Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

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.
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Toejammer
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Toejammer »

i also have one of these, identical handles, and they are cracked inthe same fashion, i've never seen delrin crack like this, it has to be something else.
I've been thinking the same thing, this stuff seems to be a bit softer than Delrin.
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Paul Tummers
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Paul Tummers »

As far as I know, Delrin is a kind of nylon, which will last a long time but has trouble with exposure to sunlight-UV rays, just like fishing lines
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orvet
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by orvet »

Paul, I think you may have confused Delrin with Zytel.

DuPont Delrin is an acetyl resin (polyoxymethylene, a.k.a. POM); Zytel (also by DuPont) is a nylon resin.
Delrin was invented in the 1950s. It was patented in 1956.
Schrade started using Delrin on a large scale in the late 1960s. Camillus started using Delrin in the early 1970s.

I first saw Zytel in knife handles in the 1980s. Al Mar Knives used it the Air Weight with ATS-34 steel. The Zytel he used was combined with fiberglass to provide additional stiffness. This innovative use of new handle material and a brand new steel was typical of Al Mar who excelled in design and innovation.

The Sword Brand carrmillus posted was made during or most likely before WW II. We know that by the tang stamp. Therefore, It could not be Delrin. It may have been celluloid or some other early type of plastic.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Toejammer »

Hey Carrmillus: I'd be interested to know if the jigging on yours matches up with mine. Take a peek and let us know.
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GeorgeCAtl
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by GeorgeCAtl »

Toejammer wrote:Hey Carrmillus: I'd be interested to know if the jigging on yours matches up with mine. Take a peek and let us know.
Here's another.
Image

Image
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Paul Tummers »

orvet wrote:Paul, I think you may have confused Delrin with Zytel.

DuPont Delrin is an acetyl resin (polyoxymethylene, a.k.a. POM); Zytel (also by DuPont) is a nylon resin.
Delrin was invented in the 1950s. It was patented in 1956.
Schrade started using Delrin on a large scale in the late 1960s. Camillus started using Delrin in the early 1970s.

I first saw Zytel in knife handles in the 1980s. Al Mar Knives used it the Air Weight with ATS-34 steel. The Zytel he used was combined with fiberglass to provide additional stiffness. This innovative use of new handle material and a brand new steel was typical of Al Mar who excelled in design and innovation.

The Sword Brand carrmillus posted was made during or most likely before WW II. We know that by the tang stamp. Therefore, It could not be Delrin. It may have been celluloid or some other early type of plastic.
Sorry Dale,

You are right!!
My father's rule; "The only safe knife is a sharp knife".
GeorgeCAtl
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by GeorgeCAtl »

Since I was pulling photos of Camillus...here are a few more.
Image

Image

Image
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Toejammer »

George: the stag on your little jack looks alot nicer than mine ! Nice BSA too ::tu::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by GeorgeCAtl »

Toejammer wrote:George: the stag on your little jack looks alot nicer than mine ! Nice BSA too ::tu::
Thanks Toe. I got the BSA during the Thursday night auction right here on AAPK ::tu::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Aimus Moses »

Any ideal of the manufacture year/date on the Camillus marlin spike? The reason I ask is I have one just like it. It really impressed me with taking a very sharp edge and holding it as long as it does. Could Camillus have been using 440C during the time period of the marlin spike?

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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by GeorgeCAtl »

Aimus Moses wrote:Any ideal of the manufacture year/date on the Camillus marlin spike? The reason I ask is I have one just like it. It really impressed me with taking a very sharp edge and holding it as long as it does. Could Camillus have been using 440C during the time period of the marlin spike?

Aimus
Aimus, Not really sure of Yr on these. I was looking for a good example as a gift for my Son-In-Law (ex-Coast Guard). I found this one on fleabay and then found a better one which I gave to him. You'll notice someone got a little swirl happy on that blade. They seem to be faily easy to find.
Found this one as well (which I kept)----Sorry Not Camillus................but I bet made by Camillus for Buck.
Image
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by orvet »

GeorgeCAtl wrote:Found this one as well (which I kept)----Sorry Not Camillus................but I bet made by Camillus for Buck.
Tom Williams (Camillus Company Historian) said Camillus made them for most American companies at one time or another.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by carrmillus »

Toejammer wrote:Hey Carrmillus: I'd be interested to know if the jigging on yours matches up with mine. Take a peek and let us know.
mine looks almost identical to yours!
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by carrmillus »

GeorgeCAtl wrote:
Toejammer wrote:Hey Carrmillus: I'd be interested to know if the jigging on yours matches up with mine. Take a peek and let us know.
Here's another.
Image

Image
mine is not near this dark. wish mine looked this good and didn't have the cracks in it- nice knife!!
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Aimus Moses »

GeorgeCAtl wrote:
Aimus Moses wrote:Any ideal of the manufacture year/date on the Camillus marlin spike? The reason I ask is I have one just like it. It really impressed me with taking a very sharp edge and holding it as long as it does. Could Camillus have been using 440C during the time period of the marlin spike?

Aimus
Aimus, Not really sure of Yr on these. I was looking for a good example as a gift for my Son-In-Law (ex-Coast Guard). I found this one on fleabay and then found a better one which I gave to him. You'll notice someone got a little swirl happy on that blade. They seem to be faily easy to find.
Found this one as well (which I kept)----Sorry Not Camillus................but I bet made by Camillus for Buck.
Image
I think you and Dale are right George. I believe Camillus made your Buck. I've compared my Camillus beside a Buck like yours pictured and besides the slanted bolsters, they were the same. Dale, did Tom say anything about when or if Camillus used 440C SS in their blade steel? I remember reading about Buck using it on their 110's early on but, I don't know if they required Camillus to use the same steel for their contract knives.

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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by orvet »

Here is another Sword Brand from the same era with the same scales as you guys have posted.
This one seems to have the factory edge yet. It doesn't appear to have been sharpened, or if it has been, it wasn't much.
Attachments
Camillus SB jack a.jpg
Camillus SB jack b.jpg
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by GeorgeCAtl »

orvet wrote:Here is another Sword Brand from the same era with the same scales as you guys have posted.
This one seems to have the factory edge yet. It doesn't appear to have been sharpened, or if it has been, it wasn't much.
Pretty amazing that in a matter of a few days, four examples of a model probably 60+ years old could be displayed here.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Toejammer »

GeorgeCAtl wrote:
orvet wrote:Here is another Sword Brand from the same era with the same scales as you guys have posted.
This one seems to have the factory edge yet. It doesn't appear to have been sharpened, or if it has been, it wasn't much.
Pretty amazing that in a matter of a few days, four examples of a model probably 60+ years old could be displayed here.

Very true !

Although I wish mine looked a little "less" like it was 60yrs old....... all these others have fantastic scales, mine are wore slap out ! ::doh::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by ozzie marie »

Here's a Camillus #88

Keith
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Camillus #88.jpg
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Toejammer »

ozzie marie wrote:Here's a Camillus #88

Keith
Now thats purty, I like those slanted bolsters ::tu::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by msteele6 »

Nice old 88 pattern, especially with the box. Here's an old Sword Brand. It's stamped with the pattern number 3007, but I think it's identical to a regular Camillus 67. It is faintly etched "Premuium Stock Knife" but some of the word "Knife" is illegible.
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Camillus3007Open.jpg
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by tjmurphy »

Here's a little #70 - 2 5/8" closed. Don't remember if I posted it earlier or not.
MVC-006F.JPG
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by gino »

Here is a few
The entire Cartridge series
Rockwell BS
Some oldies
modified tl-29
Military scout knife
Attachments
z 057.jpg
z 058.jpg
Gina 032.jpg
z 059.jpg
z 060.jpg
Gina 047.jpg
Picture 304.jpg
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Just Plain Dave
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Just Plain Dave »

LOVE that modified easy open TL-29!!!!!
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by gino »

Thanks Dave,made with Bocote wood handles and it has a filed spring also. The easy open was added for looks and I really like it. Caddyman73 made it for me.
Here is a few better pics.
Attachments
z 063.jpg
z 062.jpg
z 061.jpg
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