Camillus US GI Pocket Knife

M

msiley

Joined
Aug 19, 2006
Messages
542
Anyone have any experience with this knife?

I figure if the quality is good I'll pick up a few before they are gone.
90% of the time I carry a Vic Soldier so this may work well for me.

Thanks
 
I carried one of these in my army days, and they are not as good a knife as the sak counterpart. Once I got used to a sak, I couldn't go back to the USGI model because of the crude by comparison fit and finish, as well as smoothness of function. The screwdriver/cap lifter blade is a nailbreaker, and the knife blade does not hold as good an edge as the Victorinox soldier or Wenger SI.

Unless you are a collector of them, I wouldn't bother.
 
awesome guys thanks! I'll stick to my Vic Soldier. Now if only they made
a Vic soldier with nickel silver bolsters and jigged bone handles, oh and carbon
steel blades.... one can only dream. ;-)
 
Or try a British Army Knife :)

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I have one of the Camillus Demo knives, dated from 1982, and I have no complaints about it. Each blade takes about the same amount of effort to open, none are nail breakers. The main blades holds an edge and sharpens about the same as any of the stainless knives I own. While camping I seldom find a need for the screwdriver blade but when I was in the military it was used a good bit and the knife held up just fine. I like mine and it has been and will continue to be used on camping and hiking trips.

 
I had one for a short time. for the price I would say get one. I wish I still had it. theres a lot of belly in the blades.
 
Just got a 1976 Camillus marked military camp knife from an auction. Only issue I see is that the blades rub against each other when opening or closing.
 
I really like them.

I went though army service and reserves with it.
It has a strong bail, and it was attached by a lanyard, so I never worried about dropping it. (Rescue, working from heights)
It did everything for me, (that and a very small water-pump plier for nuts and gas cans)
It feels much more solid than my SAK, which I carry for camping.
It is much heavier than a SAK.

I found it a great work knife.

If the price is right...
 
jacknife said:
Or try a British Army Knife :)

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A great knife.
The sheepsfoot is so easy to sharpen.
Get one with a marlin spike on the other side.
A marlin spike is a punch and a pry bar rolled (roled) into one.

I used one in OTC as a kid in England.

The Demo is more flexible for usage.
 
Absintheur said:
I have one of the Camillus Demo knives, dated from 1982, and I have no complaints about it. Each blade takes about the same amount of effort to open, none are nail breakers. The main blades holds an edge and sharpens about the same as any of the stainless knives I own. While camping I seldom find a need for the screwdriver blade but when I was in the military it was used a good bit and the knife held up just fine. I like mine and it has been and will continue to be used on camping and hiking trips.

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I agree, not top of the line, but works. Mine is @1977-78
 
I
msiley said:
awesome guys thanks! I'll stick to my Vic Soldier. Now if only they made
a Vic soldier with nickel silver bolsters and jigged bone handles, oh and carbon
steel blades.... one can only dream. ;-)
Click to expand...
f you want a scout pattern try for an older bone/Woden handled one.
 
Mine is a Western made, circa 1975. The Army Reserves gave it to me.
I also have a couple of the Marbles rendition of the Demo knife.
None of the blades on any of mine are a nail breaker.

The bail is "strong enough to pull a Jeep."

I've never had the blades loosen up on me, or have the knife fall apart during use.

The blade holds an edge as good as, or better than any Boy Scout knife I've used.

The can opener is one of the best I've used. I prefer it to the SAK can opener.

I've never had the screwdriver blade pretzel.

It weighs more than any SAK I've ever handled.
(SAK's of 4 layers and less are all I've handled.)

If the price is right, get one.
 
I've had several, down to one, it hangs on a peg in my shop and is still useful. The SAK has a gentler pull and nicer fitted blades, this one is stout. Watch the back springs, you CANNOT open partially two blades on the same spring without a high risk of spring breakage. Of course that is not something normally done in use, only for photo's. OH

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