Help ID this old Camillus

D

dogstar

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Jan 23, 2011
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On the main blade it says "Camillus, New York, USA" and "91." Is it carbon steel? Will it make a good whittler? Thanks!
camillus.jpg
 
Camillus pattern #91, 4 blade congress. Probably carbon steel. Not particularly rare or valuable, most likely a good user though.
 
Are the handles bone stag or brownstag? The brownstag is the synthetic material. The smaller congress knives were unshielded during the 40's, 50's, and 60's. They switched to synthetic material in 1948 I believe. A close up of the stamp to see if it is the short line or long line (underlines Camillus completely) stamp would help date it. Seem as if they dropped the pattern in the 70's.

It looks like yours is in excellent condition.

cami_congress.jpg

1946 illustrations
 
"Camillus" is underlined completely.

What is the difference between brown stag and bone stag? My scales seem to be made of plastic.

Thanks for your replies!
 
These never had real stag handles. Stag in this case is referring to jigged bone. Older examples usually have black compostion handles known as "rough black", and some had brown jigged bone. Yours has brown delrin scales.
 
Bonestag, as the name implies, is an imitation stag made of cattle shin bones with a stag like jigging. Also see it as stag bone as in recent Queen models and Case also, Case making an effort to dye it like stag. I guess brownstag was something Camillus was aiming to trademark. It's not in common usage anymore.

Nice knife! I love old congresses. Thanks for posting.
 
Thanks, everyone for letting me know more about this knife. Looks like this knife is from the 70s, which is around when I received it.
 
MarkPinTx said:
Bonestag, as the name implies, is an imitation stag made of cattle shin bones with a stag like jigging. Also see it as stag bone as in recent Queen models and Case also, Case making an effort to dye it like stag. I guess brownstag was something Camillus was aiming to trademark. It's not in common usage anymore.

Nice knife! I love old congresses. Thanks for posting.
Click to expand...

Correct (I should have explained better), "Brownstag" was Camillus trade name for synthetic jig bone for a while in the late 40's and 50's. Later on they called it Cabone, and their synthetic stag (like a Schrade Uncle Henry) was called Indian Stag. I noticed there was a congress 91 pattern made in 1977 and it did have a shield on it. So Dogstar's must be older than 77. Some of the Camillus catalogs can be found at:

http://www.collectors-of-camillus.us/Catalogs/Catalogs.htm
 
The Buck Congress Model 322 was a Camillus copy version of the knife shown. They were only marked BUCK, U.S.A.. In the Buck version the blades were SS and the scale was sawcut Delrin. The Bucks were sold only by SMKWs and came in black and yellow.

I have to call this a Camillus Congress with SS blades. ? I have seen the scale material on Cami stockman I believe.

300Bucks
 
300Bucks said:
The Buck Congress Model 322 was a Camillus copy version of the knife shown. They were only marked BUCK, U.S.A.. In the Buck version the blades were SS and the scale was sawcut Delrin. The Bucks were sold only by SMKWs and came in black and yellow.

I have to call this a Camillus Congress with SS blades. ? I have seen the scale material on Cami stockman I believe.

300Bucks
Click to expand...

Just wondering what clues indicate the congress in the OP would be stainless? Seems like in their catalogs they were mostly carbon steel unless specified otherwise. Same goes with the blades, I think they marked them if they were stainless steel. I have a few stainless Camillus knives from the 70's. They say stainless on the back of the tang.
 
I stand corrected. I produce only the excuse of lack of quality thinking. I shall step back to the Buck cave to save face. ~(; - )

Just to get even with you, ha....I sat and talked to Phil Gibbs (ex Cami man) about the old Buck Cami's at the AG Russell knife show last week. Next year you come down and we will buy his lunch and get all our Cami questions answered.......

300
 
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Actually, if you look closely you can see that there is some oxidation present, and a few stains and pit marks. Definitely not stainless.
The picture is a bit dark and doesn't show much detail, but in looking closer the scales may or may not be delrin. The jigging isn't right for Camillus delrin and its very dark right to the edges all around. It may be that the knife has rough black handles, which have similiar jigging. Better pictures wold help.

Some examples of old Camillus handle material-

Very early hand jigged bone, WW1 era or before
IMGP6548a.jpg


WW2 era bone
IMGP7086a.jpg


Post WW2, late 1940s bone
IMGP7090a.jpg


Rough black, pre WW2
IMGP6545.jpg



Post WW2 rough black, late 40s/early 50s
IMGP6546.jpg



reddish bone from the 60s or so
IMGP6394.jpg


last, a 91 pattern with delrin scales probably 1970s
IMGP7091a.jpg


IMGP7088.jpg
 
Yes, that shows a bit better. Most certainly delrin from the color anyhow.
Now sharpen it up and put it to good use. :)
 
A new question: if there is some sideways play in the blades, can I just gently hammer on the ends to tighten them up?
 
dogstar said:
A new question: if there is some sideways play in the blades, can I just gently hammer on the ends to tighten them up?
Click to expand...

Not recommended!
If it does tighten up it will likely be temporary, and you may impede the walk & talk.
 
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