Camillus’ "four line stamp"

[GSPTOPDOG]

Is anyone familiar with my old Camillus I posted here? This looks to me like a Camillus’ "four line stamp" To quote AAPK; "The tang stamp shown here is known as Camillus’ four line stamp. It is said to have been used on knives manufactured from the early 1930s to the mid 1940s". Am I right about that? I pulled this one out to clean and oil it and when I looked at the tang stamp I thought at first it is was older, but 30's to 40's is good enough for me.
I use to carry and use this one quite a bit about 7 years ago but it started to get worn down so I "retired" it for the time being.

[Ripster]

Is anyone familiar with my old Camillus I posted here? This looks to me like a Camillus’ "four line stamp" To quote AAPK; "The tang stamp shown here is known as Camillus’ four line stamp. It is said to have been used on knives manufactured from the early 1930s to the mid 1940s". Am I right about that? I pulled this one out to clean and oil it and when I looked at the tang stamp I thought at first it is was older, but 30's to 40's is good enough for me.
I use to carry and use this one quite a bit about 7 years ago but it started to get worn down so I "retired" it for the time being.

Looks like a good ol work horse of a knife . Your close on the dates. Camillus is known to have mixed up different tang stamps in different periods, they didn’t throw anything away. Good call to retire it. Does it have steel or brass bolsters , that’ll help date it around WW2 or shortly after. You may know this but brass wasn’t used as a rule during WW2 , but they did use it during WW1 . Hope that helps you ! Thanks for sharing that

[New_Windsor_NY]

Is.....

GSPTOPDOG,

[Papa Bones]

Is anyone familiar with my old Camillus I posted here? This looks to me like a Camillus’ "four line stamp" To quote AAPK; "The tang stamp shown here is known as Camillus’ four line stamp. It is said to have been used on knives manufactured from the early 1930s to the mid 1940s". Am I right about that? I pulled this one out to clean and oil it and when I looked at the tang stamp I thought at first it is was older, but 30's to 40's is good enough for me.
I use to carry and use this one quite a bit about 7 years ago but it started to get worn down so I "retired" it for the time being.

Very nice HOK. (Honest Old KNife) I agree with what JP said. Camillus used that tang stamp until 1946.

[kootenay joe]

It looks like the pivot pin could be a replacement ? If so, then no way to know if blade & handle are original to each other. Also the front side handle looks a little 'chewed up' where it meets the bolster. Could this be a sign that the knife has been 'worked on' ?
I hope someone who is more familiar with Camillus will comment on the pivot pin and front handle.
kj

[GSPTOPDOG]

Thanks for all the input gentlemen, it is greatly appreciated.

[doglegg]

GSPTOPDOG, I love those old hawkbills. That one was used. It had a fulfilled life. Congrats.

[kootenay joe]

For educational purposes i am hoping a Camills 'expert' or experienced knife mechanic will comment on my post above. I don't mind if i am completely wrong. I post to learn.
kj

[Papa Bones]

For educational purposes i am hoping a Camills 'expert' or experienced knife mechanic will comment on my post above. I don't mind if i am completely wrong. I post to learn.
kj

What it looks like to me Joe is a Hawkbill that has been used and sharpened on a rough stone over the years, The tip of the blade has been reformed if you look at it in relation to the nail pull, possibly from the tip being broken off. From the blade being reformed, and possibly also from a warn backspring, this probably made the blade stand proud. I figure this is why the kick has been filed. As far as the handle, I have seen many old wood handle knifes that have been abused or with cracked and boogered handles. The pin, just my opinion, either because the frame and bolsters may have expanded slightly, producing the pin to not be flush on one side and may be caked with dirt or crud. It seems the pin is flush on the opposite side. All this is speculative. You really can't determine without physically holding it in your hand for examination. I am not a expert, this is just my opinion. You might say my .02 cents that ain't worth a dime.

[kootenay joe]

Blade shape or wear is not what i am concerned with.
My concern is with the pivot pin which is a different color from the bolsters, something usually only seen on German made knives.
Pivot pins on USA made knives are of a metal that matches the bolsters so they are not as visible as in OP knife. It is possible that for Hawkbill knives Camillus did use a harder steel for pivot pin than was used in their other folding knives. A Camillus 'expert' would know.
kj

[Ripster]

Blade shape or wear is not what i am concerned with.
My concern is with the pivot pin which is a different color from the bolsters, something usually only seen on German made knives.
Pivot pins on USA made knives are of a metal that matches the bolsters so they are not as visible as in OP knife. It is possible that for Hawkbill knives Camillus did use a harder steel for pivot pin than was used in their other folding knives. A Camillus 'expert' would know.
kj

Roland,some of the older Camillus did have different metal pins than the metal on the bolsters. Also just picked up a NYK from same period and it has a darker pin . I don’t believe the OP knife has any pin work done to it . Just looked at a couple of Rems and a long line 72 and there pins are darker as well , not a expert by any means,but think the pin is from factory !

[Vit_213]

Photo for comparison.

[kootenay joe]

The picture above by Vit shows what i think the bolster and pin (barely visible) should look like. I am not trying to disparage the owner of the OP knife, just trying to learn more by pointing out what i see.
kj

[Vit_213]

I'm not concerned about the color of the pin (given the age of the knife), and I don't see any signs of "worked on".
I just see, as they say in Russia, a very tired knife.

[Ripster]

I'm not concerned about the color of the pin (given the age of the knife), and I don't see any signs of "worked on".
I just see, as they say in Russia, a very tired knife.