All About Pocket Knives

After some time researching and collecting Camillus have gotten into the older ones especially . Would like to see if any interest in showing off your 4 liners . The dates that have been scribbled down over the years may not be absolute or even close . It’s a good place to start .
There appears to be the older period of 1919/20 to 1941 when all blades got stamped
Then the next period of 1941 to 1945/46 . Again this is Camillus and only based on notes from info gathered here, elsewhere and conversations .If you have any info ,great . Or just want to share some pics of your stuff . Any Condition ,as long as there’s a 4 line stamp .
Would like to include the “ Sword Brand “ as long as it has a 4 line somewhere. I have a few of those that will show at some point. Some have both secondary blades stamped .Some have pile side of main stamped only . And there’s a few other combos we’re liable to see .
It may also be nice to have one spot or thread here for the 4 lines. The short line thread that G Dog started has been a great thread. And a nice spot to share those. So let’s see what you all have in 4 liners .

What a great group JP. Love the various old Camillus stamps. I encourage your research.

I only have these 2, a TL-29 and an Air Service knife. The TL-29 is original, the Air Service Knife had the black composition handles that were crumbling away, so I rehandled it with Culpepper Richmond amber bone. Both are marked on the main only.

OLDE CUTLER wrote: ↑Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:06 am I only have these 2, a TL-29 and an Air Service knife. The TL-29 is original, the Air Service Knife had the black composition handles that were crumbling away, so I rehandled it with Culpepper Richmond amber bone. Both are marked on the main only.
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Nice Looking Culpepper Bone on that Air Corp piece
The TL 29 is a tough old knife ,you have a nice one there . They are hard to see the USA Behind the liner lock and have confused them a time or two with 3 liners . Thanks for posting those .
Here’s 5 more different pieces for today . 2 Whittlers 1 with only main stamped the other with main stamped With Sword brand and both secondary blades have the 4 line . So is the Main stamped only the later one ,do believe so .
Then the lock back with Sword brand and 4 line . Is this early stamp or late ? I have an idea based on the knife and will share later . If you know the dates on this ,as Sword brand and Camillus had different dates ,please share . Would like to confirm or get accurate dates .
And 2 TIP TOP Barlows . These are a little easier to date because of the TIP TOP on the bolsters . What are the dates for these . Note the clip blade has the number 2011 on back and the wore out Spear doesn’t have anything on pile side .
Also am surprised no one has said anything about the 1919 /20 date for the years of introducing the 4 line. There’s some books and info that say as early as 1906 and 1909 . Any body care to throw anything out here regarding that ?

I am fond of this one. And this one.

tongueriver wrote: ↑Wed Jan 05, 2022 1:10 am I am fond of this one.
C pearl3.jpgC pearl4.jpgC pearl6.jpg
And this one.
cam1.jpgcam5.jpgcam6.jpg

Nice pearl on those

Great old knives, gentleman!
JP, very nice collection.
OC, I too, love that bone, what a dandy!
Cal, that is a real beauty!

I will post a few.....eventually

Waukonda wrote: ↑Wed Jan 05, 2022 5:30 pm Great old knives, gentleman!
JP, very nice collection.
OC, I too, love that bone, what a dandy!
Cal, that is a real beauty!

I will post a few.....eventually

Thank you Sir
Good seeing you ,and look forward to seeing your pics . Seems to me you have a few old Camillus knives . No pressure

Here are a couple that I had handy....

Cattle knife 3 5/8", all blades stamped with 4 line, main has a difficult to read "Dakota" etch

Lockback 4 5/8", 4 line on tang, faint Sword Brand etch on blade

All of the old 4-line Camilluses (Camilli?) I have came to me with broken or no handles. Two I have re-handled, and the other three are in line. One is a Sword brand, hence the photo of the pile side)

Apologies for the poor photos.

Waukonda wrote: ↑Wed Jan 05, 2022 10:57 pm Here are a couple that I had handy....

Cattle knife 3 5/8", all blades stamped with 4 line, main has a difficult to read "Dakota" etch

Lockback 4 5/8", 4 line on tang, faint Sword Brand etch on blade

Oh Ike , those are just down right gorgeous pieces . The Dakota etch Cattle knife
The Sword brand etch lock back .
Now I won’t sleep till midnight !
Thanks my Friend,

beresman wrote: ↑Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:28 pm All of the old 4-line Camilluses (Camilli?) I have came to me with broken or no handles. Two I have re-handled, and the other three are in line. One is a Sword brand, hence the photo of the pile side)

Apologies for the poor photos.

Good to see those old pieces getting saved . Some good steel in the older stuff
What’s the handle material you put on that Sword Brand ? Looking good on it
Show off the others again when you get them dressed up and ready to go .
Appreciate you sharing your pics and time .

Here are a couple more, jacks with some beautiful bone (imo).

The top one has 4 line stamp on secondary and Sword Brand on the spear.

The 2nd knife pictured is a bit of a conversation piece, some may argue it doesn't belong in this thread. It is a second, and has had the stamps ground off. Looking at the tang on the secondary, you can see the letters c and a and U S A below that, remnants of the 4 line stamp. The main blade has the top 2 lines ground off and New York showing for the 3rd line, the 3 line stamp.

The knife has great bone, great snap, and is a good looker. The only obvious departure from the norm, other than missing tang stamps, are 2 extra pins on pile side.

Waukonda wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 8:45 pm Here are a couple more, jacks with some beautiful bone (imo).

The top one has 4 line stamp on secondary and Sword Brand on the spear.

The 2nd knife pictured is a bit of a conversation piece, some may argue it doesn't belong in this thread. It is a second, and has had the stamps ground off. Looking at the tang on the secondary, you can see the letters c and a and U S A below that, remnants of the 4 line stamp. The main blade has the top 2 lines ground off and New York showing for the 3rd line, the 3 line stamp.

The knife has great bone, great snap, and is a good looker. The only obvious departure from the norm, other than missing tang stamps, are 2 extra pins on pile side.

Ike , thank you for showing us those 2 and for the info.
That top knife is a BEAUTY . Haven’t seen that Shield on a Sword Brand of that period . And the Bone just tops it off .
The 2 nd knife is none to shabby either . Really appreciate you posting these as this is why would like to see more folks show there stuff . This is the first time seeing “Seconds” from this time period . So a first you could say . Went thru the same thing with a short line and wasn’t sure what to do with it . Wonder how Camillus got rid of there Seconds ? The extra pins are definitely something that makes you go “ Hmmmm” . Maybe the Cutler had a hard time getting the covers to lay tight to Scales . Any case very interesting.
Thank you for showing those IKE .
So where’s the rest of the old 4 liners . Let’s see em ,there’s a bunch out there
If anyone has any info they want to share ,here in pm or however ,about this period or pics of the factory,employees,etc. please do share
Part of the reason for doing this is to get the pics and info in a spot that folks coming along later can enjoy this thread and learn . Just the other night was talking with a fella and he said the 4 line started in 1902 ? And he’s got a knife to show . Is this true not sure,even doubtful ,but it’s the kind of thing that keeps me going . And will pursue it to the fullest and if pertinent will post it.

Waukonda wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 8:45 pm Here are a couple more, jacks with some beautiful bone (imo).

The top one has 4 line stamp on secondary and Sword Brand on the spear.

The 2nd knife pictured is a bit of a conversation piece, some may argue it doesn't belong in this thread. It is a second, and has had the stamps ground off. Looking at the tang on the secondary, you can see the letters c and a and U S A below that, remnants of the 4 line stamp. The main blade has the top 2 lines ground off and New York showing for the 3rd line, the 3 line stamp.

The knife has great bone, great snap, and is a good looker. The only obvious departure from the norm, other than missing tang stamps, are 2 extra pins on pile side.

Ike, two sweet knives.

2 more 4 liners, both Sword Brand.

The Junior Scout has only the main stamped, Sword Brand on front, and 4 line stamp on pile side. There is also an etch on the main, "SCOUT KNIFE".

The jack has a 4 line stamp on the tang of each blade, and a faint "Sword Brand" etch on the main.

Some REAL BEAUTIES are being posted!
Keep it going.

New_Windsor_NY wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 9:23 pm Some REAL BEAUTIES are being posted!
Keep it going.

Thanks, Skip, but I am pretty much out of ammo. I think the only other 4 line I have, are 3 Ebony that I recently posted in another thread of this forum.

Waukonda wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 9:56 pm

New_Windsor_NY wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 9:23 pm Some REAL BEAUTIES are being posted!
Keep it going.

Thanks, Skip, but I am pretty much out of ammo. I think the only other 4 line I have, are 3 Ebony that I recently posted in another thread of this forum.

Ike those are REAL BEAUTIES as Skip mentioned .
What a knife show ,there’s stuff here would’ve not seen otherwise .
Have only a couple left myself Ike ,and post those Ebonies here if you don’t mind .
Today will post this old Navy Rope knife and a little 2 blade . The Rope knife is just a standard issue ,WW2 period I believe . Some of the older ones had some of the best Stag and Bones . Maybe someday will get one it’s on the list .The 2 blade is stamped 4 line on both blades and gets wicked sharp and will bite.
Thanks for a great show and a little BS to All here who shared . Hope some of the other folks get involved . Going back over the 22 pages here ,which takes awhile there’s a lot of pieces out there that could go here .

Ripster wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 10:35 pm [quote=Waukonda post_id=977526 time=1641592568


Today will post this old Navy Rope knife and a little 2 blade . The Rope knife is just a standard issue ,WW2 period I believe . Some of the older ones had some of the best Stag and Bones .

AHAA!!! You just reminded me that I have another! This is one of a group of Navy knives that I have. I have always used the terms WW1 knife and Navy knife interchangebly for these. However, the accepted dates for 4 line production begin a few years after the end of WW1.

Waukonda wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 11:33 pm

Ripster wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 10:35 pm [quote=Waukonda post_id=977526 time=1641592568


Today will post this old Navy Rope knife and a little 2 blade . The Rope knife is just a standard issue ,WW2 period I believe . Some of the older ones had some of the best Stag and Bones .

AHAA!!! You just reminded me that I have another! This is one of a group of Navy knives that I have. I have always used the terms WW1 knife and Navy knife interchangebly for these. However, the accepted dates for 4 line production begin a few years after the end of WW1.

Another Dandy
Thanks IKE . Need to hang around you at some knife shows NICE Knives you’ve been sharing
You bring up a good point with WW1 and Navy knives. So if 1919 / 20 ,or some say 1930? , is acceptable dates for 4 liners to appear then the 4 liners weren’t in the First World War . Don’t know why that didn’t dawn on me before ! Slow learner . Learning and sharing , appreciate it Ike

Here’s a 4 line Sword Brand with the STREAMLINE etched main blade . Believe there are 2 different size models of these . Am currently working on getting one of these already rehandled ,with good snap on blades and no wobble with 20 percent loss on main . Not Sure if we can come to terms with the Seller .
Believe Mike redid did one and posted it thought it looked pretty darn good . Think Joe or one of the guys has one that’s not gassing and in great condition .
For now all I can show you is this one that’s on pause for now . . Not to sure which way to go ,could weld up the worn tang and pin hole and rebuild this piece ,not sure yet . Have all winter .

Been a great show ,wonder when some of the dressed up pearl pieces will arrive to the dance . Cal has shown some dandies . Seems to me there’s a couple of Pearl Whittlers out there .
All ribbing aside.
Thanks All