Item:
ON5108

Original U.S. WWII Navy Mark 2 KA-BAR Fighting Knife by CAMILLUS with Personalized MK2 Scabbard

Item Description

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a great example of the legendary WWII Production USN Mark 2 "Ka-Bar" fighting knife with a MK2 Scabbard. Overall length of this Mk2 is 11 7/8 inches, with a 6 7/8 inch clip-point blade. The markings on the blade cross guard are as follows:

U.S.N.
MARK 2

Under the blade is marked:

CAMILLUS N.Y.

The Mk2 Knife was developed as an improvement over the Mk1 design, which had issues with blade snapping due to the thinner design. Working with Union Cutlery, USMC Colonel John M. Davis and Major Howard E. America contributed several important changes, including a longer, stronger blade, the introduction of a small fuller to lighten the blade, a peened pommel (later replaced by a pinned pommel), a straight (later, slightly curved) steel crossguard, and a stacked leather handle for better grip. The knife was officially known as the 1219C2, but it was commonly called the "Ka-Bar" after the trademark of Union Cutlery that was on the blades of early examples. The first production order went out to Camillus Cutlery Company, who produced the largest number of knives during WW2. The design was subsequently adopted by the Navy as the US Navy Utility Knife, Mark 2, and the USMC adopted it as the USMC Mark 2 Combat Knife, or simply the Knife, Fighting Utility.

In 1944, the US Navy put through a change order to have the markings moved from the blade to the cross guard, so this knife was produced after that change. It also has the slightly swept back crossguard, so it was produced in late 1944 - 1945. It features original leather washer grip, which is in great shape with no cracks or splitting. It has some wear, but still has a lot of the original factory buffed polish.

The blade does show quite a bit of use, and has been sharpened multiple times, which has reduced the blade length by about 1/8". However it still has the correct shape, and probably about 75% of the original blacked finish. It does have the usual runner wear, but no major edge nicks, chips or damage.

The scabbard is the Navy Mk2 version, very similar in construction to the M8 scabbard for the M3 fighting knife, with a thermoplastic impregnated cotton fabric body, metal throat, and canvas frog and securing strap. The front of the throat is marked U.S.N. / MK 2, and the rear is marked NORD - 4723 / B.M. Co. with a stylized V P logoThe NORD number is for the US Navy contract it was produced under, which was delivered between November 1943 and July 1944. It was manufactured by Beckwith Mfg Co. a division of Victory Plastics. Scabbard is in very good condition, with just a bit of staining on the canvas from corrosion to the brass and steel rivets.

The rear of the scabbard is personalized, with the name TONY EUCALANO marked at the top over the U.S. Navy Anchor. It also lists the locations where we presume he visited during his service: HAWAII, PEARL HARB, MARSHALL IS., CAROLINA IS. (hard to read), and OKINAWA JAPAN.  A really nice piece of history, worthy of further research!

An exceptional example of the hard to find USN-marked "KA-BAR" knife, with a great personalized scabbard. No knife collection is complete without an example of a "Ka-bar".

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