All About Pocket Knives

I got a surprise in my mailbox a couple of days ago; it came from upstate New York, from Schrade Country to be precise.

We all know that Rich (LT) has enough knives and knife paraphernalia to fill a couple of museums, well probably more than two, since he’s already done that! He has lots of knife related stuff!

He got quite creative with the things and he has figured out a way to share them. He sent me this plaque, which has a number of tang stamps that were stamped into a sheet of copper. The tang stamps mostly came from the Schrade in the Camillus factories, but Camillus was famous for making knives for a lot of different companies.

Below the stamped piece of copper are a number of different shields that came from the Schrade and Camillus factories.

At the very bottom of the plaque, mounted flush with the wood, is a rare earth magnet. It is small but very powerful and it holds on one of the actual stamps that were used to stamp the tang stamps.

I found the display fascinating and now I have to find a place on the wall to put it, probably near my desk. It’s great history and I really appreciate all the work LT went to in making it! Thanks Rich!

I thought you guys would enjoy seeing it too.

Dale it nice to receive a item like that when you know the person put in their time to make it just for you.
I know when I received something like that it takes pride of place in my display and every time you look at it you think of the person who gave it to you and what a terrific person to know.
Grant

I noticed an oval Case shield on the plaque...did Camillus make knives for Case too? If so, when (what year(s))?

~Q~

QTCut5 wrote:I noticed an oval Case shield on the plaque...did Camillus make knives for Case too? If so, when (what year(s))?

~Q~

I will take a guest and say a 4 blade scout knife. ( could be Schrade )
Could be other,I would not know. I'm not a Case man.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CASE-XX-640045R ... SwC~tZkMen

Grant

What a wonderful and thoughtful gift, Dale! Knowing Rich's passion for Schrade and that he took the time to make this makes it that much more special.

Glenn

Very nice indeed!

QTCut5 wrote:I noticed an oval Case shield on the plaque...did Camillus make knives for Case too? If so, when (what year(s))?

~Q~

Not sure how many different patterns they made, but Camillus made the 640045R scout knife for Case. I had a 2006, but traded it away.

WOW, very cool!!!

Rich has been a good friend for many years and we have a number of common friends and acquaintances in the knife making/collecting world.

Grant – It is special when someone takes the time to hand make something for you and I appreciate the time and the work Rich put into this project. I know he made several of them and even has one for sale on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Knife-display-b ... Sw-3FZJajo
(Rich, I hope you don’t mind if I post this.)

It really is amazing when you realize how many of the different brand names bought knives from Albert Baer, either from Schrade, Ulster, Camillus or Imperial!
Grant asked what patterns that Camillus made for Case; aside from the scout pattern I know at one point Camillus made the yachtsman’s knife with the marlinspike for Case. It was after the Tested Era because the Camillus made Case blade I got from Tom Williams would not fit a tested era Case marlinspike knife.
I know they also made the TL-29 electricians knife for Case at one point. Tom Williams told me it one point in time that Camillus made about half of the TL-29 type knives sold by American companies. Among them: Boker USA, Case, M Klein, Schrade, Powr-Craft (Montgomery Wards), Craftsman, Proto, and no doubt many others.
I believe Camillus also made their hawkbill pruner for Case. I received a couple handle sets, liner/bolster/wood handle and shield for Case’s hawkbill pruner.

It seems to me that Camillus specialized in making utilitarian/work knives like scout knives, electricians knives, pruning knives and even the marlinspike knife would be considered a working man’s knife, IMHO.

The DNA of Camillus and also Schrade (I believe LT would agree with me) were working knives. Knives made to perform a task day in and day out and make the owners job and life easier. They were built to be depended on, not to look pretty and be collected.

When you see all the shields and all the stamps put together in one small plaque you realize just how much influence Camillus and Schrade had in the US and even the world cutlery market!

Thanks again Rich! I know for you this was a labor of love and a way to share with other people some of the cutlery history you love so much. I am humbled by such a thoughtful gift and reminder of our friendship.

Great gift, great friends, and great post!

That's a very special gift, and a special tribute to cutlery history! Thanks for showing it here, Dale. And thank you Rich for the creativity to make it.

Somewhere here on AAPK is a post authored by Steve Pfeiffer listing the patterns Camillus made on contract for Case. I wrote them all down but don't have access to my notes at present. I'll post it here later if no one else does before I find it.

Ken

That is neat

What a wonderful and thoughtful gift. Lt is all right in my book.

Mumbleypeg wrote:That's a very special gift, and a special tribute to cutlery history! Thanks for showing it here, Dale. And thank you Rich for the creativity to make it.

Somewhere here on AAPK is a post authored by Steve Pfeiffer listing the patterns Camillus made on contract for Case. I wrote them all down but don't have access to my notes at present. I'll post it here later if no one else does before I find it.

Ken

The link to the referenced Steve Pfeiffer post regarding patterns Camillus made for Case: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=47788&p=494406#p494406

Ken

What a great display Dale!!! That 'ol Coot has some artistic talent!

Eric