Streamline or Sword Brand?

[J529A]

I noticed an Equal End Jack on eBay that had a tang stamp marked "Sword Brand" (with crossed swords) but the master blade was deeply etched "Streamline." Acording to Goins the Streamline Brand was introduced by Camillus in 1935. The Sword Brand was started by the Kastor Brothers in 1906 so they were also made by Camillus. I thought they were totally separate brands and that the Sword Brand name was etched on the blade with the crossed swords. Can anyone explain how these two brand names are placed on the same blade?

[orvet]

Sword Brand were the top of the line Camillus knives. 1906 is when Camillus started using that tang stamp.
Streamline was one pattern Camillus made.
The down side to the Streamline is that they were made with celluloid handles and often the offgassing of the celluloid eats up the liners and blades of the knife. However if you can find a good one and put nice bone handles on it you have a stellar looking knife!

[XX Case XX]

However if you can find a good one and put nice bone handles on it you have a stellar looking knife!

Yes. A knife like that would make for a great EDC.

___________
Mike

[Doc B]

[mcrunkin]

Here is an example of a true Celluloid survivor..... Nice blade indeed....

[J529A]

Yes very interesting. The one for sale on eBay has jigged scales and they are definitely not celluloid. However, I was mostly wondering why the master blade has the "Streamline" etching and the tang is stamped "Sword Brand." My understanding is that they are two different brands. Anyone know why the two brands are combined on the same blade?

[Doc B]

I believe Camillus bought out Sword Brand;then, as Dale said, above...Camillus kept the Sword Brand...as their "top tier" line of knives.

[orvet]

Tom Williams told me about Sword Brand, Tom was the official historian for Camillus cutlery as well as a 30-year employee there.
Tom said "The name Sword Brand was first used in 1906. Sword Brand was the best quality."
Tom did not say anything about the name being purchased from another company.

Per John Goins: Camillus Cutlery Company was founded Circa 1902 by Charles E Sherwood as the Sherwood Cutlery Company in 1894. He was not very successful and in 1896 he leased the factory to Robeson Cutlery Company.
In 1901 Charles Sherwood sold the company to Adolf Kastor and Brothers. The name Camillus was adopted in 1902.

The way Tom talked Sword Brand was a new name for Camillus. I find it doubtful that Camillus would use use a brand name from the failed Sherwood Cutlery Company. Tom said Sword Brand "Were the top line produced by Camillus."

I think the Kastors deliberately chose to make a statement of quality with the Sword Brand line, and I don't think they would have used a borrowed brand to do that with.

You are correct however that this was and still is a common practice in the cutlery industry. Generally, at least that I have observed, a company will buy a highly respected brand like Hammer Brand originally made by New York Knife Company, which is what Imperial did. Then Imperial used the brand for their inexpensive shell handle knives. They were trying to get people to associate the hammer brand name with quality and purchase there less expensive knife. Imperial did use good Steel in the knives so that knock off of the name was successful, probably one of the most successful that I am aware of. There are no doubt other far less successful examples of practice.

[Doc B]

Thanks for setting me straight, on that, Dale!

[orvet]

Thanks for setting me straight, on that, Dale!

Like I said, Tom didn't say for sure that it was a brand new name, but the way he talked about it, it was new and they were proud of Sword Brand even a hundred years later. The interview I quoted from was done in 2010.

[jerryd6818]

Just a guess here. I wonder if Streamline was a "Line" within the "Sword Brand" Brand. Like "Sta-Sharp" is for the "High Carbon Steel" brand.

[J529A]

Jerry I think you are right. Clearly, Streamline is etched only Sword Brand knives so it has to be a line within a brand. Goins' says the Streamline brand was started in 1935. So I guess any knives with that etching are 1935 and later. Thanks Jerry!

[kootenay joe]

Streamline is not etched on the blade. It is deeply stamped into the blade.
"Streamline" was a line of Camillus knives, mid range is my understanding. Sword Brand was the top line and not to be confused with "Silver Sword" which was a later line of Camillus knives that were quite ordinary.
kj

[msteele6]

Streamline is a word that was used to describe a style that became popular in the 1930's. The word was used to describe all sorts of products, most notably cars, as exemplified by the Chrysler Airflow. The style was applied to boats, cars, airplanes, even everyday items that didn't move like kitchen appliances, buildings, radios and, in this case, knives. The style evolved in response to manufacturers new found desire to make things more aerodynamic. As KJ said, the "Streamline" isn't etched but deeply stamped on the blades, the same way that the "Hammer Forged" was stamped on the blade of many Camillus made Keen Kutters. "Streamline" wasn't a brand only a style.

[Ridgegrass]

I've had three "Streamline"/Sword knives. Coincidentally, all three had saber ground blades. I sold them off and I'm sorry I did. They were excellent quality. J.O'.

[Doc B]

Streamline is a word that was used to describe a style that became popular in the 1930's. The word was used to describe all sorts of products, most notably cars, as exemplified by the Chrysler Airflow. The style was applied to boats, cars, airplanes, even everyday items that didn't move like kitchen appliances, buildings, radios and, in this case, knives. The style evolved in response to manufacturers new found desire to make things more aerodynamic. As KJ said, the "Streamline" isn't etched but deeply stamped on the blades, the same way that the "Hammer Forged" was stamped on the blade of many Camillus made Keen Kutters. "Streamline" wasn't a brand only a style.

I agree, it was a "style". Somewhere I had read, the knife coincided with the fascination of the Streamlined locomotives, that captivated people's attention. I don't know if the knife / locomotive connection is correct or not...but; I'm still fascinated by them...
https://www.steamlocomotive.com/types/streamlined/