Camillus Military Knives

Mossdancer · Post by **Mossdancer** » Sat May 26, 2007 5:06 pm

What a day for garage saling. This one has hollow ground blade. Tom if you see this I showed the stamp along with profile what year would you suspect. The blade or spike have never seen a rope. A locking marlinspike. It came from a coastie.
wb

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sat May 26, 2007 6:09 pm

Nice one WB.
I love those things, have a couple.

Relating to boating...........................I thought I would check the forum one more time before I head back out to go fishing. I caught my first 10 lb bass yesterday!

(Catch & Release) When you live & fish in Oregon a 10 # bass can be a once in a life time experience!
Will post a pic when I figure how to get the pick off my cell phone!

I think I better take my mariners knife in case I get a knot in my line.

Dale

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Sat May 26, 2007 6:11 pm

Nice snag (

) there WB. That is a good one for sure.

Nice catch ( and release ) Dale...

Bill

CAMCO · Post by **CAMCO** » Tue May 29, 2007 6:01 pm

The Marlin Spike knife (model #697) was made in 1989 or later. The stamp "CamilluS" was used through the last days of production.

As far as I know Camillus only made the Mark 2 knife, beginning in 1943, with the Camillus marking. At one time Camillus did make some blades for KABAR.

I have copies of the WWII records for the Mark 1 and Mark 2 knives that show the sheaths. I will send copies to Phil to post here.

The Pilot Survival knife (Model #5733) came with either the all leather or metal tipped sheath.

Tom Williams

Gr8Scout · Post by **Gr8Scout** » Wed May 30, 2007 8:59 pm

I am tardy in posting these pics for Tom, please forgive me, I was looking for another parachute knife to show with these photos.

If you read the knife magazines, you have noted the sudden popularity of what are now called 'Chute knives', most takeoffs on the Loveless design., As usual, everything old is new again.

Here are the pics, Tom will fill us in.

Thanks Tom, thanks all for your interest

Phil

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:06 pm

Very interesting thread guys thanks

Here are my 2 additions to the great collections shown so far. In particular, I'd like to know more about the sailor knife. It looks like the 'sailor knife for life rafts' in the post office display (see Gr8scout post pg 2) but it is hard to tell. Thanks in advance

s-k

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:10 pm

S-K,
I like your rope knife.
Very nice & a four line tang stamp to boot!

Phil & Tom:
Thanks for the pics.

Dale

upnorth · Post by **upnorth** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 3:12 am

How old does a 4-line stamp make the Camillus rope knife Dale? Or anyone??

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 3:41 am

IIRC, the 4 line stamp was used between the end of WWl and the end of WWll.

Maybe Tom or Phil will add some more for us Charlie.

Bill

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:04 pm

S-K,

Bill is right, 1919-1946.

According to Goins' that particular stamping was used from 1919-1941, with all blades stamped. It was often accompanied with a "Sword Brand" blade etch.

The 4 line was also used from 1941-1946. Sometimes "Sword Brand" was stamped on the front tang & the four line Camillus stamp on the rear tang.

Since this is a single blade knife, it could fall into either category, unless there is a blade etch that doesn't show up in the picture, but given the high quality of your picture, I don't see any blade etch.

Dale

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:11 pm

Thanks for the information El Lobo & Orvet. There is no blade etch or stamp on the reverse of the tang. I think I mentioned in the original post that the scales are wood jigged like bone and the bail is steel. I don't know if that helps with the dating?

s-k

Gr8Scout · Post by **Gr8Scout** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 1:48 am

Tom sent me this recently. It's a pamplet Camillus apparently sent to places like the defense department, explaining what they had to offer. Not the 'E' pennant on the cover that Camillus was proud of, awarded to various industries for doing their part, well, for the war (WW2) effort. I cannot find a date on this, but it seems to be something issued after the war.

Timstools · Post by **Timstools** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:56 am

Here is mine, Its a WW2 mark 1. Im thinking of passing it on, it is a nice one.

upnorth · Post by **upnorth** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:15 am

Here's my 4-line Camillus rope knife. I don't think it's ever been used or carried; just rusted lightly.

Mossdancer · Post by **Mossdancer** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 12:52 am

Found this old topic and it's just too good to let go. If Tom Williams or Phil sees this I believe it is the shroud cutter mentioned on page two of this thread.
moss

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:28 am

Moss, glad you dusted off this old thread.

OK guys, lets see the Camillus military knives you have picked up in the last year & a half since this thread was last open!

Dale

Mossdancer · Post by **Mossdancer** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:55 am

Hi Dale:
A Jet Pilots Knife from 1967. Both the knife and sheath are marked with 1967. This has to be pretty near the first year the JPK was stamped on the hex pommel.
moss

Edit: Removed a mistake made in original post. This is not the sew in sheath.

Mossdancer · Post by **Mossdancer** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:18 am

Here is one that is begging to be discussed, when was this Camilluy over NY stamp used on the survival knife. I am reasonably sure this knife is authentic.
moss

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 10:10 am

I think we need Tom or Phil!

brady806 · Post by **brady806** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:11 pm

heres my pilots knife---my granddad had this in the early 70's. i can remember it because of how sharp it was and is!! i can't see any date stamp. but it has some sort of pale greenish paint on the end of the butt. the blade is black except where is has been sharpened. its a chunk of knife!!---------------brady

Mossdancer · Post by **Mossdancer** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:57 pm

brady806:
Thank You for posting your photo. I did some reading this morning and am posting a page pertinent to our knives. On the bottom left of page it mentions the pommel stamping started in early 1967. One would have to conclude that our knives were manuf. between 1962 when they changed from the 6" blade to the 5" and 1967 when they went to the pommel stamp. That would be 5 years and when you can get within 2 1/2 years on a non marked blade I think you have success. I also am showing a photo of the three survival knives with the top one marked as ours is. By the way if you run across that bottom milpar aluminum if you don't want it please let me know as I do not have one.
moss

WelderBob · Post by **WelderBob** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:01 pm

Here's a Mark 2 fighting utility knife marked USMC on the guard.

acourvil · Post by **acourvil** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 8:04 pm

Here's a picture of a display that I set up based on the "Camillus Knives That Went to War" layout in the 1946 catalog along with images of that layout.

Mossdancer · Post by **Mossdancer** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:51 am

Hey Welder Bob:
This may be the same Mk 2 made for the Navy. The bent guard really does some funny thing to the perspective in the third pic. The Camillus stamp was bent with the guard.

Dale: Were you to contact Gr8Scout I would bet he would okay moving this(his) post to military knives. It just might get a little more play.
moss