KA - BAR POCKET KNIVES

KA-BAR Knives makes military knives, hunting, sporting and all-purpose utility knives, all of them with a high quality.

KA-BAR manufactures more than 100 products and accessories of cutlery. Knives KA-BAR are sold through independent retailers, representatives of the manufacture, distributors and catalogues requested by mail.

History

The cutlery industry in United States began in New England before 1800 when a group of cutlers from England’s famous Sheffield Cutlery Industry banned together in small factories.

Late 1800’s a group of cutlers settled in the Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania area.

On April 29^th 1897, a group of 38 men as an association adressed to the Secretary of the Commonwealth applied to form a Limited Partnership dedicated to manufacture and sell knives and pocket knives. This formation, know as Tidioute Cutlery Company, is considered to be the beginnings of KA-BAR’s history.

The beginning of KA-BAR knives was on April 29^th  1897 when the Tidioute Cutlery Company was founded.

A year later the weapons production and sale of this company started.

About 1900 the Tidioute Cutlery Company experienced financial difficulties and it was dissolved.

On April 1902 Wallace R. Brown bought the assets of the Tidioute Cutlery Company. Two months later, a new association headed by Mr Brow applied to the Governor of Pennsylvania to form a corporation called Union Razor Company Union Razor Company to the purpose of manufacturing and selling cutlery

The next April the new Company was absolutely working with Brown as Chairman and CEO.

The 25^th of January of 1909 the Company’s name (Union Razor Company) changed to Union Cutlery Company to reflect more exactly the products manufactured by it.

In 1910, the City of Olean (New York), approached Wallace Brown and the company’s Directors and proposed the relocation of the company to their city.

On December of following year, in the State of New York, a new corporation was registered as Union Cutlery Company creating two incorporations to this company: the original in Tidioute (Pennsylvania) and the one set up by Wallace Brown in Olean (New York). With the Olean facility operating successfully, the Tidioute, Pennsylvania plant is closed down.

In 1912 operations were in full move to Union Cutlery Company’s new location at 434 North Ninth Street, Olean.

The 1920’s were a transition period during the signs embellished the blades and the handles of the older Union Razor knives and newer model Union Cutlery knives and pocket knives. During this period trademarks like OLCUT, KEENWEEL and KA-BAR, were adopted.

In 1924, Wallace Brown, since an illness, died. His brother Emerson Brown, assumed quickly the role of Company President.

Since 1931, Emerson Brown, who was president until his death, was superseded by his nephew Danforth Wallace, the older Company President’s son.

Soon after, during World War II, the Union Cutlery Company started to manufacture Ka-Bar branded knife to the US Marine Corps for issue to fighting personnel.

In spite of the original design was not up to par, the Marine Corps accepted the design of the knife and began to produce it as their fighting knife.

KA-BAR knives were the sharp weapons by American soldiers during World Ward II.

Due to its role in the War, the KA-BAR name had achieved such a high level of fame that Danforth and the directors of the company decided to change the corporate name to KA-BAR Cutlery, Inc. dropping the Union Cutlery name entirely.

On March 1960 Danforth Brown died and since then the company changed of hands several times

In 1961 Brown family sold KA-BAR sold KA-BAR to two Olean businessmen who in turn sold it to a group of business entrepreneurs. After some attempts to reorganize the company was forced into liquidation. With the intention of re-establishing the business, Robinson Knife Company purchased the assets of the company.

Five years later, Robinson Knife Company sold the KA-BAR operations to Cole National Corporation in Cleveland (Ohio). 

In 1975, as a part of its efforts to revive the company, KA-BAR establishes a special Collectors’ Division. Its intention was to produce significant and commemorative knives to recreate famous antique KA-BAR knives and actively support the enjoyment of knife collecting in gener

A year later this new department produced its first knife: a full dress version of the USMC fighting and utility knife, produced in limited number.

The USMC commemorative was so enthusiastically received that the company returned the knife, in its standard issue form, to regular production.

In 1982 the Cole National Corporation felt in a difficulty period in his business in the sales of knives and penknives. During liquidation the KA-BAR production line was purchased by American Consumer Products and moved to Solon (Ohio).

In 1996 the production line and assets were sold to Alcas Corporation Of Olean.

At the end of the following year, the cutlery KA-BAR Knives Inc. enhanced its national product distribution with the addition of five manufacturing representative firms whose territory spanned the entire Unites States.

In 1998 KA-BAR celebrated its 100^th years of business.

In 2003 KA-BAR moved to its current location in Olean (New York) in 200 Homer Street New York.

¿How KA-BAR got its name?

Soon after its introduction in the mid-1920’s, the KA-BAR trademark became widely know and respected.  There are a lot of versions about how the KA-BAR name came to be, but all indicate to a letter received from a fur trapper. The fur trapper recommendation was the most significant ever received by the company.

This fur trapper wrote, in very rough English, that his gun had jammed and that he had relied in his knife to kill a wounded bear that was attacking him. In thanking the company for its quality product the fur trapper described how using his knife had killed the bear. All that was legible of his scrawled writing was k a bar. The company was so honoured by this testimonial that they adopted this phrase and used it as their trademark, KA-BAR.

The most famous KA-BAR knife: the American legend, the USMC

On December 9^th 1942, after the start of World War II, the United States Marine Corps adopted this knife as his fighting knife in hopes that it would become general issue to that branch of the military. Working together with the Marine Quartermaster Department a design was devised and soon production was under way on a new and improved fighting and utility knife for the Marines.

When the war front grew, the demand for these knives was so great that the KA-BAR factor alone could not keep up. The government assigned several knife companies to create similar knives as supplemental pieces for those serving the War.

Thanks to War, KA-BAR production grew more than a million of knives. Soon, the KA-BAR knives became so well recognized for their quality and due to abundant in number that KA-BAR became the name by which the great majority of the population name this pattern of knife without concerning the weapon had been manufactured by KA-BAR.

These knives were used to carry out daily tasks as pounding tent stakes, opening ration cans and digging foxholes, driving nails, not to mention defending lives.

Growing so in popularity and earning only the greatest respect, the KA-BAR was adopted by not only the Marines, but also the Army, the Navy, COSAT Guards and Underwater Demolition Teams.

Some years after World War II, many KA-BAR were unofficially used by Korea, Vietnam, and in the Desert Storm and in the Iraqi Freedom conflicts.

The dependability and the consistent quality of wartime KA-BARs was the result of constant strict quality control procedures by KA-BAR workers and supervisors as well the US Marine Corps and Navy Supply inspectors who were assigned to the KA-BAR cutlery to work along with company personnel to accomplish this goal.

The USMC KA-BAR knife is the most famous of all those of company and one of the most coveted by collectors.

These high levels of quality were kept in 1976 when the production was reintroduced to commemorate the Marine Corps 200th Anniversary of service to the United States.

Then, the factory in Olean, together with some of its original craftsmen, undertook the job of creating a full dress model, a Limited Edition Commemorative that would prove to be most meaningful to the Marines.

Using the original blue prints that had been stored in the company archive files. The recreated knife was a true work of art that retained the look, feel and performance of the original battle ready to the battle three decades before. The first one of its kind, serialized with the number 1, was presented to the Commandant of the Corps and was later put on display at the USMC Museum ad Quantico.

The USMC commemorative was received so enthusiastically that it became obvious that the original KA-BAR fighting and utility knife had retained its popularity through the years. The limited production Commemorative was so quickly taken up by the Marines, knife enthusiast and collectors that KA.BAR decided to return it to regular production in its standard form. With only a few changes made possible by modern technology, the KA-BAR fighting and utility knife was reintroduced.

Today, the original USMC fighting and utility knife remains the fists choice for many Marines who choose to carry it as their personal knife in their missions. This knife also is a favourite of adventurers, survivalist, outdoor sportsmen and, of course, collectors who know that this knife, this American Legend, deserves a place in their collection.

¿How KA-BAR knives are made?

Making a quality KA-BAR product requires the talent of experienced craftspeople performing dozens of processes with precision and skill. Each knife undergoes specific manufacturing processes to ensure corrosion resistance, strength, edge holding ability, and an out-of-the-box razor sharp cutting edge. Some of these manufacturing processes are the following:

Blanking: Using a 100 ton blanking press KA-BAR can blank out nearly 9,000 blades in one full day of operation.

Tang Stamping: Tang Stamping is often used to identify a product’s manufacturer, the country in which the product was made, and an item number.

The process of stainless steel blades elaboration of KA-BAR knives needs three steps:

In the first, blades run trough a 70 foot (about 21 meters) conveyor that takes approximately an hour to cycle.

In the second step the KA-BAR stainless steel blade is cryogenically froze to      -120º F (-152º C) to optimise blade performance.

The third action consists in tempering stainless steel blades for approximately 7 hours in a walk-in oven enhances steel toughness.

Grinding: KA-BAR knives have flat or hollow ground blades. Flat grinds are best for jobs with which there will be great lateral stress. Hollow grinds provide a fine, extremely sharp edge perfect for more delicate tasks.

Leather Handle Compression: compressing leather washers on to the tang, shaping and colouring them, and then fastening them on with a pinned-on butt cap accomplish KA-BAR’s famous oval-shaped leather handle construction.

Cap/Pin Assembly: The butt cap or pommel is attached to the handle of a knife with a steel pin. The pin is inserted into the butt cap, driven part way though the tang, then ground off and painted.

Inspection: Each KA-BAR knife is subject to a multiple step inspection process before being released for shipping.

SOME KA-BAR KNIVES

TDI LDK (LAST DITCH KNIFE):

One of newer KA-BAR knives. It has a similar size of a credit card. It sharp weapon KA-BAR can be concealed just about anywhere: pin it under a tactical vest strap, hang it around the neck, or carry it in the wallet. This backup knife is intended to be readily available as the Last Ditch attempt at defence when all other weapons have been removed. Este cuchillo de reserva se ha pensado para estar fácilmente disponible en ocasiones desesperadas cuando el resto de armas han sido quitadas. It is sold with a hard plastic friction sheath and black cord

The KA-BAR TDI LDK knife is appointed as defending weapon in last ditch situations.

US ARMY VE-VJ Day Commemorative:

This KA-BAR knife is appointed to military use.

The end of World War Second was celebrated with lighting of beacons, ringing of church bells, street parties and bonfires. Newspapers of all the war captured those celebrations declaring the peace. This knife was decorated, with those moments in mind, to commemorate the end of WWII. Tag stamped US ARMY. It includes a sheath and the handle is made with leather.

With the aim of commemorate the end of WWII, was made the US ARMY VE-VJ Day Commemorative.

Precision Hunter Large Game Hook:

This compact hunting knife with gut hook besides of comfortable way in the hand allowing for complete control over every cut.

Prepared for hunting, the Precision Hunter Large Game Hook of KA-BAR adapts perfectly to the hand thanks to its ergonomic form.

Full-size Black KA-BAR, Straight Edge:

A KA-BAR knife very practice to any use in general that has a very ergonomic and resistant handle designed to avoid it slipped. IT is black and has a straight blade made with carbon. 

Full-size Black KA-BAR, Straight Edge serve to any use and its blade is made with carbon.

USMC Vietnam Commemorative:

This knife has been decorated with carefully design blade art meant to honour the Veterans of the Vietnam War. The blade, made with carbon, has printed US NAVY and it includes a leather sheath.

The USMC Vietnam Commemorative KA-BAR knife has stamped in its blade a dedicatory to American Soldiers who fight in the Vietnam War.

100th Anniversary KA-BAR:

This KA-BAR knife was produced in 1998 to commemorate KA-BAR’s 100th year of business and still remains a popular collectors’ item today. The blade is elaborated with carbon and has an edge angle of 20 degrees. It also incorporates a leather sheath.

This well-known KA-BAR knife that commemorates 100th years since KA-BAR’s beginning is very attractive for collectors.

KA-BAR ACCESORIES

KA-BAR/Eagle Sheath with Hawk Insert:

In this sheath can be kept all the KA-BAR knifes whose blades measure 17,78 centimetres (7”).

All the knives with blades which are 7”  (17.78 centimetres) hold in the  KA-BAR/Eagle Sheath with Hawk Insert.

Black Nylon/Cordura Sheath for Folders:

This KA-BAR nylon sheath KA-BAR can be mounted vertically or horizontally on a belt or tactical vest. It is characterized by its Velcro and snap closure. It can keep closed knives that measure until 12.7 centimetres.

Black Nylon/Cordura Sheath for Folders KA-BAR is ready to hold it on a belt or tactical vest.

Replacement Sheath:

Brown Leather, KA-BAR US NAVY: Brown leather sheath to blades which are 17,5 centimetres approximately with double protector.

The Replacement Sheath KA-BAR is made with leather.

Large Black Belt Sheath with Belt Loop:

This sheath for KA-BAR knives are made absolutely in leather and are ready to hold it on a belt. Also exists the version for smaller knives.

Large Black Belt Sheath with Belt Loop can be hold on the belt and also can be acquired the version for smaller knives.

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