Help on dating KA-BAR Stockman

[Mason Knives]

Hi all i am looking for information about my Ka-Bar stockman.
Its 4" closed and has Union Cut Co Olean NY stamped on the spey blade.

Any helped would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

paul

 

[Tdhurl1103]

Oh man, that's really nice. I have ben on Large Stockman kick these days. Love 'em.

If no one here can help you out, you could always request a mod move the thread to the "Benard Levine's Knife Collecting and Identification" subforum here. I had a few ID's done over there a while back.

 

[zzyzzogeton]

I answered in the thread over in Bernard's forum as well. It's probably post-WW2, pre-1952 based on the Union Cutlery stamp. Kabar changed from Union Cutlery to Kabar Cutlery in 1952. The Union Cutlery BLADE was made in 1952 or earlier. The knife could be as late as 1953 or 1954, depending on how many blades UC already had made up prior to the name change. Kabar would not have thrown away perfectly good blades because the company's name had changed.

 

[Tdhurl1103]

Jolly good.

 

[gunsil]

I gotta disagree with zzy here, I believe the knife is an early one, probably pre 1935. This belief is due to the shield with the letters raised up. This is the early shield style, later KA-BAR shields will just have the letters stamped into them. The main blade grind and dentate long pull are also signs of an earlier knife. It is indeed a sweet knife!!

 

[sac troop]

Regardless if that knife is in it's 60's or 80's, it's sure been well taken care of.:thumbup:

 

[zzyzzogeton]

Not the first time I was wrong and it won't be the last.

Folders and their shields and pulls and bolster arrangements have never been my strong suit. Oh, what the heck, just leave off the extra stuff. I draw heavy vacuum at folders.

 

[Mason Knives]

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply, much appreciated!
Nice to know a bit more about my favourite knife, it really is a beaut!!

All the best

Paul

 

[gunsil]

Here are two pre-WW2 Union Cut KA-BAR knives showing the earlier and later shields. The lockback swing guard has Union Cut on the reverse, and the moose has KA-BAR on both blades.

Note to administrators: I still cannot get photos to show directly from my computer when first making a post. It only seems to work if I post photos using "edit" after making the post. What's up with that??

 

[ron_m80]

That is a sweet main blade, and the knife is in great shape too. I like it.

 

[zzyzzogeton]

View attachment 571955View attachment 571957View attachment 571958

Here are two pre-WW2 Union Cut KA-BAR knives showing the earlier and later shields. The lockback swing guard has Union Cut on the reverse, and the moose has KA-BAR on both blades.

Note to administrators: I still cannot get photos to show directly from my computer when first making a post. It only seems to work if I post photos using "edit" after making the post. What's up with that??

Gunsil, thanks for the visual education on shield styles.

Re: The pic posting issue you report.... I reported that issue in the Tech Support forum back in March. And nothing has changed. That is STILL the only way I have been able to get a pic to post since then.