Ka-bar small hunter, leather handle & 3" blade

B JACKSON

B JACKSON

Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
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Can anyone give me an approx date of manufacture of this knife?
3" blade and 6-1/2" overall.
Is this stainless steel? Looks it. What specific steel would it be?
tang stamp on Port side is :
KA-BAR
U.S.A.

No stamp on the other side
stamp on leather sheath is
KA-BAR
Nothing on the back

Bought it on the bay and like it a lot.
Thanks for the help.
s-l1600.jpgs-l64.jpgs-l64 (2).jpg
 
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That little cutie was called a "Little Trading Post" and it dates to the late 1940s. It is not stainless steel although I do not know what type of carbon steel it is. The pre-WW2 versions had the name etched on the blades but the post war knives did not.
 
Wow, didn't think it was that old. It sure must have been stored well. Was it aimed at the youth market? Thanks gunsil for sharing your knowledge>
 
Yes it must have seen little use and been stored well. I believe they were aimed at the youth market but would also be useful as a bird/trout knife for anyone's use. It is a nice example, and if I didn't already have a fine example myself I would have bid on that one. By the way I don't know any particulars on the Old File Co. but somewhere in my collection I do have a hunting knife made by them and occasionally see kitchen/butcher knives by them.
 
I've seen pics of the Kabar Little Trading Post in stag. I'm going to keep my eyes open for one to keep my leather handle version company.

If you ever dig out that Old File hunter I'd love to see a pic! I am only familiar with Old File kitchen and butcher models.
 
It so happens, I have a stag handle Little Trading Post. Pretty fair condition. Looks like the stag has shrunk opening slight gap top of handle and hairline on bottom.
 
gunsil said:
That little cutie was called a "Little Trading Post" and it dates to the late 1940s. It is not stainless steel although I do not know what type of carbon steel it is. The pre-WW2 versions had the name etched on the blades but the post war knives did not.
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I want to start a Thread called Ask gunsil. You sir are a wealth of knowledge.
 
The Little Trading Post Knife is something I wish was still made in this country.
 
The Little Trading Posts were available in stag scales with stag pommels, "cracked ice" celluloid scales and stag pommel, and leather handle with stag pommel before the war. During the war they were available with celluloid scales and a stag pommel with a steel butt cap and leather handle with wood pommel and steel butt cap. I haven't yet seen a wartime stag scaled one, but it is possible they exist. After the war they were only available with leather handles and aluminum pommels, celluloid scales and aluminum pommels and for a short time stag scales with aluminum pommels. There was also a rare pre-war one with a brass and black composition ring handle and aluminum pommel that was etched KA-BAR Deluxe on the blade, I have only ever seen one, it is in my collection. I can't seem to figure out how to upload photos directly from my computer since they changed the format here or I would post some pics of those in my collection. The stag/stag ones also had variations as small or large pommel nut and brass or no brass spacers on the handle. The model first appears in the 1938 price list and is still in the 1950 price list. They were also made through the 50s with cell handles and aluminum pommels but the celluloid was molded into a handle shape rather than made as two scales. Thank you Tank for the compliment!
 
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DSCN3022.JPG
DSCN3026.JPG DSCN3027.JPG

I hope this works!! Looks like I forgot the wartime celluloid with wood pommel and steel butt cap! I have more of these, will need to take more photos. I think most on this thread will appreciate these super cute well made little knives!! All are pre 1951.
 
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Here are a few more. Top one (right) has brass spacers and small pommel nut, second stag one has no brass spacers and large nut, next has no brass spacers and small pommel nut. The little leather handled one with aluminum pommel I believe is pre-war the last one with the larger handle and KA-BAR over USA is post war late 1940s, the one with leather and wood pommel with steel butt cap isDSCN3028.JPG wartime production.
 
Beautiful set, Gene.

As you know from a previous conversation, I call the brass and black handled knives "bumblebee" knives due to the black and brass discs. Since the Western aluminum and black handled knives are called the "Black Beauty" knives, when I first encountered the Kabar brass & blacks, I started calling them "bumblebees:. :D

I "think" I have one of the Little Trading Post "Deluxe" bumblebee knives, but if I do, it does NOT have a pommel nut. I know I only have 1 pommel nut bumblebee and it has a 5" blade, IIRC. I know I have at least 4, if not 5, different models. I just have to figure out which tub I put them all in.
 
Very nice collection. The blades are they chrome plated carbon steel?
 
They are all plain carbon steel, I have never one of these models in stainless and the only chrome one isn't quite the same, it has a hollow ground saber grind blade with the maker's marks etched on rather than stamped in.
zzyzzogeton said:
Beautiful set, Gene.

As you know from a previous conversation, I call the brass and black handled knives "bumblebee" knives due to the black and brass discs. Since the Western aluminum and black handled knives are called the "Black Beauty" knives, when I first encountered the Kabar brass & blacks, I started calling them "bumblebees:. :D

I "think" I have one of the Little Trading Post "Deluxe" bumblebee knives, but if I do, it does NOT have a pommel nut. I know I only have 1 pommel nut bumblebee and it has a 5" blade, IIRC. I know I have at least 4, if not 5, different models. I just have to figure out which tub I put them all in.
Click to expand...

Most of the "bumblebees" will not have a pommel nut, have the Kabar lower case italicized mark, and I have never seen any of these with the actual K-BAR DeLuxe etch. These pommel nut pre-war knives with the DeLuxe etch on the blade are very scarce, I have three different models and am always looking for different ones. The Little Trading Post with those handles shown has the full etch in pretty good condition but I couldn't get a good photo of it, and it also has inked on salesman's letter code on the back side.
 
DSCN2986.JPG DSCN2988.JPG Here is the "Deluxe" etch on another knife. Note this is the only KA-BAR I have ever seen with the black and white even spacers for the entire handle.
 
I have one of those black and white stacked handles in a 1232-sized knife. Probably in the same tub as my bumblebees.:rolleyes:
 
C'mon Wayne, get that tub open and let's see it!! I am thinking it will be a "Royal Trading Post" which has black and white spacers, but they are not evenly spaced the whole length of the handle. Royal Trading Post has a 4&1/2" "woodcraft" style blade. A mint one will be etched "Royal Trading Post" out on the blade and they came with a fancy latigo laced sheath.
 
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