Colonial 2205 thoughts?

B

Bartleby

Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
1,909
I am considering purchasing a Colonial 2205, which is a copy of the Mil-k 818 (aka Camillus 1760). Do any of you have any experience with these? I am interested because the Colonials claim to be made in the USA and are date marked. I was able to travel to Normandy and find my grandmother's brother's grave this year and would like to get one to comemmorate the event. Thanks!
 
So does anyone know which company actually manufactures these knives?

Colonial's site lists Suite A, 61 Dewey Avenue, Warwick, RI, as the company's address. That small office site, with its seven employees, is surely not a factory.

Another address pops up in some listings: 287 Oak Street in the depressed Olneyville neighborhood of Providence. That address is listed for a portion of a multi-tenant two story brick building, and is the same address as listed on line for Appalachian Company, a furniture retailer, Regal Reality, and Nn1u Radio Club, No signage identiifies it as a Colonial Knife site. Mars Plastic and a company called Clear Choice are in the same building at other Oak Street addresses.

The old Colonial factory, that closed in 1999, is apparently also in Olneyvills. The property is for sale The building is an abandoned wreck.

So Colonial has no manufacturing facility.

I can find no more information on Colonial.

As it happens, Colonial's website does not claim that the 2205 is made by them or in the U.S.A. https://www.colonialknifecorp.com/products/military-scout-knife-2205
 
I've heard rumors of Colonial having parts made overseas to their specs, and assembling those parts in the US.

But on the other hand when you read as many threads as I do, you hear all sorts of odd things.
 
Thomas Linton said:
So does anyone know which company actually manufactures these knives?

Colonial's site lists Suite A, 61 Dewey Avenue, Warwick, RI, as the company's address. That small office site, with its seven employees, is surely not a factory.

Another address pops up in some listings: 287 Oak Street in the depressed Olneyville neighborhood of Providence. That address is listed for a portion of a multi-tenant two story brick building, and is the same address as listed on line for Appalachian Company, a furniture retailer, Regal Reality, and Nn1u Radio Club, No signage identiifies it as a Colonial Knife site. Mars Plastic and a company called Clear Choice are in the same building at other Oak Street addresses.

The old Colonial factory, that closed in 1999, is apparently also in Olneyvills. The property is for sale The building is an abandoned wreck.

So Colonial has no manufacturing facility.

I can find no more information on Colonial.

As it happens, Colonial's website does not claim that the 2205 is made by them or in the U.S.A. https://www.colonialknifecorp.com/products/military-scout-knife-2205
Click to expand...

I saw that, it was a customer review who said it was American made.
It does have a lifetime warranty though ( whatever that means to them and how much I stand by it I don't know )
Who knows how good it really is, but since it's 25$ it might not be too good to be true like a 10$ import from the flea market.
 
Has anyone seen or handled one? I have also only seen on-line sources, so I don't want to commit without seeking input from someone with actual experience of the product. Thanks!
 
I was looking at their "about us" page. They say some knives they manufacture and some they engineer, and the Colonial Cutlery knives are imports but the Colonial Knife are made in USA. If Colonial has no factory, maybe the Colonial Knife knives are made for them by Utica.
 
I already have a Camillus. If the Colonial is made by Utica it would be of interest for my purpose, if marked for this year.
 
I believe the Colonial 2205 is assembled in the U.S., based on the fact that AUS is stamped on the back side of the main blade stamp.
 
"U.S." or "U.S.A." stamped on a product may not mean much. The Cub knives Colonial sold to B.S.A. before being cancelled were marked "Colonial U.S.A." That meant Colonial was in the U.S.A., not that the knives were made in U.S.A.

Those Cub knives were very nice. Made overseas.
 
I collect/accumulate US-made MIL-K knives. I bought one of the Colonials about 2 years ago. It's a decent knife, but I passed it on for the reasons that Thomas stated... Colonial is very evasive about who made it/where it was made.

Something to consider since your relative served in WWII, the only version of that knife that was made/issued for the war was the Kingston MIL-K. It's mark side handle is stamped "U.S. Marine Corps"; the bail is stamped "Kingston"; carbon steel blade and brass liners.
100_3826_zps1p9j7uj6.jpg

100_3829_zpsykd65crw.jpg

100_3835_zpstwov7fip.jpg

100_3837_zps7pdvdur7.jpg



Another utility knife that was issued to both Army and Marines during World War II is this one:
CamillusArmyEngineer001_zpsvxsgkqhd.jpg
 
Thanks, I have my great uncle's knife, which was sent back a bit damaged when he was killed in action. It is a generic four blade scout type with bone handles.
 
MerryMadMonk said:
I collect/accumulate US-made MIL-K knives. I bought one of the Colonials about 2 years ago. It's a decent knife, but I passed it on for the reasons that Thomas stated... Colonial is very evasive about who made it/where it was made.

Something to consider since your relative served in WWII, the only version of that knife that was made/issued for the war was the Kingston MIL-K. It's mark side handle is stamped "U.S. Marine Corps"; the bail is stamped "Kingston"; carbon steel blade and brass liners.
100_3826_zps1p9j7uj6.jpg

100_3829_zpsykd65crw.jpg

100_3835_zpstwov7fip.jpg

100_3837_zps7pdvdur7.jpg



Another utility knife that was issued to both Army and Marines during World War II is this one:
CamillusArmyEngineer001_zpsvxsgkqhd.jpg
Click to expand...

The Mil Spec knife specified stainless steel blades, also "CAN OPENER" was required to be stamped on the can opener. (I guess the Generals and Admirals thought the grunts was not amongst the brightest bulbs on the tree.)
Somewhere in the Traditional Forum is the spec sheet for the Utility/Demo knife. I forget which thread it is in.

Very nice knives you have there, by the way.
 
Thomas Linton said:
"Although I’m not entirely certain exactly when production of this knife began, included is a photograph from the archives of Camillus Knives, depicting one of these knives dated 2/3/45."
http://www.donrearic.com/demoknife1.html

More, including the 1945 batch made for the Army by Stevenson: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/82378-another-stainless-wwii-pocket-knife/
Click to expand...

Of course, Thomas. I even have one. Don't know how I forgot that one... gettin' old ;)
DSCF4101_zpsicd7ioik.jpg

DSCF4102_zpsxztfbdvt.jpg

DSCF4099_zpsoeenxyq1.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top