . I am a Marine veteran and have a new unused real Kabar and this sure has the look and feel of a real Kabar. The sheath is very old and actually has a name and a service number carved into it. It also has the date April, 1951 carved into the sheath and the initials USMC are also carved into it . All carving into the leather is not by the sheath maker. I see no stamps or maker marks on the blade or handle of the knife. Any advice appreciated.

 

[BossDog]

We often get posts here from new members asking about the value of a knife they recently inherited/bought/traded for/found so I'm assuming you are asking that.

Is it a real Ka-Bar made by Union Cutlery? I doubt it. Most of those were stamped. There were at least a half dozen companies that made that style of knife for various military branches back then.

There were a lot of those made and many survived and were handed down to sons and grandsons. It's never going to be worth a great deal in our lifetime. They are fairly common. If you are wanting to save it as a collectors item, don't do anything to it other than a light coat of oil. Collectors appreciate original condition. Leather sheaths that old tends to dry rot and any collectors value wouldn't be diminished by a light coat of leather re-conditioner of some sort.

These do look nice when restored and you might consider that as an option and it can be a DIY project.

 

[USMCJAS]

Thanks Tracy. I really wasn't so much interested in the value. Just curious if it was real.