WHEN YOU NEED TO STAB A CAR. MIL-SPEC COLONIAL USN MARK 1

B

BrotherJim

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Feb 9, 2015
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Just received this Colonial (Knife Corp.) Mark 1 General Purpose Navy Knife today and am going through the bonding phase.

The USN Mark 1 was first produced during WWII by Colonial ... KA-BAR, PAL, Camillus and several others. The knife was provided to the Navy by the tens, if not hundreds of thousands. There is no total production record as far as I know.

The Navy contract ended with the end of WWII, but some still produce the Navy Mark 1. KA-BAR has theirs available with stacked leather handle. Colonial was the only maker to us a synthetic (Tenite) handle. Tenite is a celluloid derivative (i think) but has a hard plastic or very hard rubber feel in the hand. Grooves and texture of the handle are quite comfortable.

One stipulation of the Navy contract was that the knife could be boiled to sterilize in case of need for an emergency surgical procedure. With synthetic handle, this whole knife could be boiled, fulfilling the Navy contract in that regard. A stacked leather handled knife might not fair as well and only the blade might be sterilized.

Colonial still produces the Navy Mark 1 right here in the USA in Providence Rhode Island. The sheath is also U.S. produced in Dedham Massachusetts.

I can only find three things that set this knife apart from the EXACT knife that was produced and issued by the Navy during WWII. 1) The ricasso stamps are reversed mark side <-> pile side. This is done to protect the collector market of original Mark 1's. 2) The original sheaths I've seen have eight rivets. This knife comes with a sheath having seven rivets. 3) The packaging does not have a National Stock Number (NSN) label.

Everything else is to military specification (MIL-SPEC) as outlined in the WWII Navy contract. From the Tenite handle to the 1075 High Carbon Steel with Black Oxide coating. The dimensions are the same too. At the end of the day, this is the same Mark 1 that Colonial made 75+ years ago for military use.

This knife isn't a one off or even limited production run. The discerning eye may easily find what may be annoying finish characteristics from knife to knife as might be expected in a production knife intended for general purpose military use. It's still tough, durable and will go the distance with little regard to abuse.

In fact, if you need to stab a car ... this just might be a knife to do it for you (see video). Personally I wouldn't recommend it unless you really hate your knife though LOL.

Last picture is unrelated to the Mark 1 and is of uniform patches from the four ships I served aboard during my Navy military career. Sometimes I miss the sea, Chief's Mess brotherhood, and untold number of interesting foreign ports of call. I have visited 24(+?) different countries around the world. Some more than once. It was real and it was real fun. We worked hard and we played hard. Good times.

iGciNow.jpg



7mmzOD1.jpg
 
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[OFF TOPIC]
These ARE original issue Navy knives I have
Camillus, Camillus and Camillus
They're quite tough, durable and handy too ... but I wouldn't stab a car with them ;)
EDIT: Well, maybe the marlinspike one i would

f02KI2u.jpg

[/OFF TOPIC]
 
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BrotherJim said:
Just received this Colonial (Knife Corp.) Mark 1 General Purpose Navy Knife today and am going through the bonding phase.

The USN Mark 1 was first produced during WWII by Colonial ... KA-BAR, PAL, Camillus and several others. The knife was provided to the Navy by the tens, if not hundreds of thousands. There is no total production record as far as I know.

The Navy contract ended with the end of WWII, but some still produce the Navy Mark 1. KA-BAR has theirs available with stacked leather handle. Colonial was the only maker to us a synthetic (Tenite) handle. Tenite is a celluloid derivative (i think) but has a hard plastic or very hard rubber feel in the hand. Grooves and texture of the handle are quite comfortable.

One stipulation of the Navy contract was that the knife could be boiled to sterilize in case of need for an emergency surgical procedure. With synthetic handle, this whole knife could be boiled, fulfilling the Navy contract in that regard. A stacked leather handled knife might not fair as well and only the blade might be sterilized.

Colonial still produces the Navy Mark 1 right here in the USA in Providence Rhode Island. The sheath is also U.S. produced in Dedham Massachusetts.

I can only find three things that set this knife apart from the EXACT knife that was produced and issued by the Navy during WWII. 1) The ricasso stamps are reversed mark side <-> pile side. This is done to protect the collector market of original Mark 1's. 2) The original sheaths I've seen have eight rivets. This knife comes with a sheath having seven rivets. 3) The packaging does not have a National Stock Number (NSN) label.

Everything else is to military specification (MIL-SPEC) as outlined in the WWII Navy contract. From the Tenite handle to the 1075 High Carbon Steel with Black Oxide coating. The dimensions are the same too. At the end of the day, this is the same Mark 1 that Colonial made 75+ years ago for military use.

This knife isn't a one off or even limited production run. The discerning eye may easily find what may be annoying finish characteristics from knife to knife as might be expected in a production knife intended for general purpose military use. It's still tough, durable and will go the distance with little regard to abuse.

In fact, if you need to stab a car ... this just might be a knife to do it for you (see video). Personally I wouldn't recommend it unless you really hate your knife though LOL.

Last picture is unrelated to the Mark 1 and is of uniform patches from the four ships I served aboard during my Navy military career. Sometimes I miss the sea, Chief's Mess brotherhood, and untold number of interesting foreign ports of call. I have visited 24(+?) different countries around the world. Some more than once. It was real and it was real fun. We worked hard and we played hard. Good times.

iGciNow.jpg

7mmzOD1.jpg
Click to expand...
I was just looking at this knife online today. I recently bought the stacked leather Ka-bar version, and I love it. This Colonial version looks a bit different with a sabre grind and synthetic hilt, but it has similar dimensions. It seems like another ideal old school companion knife. I can't wait to get one.
 
Very interesting! I'm familiar with the Mk II but did not know about the Mk I. I once worked with a fellow who had served on the Bainbridge.
 
afishhunter said:
Strangely enough, in my 66 years upon this rock, I've never had cause to stab a car or other vehicle....
Click to expand...

Well, there was that time some years back, the wife and I were walking in the park, and along came an old 62 Chevy Biscane acting very strangely. I can only assume that it had been driven mad by the rust that had eaten through the rocker panels. Things got ugly when it attacked a group of picnickers. Police were called! 😲
 
Since I love and carry my Kabar Mk 1 this thing just jumped to the top of my buy list, right after a new bowie...
 
Today's Colonial knife company seems to leave a lot of unanswered questions, like what country are their products materials sourced from, and where are they actually made? In other words, what about them is truly USA? I know they list them as being made in Rhode Island, USA, and if that is the case, (being at least assembled there), I wonder if anything is known about their facility, (pics, videos, or other solid insight).
I have not searched info about their products in quite some time, but I had done so in the past, and I came out blank on finding out such details.
If anyone has info about their manufacturing, I'd greatly appreciate it being shared here 👍

I did some reading of reviews of them on that world famous company that starts with the letter "A" and that it's founder recently launched into lower outer space recently.
The reviews pointed out to some negatives that seemed as common issues with multiple reviewers. One complaint was that the blade's spine shows the rough cutting/blanking of the blade, they not taking the extra step to grind them out.
If it's not too much trouble, some close up pics of your specimen would be very helpful and very much appreciated 😊
 
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PocketKnifeJimmy said:
Today's Colonial knife company seems to leave a lot of unanswered questions, like what country are their products materials sourced from, and where are they actually made? In other words, what about them is truly USA? I know they list them as being made in Rhode Island, USA, and if that is the case, (being at least assembled there), I wonder if anything is known about their facility, (pics, videos, or other solid insight).
I have not searched info about their products in quite some time, but I had done so in the past, and I came out blank on finding out such details.
If anyone has info about their manufacturing, I'd greatly appreciate it being shared here 👍

I did some reading of reviews of them on that world famous company that starts with the letter "A" and that it's founder recently launched into lower outer space recently.
The reviews pointed out to some negatives that seemed as common issues with multiple reviewers. One complaint was that the blade's spine shows the rough cutting/blanking of the blade, they not taking the extra step to grind them out.
If it's not too much trouble, some close up pics of your specimen would be very helpful and very much appreciated 😊
Click to expand...

Just to add ... I can't answer your other questions. I don't represent Colonial, not trying to sell a knife and never been to their facilities.
They say the knife is produced in Rhode Island and the sheath is made in Dedham Massachusetts.
I've looked the knife over and it's stamped "Colonial Prov. R.I." ... so the knife and accompanying paperwork doesn't indicate anything otherwise.
Email them with your questions. I'd be interested in what you hear back.

EDIT: PocketKnifeJimmy PocketKnifeJimmy Here are the specs of the knife, from the Colonial website. If the knife weren't manufactured in Rhode Island U.S.A., I don't think they could get away with saying so.
I do know the original Colonial factory that once employed two shifts of 300 people is shut down and Colonial does work with China on some products ... so have no idea where in Rhode Island this knife might be manufactured.

bRLdr7N.png
 
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BrotherJim said:
Just to add ... I can't answer your other questions. I don't represent Colonial, not trying to sell a knife and never been to their facilities.
They say the knife is produced in Rhode Island and the sheath is made in Dedham Massachusetts.
I've looked the knife over and it's stamped "Colonial Prov. R.I." ... so the knife and accompanying paperwork doesn't indicate anything otherwise.
Email them with your questions. I'd be interested in what you hear back.

EDIT: PocketKnifeJimmy PocketKnifeJimmy Here are the specs of the knife, from the Colonial website. If the knife weren't manufactured in Rhode Island U.S.A., I don't think they could get away with saying so.
I do know the original Colonial factory that once employed two shifts of 300 people is shut down and Colonial does work with China on some products ... so have no idea where in Rhode Island this knife might be manufactured.

bRLdr7N.png
Click to expand...
After checking out the OP's pictures of his knife at a few different angles, (thank you for doing that),
and reading those reviews on that 'A' mega ordering website, I've decided that I'm not interested in the Colonial Mark 1.

That said, I did run into a few pics of the KaBar Mark 1, and that one piques my interest... I have quite a few Kabars, and they tend to do very well in the execution of their knives. And, the price of a KaBar Mark 1 can be had lower than for the Colonial version. So, that one may have to be added to my "likely to buy" list".
 
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PocketKnifeJimmy said:
After checking out the OP's pictures of his knife at a few different angles, (thank you for doing that),
and reading those reviews on that 'A' mega ordering website, I've decided that I'm not interested in the Colonial Mark 1.

That said, I did run into a few pics of the KaBar Mark 1, and that one piques my interest... I have quite a few Kabars, and they tend to do very well in the execution of their knives. And, the price of a KaBar Mark 1 can be had lower than for the Colonial version. So, that one may have to be added to my "likely to buy" list".
Click to expand...

I could tell by your posts that you either weren't interested in the Colonial or were looking for any and every way to talk yourself out of it from the get go :D LOL

I'm the OP ... the pics I posted today are pics of the same knife I posted back in April.

The KA-BAR MK1 comes in 2 different variations and depending on which one you choose, the sheath is made in either Taiwan or Mexico.
The Colonial sheath is U.S. produced in Dedham Massachusetts.
The price you find on the big river site for the KA-BAR MK1 is drastically slashed from the price on the KABAR site ... and I wonder, but don't know why.
The KA-BAR site price(s), again depending on variation, is anywhere from about $22 to $42 higher than the Colonial.
WWII KA-BAR compared to the new ones ... The new ones are slightly smaller. The hard sheaths sold with the new KA-BAR MK1 will not work with any vintage KA-BAR MK1. (according to one commenter)
On the leather handled version of the KA-BAR MK1, there is a slickness to the lacquered leather grip as it has no grooves like the USMC/MK2 ... grip improves as lacquer is worn/sanded away.
From dimensions to blade coating to all included material used in manufacture, the Colonial is more historically accurate than the "new and improved" KA-BAR MK1.
KA-BAR uses 1095 and Colonial still uses 1075 same as it did in WWII.

Maybe for some it comes down to do you want "new and improved" but historically SIMILAR ... or do you want historically accurate. I chose the latter ... this time.

That said, the KA-BAR MK1 is by all accounts a great knife and I wouldn't mind having one either. :)
 
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