All About Pocket Knives

My Uncle showed this weekend at the boys baseball game and gave me my Greatgrandpa's camp knife So I am wondering what year she is from and that do ya think happened to the scales???ALSO THAT IS NOT A PUNCH it is a well worn blade

First of all dogg, with those 'shrinky dink' handles and that can opener, your knife is from the '40s. Since it doesn't have a four line tang stamp and does have brass liners, I'm going to speculate it's not from the WWII years. In the 1946 catalog, that handle material was called 'Plastic Stag'. I have three knives that had those handles all shrunk up like that and I've had the handles on all three replaced with bone.

Since your knife doesn't have the punch blade or a shield, it's quite obvious it's not a #99 Camp Knife.

I would say it's the 'Navy & Coast Guard General Utility Knife' and from shortly after the war ended because that can opener is in the '46 & '48 catalogs but is gone in the '51 Camco catalog, replaced by the new 'safety' opener. The Navy & Coast Guard G.U. knife (no shield) is not in the '48 catalog. Even though that tang stamp is considered to be one used '46 - '56, I feel comfortable saying your knife is very likely 1946 - 1948.


Edit: Here's an 'Army General Purpose Knife' from the same era with those 'shrinky dink' handles.
After a re-handle with some Culpeppers Amber Catalina jig.

WOW Jerry that is beautiful rehandled Thank-you for narrowing down the date and the history that would make sence for he worked at the ship-yard during WWII,Too old to serve so he and my Grandpa served as welders.

Glad to help dogg.

The credit (IIRC) for that re-handle goes to Elvis. Again IIRC, it was one of the last ones he did before he retired. I hated to see him lock his toolbox. Bob does some great work.