Camillus Harness Jack

Norcaldude

Norcaldude

Joined
Dec 19, 2014
Messages
1,983
Recent pick up. From what I found online regarding the tang stamp it's nearly 100 years old, but that doesn't seem right. It's in great condition, doesn't seem like it would be this solid of a knife if it was that old.

Looks like the main blade was messed with a bit at some point, but I still like it a lot.

The fit and and finish and general quality seems at least as good as the GECs I own.









 
It was hardly used. I see traces of an etch on the master. A super fine specimen indeed! Great find :thumbup:
 
Gevonovich said:
It was hardly used. I see traces of an etch on the master. A super fine specimen indeed! Great find :thumbup:
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Thanks! The etch looks like 'NAGEL', from what I can see of it. Not sure if that is all of it, looks like there might have been more to it than that.
 
Nice looking knife!!
Can you get a picture of the patent (date and/or number), Norcaldude?
 
Nice find! Don't judge the age based on how stout it's made- I have terrifically build knives that go into the 1800s!! Did you find that locally??
 
Ernie1980 said:
Nice find! Don't judge the age based on how stout it's made- I have terrifically build knives that go into the 1800s!! Did you find that locally??
Click to expand...

Thanks! I actually got lucky on the big auction site :D Getting a gem like this makes up for the not so great ones I usually get from there.
 
The design for the secondary punch blade is based on a 1908 patent for what was called a "Mayer" punch. Moritz Mayer of Syracuse, N.Y. invented this punch in 1906, finally receiving a patent in 1908. The goal was to be able to produce an easily manufactured, and thus inexpensive, tool for cutting a round hole in leather and other soft material.

I had Bill Howard use a very similar punch, inspired by Mayer's design, on my second HJ SFO, made at Queen Cutlery, around 2005.

Dude, IIRC those patents were good for 17 years. Your knife was made after 1908, and could have been made up into the 1920s-1930s.
I have never had a lot of luck dating Camillus knives definitively. They used their stamps over and over, skipping years in between.:rolleyes:
 
From what I have read over the past few days it sounds like it is hard to date them with just the tang stamp because of the reason you mentioned. Doesn't matter too much to me. It's probably older than me and in better shape too.
 
That is a great find! I'm always on the hunt on the big auction site, but have yet to come across any gems yet. You definitely got a gem there.
 
What a wonderful old knife!
 
Really a nice knife. I love the style of the old punch. Looks like fun to try out. Even if the main is missing some length , it's still a very impressive blade! Way nice score, considering the source.
Thanks, Neal
 
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