Help Authenticate This Knife!

**Aaronlopa** · 11-27-2013, 05:41 AM

Hi everyone! I just recently purchased this knife on ebay and it's in very good condition, and for that reason it worries me a lot. The knife is a WW2 Mark 2 Kabar USMC fat handle knife. I had the seller agree to give me a refund if it turned out to be fake since it did not come with any authentification, but I only have so much time to prove if it is or isn't authentic, and I definitely do not have the time to go to see an expert in person. Can some of the more experienced members help me out by looking at the attached pictures and telling me their opinions about authenticity? Also could you all also possibly give me advice on how I could, when I have the time, seek someone out who could get me an actual COA?

Thanks everyone!

**cricketchris1944** · 11-27-2013, 06:00 AM

Looks good to me.
chris

**rbminis** · 11-27-2013, 06:48 AM

I may be wrong but I am not really crazy about the quality of the grinding on this one. I have a few of these in my collection and none are this poorly ground.
Ralph.

**cricketchris1944** · 11-27-2013, 07:19 AM

That is because it is not ww2 but Vietnam.
chris

**Aaronlopa** · 11-27-2013, 07:42 AM

by cricketchris1944

That is because it is not ww2 but Vietnam.
chris

Are you saying his are Vietnam or mine is? His seem in much more modern condition than mine and that's why I would think and also hope his. If mine isn't WW2 then I'm returning it for sure.

**dramos** · 11-27-2013, 07:46 AM

I believe Chris is saying that your knife is vietnam era.

**Scout** · 11-27-2013, 09:00 AM

What cues makes it Vietnam issue, pls?

**Aaronlopa** · 11-27-2013, 07:29 PM

Here's why I was under the impression that this is WW2 and not Vietnam. The aging seems more correct, the pommel is pinned fully through (something never done on Vietnam models), the tang is rectangular and not peened (which is in line with Vietnam models but also in line with the last Kabars released by Union Cutlery), and lastly, the pommel appears to me to be thin, not thick (all of the Vietnam models had a much thicker pommel). Based on all of my observations, and please correct me if I'm wrong, my knife appears the be the knife discussed last on this page: Union Cutlery Co. AKA "KA-BAR" - THE WW2 "KA-BAR" - U.S. Militaria Forum

Am I incorrect?

**Chopperman** · 11-27-2013, 07:55 PM

I can not help much with this but I am interested in the outcome.
I have a Karbar Navy Mk2 and a Camillus USMC and I would like to
know how to date them. I believe mine are both Vietnam era as
both have the markings on the guard and not the blade.

**Chopperman** · 11-29-2013, 03:38 PM

I've spent a couple days digging around the net trying to
find out more on dating Ka-Bars. There is not a lot of
real good info but from what I can tell, the knife posted
looks to be a ww2 knife.

The small lettering, the thinner pommel (1/4" thick as opposed
to 3/8") and the pommel being pinned all the way thru, all point
to a ww2 knife.