All About Pocket Knives

Barkingdog61 wrote:I have an old "kamp king" but the shield is missing and the tang is stamped "MADE IN USA".

Any ideas on identifying based on the photo?

That's a WWII era knife, likely made by Camillus. They were produced during the war and a while after using surplus materials.

Another Knife Collector wrote:

Barkingdog61 wrote:I have an old "kamp king" but the shield is missing and the tang is stamped "MADE IN USA".

Any ideas on identifying based on the photo?

That's a WWII era knife, likely made by Camillus. They were produced during the war and a while after using surplus materials.

Thanks for the info! As you can probably tell I am very new to collecting. I have carried knives as tools for many years. I inherited this one from Father's collection. Would I be wrong to try and clean this one up for some light carry duty. I love the size and blade configuration.

Thats what there made for

I need any information anyone can give on my Kamp-King knife. It has a kind of gold pearlesant scale handle, a fish scaler/leather punch, main blade with the hammer brand logo, a flathead screwdriver/bottle opener, and a can opener pat. pen. on it...

to AAPK, mausheart. It sounds like you've got one of the Imperial Kamp King shell knives from the mid-20th century, though it would be much easier to confirm if you posted some photos. The knives are constructed of a metal "shell" and the MoTS handle finish you see is actually a thin layer of material applied over top of the metal to give the handle color. The bolsters are generally hollow on these knives, too. Imperial made Kamp Kings for a long time, even before the shell knife days, so to be any more specific we would need photos so the experts here can "read the knife", as they say.

Enjoy the forum!

Posted this on another thread but figured to post it here as well. A Kamp King solid bolster knife;the only one I have ever seen.

Without the bail, the old solid-bolstered Kamp King is a mighty slim knife...

They are solid EDC knifes.

the hammer brand logo is on the cutting blade and features an arm holding a hammer. the can opener has CanOpener Pat Pen on it.

Great Knifes.

I usually carried a Kamp king as a youngster. As an adult, I discovered the Super Kamp King. Does anyone know when they were sold and maybe some history behind them? I have procured several from Ebay.

ges wrote:I usually carried a Kamp king as a youngster. As an adult, I discovered the Super Kamp King. Does anyone know when they were sold and maybe some history behind them? I have procured several from Ebay.

I too started with an Imperial Kamp King as the first "real" knife mom would let me possess. So I always wanted to customize one, which I finally did with brass bolsters and Kirinite Patriot scales.

OC another excellent job. Knice, knife.

In the process of sorting my camper and scout knife boxes the other day, I happened to notice something that I was not aware of before. I have 2 of the Imperial Hammer Brand Kamp King knives which when I first looked at them I thought "these two are the same". But upon closer examination, they are not the same. Both carry the same tangstamp, Hammer Brand USA with the arm and hammer logo which is from the period 1945-1955 according to the Price and Zalesky book. One has a very deep stamp on the master and one a faint stamp. But what is different is the layout of the can opener and that one has brass liners and one has steel. Both have the Patent number P2391732 stamped on the can opener, but the can opener is on opposite ends of the two knives and is of different sizes. If the dates 1945-1955 are correct, is it possible that the one with the steel liners is the earlier one, from 1945 when brass was still used by the military for the war effort? And then some time after WWII ended and brass was once again available to industry, the liner material was changed?

Those are ALL very nice Kamp King pocket knives. I really like OC's customized Kamp King knife that is a few posts above this one. I only have one Kamp King, an Imperial, here it is.

Olde Cutler, I believe that you are right about the liners. Most likely the steel liners were used during and shortly after the War effort, and brass a few years later as it became available.
I do not know for sure, but I expect that explains the difference in liners, and the design of the can openers.
As for as the placement of the blades...you got me there. I have no idea!

New_Windsor_NY wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2020 9:25 pm Those are ALL very nice Kamp King pocket knives. I really like OC's customized Kamp King knife that is a few posts above this one. I only have one Kamp King, an Imperial, here it is.

I have not seen one with a triangular bail as yours has. Probably a replacement?

OLDE CUTLER wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 3:58 am

New_Windsor_NY wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2020 9:25 pm Those are ALL very nice Kamp King pocket knives. I really like OC's customized Kamp King knife that is a few posts above this one. I only have one Kamp King, an Imperial, here it is.

I have not seen one with a triangular bail as yours has. Probably a replacement?

Possibly a replacement bail. I don't know for sure, that's the way I received it.

This pocket knife arrived very recently in a large group of pocket knives that I purchased. I did NOT buy the group to obtain this particular pocket knife. It's a HAMMER BRAND USA, KAMP-KING, one blade, two tools, three tang stamps, 3 3/8" closed, pocket knife. I don't know if the bail is original to this pocket knife, but it works. Overall, it is in GOOD condition. It did require a little cleaning. I took some pictures and here it is.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE.

A couple of KK's

Lots of fond memories with the Kamp King

garddogg56 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:06 am Lots of fond memories with the Kamp King

What's the story on the red one?

That was my very first I embellished her in shop clas with an Indian head,later on that one and the green one I took the plastic off and painted with nail polish.

Here is the seldom seen "Super Kamp King" with six blades.

Not sure it is a Kamp King, but it definitely falls into line with the Imperial brands that I have been seeing in this post. It is my “keychain” knife. Very handy and very sharp!