A 696 Marlin Spike folder with Textured Handles

Shepherd Jim

Shepherd Jim

Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Messages
174
It was early last December (2010) when I first discovered that Camillus had made the 695 folding rigger with textured Delrin handles. see my post in this Forum.

Well, now I know for sure that they also made the 696 with that style handle. This 696 has a half-serrated sheepfoot blade, or "scalloped" as Camillus called it.

100256_Cami_696_txt.jpg


I've yet to learn anything about when or why Camillus would either half- or fully scallop the blade.

100256_Cami_696_txt_Tangstamp.jpg


Camillus also made the 695 style knife for other cutlery companies under contract, but there's no reason to believe that they ever used these textured Delrin scales on any knives but their own.
 
That knife is actually identical to the regular black delrin version! :eek:

Several operations were removed to reduce costs.
That "texture" you see is just the EDM pattern on the mold; the knives would then be subsequently flat sanded & polished to achieve the smooth handle with flush pins you are used to seeing! Keeping the pins proud & eliminating the polishing saved a few cents.

I believe this was only done in the last couple of years of Camillus, so I would guess it is a relatively scarce variant.
 
Phil Gibbs said:
...<snip>...
That "texture" you see is just the EDM pattern on the mold; ...<snip>...

I believe this was only done in the last couple of years of Camillus, so I would guess it is a relatively scarce variant.
Click to expand...

Thanks for, as always, for adding some hard history. What is "EDM" ??

It's the "relatively scarce variants" that make knife collecting so darn much fun. I'm hoping the day never comes when I might think that I know it all and own one each of all the riggers.
 
Shepherd Jim said:
Thanks for, as always, for adding some hard history. What is "EDM" ??

It's the "relatively scarce variants" that make knife collecting so darn much fun. I'm hoping the day never comes when I might think that I know it all and own one each of all the riggers.
Click to expand...

EDM = Electrical discharge machining.
We would shape Carbon Electrodes to the shape of the handle.
The cavities would then be "burned" into the hard steel molds.
The natural EDM finish is that rough texture you see on the handle.

If we were trying to mold a smooth handle, the mold would then need to be polished by a toolmaker.
As we sanded those handles to flush the pins & rosettes (surface pin washers), there was no need to polish the mold.
 
Phil Gibbs said:
EDM = Electrical discharge machining.
We would shape Carbon Electrodes to the shape of the handle.
The cavities would then be "burned" into the hard steel molds....<snip>...
Click to expand...

WoW! Phil, thank you for that explanation. I had no idea such a thing was possible, much less in common use making molds for such common garden variety items as pocketknife handles. Of course, I'm no expert when it come to modern metalworking. I'm still recovering from learning that some of the highest quality cutting steels are created by putting metal powder under extreme pressure. A friend of mine makes things called gerotors for automotive pumps out of "powder metal".

I would have thought that the edges of a mold made in such manner would not have been very sharply defined.

Some rainy day you should sit down and type "A Day Making Knives at Camillus".
 
smokepole said:
You just have to love this - you learn something every day!
Click to expand...

Hey smokepole! I know! Phil's explanation about the EDM process made me smile and gawk in awe at the same time -- industrial poetry.

Reminded me of JC Penny in the late 80's when they made a big deal about their "Plain Pockets Jeans" (vs. the "designer jeans" that had all kinds of fancy embroidery on the rear pockets) -- what was so neat about JCP's ad campaign was that they were saving 20% on the US Customs duty -- importers of "fashion/designer jeans" were paying 35% duty (that's $35.00 for every $100 of jeans coming into the country) ...while JC Penny was paying $15.00 (15%).

I'm hoping that Phil, and or any of the other ex-knife-industry employees, are thinking about the "A Day Making Knives at Camillus" idea.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top