All About Pocket Knives

I found this Camillus #23 that had some slightly rusted blades and advertising covers.
I figured it needed a good clean up and some new covers..... SO.... I settled on some smooth red bone covers.

Here is the before and after....


After a good clean up.....


Thanks for having a look everyone!

Nice! That’s a great upgrade.
I just bought a Camillus 23 this week. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen one in nice shape fairly priced. I haven’t decided what to use for the new handles yet.
Jeff

That really made the old #23 into a beauty!
Great job.
Treefarmer

Beautiful covers, great job replacing them and cleaning it up. Bravo, made a sweetie out of it. I have one about like that I have thought might be a good mod project. Thanks for posting, great to see the work and the before and after. You did good. Tell me how you removed all that corrosion/pitting on the spine of the blade? Looks factory, like it never happened. Kudos to you.

Wow, what an improvement!
You do really great work.
I bought one to try modding, because I love the look of a 23, but the main was worn out when I got it.
Oh well, I will keep looking for another. I have PLENTY of knives to redo, and very little time to work on them!

Mike, I've done a bunch of 23's over time and I think the one you just did in smooth red bone is terrific! Great work!

P.S. I think there was a 23 thread here once upon a time.

Wow! Complete makeover. Looks fantastic!

Nice.

Very nice Mike! I have one that Jeffin did in jigged bone. One of my all time favorites. Yours is fantastic.

Ivoryman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 05, 2022 11:03 pm ...... Tell me how you removed all that corrosion/pitting on the spine of the blade? Looks factory, like it never happened. Kudos to you.

The rust pits weren't very deep.... so..... I just worked on the blades with different grades of sandpaper until the pits were gone.

herbva wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 12:24 am
P.S. I think there was a 23 thread here once upon a time.

I need to find that thread.....
I would love to see some more #23s with new covers!




Thanks so much for the positive comments everyone!
This was another FUN project!

Love those 23s. I have a nice one with advertising on the handle also. Big beefy knife, right on the limit of size and weight for an EDC.

What a beauty!!! Are you sure those aren't amber bone instead of red? They look amber from here.

Regardless, sweet looking knife, great work!

Thanks for the info Mike, you really made it look sweet. Excellent improvements. Bravo.

glennbad wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 1:13 pm What a beauty!!! Are you sure those aren't amber bone instead of red? They look amber from here.

Regardless, sweet looking knife, great work!

I am not exactly sure Glenn....
They may be amber or sunset (???) .... the package they were in had lost it's label.

You are probably right.

Fine example of a 23 and what can be done to spruce one up! That thing is a stunner!

For a while now I've had the 23 on my list of knives to add to my collection. Seeing this one just moved it way up the "priority" list....

Awesome work!

Beautiful knife and excellent workmanship
I really like it.

Nev

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Nice fix on that 23, Mike.

I have a couple of recovered 23s posted on the forum somewhere and there are others.

Meridian_Mike wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 12:27 pm I would love to see some more #23s with new covers!

Here are my two 23s. Long line, short line. Linen Micarta and bone.
What a great knife.

Thanks to Muskrat Man.

Those are some nice ones Joe!

Awesome job Mike! Looks very nice!
Wish I could do stuff like that.



Joe those two from MM are also two real beauties!

Meridian_Mike wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 5:37 pm

glennbad wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 1:13 pm What a beauty!!! Are you sure those aren't amber bone instead of red? They look amber from here.

Regardless, sweet looking knife, great work!

I am not exactly sure Glenn....
They may be amber or sunset (???) .... the package they were in had lost it's label.

You are probably right.

Mike, I could be wrong, but I'm thinking that beautiful reddish smooth bone you used on that cammy 23 reminds me of some "mahogany" smooth bone I got from Culpepper some time ago. Here is a picture of a Case 093 toothpick I still have that I used Culpepper's "mahogany" on.

FRJ wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 1:39 pm

Meridian_Mike wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 12:27 pm I would love to see some more #23s with new covers!

Here are my two 23s. Long line, short line. Linen Micarta and bone.
What a great knife.

Thanks to Muskrat Man.

Nice pair, I particularly like the bone on that. Looks similar to ivory, great color differences. The micarta is pretty cool too, and the patina rocks. Love the two. Kudos to MuskratMan too. Way to go Caleb, excellent work.

herbva wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 8:45 pm
Mike, I could be wrong, but I'm thinking that beautiful reddish smooth bone you used on that cammy 23 reminds me of some "mahogany" smooth bone I got from Culpepper some time ago. Here is a picture of a Case 093 toothpick I still have that I used Culpepper's "mahogany" on.

You know.... that does look exactly like what I used..
The colors are faded just like that on the bone I used. I ordered this bone from Culperrper months ago and I had it in my "slabs" drawer. Good call.

The 23 is a great knife and a fine canvas for some custom work. I had this one done by Glenn for Tommy. That was back when Tommy still had his T-Bird. And this one done by Glenn for me.