This forum is dedicated to the discussion and display of old knives. The rich history of all the many companies that made them through the early years will be found here as well as many fine examples of the cutlers art. Share pictures of your old knives and your knowledge here!
Tom sent me some copies of somethings that I find fascinating. Hope you guys do as well. I'll post them here and then step aside and let's have CAMCO go over these for us. But I'll start of with a comment.... Gee, I never knew that my KaBar fishing knife was in fact a Camillus.
Shortly before Camillus closed I sent Phil some information on his favorite knife-the toothpick pattern. I told Phil that we called this pattern a fish knife and I did not hear this pattern called a toothpick until the 1990's with the introduction of this model for Remington or the Camillus Classic Cartridge knife.
Camillus created an S-Card for each knife produced whether it was a sample or production model. Each card listed the pattern number (these cards are for the #5369 pattern) and indicated the number of blades (#5369/2 is for a 2 blade model). The card detailed the dies used, materials, finishing, sharpening, quality level, etching, handle stamping and tang stamp. The back of the cards recorded production runs. These cards were used from the early 1900's through 1988. After this date manufacturing records were computerized and the informatin is deleted when it was no longer needed. The later cards have more detailed information than the early cards.
The S-Cards were kept in a large safe at the Camillus factory. Each card was recorded in a log book by date and by pattern number.
