Camillus trapper questions

C

coffeecup

Joined
Mar 13, 2006
Messages
329
I picked up a trapper today that I have a few questions about. Sort of a sabre grind to one side of the clip blade; blade marked
CAMILLUS
NEW YORK
U.S.A.
Back of the blade is lightly stamped 35. Spey blade is unmarked. No etching or writing on the blade. Knife is NOS, packaging is long lost. Handles are a yellowish plastic or celluloid, one is somewhat discolored, the other has a small crack from the center pin to the back of the knife. The escutcheon is a shield or crest. OAL closed is about 3 7/8", and I forgot to measure the blades.

So what is it? It doesn't seem to be a YellowJacket, but very similar. Vintage? From some older messages I've read here, it looks to be 1976-1989: does that sound right? Stainless or carbon steel?

OK for a general purpose EDC, or should I find something else? It seems to be a decent little piece.

Thanks
 
Thanks for the link! The illustration matches for the most part (can't see the scale pins in the illustration), so I guess I've got a "Sportsman."

Sorry for the lousy pic, I had time to make one shot with a borrowed digicam and the focus is lousy.
camtrap.jpg


Any reason (aside from the nasty handle color!) to not introduce it to Mr. Arkansas Stone and put it to work? I'm looking for a collecting focus and am considering Camillus, but I'd like to have a better handle on usability first.
 
Thanks for the link!
Click to expand...
Thank IRV and all the others who have contributed to that link
I have looked at the Camillus catalogs on that page so many times I practically have them memorized :eek:


Any reason (aside from the nasty handle color!) to not introduce it to Mr. Arkansas Stone and put it to work? I'm looking for a collecting focus and am considering Camillus, but I'd like to have a better handle on usability first.
Click to expand...
LOL
I'm sure you won't get too many "nay" votes for Camillus usability on THIS sub forum ;)
My first knife was a Camillus Cub Scout knife when I was a young buck

I use all my Camillus knives except the Marine Combat Knife I got new in box
It is the most I have paid for a knife so far...60 bucks
I told my self "Don't be one of those guys who buys a knife and doesn't use it for extreme fear of devaluation...Don't be THAT guy Trent!!"
Well...I have become that guy for ONE KNIFE
I'll probably use it someday though
Maybe I will wear it around the campfire and cut frankfurters with it to impress the ladies and then wipe it down and put it back in it's box.............................

It's nice to have a collecting focus
I guess mine would be fixed blades from the 50's-70's
Although I'm starting to get into the pocketknives more and more

aside from the nasty handle color!
Click to expand...
That is a CAMILLUS MAIZE handle my friend!!!
Use it with pride
Don't be afraid to pull it out for fear of being laughed at by your peers
Publicly flaunt your Sportsman often
I implore you.....

The bad news is now you NEED to get Model #'s 5,22,48,60,61, and 63 to complete your Late 70's Camillus Maize Handled Collection :cool:
 
I'm not worried about being laughed at by my peers, it is just that color . . . well, :barf: No way would I want more of them! :)

Usability for me is usually more a matter of the way the handle fits my hand, and the relationship of the angles of handle/blade/cutting edge. Barlows, for instance, have never been comfortable for me (I'm not sure why I came home with a couple more today). My habits of use were formed with a different knife, but I got a good deal on this one. I want to see if I can get used to the way Camillus did their trappers.

Now if they ever made a clone or near copy of the Remington R1123, I'd collect them. Actually, a collection of different manufacturer's versions of that might be interesting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top