During the War, the military asked for knives with less breakable handles. Both bone and plastics were not up to the riggers of combat. In 1944, a new knife was introduces. It would be come the classic Mil-K 818 D. The first models were classified as Mil-J, however, Mil-J stood for Military Jack knife. Later the Jack was dropped and the knives became classified as Mil-K (Military knife.) In the picture a Kingston 1944 issue Mil-J and my 1975 Camillus Mk2 Fighting knife.

While everyone calls the Mk2 a kabar, Camillus actually designed the knife, was awarded the first contract, and produced the first Mk2 for the Marines. In fact the first ones to hit the front lines were Camillus made. Ka-Bar, however, more prominently stamped their knives.

Camillus produced more Mk2 than any of the other 6 known providers during WWII. There over all production for all years (1942-2007) still exceeds any other knife makers production, despite Camillus closing in 2007.