Camillus Streamline - Rehandle or Leave It Alone?

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herbva
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Camillus Streamline - Rehandle or Leave It Alone?

Post by herbva »

I recently fished this Cammy Streamliner off the bay thinking it would be a good candidate for complete restoration and new scales. But, a little while ago I gave it a good cleaning and some polish and am now having second thoughts. It cleaned up much better than I expected and is in much better shape than I thought. I really don't like keeping any celluloid knives and sold almost all of them in my collection a while back. I just don't like worrying about when one of them is going to start outgassing. I also didn't realize this one was a 4-liner until I cleaned it and I also now believe it is unused and unsharpened. So, is this celluloid, and if so, what pattern celluloid is it? (It looks like cheap fake wood to me.) I know this sounds paranoid, but does that little bit of brown on the edge of some of the bolsters look like the start of outgassing? Opinions would be appreciated. :D
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Re: Camillus Streamline - Rehandle or Leave It Alone?

Post by Froe »

That's a real beauty. I don't see any shrinkage or cracks. Personally I'd keep it. I have many celluloid beauties that are USA made, some older than a century, and have never had a problem with them. German celluloid doesn't seem to be as reliable. Store it separate, out of the light and in the open air if you are worried about it. Shoot I would be tempted to carry it.
But I really do understand the aversion if you've been burned before.
Nice knife and you cleaned it up really well.
Froe
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Ripster
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Re: Camillus Streamline - Rehandle or Leave It Alone?

Post by Ripster »

Great clean up and save . The 4 line Streamline in good shape or better is getting tough to find ,you have a great one there . Don’t know if you have Maize ( Grain ) Pyroxylin or Celluloid ,believe there is a difference. Either case,as one who Collects Camillus would always keep a piece original if possible. Keep it separate for awhile and see what happens. If you want to get rid of it I’ll watch it for you ::tu:: .just kidding. This Is a question several have gone thru,some knives do get totally destroyed ,which is a shame . Please let us know what you decide ,am curious . Thanks
JP
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glennbad
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Re: Camillus Streamline - Rehandle or Leave It Alone?

Post by glennbad »

I haven't seen that particular color gassing too much on those, mainly this color...
Streamline1.JPG

I'd keep it as-is...but, I'd store it separately just in case.
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rea1eye
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Re: Camillus Streamline - Rehandle or Leave It Alone?

Post by rea1eye »

How old do you think it is? If it is greater than 40 years old I would tend to
keep it as is.

If it bothers you to keep it separate from your other knives then replace it today.

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Re: Camillus Streamline - Rehandle or Leave It Alone?

Post by orvet »

They were made in the 1930s; 1932 I believe.
I have several of the Streamlines, as a matter of fact I have a whole tackle tray full of pieces. I kept one knife but it had darker celluloid on it and it was in very nice condition amid all of a sudden it wasn't in good condition it started off gas and it had gotten pretty well when a short time. I love the clip blade on that pattern and the deep stamping on the blade come about when the celluloid goes, it goes in a big way. Dark celluloid is normal more stable, but it was a dark one that off cast on me so suddenly.
It made me very weary of Amy upper celluloid on the Streamline knives
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herbva
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Re: Camillus Streamline - Rehandle or Leave It Alone?

Post by herbva »

Thanks Dale, JP and everyone else. I'm going to keep it right on my desk in front of me (far away from my collection) for now. That way I'll have to look at it every day and hopefully I will notice as soon as any evil changes start to occur. (I have 15 other knives lined up here on the other side of my desk waiting for the right parts to come along.) Thanks again everyone! :D
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Re: Camillus Streamline - Rehandle or Leave It Alone?

Post by Meridian_Mike »

Here ya go Herb....
Take a look at what Dale did to a Streamline.....

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=64484&p=772004&hil ... ne#p772004

After I saw his knife I had to go get me one and rehandle it.....

Those knives are just plain sexy with that "STREAMLINE" deeply etched into the blade.

::tu::
Good luck with yours.
"Life is tough.... but it's tougher if you're stupid."....John Wayne
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