All About Pocket Knives

I the course of collecting Camillus, I started running into a few of these crown pen knives. However when I discovered the were a contract knife, I started watching every single pocket knife on eBay and elsewhere. Knowing that searching by brand wouldn't help. Searching intensely by photo alone was the only way to discover unknown tang stamps on this frame. So - for ten years I watched every auction listing morning to night for any coffin bolster crown pen. Not knowing if I would run into other examples made by other cutlery companies. I think that except for the three knives I have separated out, I believe all of the others are Camillus manufactured?

CutleryCollector-com wrote: ↑Sun Nov 09, 2025 10:23 pm I the course of collecting Camillus, I started running into a few of these crown pen knives. However when I discovered the were a contract knife, I started watching every single pocket knife on eBay and elsewhere. Knowing that searching by brand wouldn't help. Searching intensely by photo alone was the only way to discover unknown tang stamps on this frame. So - for ten years I watched every auction listing morning to night for any coffin bolster crown pen. Not knowing if I would run into other examples made by other cutlery companies. I think that except for the three knives I have separated out, I believe all of the others are Camillus manufactured?

It’s really nice to have another Camillus collector here on the forum . And you are a serious one at that . Ten years of day and night searching,Wow !! Have been collecting Camillus for a number of years but haven’t came across near the stuff you have ! My focus is pre 1950 all the way back to the start of Camillus in 1902 ( If I remember correctly) . And anything A.KASTOR stamped .
Please share and post more if you would when time permits and you feel a desire to share. You could post a lot of your stuff on the different threads here in this section .
Thanks again for what you have shared.

Great collection of coffins Adolph Kastor and Bros bought Camillus Cutlery in 1901. Kastor had begun by importing cutlery from Sheffield and Germany.

Great information! I guess In the end - I was wondering if the German coffin pens influenced Adolf Kastor's production of the pattern Camillus made? all speculation. Perhaps these three German knives pre-date the rest of the collection, and others like it might have caused Mr Kastor to create this pattern as president and owner of Camillus? Just an idle mystery - - -

Has anyone else seen the Hibbard Spencer and Bartlett coffin pen bone handle on ebay?

CutleryCollector-com wrote: ↑Sat Mar 07, 2026 2:54 am Has anyone else seen the Hibbard Spencer and Bartlett coffin pen bone handle on ebay?

No . Why do you ask ?

I have a few well used coffin bolster crown pen knives, I didn't know if this was a decent collectable or not.

CutleryCollector-com wrote: ↑Sat Mar 07, 2026 2:22 pm I have a few well used coffin bolster crown pen knives, I didn't know if this was a decent collectable or not.

Did find it . It’s well used and some blade loss. The last one I bought was 50 bucks , this one is a bit pricey in my opinion! If you want it for your collection you can make an offer. There’s usually not many of this model for sale , in any tang stamp .

here is my 2026 updated coffin bolster crown pen display i will bring to the oregon knife show next weekend. i hope to see and talk to anyone interested in this premium camillus pattern.

I am interested to show and talk about a pattern variation and improvement i have discovered within the coffin bolster crown pen knives. i first realized this variation after finding a third pattern that was slightly different. i call these improved examples "widebody" knives.
in the first picture are four widebody knives. i have only found these different patterns on camillus contract knives. i have never seen one on a camillus marked knife, or any camillus house brand knife.
in the second picture, i have put three standard patterns in between the first four. starting with the master blade itself, it is slightly wider . it has a different nail pull location, moving down to the tang, you can see the kick corner to the left of the tang is larger. this also makes the master blade sit up higher in the blade well in the closed position. moving down to the body of the knife, the widebody knife is a millimeter larger than a standard pattern. the sides of the widebody knives are nearly perfectly straight up and down both sides, a standard pattern crown pen is slightly tapered near the ends of the knife. the coffin tip bolsters on the widebody knives are larger on both ends. moving down to the second blades at the bottom of the knife where the difference in the widebody frames are more obvious. the widebody second blades are larger and wider. tangs and kick corners are larger and wider.
this all seems to be a pattern improvement, but not implemented on all coffin pen knives, just seemingly on contract knives. if you are fortunate enough to find one of these widebody patterns, compare it closely to a standard framed model to notice the difference.

Really nice looking knives

This has been an interesting thread all the way from Dale's original post exactly ten years ago, then JP's posts, and now CCC's post today. I am not a Camillus collector at all, but I really like these threads with historical information.

CCC, it is really cool to see the updated version of your display that was the basis for this thread in 2016.

Thank Everyone for the Interest!
I want to go back in time to see if mr. kastor had one of these in his pocket -

CutleryCollector-com wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2026 1:00 am
I want to go back in time to see if mr. kastor had one of these in his pocket -

Well, ... maybe I can help you with that trip back in time ... once I get the power source worked out, ... I expect to get this contraption up and running, ... so I can keep you advised as the project progresses.

Here's a little different take on a coffin bolster, a c.1930, "High Carbon Steel", Sta-Sharp for Sears by Camillus. It's a really well made, tough knife and it's my EDC. J.O'.

Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2026 7:09 pm Here's a little different take on a coffin bolster, a c.1930, "High Carbon Steel", Sta-Sharp for Sears by Camillus. It's a really well made, tough knife and it's my EDC. J.O'.

Knice

Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2026 7:09 pm Here's a little different take on a coffin bolster, a c.1930, "High Carbon Steel", Sta-Sharp for Sears by Camillus. It's a really well made, tough knife and it's my EDC. J.O'.

Good looking knife, J.O'.

Although it's probably not a large knife it looks substantial.

Thanks Gents. 3-5/8" Barlow sized. J.O'.

Cool knife, J.O'.


I enjoyed seeing the different Pyremite variations as well as the celluloid horn. I had no idea Morleys were made by Camillus. Thanks for the OP, Dale.

1967redrider wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:03 pm I had no idea Morleys were made by Camillus. Thanks for the OP, Dale.

I saw that too looking at Dales thread.

Saw this.
W.H.Morley & Sons Austria were imported by A. Kastor & Brothers, New York City.
Sold through Hubbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Company, Chicago. Per Goin's.

Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2026 7:09 pm Here's a little different take on a coffin bolster, a c.1930, "High Carbon Steel", Sta-Sharp for Sears by Camillus. It's a really well made, tough knife and it's my EDC. J.O'.

I really like this one too!

CutleryCollector-com wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2026 1:00 am Thank Everyone for the Interest!
I want to go back in time to see if mr. kastor had one of these in his pocket -

CCC,did you get to the Oregon show with your display? Was reading on another thread about the show. Dale posted pics as well . Just picked up another Coffin Bolster pen knife . A 4 line stamp on both blades and some pretty handles on this old piece. Good snap and not much blade loss. No wide body yet though! The wide bodies, did you mention they are the older ones from Kastor and Companies? The Stainless steel, the 4 line Camillus and Sta Sharp are 1920 s to just before WW2 . So they made ( Camillus ) or ordered ( Mr Kastor and co. ) these little coffin pens on and off for maybe 50 years ? If so there sure isn’t a lot of them floating around. Take care out there

Ripster wrote: ↑Fri Apr 17, 2026 12:58 am

CutleryCollector-com wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2026 1:00 am Thank Everyone for the Interest!
I want to go back in time to see if mr. kastor had one of these in his pocket -

CCC,did you get to the Oregon show with your display? Was reading on another thread about the show. Dale posted pics as well . Just picked up another Coffin Bolster pen knife . A 4 line stamp on both blades and some pretty handles on this old piece. Good snap and not much blade loss. No wide body yet though! The wide bodies, did you mention they are the older ones from Kastor and Companies? The Stainless steel, the 4 line Camillus and Sta Sharp are 1920 s to just before WW2 . So they made ( Camillus ) or ordered ( Mr Kastor and co. ) these little coffin pens on and off for maybe 50 years ? If so there sure isn’t a lot of them floating around. Take care out there

Knice little knife. (And coins)

Great Find! Wow- Three color - Rainbow pyremite! As a pyremite collector, Rainbow Is Some Of The Most Sought After. Congrats!
As a Coffin Bolster Crown Pen Collector- Wow-! a Rainbow pyremite Coffin Bolster Crown Pen! I Only Have One Of Those! Congrats!
(double dose of jealousy for me) (i have often thought of offering a bounty of crown pen knives to find a twelfth different tang stamp in the collection)

As Always- I Am Very Thankful To All For The Interest In These Knives! Thank You Everyone!

CutleryCollector-com wrote: ↑Fri Apr 17, 2026 2:43 pm Great Find! Wow- Three color - Rainbow pyremite! As a pyremite collector, Rainbow Is Some Of The Most Sought After. Congrats!
As a Coffin Bolster Crown Pen Collector- Wow-! a Rainbow pyremite Coffin Bolster Crown Pen! I Only Have One Of Those! Congrats!
(double dose of jealousy for me) (i have often thought of offering a bounty of crown pen knives to find a twelfth different tang stamp in the collection)

As Always- I Am Very Thankful To All For The Interest In These Knives! Thank You Everyone!

Thanks CCC . Was right time right place and it’s now part of my Camillus collection . It sure is colorful pyremite. Your coffin Collection is looking great . Must say admire your collection and the time and dedication you put into it.