Camillus Electrician's Knife

Guyon

Guyon

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Doing some wiring in my kitchen and thought folks might like to see this Camillus electrician's knife that is still serving me well. Has a main cutting blade and a locking screwdriver blade.

CamillusElectricians.jpg
 
No black scales? No bail? Never saw one that color before. Is that one with a company name on the scale on the other side? It is a very good useful knife and if not abused will work for a long time.
 
No company name or logo. Just the Camillus blade stamp on the main blade.
 
At one time Channel Lock had some knives made for them ---- I think that color---- and the blade etch said something about racing.-----I think.
 
Since I began my obsession with Camillus knives over 3 years ago, I've bought and sold a small number of the baby-blue handled electrician knives. All had the Channellock etch on blade and had race car driver Sammy Swindell's signature engraved in the handle. I believe each had a shackle. They usually fetch between $20-$30 in the Bay.
 
That's a nice one, Guyon!

I just picked one up today in excellent shape. It's a later version with so-so fit and finish, but it was unsharpened and lightly used. I put a nice mildly-convex edge on it and it's scary sharp now. The following is a scan, not a photo, so the blades look kind of dull and gray:

Camilluselectrician.jpg


When I was a young kid, I only remember ever seeing two folding knives in the house (my dad was NOT an outdoor type or the least bit mechanically inclined). They were both in the tomato basket my dad used as a tool box. One was a cheap Barlow pattern, and the other was an electrician's knife. Even as a young boy, I could sense the elelctrician's knife was a quality item while the Barlow was of low grade, like most of my dad's tools. :)

It's funny that I never had an interest in picking up either of these patterns until lately. The Camillus will satisfy my desire for the electrician's pattern. I haven't thought too much about a Barlow, although I've looked hard at Northfield versions from Great Eastern Cutlery.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Its beauty lies in its simplicity.

A general adage I try to use as a rule of thumb in life (be it relationships, entrepreneurial endeavors, or knives) is that "if it's not practical, it prolly wont last." The electrician knife supports this fundamental principle.
 
i just bought one of these the other day at a thrift store.... it says camillus new york on the main blade, nothing on the other.... both blades are tight in place so i figure thats a good sign.... they were still dull..... the only sign of use i found on it was a few little smudges and some form of rust or somthing on the main blade..... other then that perfect condition.....

i also bought a camco barlow knife a short time before this one that one was definently heavily used
 
desmobob said:
I just picked one up today in excellent shape. It's a later version with so-so fit and finish, but it was unsharpened and lightly used. I put a nice mildly-convex edge on it and it's scary sharp now. The following is a scan, not a photo, so the blades look kind of dull and gray:
Click to expand...
I was recently given one in excellent shape that looks a lot like the one in your scan. It currently resides in my pocket. ;)
-Bruce
 
I found two of these in an old Air Force warehouse that my company leases, both are etched with toolbox numbers on the handle and the tang stamps are camillus and "OK". Not sure who made the OK knife. Both look as if they've never been sharpened. Score!
 
I've carried a black handled one everyday since I was a kid. A few years ago I found three for sale new in the box for five bucks apiece and snapped them up as replacements for when I wear my old one out.

Quite possibly the most useful knife I've ever owned.
 
Rocky1927 said:
I've carried a black handled one everyday since I was a kid. A few years ago I found three for sale new in the box for five bucks apiece and snapped them up as replacements for when I wear my old one out.

Quite possibly the most useful knife I've ever owned.
Click to expand...
Mine is in my pocket as we speak. ;)
-Bruce
 
I love my Camillus Electirians knife, mine has been well used. I think I even filed a groove into the bottom of the screwdriver blade to strip wire. And yes it will take a Wicked sharp edge.
 
Well, I'm know I'm pulling this one up from the dead, but that's already been done once to it, so I don't feel so bad. ;)

I'm currently cleaning one up for a friend of mine and am not really familiar with them. I can see that the screwdriver blade has a bit of a knife-like primary grind on it----was this secondary blade meant to be really sharp, or more of a scraping blade? Chisel edge bevel or V? I just don't want to get it wrong. :)
 
Any one I got while I was in the Air Force the screwdriver blade wasn't sharp. There is a grind but it is at a non sharp angle. I guess it is meant for scraping as you mentioned.
 
That's helpful too... Hmmm, perhaps I'll go for sharp but not AS sharp as the main blade.
 
I think that edge was intended for smacking through heavy plastic insulation on cables, so you didn't mess up your main edge
 
That makes sense---I ended up making it sharp enough to cut you if you push on it, but a long ways from hair-flinging. The owner seems pleased, at any rate. :)
 
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