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Camillus M3
- Thread starter Culpeper
- Start date
TheFlash
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2000
- Messages
- 524
Hi Culpeper,
I bought one of these quite a few years ago and stored it away carefully. After a year or so, I took it out and was shocked at how much it had rusted. (I have numerous other carbon steel bladed knives that don't rust.)
The guard and buttcap both had rusted badly - I think from something corrosive in the leather.
Not only that, but I had a very difficult time putting an edge on this knife.
One recourse:
I have seen some catalogs from Boker (!) where they are also offering a version of the M3. I would rather have a U.S.-made M3, but after having the experience I did with the Camillus M3, I'd rather just go back and play with the 'real' M3 that my father gave me. (He got it in a trade with a friend when he was a kid.)
This reproduction model from Camillus was only supposed to be a limited time offer, but they continued to produce it. It was mostly Brigade and Atlanta Cutlery who offered this knife. Wasn't a 'standard' product with most knife retailers. (IIRC)
It is surprising there are still some left and it might become a collectible someday. However, if you want to get a WWII era M3, I would suggest saving up, contacting some folks in Military knife forums, read up a bit, and buy one... The M3 Trench knife really is an awesome piece of cutlery history...IMHO...
Regards,
Mike
I bought one of these quite a few years ago and stored it away carefully. After a year or so, I took it out and was shocked at how much it had rusted. (I have numerous other carbon steel bladed knives that don't rust.)
The guard and buttcap both had rusted badly - I think from something corrosive in the leather.
Not only that, but I had a very difficult time putting an edge on this knife.
One recourse:
I have seen some catalogs from Boker (!) where they are also offering a version of the M3. I would rather have a U.S.-made M3, but after having the experience I did with the Camillus M3, I'd rather just go back and play with the 'real' M3 that my father gave me. (He got it in a trade with a friend when he was a kid.)
This reproduction model from Camillus was only supposed to be a limited time offer, but they continued to produce it. It was mostly Brigade and Atlanta Cutlery who offered this knife. Wasn't a 'standard' product with most knife retailers. (IIRC)
It is surprising there are still some left and it might become a collectible someday. However, if you want to get a WWII era M3, I would suggest saving up, contacting some folks in Military knife forums, read up a bit, and buy one... The M3 Trench knife really is an awesome piece of cutlery history...IMHO...
Regards,
Mike
Culpeper
BANNED
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2007
- Messages
- 1,003
Oh, thanks for the information. I guess I should spray WD40 on the whole thing occasionally to keep it from rusting. That is really weird. I was looking at the edges and determined the best way would be to cut a hunting edge on it would be to use the Meyerco "Sharpen-It". I've used it on a current K-Bar and worked pretty good.
Camillus began making the the M3 Trench knife in 1943. During the early 1990's the M3 was reintroduced to commemorate the 50th anniversary of WWII. The reproduction M3's are easy to identify by the one pin through the butt cap (WWII era M3's have two pins). The M3 was shown in the Camillus catalog for several years. Schreck Wholesale purchased thousands of the M3's.
Tom Williams
Tom Williams