Camillus/1006 - Help Identifying Age, Model, etc.?

[TIMx13]

Greetings, all!


I've been lurking for a while, and just lately going through old posts in an effort to more closely identify my dad's old hunting knife. Would you mind having a look at the pix below, and sharing whatever information you may have?

Details:

• Overall length: 7 3/4"
• Blade Length: 3 3/4"
• Blade markings: Camillus N.Y. U.S.A. on one side, and 1006 on the other.
• Sheath: Brown leather with a leafy sort of embellishment on one side. Started life sewn all the way around, but appears to have been "repaired" with little silver tacks at some point. Has a leather strap with snap closure at the top.
• General State: Bearing the general appearance of having been used for 40 years or so, probably including the DNA of thousands of squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, deer, turkey... Who knows what else. Suffice it to say it could use a thorough cleaning and repair on the sheath.

This knife appears very similar or nearly identical to a knife in the 1948 Western catalog in the following post, but it's an artist's rendering and I can't be certain: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/406909-In-1948-Western-made?highlight=Camillus+1006

My eyes are crossing from information overload, but I believe I either read or inferred that Western made knives for Camillus or vice versa, or one used the models of the other, or some such, so it's possible that I'm looking at a Western knife.

If any of you could render your expertise, I'd really appreciate it. I'm basically looking to identify basic information, such as maker, model number, year, and whatever other information might be around. It belonged to my father and potentially my grandfather, and I'm debating whether to pass it along to my 11 year old or hang onto it until he's older.

(That's 5 links, and I have my doubts whether posting them this way will work, if they'll be too big, etc. If they don't appear immediately, give me a few minutes and I'll try it again.)

(Okay, the pix were fine, but they are smallish. If you'd like to see them in a format that allows zooming, please visit my smugmug site at the link below. For the record, I did read the how-to, but I couldn't find it again. I posted the 2 pix with flash because that's the only way I could get the blade markings to appear legibly. http://nkysportspix.smugmug.com/Family-Private/Other/Knife/20698881_WDnttV#1641999990_zdD8DbL)


Thanks so much for your help!


TIM

 

[CAMCO]

Western Curlery made three fixed blade hunting knives for Camillus-Models #1006, #1007 and #1008. The knife shown above is the smallest model. These knives were first offered in the 1970's and were discontinued after Camillus began making their own fixed blade hunting knives-Models #1011, #1012, #1013 and #1014 that featured stainless steel blades and Delrin handles. Camillus dealers could purchase the knives individually or all three knives in an oak countertp display.

Camillus made several folding knives for Western Cutlery.

At the September, 2007 auction of the Camillus factory, I purchased all the cutting dies and leather molds that were used to make Western leather sheathes. Camillus acquired these items at the 1991 auction of Western Cutlery. All the leather tooling and cutters are now in the possession of a dedicated Western collector.

Tom Williams