My grandfather's knife.

[David Conwill]

Recently, while scratching an itch to write an adventure story, I had occasion to research the history of the Ka-Bar name. Like virtually every time I open the encyclopedia, I immediately went down the rabbit hole and discovered the U.S. Navy Mark 1 utility knife. Upon seeing it, I was immediately reminded of a sadly neglected knife that had belonged to my grandfather and that I had stashed away among my tools after my grandmother died.

Could this possibly be a U.S. Navy Mark 1 utility knife that my grandfather purchased as surplus or something? He served in WWII, but with the USAAF in Europe, so it seems unlikely this is something acquired during the war.

I note that the original sheath is missing, it appears to have been ground down and/or polished (no stamped markings are visible, though I suppose they could be hidden under the rust), and it likely has no value to anyone but me. But I'm sure excited about it!

 

[Harp]

Doesn't look to be a Ka-bar-blade isn't as long or curved and its bolt is different.

 

[David Conwill]

Right, this is definitely not a USMC fighting/utility knife (1219C2), which was also known as the U.S. Navy Mark 2 utility knife.

 

[Musher]

Try bladeforums.com

 

[HanauMan]

Nice knife. It looks to me like an vintage Boy Scout camp knife. We had similar ones when I was a scout in the 1970s. Maybe a 1940s / 50s Western make? Should be marked on the top of the blade, just by the cross guard (try wiping the blade with oil). The sheath looks like it originally belongs to the knife as well.

 

[David Conwill]

It looks to me like an vintage Boy Scout camp knife. We had similar ones when I was a scout in the 1970s. Maybe a 1940s / 50s Western make?

That would make a lot of sense. My dad was a scout in the '50s and I still have his hatchet, which I also got from my grandfather's tools that were kept at my grandma's. I'll try the oil trick soon. Thanks!