The Camillus Cutlery Company was one of the oldest knife manufacturers in the United States with roots dating back to 1876. The company manufactured Camillus branded knives and was a prolific contractor for other knife brands up until its last days in 2007 when the company filed for bankruptcy.
GSPTOPDOG wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2024 1:07 am
I love the #23 pattern.... and I love the Short-Line .... so, I have added one more to the ever growing "Pile" .....
You sure are nailing the Camillus collecting out there G dog .
Send some of that Camillus charm this way my friend ! Lol
Take care out there .
GSPTOPDOG wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2024 1:07 am
I love the #23 pattern.... and I love the Short-Line .... so, I have added one more to the ever growing "Pile" .....
You sure are nailing the Camillus collecting out there G dog .
Thanks J.P. I reckon' maybe if I am on this here AAPK forum for 20 more years, I might learn a thing or two about them 'Ol Camillus pocket knives.... I just hope the real experts (guys like you) keep on posting and teaching us young whippersnappers a thing or two 'bout collecting pocket knives....
Here's my modest collection of Camilli. That's a word. right? All have come from estate sales over the last two years. I was a Cub Scout in the '60s, so that one is sort of special.
doglegg wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 1:11 pm
GSP..., JBTrucker, Tom99 all good showings.
thanks also have old Trailblazer hunting knife and sheath high school buddy gave me around 1978 , , I tossed it in workbench and forgot about it. . Found it 2004 cleaning out the garage when dad passed away . It was tarnished and grip and sheath had molded , I cleaned and shinned it up a little .
GSPTOPDOG wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2024 1:07 am
I love the #23 pattern.... and I love the Short-Line .... so, I have added one more to the ever growing "Pile" .....
You sure are nailing the Camillus collecting out there G dog .
Send some of that Camillus charm this way my friend ! Lol
Take care out there .
J.P. .... ... Somehow, I have started collecting Camillus #23s .....
Camillus warriors (sort of). Top demo knife is USMC/2001 lower is US/1988. TL-29 in the group is post-1989, the one with the pouch/pliers is 1960s-1970s.
Not too recently, my trip to the post office produced this Congress, pattern or style of pocket knife. It now becomes my most recent example to be posted under this topic or thread. At the time, it also became the most recent example to be added to my general, CAMILLUS, pocket knife collection. It is a CAMILLUS 91, four blades, four tang stamps, 3 1/2" closed, two springs, Congress, pattern or style of pocket knife. The main blade front tang stamp says, "91", the pattern number. The main blade back tang stamp (long line) says, "CAMILLUS (over) NEW YORK (over) USA" The third blade front tang stamp says, "91", the pattern number. The third blade back tang stamp (long line) says, "CAMILLUS (over) NEW YORK (over) USA" The main blade does have a SOFT half stop. The main blade does have a GOOD opening snap. The main blade does have a GOOD closing snap. The secondary blade does have a SOFT half stop. The secondary blade does have a GOOD opening snap. The secondary blade does have a GOOD closing snap. The third blade does have a SOFT half stop. The third blade does have a GOOD opening snap. The third blade does have a GOOD closing snap. The fourth blade does have a SOFT half stop. The fourth blade does have a GOOD opening snap. The fourth blade does have a GOOD closing snap. Overall, this pocket knife is in EXCELLENT condition. This pocket knife did NOT require any level of cleaning at all. I just wiped it off.
I took some pictures and here it is.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE.
Attachments
NOT The Same Side As The Next Picture.
NOT The Same Side As The Previous Picture.
NOT The Same Side As The Next Picture.
NOT The Same Side As The Previous Picture.
Left - The Main Blade Front Tang Stamp. Right - The Main Blade Back Tang Stamp.
Left - The Third Blade Front Tang Stamp. Right - The Third Blade Back Tang Stamp.
From My CAMILLUS Ephemera Collection, An Invoice From 1946. It Is For One, CAMILLUS "91" Pocket Knife. Obviously From A Different, Earlier Time Period Than My "91" Is.
Kid: "Wish we had time to bury them fellas."
Josey Wales: "To hell with them fellas. Buzzards got to eat, same as worms."
Clint Eastwood-The Outlaw Josey Wales
Kid: "Wish we had time to bury them fellas."
Josey Wales: "To hell with them fellas. Buzzards got to eat, same as worms."
Clint Eastwood-The Outlaw Josey Wales
Not too recently, my visit to the post office produced this Congress, pattern or style of pocket knife. It now becomes my latest example to be posted under this topic or thread. At the time, it also became the latest example to be added to my general, CAMILLUS, pocket knife collection. It is a CAMILLUS 709, two blades, two tang stamps, 3 1/16" closed, one spring, Congress, pattern or style of pocket knife. This two blade, pattern or style of pocket knife, is also referred to as a "Half Congress" The main blade front tang stamp (double line) says, "CAMILLUS (over) New York (over) U.S.A." The main blade back tang stamp says, "709", the pattern number. The shield is oval and says "CAMILLUS" (double line). The main blade does have a VERY GOOD half stop. The main blade does have a VERY GOOD opening snap. The main blade does have a VERY GOOD closing snap. The secondary blade does have a VERY GOOD half stop. The secondary blade does have a VERY GOOD opening snap. The secondary blade does have a VERY GOOD closing snap. Overall, this pocket knife is in VERY GOOD condition. This pocket knife did NOT need any cleaning at all. I just wiped it off. I took some pictures and here it is.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE.
Attachments
The Main Blade Front Tang Stamp.
The Main Blade Back Tang Stamp.
Kid: "Wish we had time to bury them fellas."
Josey Wales: "To hell with them fellas. Buzzards got to eat, same as worms."
Clint Eastwood-The Outlaw Josey Wales
This knife was delivered to me today. It's a short line, single blade knife, 3-1/4" long closed. I see no model number, though the blade is hand-etched "R2761". The wood handle is embossed "Western Electric Co. Property".
At first, I thought that the blade had been modified--like the point had been broken and re-shaped, but I'm not sure now. It's too long to have been a spear point blade. I suppose it could have been a rope knife, but if the blade was modified, someone did a really good job--there are no grind marks, and it is nicely polished all the way to the tip.
I didn't find anything when I searched this forum for "Western Electric", so I'm asking if anyone can shed some light on: is this original? and what was it used for?
When I lived south of Cleveland Ohio back in the late 70's, there were several old buildings with Western Electric on them. I bet it was a rope knife but that is just a guess.
Kid: "Wish we had time to bury them fellas."
Josey Wales: "To hell with them fellas. Buzzards got to eat, same as worms."
Clint Eastwood-The Outlaw Josey Wales
Thanks, Skip! Obviously I didn't look in the right place. Scott's is not a Camillus, as far as I can tell, but it's the same number as etched on the blade of mine, so presumably that's an internal stock number Western Electric assigned to that kind of knife when they were ordered. And I'm going to guess that mine was originally more like a coping or sheepsfoot blade, as well.
You're welcome, Brent.
I think yours started out as a single blade electrician/lineman pocket knife. Or, it started out as a single blade AND wire stripping tool electrician/lineman pocket knife, with the tool being removed(?) at some point in its history. The blade looks to be reshaped. Here are four different topics or threads that cover these electrician/lineman pocket knives. I didn't look, but one like yours might be included in these posts.
Topic or thread #1. viewtopic.php?t=64259
Topic or thread #2. viewtopic.php?t=52566
Topic or thread #3. viewtopic.php?p=768279#p768279
Topic or thread #4. viewtopic.php?t=2659
There are probably more, but these are the ones that I know of.
Personally, I like the #4 topic or thread the best.
Kid: "Wish we had time to bury them fellas."
Josey Wales: "To hell with them fellas. Buzzards got to eat, same as worms."
Clint Eastwood-The Outlaw Josey Wales
New_Windsor_NY wrote: ↑Mon Apr 14, 2025 2:34 pm
I think yours started out as a single blade electrician/lineman pocket knife. Or, it started out as a single blade AND wire stripping tool electrician/lineman pocket knife, with the tool being removed(?) at some point in its history.
Thanks again! I have a Camillus lineman knife as well (that some people call a TL-29), and from the same era (short line), and they are different sizes. Not that the knife is question isn't for the same purpose, but it didn't come from the same type of knife. Definitely looks like the same kind of handle material (walnut? I'm not good at identifying woods).