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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Miller Bro's
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Miller Bro's »

Dale,

I have one like that, same stamp.

I think it is from the 1960`s ::nod::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by stockman »

Cattle Knife 3 5/8" nice bone scales. marked Camillus/Cutlery Co/Camillus NY/USA
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by orvet »

jmh58 wrote:Dale.. Neat knife!! What are the handles?? John ::groove::
John,
I did some digging and I am pretty sure these handles are what they called Maize Pyroxylin in the 1951 catalog.
They used the same term as far back as 1946, which is the oldest catalog I have.
I think it is likely the term was used pre WW II.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by msteele6 »

Wow, stockman, I envy you that one.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by jmh58 »

orvet wrote:
jmh58 wrote:Dale.. Neat knife!! What are the handles?? John ::groove::
John,
I did some digging and I am pretty sure these handles are what they called Maize Pyroxylin in the 1951 catalog.
They used the same term as far back as 1946, which is the oldest catalog I have.
I think it is likely the term was used pre WW II.

Thanks Dale.. I think they are cool!! ::tu:: But I bet they look even better in person!! ::nod:: John ::groove::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by msteele6 »

Orvet,

I just got a chance to look more carefully at that little combination corkscrew/can opener knife you posted. I didn't realize it had the four (five) line stamping, that is a very interesting little knife.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by orvet »

Stockman sent me a PM asking if I had a catalog that might show the knife he posted just above in this thread.
I thought the test of you might be interested in what I found researching his knife.

This is my reply:
Sorry,
No such luck. The oldest catalog I have is 1946. In the 1946 catalog where I can read the tang stamps they are not 4-line, though no doubt they were getting rid of overstock from the war and knives from cancelled DOD contracts.

The 1946 catalog I have shows a knife similar to yours, but of course it is a drawing, not a photo.

For the 1946 catalog go to http://www.collectors-of-camillus.us/Ca ... illuss.pdf and scroll through to 35 of the PDF file or page 34 of the catalog in the PDF, you will see the Army Air Corp Utility Knife. It has the same blade configuration of your knife but with different bolsters. I think it is possible that they had a bunch of blades left over from the war that they put into frames, but obviously with different bolsters. I think your knife may have been produced after the war from leftover blades.
Tom Williams, the Camillus Company Historian, told me they did do things like that to use up blades they had in stock.

Now it is also possible that the knife was made pre-war, but until we discover some pre-war catalogs we won’t know for sure.

At this point in time this is about the best I can offer on your knife. Perhaps if you could find an Army Air Corp Utility Knife and could compare them side-by-side you might be able to tell if they are the same or not.

This is about the best I can do now with the resources I have at the present time.


If someone else has info on this knife I would love to hear it.
Perhaps someone has an Army Air Corp Utility Knife and could post pics for comparison.
This is getting interesting.

Dale
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by msteele6 »

The bone on that Camillus knife of Stockman's looks to me like an older Camillus bone. If I had to guess a date on the knife I would guess '20's - 30's.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by robinetn »

Here is one rarely seen Cammy and one common one .

Bob
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by trail »

That 23 may be a common pattern, but your sample is in uncommonly good shape, Bob. Two beautiful knives. I usually think of Camillus as the great American work knife company, so it's nice to see their Sunday go to meeting knives for a contrast.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Just Plain Dave »

I don't se a THING "common" about that 23!!!

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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by orvet »

Actually Dave it is more common to find them as ad knives than plain like that one.
I have a 1 new one, & 2 used ones. Most I see have advertising on them.

But I agree, it is an uncommonly nice pattern! ::super_happy::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by ringergary »

Just got a couple, a 712,,a 72,, and a Cub scout #1885.

My 2nd favourite after Schrade's,
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by orvet »

Nice bone handled whittler (#72) Gary!
I have a couple, but they are fairly rare with factory bone handles.

Nice find! ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by ringergary »

Thanks Dale, I haven't even cleaned the factory oil of the scout yet, must go to photo school or get zed to do it for me
but I suppose practice makes perfect as they say. ::dang::


Gary...
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by coniferwoodsman »

Hey Guys, here's four Camillus knives for you.
-Camco Barlow-
-Trapper, same pattern as was made for Buck-
-My first #72-
-MOP handled "whittler" wedged backsprings-
Enjoy
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by ringergary »

stockman wrote:Cattle Knife 3 5/8" nice bone scales. marked Camillus/Cutlery Co/Camillus NY/USA
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Really nice knife stockman,


cheers Gary. ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by ringergary »

Hi all, Here's another 5 line Camillus.
I just call him a bar knife, cause of the corkscrew, probably wrong, but I know what I'am thinking.
I bid on this one sorta by mistake. After I won him and he turned up in the mail I was pretty ::dang::
What's the right pattern for this bloke???
cheers Gary.. ::shrug::


PS. want a slap for the quality pic's ::td::
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Toejammer »

Snagged a couple of new ones, amazing the deals you can get when people take crappy photo's for auctions ! :mrgreen:

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Camillus 717 Yello Jaket 2 Blade trapper

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Camillus 91 4 Blade Congress
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by trail »

"amazing the deals you can get when people take crappy photo's for auctions" - I'm in total agreement, Toe. I think the serious ebay sellers know to take lots of good pictures, and some of the ripoff artists take poor ones on purpose, but lot's of small sellers and what I would call "hobbyist" sellers still haven't got the point - good pictures sell knives. But that just makes opportunity for you and me.

Gorgeous Camillus knives, Toe. I especially like that congress. Camillus had the best looking delrin out there, in my opinion.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by Toejammer »

Thanks Trail ! There both nice, but I do like the scales on that congress. :D
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by FRJ »

I agree with trail, and they both have the same stamp. Nice.
I have a 23 just like yours, Bob. Your's is in better shape than mine. Those are fine looking knives.
If I remember, I'll get a picture tomorrow.

EDIT: sorry, I was on page 19.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by FRJ »

Here's my 23.
I like everything about this knife except the scales.
Great size. Great big spear and a backup blade and solid as a rock.
What's not to like?.......except the scales
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by koldgold »

I have two of these UH886 knives made by Camillus; they are the only Camillus knife I have in my collection.
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UH886 S.C.C on left + two HU885 Schrade knives.
UH886 S.C.C on left + two HU885 Schrade knives.
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Re: Show Us Your Camillus Knives!

Post by trail »

I picked up this old, well-used rope knife recently. This is the large style rope knife, measuring 4 3/8 inches closed. It has a good clear 4 line tang stamp, good snap, all parts still there, even if the blade is worn down to butter knife profile. Like all Camillus knives, it's tough as nails, built to last.
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