Camillus Military Pocket Knife

TAH

TAH

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Jul 3, 2001
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Just purchased my first Camillus Military Knife on eBay - a "new" 1993 model for $21.18 - and have a few questions...

1) Did the quality/fit&finish change one way or another over the years or was it consistant?

2) What type of stainless steel is used in the main blade? Did it change over the years?

3) Anything else I should know?

Thanks! :thumbup:
 
Thanks for the links. Looks like the blade is 440-B. Neither link talks about quality/fit&finish over the years. Still curious if it got better or worse or stayed the same. Anyone?
 
I have two (both Camillus) a 1981 and a 1986 and I would say the quality/finish is the same. They were not made for show and were a good using knife. When you lost your P38 you could still eat.
 
edbeau said:
I have two (both Camillus) a 1981 and a 1986 and I would say the quality/finish is the same.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I am even more curious about knives made years apart - 1960s/1970s compared to the 1990s/2000s.

My 1993 model arrived yesterday. Brand new, in packaging. What a solid knife! All blades properly snap open and closed. Excellent fit and finish for a $21.00 knife. Main blade has a nice working edge, but needs to be touched up. Really like the awl - sturdy, sharp, and pointy. And Ken Cook was correct in saying, "...a bail you could tow a Jeep with." :D

Great knife and purchase! :thumbup:
 
TAH, now you need to get on the bay and fight it out. I have seen both the Camillus ones and Imperial ones.
 
I have a bunch of these, going back to 1960s. All are good but some have smoother action, better fit, but i think it is more on an individual knife to knife basis rather than year to year.
roland
 
These have been around a while.
2million produced in 1944. Drawing sent by Art
 

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rprocter said:
I have a bunch of these, going back to 1960s. All are good but some have smoother action, better fit, but i think it is more on an individual knife to knife basis rather than year to year.
roland
Click to expand...

Roland,

If you have a 1968 in excellent shape, would you trade a more modern one (early 90s) for it? I was born in 68, you see. :D

I could sweeten it a bit considering a 68 would be a bit more collectible, etc.

As far as the fit and finish of the knives, they seem to be the same as when I was a kid in the 70s but I think they were sharper in the last two decades they were made. Sharper than I remember.
 
TAH said:
!BmQYsogBWk~$(KGrHqUH-CMEttQibRb5BLfCi-M7pw~~_3.JPG


Just purchased my first Camillus Military Knife on eBay - a "new" 1993 model for $21.18 - and have a few questions...

1) Did the quality/fit&finish change one way or another over the years or was it consistant?

2) What type of stainless steel is used in the main blade? Did it change over the years?

3) Anything else I should know?

Thanks! :thumbup:
Click to expand...
LOL,Back during Nam,that was called a lifer knife.Nice score!:)
 
And I still have all three of mine that were "issued" me when I was there. Two have never been used, one is still used every day.
 
These often have broken springs. Never open both blades that share a spring. Don't buy ones photographed that way, the spring will often be weak or broken. The blades have a half-stop, so you can open one blade fully, and the opposite blade to the half-stop. But beware of opposite blades partially opened.
 
My first knife was a Camillus demo knife. I still have it "1968" year. Like has been said, my back spring is broken and gone. I have a new one in the box that is 2006 Ill keep for sentimental purposes. I had another one that was new that I bought but I gave it away to a friend that collects knives. I never carry those knives but I like them. My cousin was in the Air Force and has at least 3 or 4 or them that was issued to him. He carries one every day. I would love to get some of them from him. I wonder if there still issued?
 
Regarding these common, fragile backsprings, if the knife is operated correctly (opening and using just one blade at a time) is there still an issue with the backsprings breaking? How fragile are the backsprings? :confused:
 
TAH, my knife lasted 12yrs before it broke. It wasnt the knifes fault, it was mine. I was just a teen when it broke. They are good knives.
 
That's good to hear, the 39th one who is wild. I've been enjoying mine, but was starting to lose the faith. :thumbup:
 
About half the Demos I find have a broken spring. A 19 yr old GI can and will break anything. Its not the fault of the knife-just operator error!
 
How does the can opener perform on cans? I'm half afraid to try it. :(
 
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