Codger_64
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Yet another series of Camillus knives recently came to my attention, and interest peaked while discussing them with Mr. Tom Williams, Camillus Historian.
During the 1970's Albert Baer arranged for Camillus to purchase a large quantity of Swiss Army type knives that were made in Poland. There were two types: multi blade knives with either red plastic or engine turned stainless steel handles. They were stamped either "SYRACUSE" or "GERLACH". They came packed in small cardboard boxes that had small wire loops that produded through the cover and were bent over to keep the lid on. Each knife was packed in white tissue paper. I will see if I can find the original catalog sheet for these knives.
I was working in the shipping dept. then and I recall filling orders with these knives. After this time I began working in the Sales Dept. and I sold many of these knives to Smoky mountain Knife Works. When Kevin Pipes purchased some of these knives I would frequently throw in a box of waiter's knives at no charge.
John Goins notes these tang stamps in his last book, Goins Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings 1998, though there are no illustrations or patterns mentioned.
"Syracuse Knife Co.- c. 1975-1976. A trademark used by Camillus. 'Product of Poland ' is stamped on the small blade." Yet he doesnt list the maker, Gerlach SA of Poland.
Gerlach SA is Poland's leading silverware manufacturer, producing cutlery, kitchen knives, butchers knives, hunting knives and pocket knives. Gerlach's history dates back to 1824, when Samuel Gerlach established a small factory to produce cutting tools in Warsaw's Podwale area. The company began growing steadily, and 50 years later it opened a new plant in Wola district, in which it produced blades for such then-leading world companies as Fraget, Hanneberg and Norblin. In 1897, Samuel Gerlach's heirs, the Kobylańnski family, moved the plant to Drzewicz, in the Mazovia region, where they are still located today.
The greatest changes at Gerlach took place after World War II. Like most private companies, the factory was nationalized. It was not until the 1960s that the factory was thoroughly modernized; several additional facilities were also built at the time. During this period the company reported record employment: Nearly 4,500 people produced household cutlery, scissors, pocket knives, razor blades and beauty-care instruments. Currently, Gerlach estimates that it has a 75-percent share of the Polish household-cutlery market, a 70-percent share in gardening tools and a 90-percent share in scissors.
It was still a state owned industry when Albert Baer suggested that Camillus import a quantity of their Swiss Army type knives and test market them. Camillus did under both the Syracuse and Gerlach marks. But sales were lackluster, quality was not the greatest, and the enterprise was shortlived.
Ten basic patterns of knives were offered under the Syracuse tang with the red plastic handles with silver Polish eagle and stainless blades. Special display cases were made to promote them.
The one I found is a #357 seven blade knife.
The pen blade stamp is actually 357 / Product / of Poland
Now, I cannot say that this knife is a prime example of the genre, but the construction is poorly thought out and poorly executed.
With only the phillips screwdriver and awl blades on the bottom of the knife, the five remaining blades are accessed from the top. Progression of nail nicks is almost completely from the front. In order to open the master spear blade, the last, or most rearward blade in the group, one must first open the bottle opener/flat screwdriver blade and the scissor blade to access the master blade nick. Likewise, in order a open the small pen blade, next to last in the group, the master blade must be opened since the pen blade nick faces it. Spring hardness is strange. The spring for the can opener and bottle opener blades is either broken, or completely ineffective since the blades flop open and closed. The spring for the Phillips is a nail breaker. Stout. The spring for the punch is like those of the openers, and may well be shared. The scissor spring functions properly as do the master and pen blade springs. The lanyard ring is what one would expect from a crackerjack box, round coiled spring wire about 1/4" in diameter. The covers seem to be well finished with the NS pins flush and the eagle well fitted. It may have been actually molded into the cover rather than inserted given the intricate detail involved.
One must also remember that the knives were produced by a state run company in a soviet communist dominated country in the mid 1970's. All in all, it is an interesting example of a marketing attempt. And the quality of this one may not be representative of the type given its age of thirty years or more. And it is yet another tang stamp to be sought for the complete Camillus collection.
Codger
During the 1970's Albert Baer arranged for Camillus to purchase a large quantity of Swiss Army type knives that were made in Poland. There were two types: multi blade knives with either red plastic or engine turned stainless steel handles. They were stamped either "SYRACUSE" or "GERLACH". They came packed in small cardboard boxes that had small wire loops that produded through the cover and were bent over to keep the lid on. Each knife was packed in white tissue paper. I will see if I can find the original catalog sheet for these knives.
I was working in the shipping dept. then and I recall filling orders with these knives. After this time I began working in the Sales Dept. and I sold many of these knives to Smoky mountain Knife Works. When Kevin Pipes purchased some of these knives I would frequently throw in a box of waiter's knives at no charge.
John Goins notes these tang stamps in his last book, Goins Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings 1998, though there are no illustrations or patterns mentioned.
"Syracuse Knife Co.- c. 1975-1976. A trademark used by Camillus. 'Product of Poland ' is stamped on the small blade." Yet he doesnt list the maker, Gerlach SA of Poland.
Gerlach SA is Poland's leading silverware manufacturer, producing cutlery, kitchen knives, butchers knives, hunting knives and pocket knives. Gerlach's history dates back to 1824, when Samuel Gerlach established a small factory to produce cutting tools in Warsaw's Podwale area. The company began growing steadily, and 50 years later it opened a new plant in Wola district, in which it produced blades for such then-leading world companies as Fraget, Hanneberg and Norblin. In 1897, Samuel Gerlach's heirs, the Kobylańnski family, moved the plant to Drzewicz, in the Mazovia region, where they are still located today.
The greatest changes at Gerlach took place after World War II. Like most private companies, the factory was nationalized. It was not until the 1960s that the factory was thoroughly modernized; several additional facilities were also built at the time. During this period the company reported record employment: Nearly 4,500 people produced household cutlery, scissors, pocket knives, razor blades and beauty-care instruments. Currently, Gerlach estimates that it has a 75-percent share of the Polish household-cutlery market, a 70-percent share in gardening tools and a 90-percent share in scissors.
It was still a state owned industry when Albert Baer suggested that Camillus import a quantity of their Swiss Army type knives and test market them. Camillus did under both the Syracuse and Gerlach marks. But sales were lackluster, quality was not the greatest, and the enterprise was shortlived.
Ten basic patterns of knives were offered under the Syracuse tang with the red plastic handles with silver Polish eagle and stainless blades. Special display cases were made to promote them.
The one I found is a #357 seven blade knife.
The pen blade stamp is actually 357 / Product / of Poland
Now, I cannot say that this knife is a prime example of the genre, but the construction is poorly thought out and poorly executed.
With only the phillips screwdriver and awl blades on the bottom of the knife, the five remaining blades are accessed from the top. Progression of nail nicks is almost completely from the front. In order to open the master spear blade, the last, or most rearward blade in the group, one must first open the bottle opener/flat screwdriver blade and the scissor blade to access the master blade nick. Likewise, in order a open the small pen blade, next to last in the group, the master blade must be opened since the pen blade nick faces it. Spring hardness is strange. The spring for the can opener and bottle opener blades is either broken, or completely ineffective since the blades flop open and closed. The spring for the Phillips is a nail breaker. Stout. The spring for the punch is like those of the openers, and may well be shared. The scissor spring functions properly as do the master and pen blade springs. The lanyard ring is what one would expect from a crackerjack box, round coiled spring wire about 1/4" in diameter. The covers seem to be well finished with the NS pins flush and the eagle well fitted. It may have been actually molded into the cover rather than inserted given the intricate detail involved.
One must also remember that the knives were produced by a state run company in a soviet communist dominated country in the mid 1970's. All in all, it is an interesting example of a marketing attempt. And the quality of this one may not be representative of the type given its age of thirty years or more. And it is yet another tang stamp to be sought for the complete Camillus collection.
Codger
