All About Pocket Knives

I just picked up an early Camillus Rogers bone Army Knife. I am going to rehandle and refurb it. I need help with what everyone thinks the best Culpepper match is for this one. I'll be posting my progress in this thread as I go.

My thoughts are the RJB Goldenroot as being the best match. Anyone have a better suggestion?

That`s a pretty scarce knife.

I would find one with the USA shield, they are plentiful and cheap, and take a good scale off the back side and the bail and restore it back to original condition with the proper bone.

But that`s just me

Miller Bro`s wrote:That`s a pretty scarce knife.

I would find one with the USA shield, they are plentiful and cheap, and take a good scale off the back side and the bail and restore it back to original condition with the proper bone.

But that`s just me

Yeah. I was thinking that myself because I could not find reference to the "Army Knife" pattern in Price & Zalesky or from the 1941 Camillus drawings.

I am pretty sure I have the proper bail for it on hand, it`s yours for the taking if you want it.

By the way was this WWI era? I have seen all of the WWII knives with the short pull on the cap lifter/screwdriver. This one has the long saw cut pull.

WWII era

Miller Bro`s wrote:I am pretty sure I have the proper bail for it on hand, it`s yours for the taking if you want it.

Yeah. I'm interested. I'll send a PM.

By the way. I'm fairly new to rehandling folders and I thought that I would use the "split it" method on this one with a razor and rubber mallet. Does this method work?

Hey Rex. I see that the cap lifter/screw driver blade is stamped with the four-line stamp. Are the other blades stamped? I'm thinking that your knife dates 1919-1941, pre WWII. Also, I've just gotten in a knife that is a complete Frankenstein, to my way of thinking, and if you think that the bone matches close enough, I'll send it to you as a donor. It is the exact same size as my CAMILLUS USA utility knife. I'll add pics in just a few. The color of the bone in the pics is really, really close to the actual color, dark, red-brown. Pay particular attention to the notch for the punch access on the donor knife. Is it the same as yours?
Donor Knife My USA utility for comparison

tjmurphy wrote:Hey Rex. I see that the cap lifter/screw driver blade is stamped with the four-line stamp. Are the other blades stamped? I'm thinking that your knife dates 1919-1941, pre WWII. Also, I've just gotten in a knife that is a complete Frankenstein, to my way of thinking, and if you think that the bone matches close enough, I'll send it to you as a donor. It is the exact same size as my CAMILLUS USA utility knife. I'll add pics in just a few. The color of the bone in the pics is really, really close to the actual color, dark, red-brown. Pay particular attention to the notch for the punch access on the donor knife. Is it the same as yours?
Donor Knife

My USA utility for comparison

Hey TJ. Yes. Only the Cap Lifter/Screwdriver & the Spear blade is stamped. The can opener & the punch are not stamped. As for the Frankenstein. The color really looks the same. I wouldn't mind using it for the pile side scale. Have you ever split a knife with a razor & hammer? Looking for someone that has done this & has had some success. Don't really want to drill because of the small diameter pin for the bail.

I think your knife will fall into the 1919-1941 range based on two blades stamped. I've never taken a knife apart, but Muskrat Man posted a video awhile back about taking apart a folder. I'll see if I can dig it up and post the link.

SEE HERE
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OElhlDk1G0w[/youtube]

Your answer to using a razor blade to disassemble a knife is YES it works VERY WELL, Rex!!!
It just won't work on Swindlin keys...

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... =38&t=5236

...... Joe

I think Muskrat's done more of these than I have. He splits them with a kitchen knife. Not that confident yet. Think I'll try the razor first.

Joe Dirt wrote:Your answer to using a razor blade to disassemble a knife is YES it works VERY WELL, Rex!!!
It just won't work on Swindlin keys...

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... =38&t=5236

...... Joe

Thanks Joe. TJ recommended that I try this on a junker first so I'll be doing this sometime today on a POS that I have. I'll post pics.

Miller Bro`s wrote:That`s a pretty scarce knife.

I would find one with the USA shield, they are plentiful and cheap, and take a good scale off the back side and the bail and restore it back to original condition with the proper bone.

But that`s just me

................that's what I would try to do with it!!!!........the 4 line stamp is supposed to be 1919-1941(all blades stamped)........................ .................

carrmillus wrote:

Miller Bro`s wrote:That`s a pretty scarce knife.

I would find one with the USA shield, they are plentiful and cheap, and take a good scale off the back side and the bail and restore it back to original condition with the proper bone.

But that`s just me

................that's what I would try to do with it!!!!........the 4 line stamp is supposed to be 1919-1941(all blades stamped)........................ .................

TJ's sending me a donor that looks like it has the same bone & jigging. We'll see how close a match it is when it gets here.

OK. I probably picked the wrong trial knife to start with but the purpose was to see if I could easily split the pins with a razor. The Imperial that I started with has swinden keys. Cut right through those.

I hope the Camillus doesn't have swinden keys. I'm 99.9% positive it doesn't but if it does can someone chime in?

Got the donor knife (AKA Frankenstein) from TJ. I guess we both failed to think about the length of the scale on Frankenstein vs Army Knife.

Army Knife much larger. (By .075")

Might have to go Culpepper on this one.

Thanks again Tom for the donor but on it's way back.

Sorry Doug, wish that it would have worked out

tjmurphy wrote:Sorry Doug, wish that it would have worked out

No problem. Did you get Frankenstein back yet?

Allright! Finally got some scales from Culpepper. I opted for the Amber RJB (Their rendition of Rogers Bone jigging.) Was able to disassemble tonight. Here are pics:

Sorry. I broke this into 2 posts because I think there is a picture limit for each post.

Anyway. Continuing on.

rexstubbins wrote:

tjmurphy wrote:Sorry Doug, wish that it would have worked out

No problem. Did you get Frankenstein back yet?

Yeppers, got it back the other day, came in on a bolt of lightning, just like the movie. I think you made a pretty good choice in bone material. Should turn out pretty nice

Was able to work a little more on it today. Removed the scales and shield from the liners.

Didn't get too far today. We'll do some more tomorrow.

I am going to move this thread to the knife repair forum