A Camillus find

Absintheur

Absintheur

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Jan 31, 2008
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I have been on a side trip in my knife collecting of late, mainly it is the big jack knives that have been catching my eye. I just got this Camillus 23 and it is just that...a big jack. At 4 1/4 inches closed the pen blade is bigger than the main on a lot of my knives and I love the big spear with it's swedge and long pull. This one was obviously a company give away and it looks as if the original owner looked at it and put it away. Made in the late 60's to early 70's it isn't very old but even still it is very minty. It has been riding in a DM Bullard belt pouch the past couple of days and will get carried a good bit more in the future. Sometimes it is just nice to hold a knife that fills your hand. Now it just needs to gather in some soul...

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That is a great find. I cannot believe how well the impression still shows up. Plus you just have to love the long pull.:D
 
DennisStrickland said:
that is a real beauty. will certainly stand up to hard use, although i think i would keep it in the safe.
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I don't own any safe queens and I hope I never do. I know some folks like to keep knives like this as pristine as possible but I don't see the point of doing that. I have no desire to make a collector fifty years from now happy...I want to make me happy and using a great blade like this one makes me smile. I won't abuse it of course, it won't be sharpened on a belt sander, and I know it's not a hammer. When that collector fifty years from now gets his hands on it he will get a used but well cared for pocket knife that can tell stories about it's previous owner.
 
Wow, that is nice! The spear blade is beautiful. That is a great pattern and I have a weakness for Camillus anyway.

I think I just added another one to my "must have" list. I bid on a couple of these a little while back, and you just reminded to take up the search again!

Nicely said:
Absintheur said:
I have no desire to make a collector fifty years from now happy...I want to make me happy and using a great blade like this one makes me smile.
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me too:)
 
Absintheur said:
I have no desire to make a collector fifty years from now happy...I want to make me happy
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That sure does cover a lot of us in a nutshell. Well said, sir!

And that sure is a beauty of a knife. Knives given out as promotional items. Yup, they used to do that.

Nice Find! Congrats!
 
Saw something on the 'bay real similar lately. Absintheur, is that French Ivory scale material?

Mike
 
I recently picked up a Camillus Jumbo Jack on the 'bay. I really, really like this knife. A true handfull, it's built for use. I wasn't nuts over the mother-of-toilet-seat handles so I having them replaced with ruby red peachseed bone slabs. I'll post it when I get it back from rehandling.
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I don't know if it is "French Ivory" or not...not smart enough about that material, it is a plastic and has shrunk very slightly. It has very faint pinstrips running the length of the scales...best seen in the second pic.

I saw a Camco for sale but the swedged main on the Camillus made me go that way instead. I really wish the newer versions would have kept it as well.
 
comoha said:
I recently picked up a Camillus Jumbo Jack on the 'bay. I really, really like this knife. A true handfull, it's built for use. I wasn't nuts over the mother-of-toilet-seat handles so I having them replaced with ruby red peachseed bone slabs. I'll post it when I get it back from rehandling.
352037314_o.jpg
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Who can handle (pun intended) a re-handle job like that?
 
Absintheur said:
I don't know if it is "French Ivory" or not...not smart enough about that material, it is a plastic and has shrunk very slightly. It has very faint pinstrips running the length of the scales...best seen in the second pic.

I saw a Camco for sale but the swedged main on the Camillus made me go that way instead. I really wish the newer versions would have kept it as well.
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French ivory celluloid.:)
 
Whoa...that is a well kept piece. I can appreciate your "no vault knives here" source of happiness. Most of us understand that intimately. One thing about it though, when you see and hold a knife of this quality made in the late 40's... that is still just the way it came from the factory, there is a thankyou waiting out there for the guy who saved'her for the future generations like us to enjoy too. Thanks for sharing it with us.
 
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