What is Your Latest Old Camillus? (pre-1960)

[Ripster]

Thanks Ike and David .
There’s something about old bone that gets me . Maybe like a old dog with a steak bone !

[Tanuki]

Camillus rope knives. I seem to have developed an affinity for old specialized working knives.

OK, true story. I spotted the top knife in a vintage store, made an offer. It took a couple days, but the offer was accepted. On the way over to pick it up I stopped in another favorite store that had been burned out of their old location. And there was the second rope knife I have held in my hand. A little rougher, a lot less expensive. So now I have two.

I am not expert enough to date these. The lower was a knife that saw some real work. Not much of the tang stamp left.

[Tanuki]

So, how do I tell pre-1960? This Sword Brand stockman has an older style tang stamp on the pile side of the clip. That crack in the stag is the only real issue with these well-worn stag covers.

All my Camillus knives are recent acquisitions. My Camillus straight razor needed some company, so I have started to look at knives as I prowl vintage stores for old razors to restore and hone.

[Ripster]

So, how do I tell pre-1960? This Sword Brand stockman has an older style tang stamp on the pile side of the clip. That crack in the stag is the only real issue with these well-worn stag covers.
91E9CD2F-62B1-4EA9-998F-C54EAFEB9991.jpeg
All my Camillus knives are recent acquisitions. My Camillus straight razor needed some company, so I have started to look at knives as I prowl vintage stores for old razors to restore and hone.

T. If your knife is stamped only on the clip,it’s more than likely 1941 to 1946 ish . If all blades stamped it’s 1920 s to 1941 . These are approximate dates with Camillus . The covers are a plastic stag looking material . Some of us Put Zap a crack on the crack to stabilize the covers that crack . That old material is known to crack and crumble. Nice old Camillus.

[Vit_213]

Sword Brand Premium Stock knife

[Ripster]

Sword Brand Premium Stock knife

Vit ,good to see you here today .
Nice old Premium Stock knife .
Where did you get that one ? Those old covers sure held up nice . Like the colors and patterns .

[doglegg]

Sweet.

[Tanuki]

T. If your knife is stamped only on the clip,it’s more than likely 1941 to 1946 ish . If all blades stamped it’s 1920 s to 1941 . These are approximate dates with Camillus . The covers are a plastic stag looking material . Some of us Put Zap a crack on the crack to stabilize the covers that crack . That old material is known to crack and crumble. Nice old Camillus.

Ripster, thanks for the information! I had seen old Camillus catalogs advertising Indian stag covers, but I should have realized that crack doesn't look like what I would expect in a natural material.

And on that note, another 'old' Camillus that maybe fits in this thread:

This '1' pattern hawkbill pruner has wooden covers and a short line in the stamp. All my remaining Camillus knives after this one have the long line.

[Ripster]

The last few weeks been able to pickup some stuff for the Camillus boxes . The Electrician piece with bone came with some surface rust . The original finish is about gone but the bone is not too bad .Nice and solid,all steel liners and pins . 4 line stamp .
A couple of short lines for the shorty box. The 42 is like new and handles are crack free . The 43 ? came with it and not sure where it’ll end up .
And the long line 69 came from Steve here and it’ll join the long line bone box. Milled N/S liners and pins . Still has a light etch . Solid piece .
Take care out there

[Tanuki]

Just picked up/cleaned up this 51 clip Barlow long line. Phenolic covers. Blade edges have seen plenty of use, but everything else is still solid and snappy. I see a lot of cheap Barlows in my peregrinations. Camillus has the edge.

It's the first Barlow I've owned. I think Mark Twain introduced me to the desirability of a Barlow knife, back when I was a youngin. Now that I'm an oldster, I could afford to grab a nice Gerber LST Magnum and a pristine Victorinox Huntsman out of the same tray of knives. That was a well-mixed bargain assortment.

[Papa Bones]

The last few weeks been able to pickup some stuff for the Camillus boxes . The Electrician piece with bone came with some surface rust . The original finish is about gone but the bone is not too bad .Nice and solid,all steel liners and pins . 4 line stamp .
A couple of short lines for the shorty box. The 42 is like new and handles are crack free . The 43 ? came with it and not sure where it’ll end up .
And the long line 69 came from Steve here and it’ll join the long line bone box. Milled N/S liners and pins . Still has a light etch . Solid piece .
Take care out there

Nice looking group JP.

Just picked up/cleaned up this 51 clip Barlow long line. Phenolic covers. Blade edges have seen plenty of use, but everything else is still solid and snappy. I see a lot of cheap Barlows in my peregrinations. Camillus has the edge.

It's the first Barlow I've owned. I think Mark Twain introduced me to the desirability of a Barlow knife, back when I was a youngin. Now that I'm an oldster, I could afford to grab a nice Gerber LST Magnum and a pristine Victorinox Huntsman out of the same tray of knives. That was a well-mixed bargain assortment.

B6A9E3A6-48B9-4E83-8723-4925CEF2CD88.jpeg

Gotta love those Barlows.

[JohnR]

Added a nice pre WW2 Tip Top barlow this week, heavy substantial feeling barlow.

[doglegg]

Sweet!!!

[Ripster]

Added a nice pre WW2 Tip Top barlow this week, heavy substantial feeling barlow.

Very nice
They’re a substantial knife as you said. That Bone with the saw cut marks is just a treat on those old Barlows .

[Waukonda]

Added a nice pre WW2 Tip Top barlow this week, heavy substantial feeling barlow.

John, a beauty, another high quality addition to your collection.

[Waukonda]

The last few weeks been able to pickup some stuff for the Camillus boxes . The Electrician piece with bone came with some surface rust . The original finish is about gone but the bone is not too bad .Nice and solid,all steel liners and pins . 4 line stamp .
A couple of short lines for the shorty box. The 42 is like new and handles are crack free . The 43 ? came with it and not sure where it’ll end up .
And the long line 69 came from Steve here and it’ll join the long line bone box. Milled N/S liners and pins . Still has a light etch . Solid piece .
Take care out there

Nice assortment, JP!

[DM11]

Added a nice pre WW2 Tip Top barlow this week, heavy substantial feeling barlow.

Awsome Barlow!

[doglegg]

This one is my oldest. Found it floating in the Bay recently. A 3 line wood handled jack

[Ripster]

This one is my oldest. Found it floating in the Bay recently. A 3 line wood handled jack

20220312_114939.jpg20220312_114947.jpg20220312_115006.jpg20220312_115129.jpg

Nice old piece
Does it have steel liners ?

[doglegg]

This one is my oldest. Found it floating in the Bay recently. A 3 line wood handled jack

20220312_114939.jpg20220312_114947.jpg20220312_115006.jpg20220312_115129.jpg

Nice old piece
Does it have steel liners ?

Thanks JP and yes it does.

[New_Windsor_NY]

This.....

Another fine lking acquisition that you've made, Floyd.

[DM11]

This one is my oldest. Found it floating in the Bay recently. A 3 line wood handled jack

20220312_114939.jpg20220312_114947.jpg20220312_115006.jpg20220312_115129.jpg

Great score Floyd!

[doglegg]

Thanks Skip and David.

[Waukonda]

This one is my oldest. Found it floating in the Bay recently. A 3 line wood handled jack

20220312_114939.jpg20220312_114947.jpg20220312_115006.jpg20220312_115129.jpg

Nice pickup, Floyd!

[doglegg]

Thanks Ike