WW49 question

Mountainwind · Post by **Mountainwind** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:15 pm

I am looking at the Camillus WW49 bowies. Now, to cut out confusion, will the box and blade be marked WW? All I see on Ebay is W49 or 49 with letter. I want to make sure it is a Camillus made version.
Thanks

W5RWU · Post by **W5RWU** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:22 pm

well that is a good question, unfortunately I dont know the answer, but maybe someone will come along that does
Randy

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:12 am

In 1977 Western started a dating system with the letter A under the USA. B for 1978, C for 1979, ect.
Western was bought by Camillus in 1991.
I don’t know if Camillus kept this dating system or not. Perhaps Tom (CAMCO) will see this post and can answer that question.

Were you concerned about the quality being less if Western made it instead of Camillus? I wouldn’t worry about that. Both the Western & Camillus made Westerns are great quality knives.

Hope this helps,
Dale

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:47 am

Western was sold to Coleman (Crossman Division?) in 1984, and I think the alphabet system died with Coleman, before Camillus even got the Western brand.
The WW49, pictured below, was the designation still being sold by Camillus to the end, IIRC. I believe the original Western was a W49...and then Camillus added the second W (Western...Wood...Model 49).

As Dale mentioned, maybe Tom will chime in.

Bill

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:46 am

Bill you are right!
I forgot about the "Coleman years."

Dale

Mountainwind · Post by **Mountainwind** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:11 am

orvet wrote:
Were you concerned about the quality being less if Western made it instead of Camillus? I wouldn’t worry about that. Both the Western & Camillus made Westerns are great quality knives.

Hope this helps,
Dale

Quality is not an issue, I am just filling a hole in my Camillus collection.
I have someone selling me a Camillus Western 47 bowie, I now need the 49.
Thank for the info.

CAMCO · Post by **CAMCO** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 2:22 pm

The original Western Bowies that were made in Colorado are identified by the model #W49. The Camillus Bowies are called a #WW49 and were made in 1991 or later. El Lobo is correct. The model number breaks down to W=Western, W=wood and 49 is the knife number.
The Western dating system started in 1977. The latest date stamp that I have seen is "M" which is 1989. Camillus did not use this dating system on Western knives.

Tom Williams