Help with Camillus
-
CarMan
- Posts: 944
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:41 pm
Help with Camillus
I need someone else’s opinion on this. Does the badge that says U.S.A. on this knife look like it’s been added or does it look original? For some reason it looks off to me. Thanks for any & all help.
CHRISTian, husband, father & grandfather. Lover of my Heavenly Father and family.
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
- QGofLake
- Posts: 195
- Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2023 11:32 pm
Re: Help with Camillus
The shield itself looks ok to me. Hard to say from the picture but to my eye, it looks like it might be sitting a little high. Hard to say though.
-
eveled
- Posts: 2582
- Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:37 pm
Re: Help with Camillus
I hesitate to post this, because its just a feeling. It looks to me like the scale had been replaced. Maybe it’s just a lack of wear on a nice old knife? IDK?
On the right side of the picture the bark is lower than the bolster, but the bolster has a crisp edge. I would expect it to have been worn down during the final polish or over the last 80 years. Also the hole for the can opener tab is perfectly squared off.
On the right side of the picture the bark is lower than the bolster, but the bolster has a crisp edge. I would expect it to have been worn down during the final polish or over the last 80 years. Also the hole for the can opener tab is perfectly squared off.
-
Reverand
- Gold Tier

- Posts: 4472
- Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2018 6:45 pm
- Location: Pisgah, AL
- Contact:
Re: Help with Camillus
Is the shield inlayed into the bone at all?
From this picture it does appear to just be sitting on top of the bone, or at the least sitting very proud.
I have a handful of similar Camillus knives, but I don't have access to them in order to compare them.
From this picture it does appear to just be sitting on top of the bone, or at the least sitting very proud.
I have a handful of similar Camillus knives, but I don't have access to them in order to compare them.
Jesus is life.
Everything else is just a hobby.
~Reverand
Everything else is just a hobby.
~Reverand
- herbva
- Gold Tier

- Posts: 2074
- Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:18 pm
- Location: The Old Dominion
Re: Help with Camillus
I think that the knife CarMan posted above is just fine. It looks identical to the Camillus WW2 era "U.S.A." shield knife pictured on page of 42 of Silvey's book. I just looked at several dozen of my bone handled knives of the same era and all of the shields look to be sitting a bit "proud" by today's standards. I'm guessing it's just a combination of the shields typically not being inlayed as deep as they are today, and/or the jigged bone scales getting worn down faster than the shields. Just my little theory. 
"Better to do something imperfectly, than to do nothing flawlessly." ~ Robert H. Schuller
Herb
Herb
-
doglegg
- Gold Tier

- Posts: 23955
- Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2017 2:35 am
- Location: Grand Prairie, Texas
Re: Help with Camillus
I also think it looks fine.
- Ripster
- Silver Tier

- Posts: 5046
- Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 6:37 pm
- Location: Wi.USA
Re: Help with Camillus
They made millions of these for the war effort. Have several that look very similar . Would bet the knife is just as it was from the factory.
JP
- peanut740
- Gold Tier

- Posts: 8124
- Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:32 pm
- Location: Ohio, along the river
- Contact:
-
CarMan
- Posts: 944
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:41 pm
Re: Help with Camillus
CHRISTian, husband, father & grandfather. Lover of my Heavenly Father and family.
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
- toomanyknives
- Gold Tier

- Posts: 6927
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 4:47 am
- Location: Georgia
Re: Help with Camillus
Just saw this post, CarMan. Here is mine. It looks just like yours. Mine was missing the bail, so I made one, your knife looks original to me.
-
CarMan
- Posts: 944
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:41 pm
Re: Help with Camillus
I didn’t even notice that, good eye. I passed on this one for a couple reasons.eveled wrote: ↑Sun Jan 07, 2024 9:19 am I hesitate to post this, because its just a feeling. It looks to me like the scale had been replaced. Maybe it’s just a lack of wear on a nice old knife? IDK?
On the right side of the picture the bark is lower than the bolster, but the bolster has a crisp edge. I would expect it to have been worn down during the final polish or over the last 80 years. Also the hole for the can opener tab is perfectly squared off.
CHRISTian, husband, father & grandfather. Lover of my Heavenly Father and family.
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
-
CarMan
- Posts: 944
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:41 pm
Re: Help with Camillus
I did not have this in hand, but the shield didn’t look inlaid to me. I passed on it.
CHRISTian, husband, father & grandfather. Lover of my Heavenly Father and family.
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
-
CarMan
- Posts: 944
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:41 pm
Re: Help with Camillus
Thank you. I appreciate you looking. I passed on this one, but at least I know for the future. This one went well out of my price range anyway.herbva wrote: ↑Sun Jan 07, 2024 11:28 am I think that the knife CarMan posted above is just fine. It looks identical to the Camillus WW2 era "U.S.A." shield knife pictured on page of 42 of Silvey's book. I just looked at several dozen of my bone handled knives of the same era and all of the shields look to be sitting a bit "proud" by today's standards. I'm guessing it's just a combination of the shields typically not being inlayed as deep as they are today, and/or the jigged bone scales getting worn down faster than the shields. Just my little theory.![]()
CHRISTian, husband, father & grandfather. Lover of my Heavenly Father and family.
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
-
CarMan
- Posts: 944
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:41 pm
Re: Help with Camillus
Thank you. I have a few missing the bails as well. I would love to know how you added it.toomanyknives wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 3:07 amJust saw this post, CarMan. Here is mine. It looks just like yours. Mine was missing the bail, so I made one, your knife looks original to me.IMG_0002 (2).JPG
CHRISTian, husband, father & grandfather. Lover of my Heavenly Father and family.
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
-
CarMan
- Posts: 944
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:41 pm
Re: Help with Camillus
Thank you all for the help. I let this one pass, but sure learned a lot from you all for the next go around.
CHRISTian, husband, father & grandfather. Lover of my Heavenly Father and family.
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
- toomanyknives
- Gold Tier

- Posts: 6927
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 4:47 am
- Location: Georgia
Re: Help with Camillus
You're going to laugh, but the bail was made from a steel coat hanger that I rolled over a pipe, hammered flat on each end, and ran a pin through. Pretty simple actually. Not perfect, but very functional!CarMan wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 8:14 pmThank you. I have a few missing the bails as well. I would love to know how you added it.toomanyknives wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 3:07 amJust saw this post, CarMan. Here is mine. It looks just like yours. Mine was missing the bail, so I made one, your knife looks original to me.IMG_0002 (2).JPG
-
CarMan
- Posts: 944
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:41 pm
Re: Help with Camillus
As they use to tell me at work, “it’s only stupid if it doesn’t work.” That actually sounds ingenious. Thank you for the idea.toomanyknives wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 9:09 pmYou're going to laugh, but the bail was made from a steel coat hanger that I rolled over a pipe, hammered flat on each end, and ran a pin through. Pretty simple actually. Not perfect, but very functional!CarMan wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 8:14 pmThank you. I have a few missing the bails as well. I would love to know how you added it.toomanyknives wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 3:07 am
Just saw this post, CarMan. Here is mine. It looks just like yours. Mine was missing the bail, so I made one, your knife looks original to me.IMG_0002 (2).JPG
CHRISTian, husband, father & grandfather. Lover of my Heavenly Father and family.
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
If you chase JESUS as hard as you do the things you think you want, you’ll wind up with more than you’ll ever need
- toomanyknives
- Gold Tier

- Posts: 6927
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 4:47 am
- Location: Georgia
Re: Help with Camillus
CarMan wrote: ↑Sat Jan 20, 2024 1:51 amAs they use to tell me at work, “it’s only stupid if it doesn’t work.” That actually sounds ingenious. Thank you for the idea.toomanyknives wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 9:09 pmYou're going to laugh, but the bail was made from a steel coat hanger that I rolled over a pipe, hammered flat on each end, and ran a pin through. Pretty simple actually. Not perfect, but very functional!