All About Pocket Knives

Alright men! There has been some talk about the jimping and handle material on my favorite Camillus, the venerable 69. So I thought I'd take some pics for you of the 69's I have their handle material and the different jimping used. I took pics of the side, top, back, and tang stamp. I couldn't get all the tang stamps to show well, so I'll describe them as well. The last knife, just for comparison is my new to me Schrade Walden peach seed bone 861. I think the resemblance is very telling. Click on the pics to enlarge. If you need more or better pics, let me know and I'll do my best to get them for you.

This one is the oldest I have, I'm thinking pretty close to the first version of the '69, I'm calling this mid '40's unless y'all say different. It's a short line tang stamp, bone, the center liners in top are very prominent and jimped, jimping on the center and sides on the bottom liners.

Here is the next oldest one. This one is bone as well with a chip out of the back scale that actually really shows the older style jimping well. It's a ling line, cup enter liners are jimped as well as the side in the top, just like the short line, but these center liners are not as prominent. The bottom liners are jimped on the center and in the sides. I'm calling this one early '50's unless y'all say different.

Colonel26 wrote:Alright men! There has been some talk about the jimping and handle material on my favorite Camillus, the venerable 69. So I thought I'd take some pics for you of the 69's I have their handle material and the different jimping used. I took pics of the side, top, back, and tang stamp. I couldn't get all the tang stamps to show well, so I'll describe them as well. The last knife, just for comparison is my new to me Schrade Walden peach seed bone 861. I think the resemblance is very telling. Click on the pics to enlarge. If you need more or better pics, let me know and I'll do my best to get them for you.

This one is the oldest I have, I'm thinking pretty close to the first version of the '69, I'm calling this mid '40's unless y'all say different. It's a short line tang stamp, bone, the center liners in top are very prominent and jimped, jimping on the center and sides on the bottom liners.

...colonel, this one makes me drool!!!!!............... ..........

The next one is bone as well, long line. This one as well as the last one do have the nail nicks of the clip and sheepsfoot blades on the same side as we are used to seeing in this model.

This one also has jimping on the top on the side and center liners. The jimping on the bottom, however has been limited to the center liner. I'm calling this one late '50's to '61 or so. That is unless y'all think otherwise.

Now we come to delrin. Here is the oldest delrin one that I own, and one of my all time favorite edc's. It's a long line with great blade etch in the clip and sheepsfoot. The top jimping is now limited to the side liners. The bottom jimping is only in the center liners it seems to be the heaviest 69 I have too. It's a great knife. I'm calling this one mid '60's or so unless y'all think otherwise.

Here's another delrin long line stamp. Unless y'all,say different I'm calling this one late '60's to early '70's. It has top jimping in the sides, but the jimping in the bottom has been eliminated all together. It's a great edc too.

Next is something very sad. It's a long line, slanted Camillus with NO JIMPING! This makes the angels cry. I'm calling it mid to late 80's. Fit and finish is not hardly what the others are. Not bad at all kind you, it just doesn't seem as refined.

Last but not least is a Schrade Walden 861 with peach seed bone scales. It has no jimping on top, but check out the jimping on the bottom, WOW! It isn't a Camillus 69, but look at the resemblance. I like these too, and I need more!

carrmillus wrote:

Colonel26 wrote:Alright men! There has been some talk about the jimping and handle material on my favorite Camillus, the venerable 69. So I thought I'd take some pics for you of the 69's I have their handle material and the different jimping used. I took pics of the side, top, back, and tang stamp. I couldn't get all the tang stamps to show well, so I'll describe them as well. The last knife, just for comparison is my new to me Schrade Walden peach seed bone 861. I think the resemblance is very telling. Click on the pics to enlarge. If you need more or better pics, let me know and I'll do my best to get them for you.

This one is the oldest I have, I'm thinking pretty close to the first version of the '69, I'm calling this mid '40's unless y'all say different. It's a short line tang stamp, bone, the center liners in top are very prominent and jimped, jimping on the center and sides on the bottom liners.

...colonel, this one makes me drool!!!!!............... ..........

Thank you sir! I'd tell you what I paid for it on eBay, but you'd probably call me unchristian....

Colonel26 wrote:Now we come to delrin. Here is the oldest delrin one that I own, and one of my all time favorite edc's. It's a long line with great blade etch in the clip and sheepsfoot. The top jimping is now limited to the side liners. The bottom jimping is only in the center liners it seems to be the heaviest 69 I have too. It's a great knife. I'm calling this one mid '60's or so unless y'all think otherwise.

..this one looks to be the brother to the only one I have!!!.....if it would fit in the watch pocket of my wrangler jeans, I would carry it as an alternate to my #72, but I'm scared I'd lose it!!....... .....

Cuz, the #69s were described in the catalogs as having nickel silver pins and liners. That makes me wonder where that second one down came from with it's brass pins and liners. Ain't there always a flyer (sic) in the ointment.

And I sure like that Schrade. That's a real nice collection you have. It looks like you're pretty darned close on the timeline.

Thanks fellers. The one with the chipped bone I wouldn't have if Cuz hadn't put me on to it.

I have no idea why the one has brass instead of nickel silver. But like everyone says, you can't say always and never with Camillus.

That Schrade Walden was a recent gun show purchase. I had to pay WELL above my normal poor boy limit, but there wasn't much way I was going to walk out without it. It's the nature of the sickness, plus I'm not sure a collection of 69's is complete with out an 861. I wonder which cane first?

I'm glad I was close on the dates. I'm not near as good at dating Camillus as y'all are.

I know this is an old thread and I’m new, but I just picked up a Camillus 69 that has brass liners, pins and is jimped like the second one in the post.

Lbxpdx wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 5:14 am I know this is an old thread and I’m new, but I just picked up a Camillus 69 that has brass liners, pins and is jimped like the second one in the post.

Never bad to open an old thread. Congrats on your knife.

Lbxpdx wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 5:14 am I know this is an old thread and I’m new, but I just picked up a Camillus 69 that has brass liners, pins and is jimped like the second one in the post.

Be sure to post some pictures here too.