Wow a blast from the past.
Thanks DeSoto for link and everybody was right on. Some sailors of our Navy carried these during their service, some maybe had to have new ones when they mustered out. For a good spell the Coast Guard Academy issued them to new 'plebes'. I think in the end some of those show up on the bay. They are really a specialized tool but I understand how Buck knife folks may had to have one of their own to fondle. Several modern day designs are still sold by other companies, some considered high dollar in value due to the fancy metals used.
In the too short rare meetings I have had with a couple of ex-Camillus employees the 315 has not been talked about, my bad. So I will say with some practical thinking the metal was 440A, as asked in the provided old thread. The common Camillus blade material of the era. The dot after the model number was a puzzle but if you readers of 110 threads will recall, the dot mentioned was to denote some production change on a particular run. Who knows what that could have been on these, something as mundane as a different strength of rivet on the shackle connection or a change of some angle. Or it could have just been a spot that was dinged. I did not begin a search for one with a dot....The bolstered versions are the oldest the 'naked' end ones the newest. Bolstered versions had solid spring and the naked ones had both. Camillus issued a copy of the naked end versions also with a Camillus stamped shield. Their version had partial serrations on the blade, so I keep hoping to find a Buck that they had to use Cami serrated blade blanks to finish a run. Stamped Buck on the tang.
This model is seen on occasion on the bay and I would not pay high dollars for them unless very special. The amount mentioned would be todays high end also. Usually bought by people who sail, odd knife collectors (the knives not the people) and Buck guys who "need" to have one. There are several versions some very rare. Most common are the four shown in the thread.
Here on the forum we use to hear from ShepardJim who was a collector of sailor knives but he has gotten quite. And so now will I.
300Bucks
