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Camco and Camillus electrician's knives

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 10:42 pm
by mtds
These two knives look alike in many ways:

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but here is one difference:

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The Camillus blade is 0.109" thick at the tang and the Camco is 0.081". That 0.028" difference may not sound like much, but it makes the Camillus springs and blades over a third thicker. The thinner spring and blade stock on the Camco does have one advantage, though. The knife is not as thick and boxy in cross-section as the Camillus and might ride a little easier in the pocket.

Re: Camco and Camillus electrician's knives

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:45 am
by gino
They are both made from the same company. Camillus and Camco are the same company.

Re: Camco and Camillus electrician's knives

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 6:08 am
by Aimus Moses
They both did come from the same place. But 1 knife could have been made in 1950-1960, while the other knife could have been made in 1970-1980. Lots of parts and tools can wear out and have to be exchanged at some point in those lengths of time. I believe Tom told me that the Camco brand knives were made a little on the cheap side, where the Camillus wasn't. I would think that if some one was window shopping and saw 2 knives side by side, Camco on one side and Camillus on the other. They both look exactly alike, and they both can do the same exact job, except one knife's price is much cheaper than the other. And if a person went in that store to buy one of those knives which knife do you think is going to get bought?

Aimus

Re: Camco and Camillus electrician's knives

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 6:15 am
by mtds
gino wrote:They are both made from the same company. Camillus and Camco are the same company.
Thanks, Gino. I guess I should have made that clearer in my post. I think of Camco as a sort of "value line" for the Camillus brand, and my post was meant to illustrate one of the steps Camillus took to reduce their manufacturing cost for the less expensive variation of their electricians knife.

Re: Camco and Camillus electrician's knives

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 6:39 am
by orvet
That is absolutely true, Camco was the lower priced sort of "no frills" or 'value' line by Camillus.
Camillus introduced the Camco brand to pick up the economy price points.
They are good knives at a lower price than the regular Camillus line.
The Sword Brand knives were the top of the line knives made by Camillus.

Dale

Re: Camco and Camillus electrician's knives

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:40 pm
by ken6
I picked up a Camco Barlow knife with "New Britain" on the blade.