Couple of WWII Fighting Knives

jsfricks

jsfricks

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These arrived today and I'm happy to add them to my collection. The first one is a rare (according to the books) straight line Kabar USN fighting knife. It has a lot of its original finish still on the blade. The second set of 5 pics is a Camillus USMC fighting knife with some of its original finish still left. Both have that "been there, done that" look. Thanks for letting me share them.
Kabar USN








Camillus USMC








 
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My son carried one in Iraq. Decided that the Fallkniven S-1 that I gave him was too nice and too expensive to take into battle.

They've done well in combat for decades. They could have the motto of the Prince of Wales: "Ich Dien"/I Serve. (Remember that from the time of George I, British kings were of a once Germanic family, renamed in WWI as the House of Windsor.)

And serve, it has. I watched clips of the TV mini-series, The Pacific, on YouTube this week, and saw some on the men playing the Marines in the show. I think the famous photo of the Marines raising the flag on Mt. Suribachi shows a Ka-Bar or two. They're still serving. I think the plastic Navy sheath for the knife under the MK II label is better in the tropics than the leather USMC sheath. Doesn't rot or mildew.
 
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Congrats on your pieces. They look very nice and I would be proud to own them.

A year or two ago I was in the market for a WWII Kabar. After months of looking and wading through all the incorrect or mis-identified junk, and the truly genuine ones desiring too much money, I finally just bought a new production Kabar.

I love vintage tools and the quality they have, but I wanted to use it so I am completely happy with my new production. They are a great model of knife and have been well proven.
 
I have a soft spot for Navy knives. Yours are nice examples of MKII's. Amazing something from wwII, can still look so nice.
 
The day JFK was assassinated I was put on a plane to GITMO.

Once there I turned in my M14 and got a BAR,1911A1 and a KBar.

After a promotion a short time later I turned in the BAR,1911A1 and KBar and got an M1 Garand.

After 6 months at GITMO I got the M14 back and boarded a plane to Cherry Point,NC enroute to Lejeune
 
Got a WWII KBAR from an old Marine who carried it in the Pacific campaigns along with an unissued Navy KBAR. USMC took back mine from my time in 69-71.
 
Nice old knives, JSFricks; I like the character so much better than a shiny new one. Here's one not a K-bar, but a knife that's "been there, done that."
It's my grandfather's trench knife, an Au Lion 1918, made in France, from WW1. He was in the 42nd (Rainbow) Division. Note that it's been sharpened quite a bit.
 

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  • Irvine's trench knife Au Lion 1918.jpg
    Irvine's trench knife Au Lion 1918.jpg
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I had an old WW2 vintage pilot's knife for years. Like the K-Bar, it had a phosphate finish and stacked leather handle. However, mine had a five-inch blade. It was easy to keep sharp and had a cool gray plastic sheath with an OD green belt loop. It disappeared on one of my many moves...
 
Fine old knives.

I was very sad when I heard that Camillus went under. They made knives of all kinds for many other companies, including some for Buck; but their fighting knives gave great service to a lot of GI's, Marines and sailors.
 
shouldazagged said:
Fine old knives.

I was very sad when I heard that Camillus went under. They made knives of all kinds for many other companies, including some for Buck; but their fighting knives gave great service to a lot of GI's, Marines and sailors.
Click to expand...

Not only their fighting knives, also their 4 blade utility knives. Sometimes you need a can opener more than a machete.
 
eveled said:
Not only their fighting knives, also their 4 blade utility knives. Sometimes you need a can opener more than a machete.
Click to expand...

Very true. I believe they also made the official Boy Scout knives for many years.

I gave my sister one of the short, five-inch-blade Ka-Bar versions of the USMC fighting knife. Very nice, handy size, same quality and features as the original. Unfortunately it was stolen out of her car.
 
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