Grandpa's old hunting knife...

338375

338375

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Nov 4, 2006
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My Grandfather passed away the day before what would have been his 93rd birthday, ten years ago...
Like a lot of guys from his generation, he only had a few knives. After he died, my Grandmother gave me his knives, which consisted of 3 old Schrade-Walden stockman knives, and one brand new Old Timer that he never used. I gave him the Old Timer when I was about 12 year sold, so that was roughly 40 years ago, and he didn't want to use it because he was afraid he would lose it.

We knew there had to be a hunting knife floating around because he was an avid hunter, but none of us had seen it. Well, today I stopped at my parents house before going to work, and mom said she had something for me. She found his old hunting knife in a box she was going through :D

So, here it is. I am just making a wild guess that it is from the 50's or 60's. It is 9 1/2 inches OAL. The leather is in great condition, and I'm guessing by the patina it is 1095 or a similar steel.
So my question is, does anyone have any info on it, and an idea when it was made ? Sorry for the crappy pictures, but I don't do well indoors :D

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Well, up until 3 - 4 days ago, I'd a told you that it was a 598-5 or 598-6, depending on if the blade is 5 or inches long. But based on recent exposure to new documentation and an explanation by another old-time Kabar collector, the 598s were aluminum pommeled or wood pommeled with a steel cap.

So it may be a 598-5/6 variant of which we have no surviving literature (i.e. flat steel pommel),
or
- it might be a civilian/PX version of the WW2 Mk1 (just no USN MK1 stamp on it) as it is VERY similar to the Kabar Mk1s of WW2,
or
- it might be a post-WW2 production version for which there is no surviving literature.

My personal suspicion (not strong enough to be a full-blown belief) because of the steel guard is that these are civilian/PX private purchase WW2/just-post-WW2 598/MK1 variants. Maybe/probably I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. Whatever, they are really good knives, will handle any STANDARD camp/hunting chores (NOT batonning). I have 7-8 of them (4/5/6 inch).
 
Your knife was as zzy says a WW2 era product. It is known that the 5" blade knife like yours was available as an official Boy Scout knife during the war with the Official Boy Scout etch on the blade. The blade is not the same as the military issued MK1s which also had a flat steel pommel. I personally believe they were civilian hunting knives made during the later war years of 1943-1945 since the first time we see the Olean, N.Y. blade stamping is on the MK1s and MK2s that came about in 1943. I do not think they were PX knives since they already had two 6" blade PX knives, the parkerized flat ground and the chrome plated saber ground "Commando" knives. I don't think they were made much after the war since we also see knives with the Olean, NY mark with aluminum pommels which are definitely post war knives. As zzy says, it will take the surfacing of catalogs from the era to prove exactly their name and model numbers. The KA-BAR factory has no such info and very little info at all on the old fixed blade knives.
 
gunsil said:
Your knife was as zzy says a WW2 era product. It is known that the 5" blade knife like yours was available as an official Boy Scout knife during the war with the Official Boy Scout etch on the blade. The blade is not the same as the military issued MK1s which also had a flat steel pommel. I personally believe they were civilian hunting knives made during the later war years of 1943-1945 since the first time we see the Olean, N.Y. blade stamping is on the MK1s and MK2s that came about in 1943. I do not think they were PX knives since they already had two 6" blade PX knives, the parkerized flat ground and the chrome plated saber ground "Commando" knives. I don't think they were made much after the war since we also see knives with the Olean, NY mark with aluminum pommels which are definitely post war knives. As zzy says, it will take the surfacing of catalogs from the era to prove exactly their name and model numbers. The KA-BAR factory has no such info and very little info at all on the old fixed blade knives.
Click to expand...

Thanks. That is great info. The possible date of mfg. is what I was really curious about. I do know it will be going with me on my future hunting trips, just because it was my grandfathers knife.
 
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