Camillus Tang Stamps

[carrmillus]

Camillus.jpg

Looking at this image of Camillus tang stamps and dates, what is your opinion as to the correctness of the dates provided? Especially looking at the Camillus short line (1946-50) and the Camillus No Line (1946-56). It would seem that following a pattern that these two stamps are reversed as far as dating and even as far as date ranges. It would seem to me that the no line stamp would be earlier than the short line stamp and that the date ranges would be 1946-50 for the no line and probably 1950-60? for the short line.

Anyone have an opinion?

........t. j., here's one to dwell on- I've got a 4 1/2" cigar jack-walnut handles, bowtie shield, the primary is 4 line stamped, the secondary has the arched 3 line stamp!!!.......... ...................how would you date that one!!!..... ......

[tjmurphy]

From what I've read, it would be c. 1916. Handles are probably rosewood or cocobolo. Are these the stamps that you have?

[carrmillus]

......that's the same as mine, t. j.!!!........the goin's book(which is about as confusing as Camillus) says the 3 line curved samp was 1902-1915 and the 4 line started in 1919!!....I give up!!!......... .............

[tjmurphy]

The picture that I posted has a three-line stamp on the main blade (CAMILLUS - CUTLERY CO. - NEW YORK). This is the little ebony handled jack that I sent you a while back. Check the stamp closly, three or four line?

[carrmillus]

.............time for me to go get new glasses,t. j., it is 3 line on the primary on the one you sent me-but the big cigar jack I have is 4 line stamped on the primary!!!................ ...........

[Shearer]

Do you think that at Camillus that they keep putting blades in a bin and only empty it ever 10 to 15 years instead of rotating them when they changed stamps.

[tjmurphy]

.............time for me to go get new glasses,t. j., it is 3 line on the primary on the one you sent me-but the big cigar jack I have is 4 line stamped on the primary!!!................ ...........

I don't know Tommy Maybe a reblade

[carrmillus]

............seems like I remember dale saying that tom Williams told him they never threw anything away!!!....maybe that explains some of these questions??????................. ..........................

[orvet]

One example Tom gave me was after WWII there were blades left from canceled DOD orders, I think (not sure) that it was for the easy open jack. If they had ten thousand extra blades that are perfectly good, just one tang stamp behind, there was no reason to throw them away. Those 4 line tang stamp blades were used in the post war production of that pattern until the blades were gone.

A lot of manufacturing today is closely regulated by point of sale systems computer systems.
Post WWII, the POS computers (no pun intended) were decades away; blades and other knife parts were made in batches. Enough components were made to last them until their next production run; determined by some method of calculation, likely by the experience & instinct of the head of the production dept.

Since they were manufacturing under less modern conditions without computerized inventory control it seems to me inevitable that they would have shortages and overages. It only seems reasonable to me that they would want to get the most bang for their buck and use the older production blades and parts before making new ones.

[carrmillus]

.........thanks, dale!!.........I think i'm to the point where i'm going to quit trying to date them and just enjoy them!!!!.............. ................

[orvet]

I wanted to jumpstart this topic and show an example of the earliest Camillus tang stamp that I have seen. This is the one that has the curved CAMILLUS/– . –/CUTLERY Co./NEW – YORK on both blades.

According to John Goins’ book; Goins’ Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings, this is the earliest tang stamp Camillus used. Goins dates this tang stamp as 1902 – 1915. Notice the tang stamp is identical on both blades, including the font style which is sans serif.

This is the first example I have seen, (and added to my collection), of this earliest tang stamp.

There are other tang stamps used in 1915 & 1916, (per Goins) that use the curved top line CAMILLUS with the – . – beneath it but they were used in conjunction with a different three line stamp on the other blades. You can see these illustrated below on a copy of Camillus tang stamps from Goins book.

If Goins is to be believed Camillus actually could’ve used as many as five different tang stamps in 1915 in 1916. Why would they do this? I have no idea though part of the answer may lie in knife production for World War I. I know Camillus made knives for the Canadian Navy during World War I and a lot of knives for the US government. Those may have in some way been the driving force behind the plethora of tang stamps used around the time of World War I.

This little half congress obviously has some problems, the pivot pin for the master blade is worn out, and I think that is contributed to the cracking of the bone. Someday when I get really bold and have a lot of time I may try to repair this, but in the meantime I’m going to leave it as it is and add it to my collection as the only example I currently have of the first Camillus tang stamp.

[FRJ]

Thanks for showing that, Dale. Good information to know.

[garddogg56]

Thanx Dale

[carrmillus]

I wanted to jumpstart this topic and show an example of the earliest Camillus tang stamp that I have seen. This is the one that has the curved CAMILLUS/– . –/CUTLERY Co./NEW – YORK on both blades.

Camillus half congress a - Primary tang stamp.jpg
Camillus half congress b -secondary tang stamp.jpg

According to John Goins’ book; Goins’ Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings, this is the earliest tang stamp Camillus used. Goins dates this tang stamp as 1902 – 1915. Notice the tang stamp is identical on both blades, including the font style which is sans serif.

This is the first example I have seen, (and added to my collection), of this earliest tang stamp.

There are other tang stamps used in 1915 & 1916, (per Goins) that use the curved top line CAMILLUS with the – . – beneath it but they were used in conjunction with a different three line stamp on the other blades. You can see these illustrated below on a copy of Camillus tang stamps from Goins book.

Camillus tang stamps 1902-1918 per Goins.jpg

If Goins is to be believed Camillus actually could’ve used as many as five different tang stamps in 1915 in 1916. Why would they do this? I have no idea though part of the answer may lie in knife production for World War I. I know Camillus made knives for the Canadian Navy during World War I and a lot of knives for the US government. Those may have in some way been the driving force behind the plethora of tang stamps used around the time of World War I.


Camillus half congress a.jpg
Camillus half congress b.jpg
This little half congress obviously has some problems, the pivot pin for the master blade is worn out, and I think that is contributed to the cracking of the bone. Someday when I get really bold and have a lot of time I may try to repair this, but in the meantime I’m going to leave it as it is and add it to my collection as the only example I currently have of the first Camillus tang stamp.

.....dale, I only have one that is stamped like this one, a 3 1/2" tuxedo knife, swell center, bar shield with ebony wood handles!!....I do have several others with the 3 line straight stamp, which I think is 1916-1918??........... ..........