WORLD WAR II US NAVY MARK 2 KNIFE (USMC "KABAR")
RENABORNEY
By Rob Knott
Camillus made the first USN fighting knife. The knife had a heavy, threaded
butt and because of minor design flaws was promptly returned to the factory.
Camillus redesigned the knife, replacing the threaded nut with a steel pin. The
new design was deemed acceptable, hence the designation "USN Fighting Knife,
Mark 2." PAL, made these knives under contract during WWII. The USMC version
made by KA-BAR of Olean, N.Y., became so well known that this style of knife is
still called a "Kabar" byArmy and Marine Corps ground troops, even if it's a
cheap "Made in Taiwan" copy.
After the war, the Mark 2 was made by Utica, Camillus, and Connetta. All told,
at least 20 different types, (denoted by slight design differences and makers
markings on the blade) of this design were manufactured under a Department of
the Navy contract.
The USMC fighting utility knife (aka "Kabar") is the same as the USN Mark 2.
KA-BAR (Union Cutlery Company of Olean, N.Y.) made around a million of the
robust and versatile knives. Camillus Cutlery Company of Camillus, N.Y., is the
other well-known manufacturer of the USMC fighting utility knife and continues
to make this blade to its original specifications.
The Remington Cutlery Company was bought by the PAL Blade and Tool Company
(Plattsburg, N.Y.) shortly before WWII. PAL continued with the Remington line,
including marking the blade with the old Remington numbering identification -
"RH" for Remington Hunting-followed by a model number. The RH-36 had a six-inch
blade and the RH-37 had a seven-inch blade.
During WWII, PAL's entire production was military knives. Their USN Mark 1 was
marked RH-35 and their USN Mark 2 was marked RH-37. The RH-36 is an interim
type design with a 6-1/2 inch blade with a parkerized finish and a pinned
aluminum butt cap. The handle is of the very common leather washer type and the
knife's overall length is 11-1/24 inches. PAL also made their RH-37/USN Mark 2
with a USMC stamp as a fighting utility knife as well as producing the M-4
bayonet knife, the M-3 Trench knife, and M1 Garand rifle bayonets.
KA-BAR, besides making the famed fighting utility knife for the USMC (all
blades of this type were called "Kabars" by the soldiers and marines who
carried them and, as mentioned previously, the practice continues today) also
made USN Mark 2s. One variation which was supposedly issued to the Navy's
Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) has a seven inch unmarked bright finished
blade without "blood groove" or blade handles rather than the normal segmented
leather washer handles. The guard is marked "KA-BAR; USN/MK 2." This knife and
another similar Mark 2 meant for underwater work were issued with the USN/MK2
scabbard with a gray molded plastic body and a gray webbing hanger.
http://arms2armor.com/Knives/usmk2.htm
Beckwith USN Mark 1 and USN Mark 2 Scabbards
By Gary Cunningham
These scabbards are similar in general design to the Army M8 knife scabbard.
The metal throat is not as high, and both the plastic body and suspension
webbing is Navy gray. The bodies are also wider than the M8. They differ from
each other mainly in the length of the body, and the fact that the flanges on
the throat of the Mark 1 are not as wide as those on the Mark 2. As they are
clearly marked on the throat, there should be no problem in identifying them.
The Mark 1 scabbards are not really all that common, and most of the ones that
I have seen come with the later Parkerized Pal Blade Company knives. They
certainly could have and were used as replacements for earlier procurement
knives, but most of the other Mark 1 knives are found in one or the other
styles of the leather scabbard.
The Mark 2 scabbards are commonly found, and are normally associated with the
guard marked versions of the Mark 2 knife. The Marines did not use this
scabbard officially and if you find a USMC knife in one, it was likely done
either by an individual marine or post war by someone else.
USN Mark 1 and Mark 2 Knife Scabbards
Below is a list of contracts for these scabbards. Strangely enough, both Mark 1
and Mark 2 scabbards appear to have been included in the same contract in at
least two cases. Note in the photo above that both of the scabbards have the
NORD 4723 contract number with different die batch numbers. The designation in
italics to the right indicate the type of scabbards that I have seen with that
contract number. I have yet to see a scabbard with the 8676 contract number.
The estimated quantities are based on an assumed price that would be similar to
that paid by the Army for the M8 or M8A1 scabbard, and it is just an estimate.
Contract Number Contract Dollars Estimated Quantity Dates of Delivery
NORD 4723 $521,000 600,000 11/43 7/44 Mark 1 / Mark 2
NORD 6581 $240,000 275,000 7/44 2/45 Mark 2
NORD 6804 $79,000 95,000 6/44 4/45 Mark 1
NORD 8114 $592,000 675,000 3/45 8/45 Mark 1 / Mark 2
NORD 8676 $125,000 150,000 3/45 12/45
