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Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 6:42 pm
by Darksev
Sometimes bigger is better, right? I've been carrying around a GEC #54 for a couple weeks, then I remembered I had this half finished short line Camillus #23 down in my project bin. I picked it up a year ago on the cheap at a flea-market with the intent to do something with it. Those old "French Ivory" scales were never really built to last, and the blades were just starting to show signs of neglect, despite being almost full
Anyways, last year I took everything apart and build some new liners for it (.04 nickel silver, so a bit thicker) with some long bolsters (double pinned and soldered), then cleaned up the blades (very fine stonewash with porcelain media - left the blades kind of a cloudy grey matte finish. I liked it) but then it sorta just sat in a box.
Anyway, this past weekend I felt a bit ambitious, so I went down and put everything together with some antique ivory paper micarta and Nickel pins. The new frame is about 1/16" longer than the old one on the front end, so it clocks in around 4 1/4" long. Blades behave exactly like a good slipjoint should (7/8 on the pull, super smooth with half stops, awesome snap open/closed) and it's just a hair heavier than the 54 while being pretty much the same thickness.
I'm gonna call it a "Cigar-low"
Here it is compared with a Great Eastern #54 (muslin micarta from KSF)
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:00 pm
by Jeffinn
Those look great!
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:45 pm
by jerryd6818
Adam, the #23 is a great canvas for modifications and you did that one proud.
They may be even better than the Electrician's knives. I've been involved (maybe semi-involved is a better term for one of them) with the modification of three. Glenn did all three and for me, all are "OMG".
The one he did for me.
The one we did for Tommy (Carrmilus)
The one he did for his B-I-L's retirement from the Corps.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 8:52 pm
by glennbad
The 23 is an under-appreciated pattern. I love what you did with yours, Adam, even taking things further by new bolsters and liners. The micarta has a great looking grain to it. Sweet!
Jerry, thanks for posting those. That Thunderbird will always be a favorite build of mine!
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 8:59 pm
by KnifeSlinger#81
Adam you did a killer job!
Jerry all of those are superb also. I really like the shield on the top one.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 9:01 pm
by OLDE CUTLER
Darksev wrote:Sometimes bigger is better, right? I've been carrying around a GEC #54 for a couple weeks, then I remembered I had this half finished short line Camillus #23 down in my project bin. I picked it up a year ago on the cheap at a flea-market with the intent to do something with it. Those old "French Ivory" scales were never really built to last, and the blades were just starting to show signs of neglect, despite being almost full
IMG_20180107_152103_267.jpg
Anyways, last year I took everything apart and build some new liners for it (.04 nickel silver, so a bit thicker) with some long bolsters (double pinned and soldered), then cleaned up the blades (very fine stonewash with porcelain media - left the blades kind of a cloudy grey matte finish. I liked it) but then it sorta just sat in a box.
IMG_20180107_152103_284.jpg
Anyway, this past weekend I felt a bit ambitious, so I went down and put everything together with some antique ivory paper micarta and Nickel pins. The new frame is about 1/16" longer than the old one on the front end, so it clocks in around 4 1/4" long. Blades behave exactly like a good slipjoint should (7/8 on the pull, super smooth with half stops, awesome snap open/closed) and it's just a hair heavier than the 54 while being pretty much the same thickness.
I'm gonna call it a "Cigar-low"
Here it is compared with a Great Eastern #54 (muslin micarta from KSF)
20180107_145955.jpg
20180107_150131.jpg
IMG_20180107_152103_265.jpg
20180107_150236.jpg
Wow, did that turn out great. The only way that knife would look any better is if it was in my pocket now! I have done a rehandle with the white paper micarta and have some black on hand for a future project. The paper micarta's are a great option for rehandles.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:18 pm
by carrmillus
glennbad wrote:The 23 is an under-appreciated pattern. I love what you did with yours, Adam, even taking things further by new bolsters and liners. The micarta has a great looking grain to it. Sweet!
Jerry, thanks for posting those. That Thunderbird will always be a favorite build of mine!
...glenn and jerry, I wish there was some way to tell you two guys just how much I like that knife!!...
.......I recently took it to an amer. legion breakfast, and showed it off, and got ALL great comments about it, plus several guys wanted to buy it!!........thanks again, you 2 guys are the greatest!!!........
.....................
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:00 am
by jerryd6818
Glad you like it Tommy. It's a special knife for a special guy.
Glenn, I'm glad I entrusted you with those projects. They turned out great.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:29 am
by FRJ
Nice inventive work on that 23, Darksev.
The 23 is a heck of a knife.
I have a short line and a long line that Kaleb (muskratman) recovered for me.
Fine job he did and now I have even better knives.
Too bad Camillus never put a decent handle on them.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:40 am
by jerryd6818
Joe, what is your issue with the handles? Other than they are just plain Jane, blah.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:50 am
by FRJ
Both covers were deteriorating. Shrinking.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:22 pm
by jerryd6818
Ahh. I've never seen that on a 23 but then I don't have a ton of experience with them and what little experience I have had has been positive.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 2:38 pm
by FRJ
I've only had these two and in spite of the bad covers I thought the knife was worth having. For me, there is a lot to like about the knife build. It is a Camillus after all.
Each knife had a different material on the handles. French Ivory on one. Some other kind of toilet seat material on the other.
Both going south.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 3:48 pm
by jerryd6818
That sounds like a good excuse to ship them off to Glennbad's magic emporium for knife transformation.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:11 pm
by Darksev
When I picked this up, it was because I remembered seeing that Yellow one Glenn did, and thought "oh, I could totally carry that".
Honestly, if I ever found one with the handles in good shape, I'd probably leave it as is - but that plastic they used, at that thickness, just never holds up on anything (scratches easily, shrinks, cracks, etc). That's part of the reason I'm not really a big fan of acrylic handles on knives. I think it eventually looks bad on just about anything but safe queens, and I'm still not convinced of it's longevity. Micarta on the other hand, I know lasts damn near until the end of time.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:28 pm
by glennbad
I was never a fan of micarta, but I am doing quite a bit of it for customers. It's growing on me. It's durable, and there a quite a few cool new patterns out there.
Now, back to the 23. Some nice amber stag might look good on one of those.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:25 pm
by Darksev
no lie, I had a couple pieces of this really dark brown, tobacco colored bone (was some stuff that I tried to re-dye) that I was tempted to use, just to re-inforce the "cigar" look
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:47 pm
by OLDE CUTLER
I just picked up my first Camillus 23 over the weekend and NOW I can see what you guys are raving about. What a great pattern and at 4 3/16" they are BIG!! I am unsure what the future holds for mine as far as customizing, but for now I intend to EDC it.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:28 pm
by jerryd6818
OC, it's a terrific canvas for your imagination.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 6:30 am
by orvet
Adam,
That is an awesome remake! I do like that micarta handle and the cigar-low is pure genius! Keep up the awesome work!
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:10 pm
by ea42
Oops, wrong thread
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:23 pm
by doglegg
Adam and Eric and all in between, artist and craftsmen the whole bunch of you. Absolutely amazing work. Eric the screw driver to wharnclif is genius.
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 6:19 pm
by orvet
Excellent job of grinding Eric!
An absolutely masterful conversion! Major kudos!
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:48 pm
by ea42
Adam I aplogize for the above confusion, my brain took a holiday.
Incredible job on that jack, looks like a custom! Those bolsters are amazing, especially the rat-tail
Eric
Re: Camillus #23
Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 5:27 pm
by 1967redrider
On the large side at 4 3/16" but I'd carry it.
They remind me of this Remington R1225 (4 1/4") I have that I might get re-scaled. Thanks for the link, herbva!