Knife question for US Military vets

OzarkJoe said:
How many of you were issued the original Camillus “Demo” knife? I was in the Army from 1990-1993 and I don’t recall seeing too many. I was never issued one. How about you?

http://www.thetruthaboutknives.com/2013/09/classic-knife-review-camillus-model-1760-demo-knife/
Click to expand...

Nope, neither was I when inducted in 1959. But I didn't really care for the demo knife, anyway, much preferring the Imperial Kamp King that I bought upon becoming a Boy Scout at age 12, and carried for the next 15 years, including my Army service. It had rounded scales, much more ergonomic, and was just about bombproof. The Camillus looked really low rent to me. Who knew it would someday be a collectible?
 
Yes, I was issued one. The supply room had boxes of them and handed them out like lollypops. We were an engineer outfit, so the utility knife was part of our tool issue. If it broke, you got another one if you handed the old one back in. They also issued the Camiilus made TL-29's, that were not as popular. The stateside supply was a bit touchy and they wanted to see the broken knife before handing you another one.

In Vietnam, it was a little looser, and if you took one or two extra along when you had a leave and went 'downtown' you could trade it for some good times. The Vietnamese prized them.
 
Last edited:
Wasn't issued one in the Navy back in Desert Storm days.

Don't know that I'd have used it much if they had given me one. A Leatherman on the other hand, I'd have really utilized.

Funny, nowadays I do like that Camillus Demo, and will definitely pick one up if I encounter one.
 
We had them in our Demo Kits 1964 era, but when I went to Vietnam in 1965 it was with a TL-29, which rusted if you looked at it. Could not get a Demo knife issued, but while walking down a street in Saigon, there was an old lady selling stuff along side the curb. She had brand new Demo knives still in the paper wrapper, so I bought one. Went thru about three of them between 1965 and 1971, with the back spring for the main blade breaking. I should say not the first one, that got "Borrowed" by a friend and I never got it back. When the last one broke I wrote to Corrado Cutlery and bought a Swiss Army Knife. I have lost a few of them, but never broke one and have been using them ever since. John
 
Only "knife" I was ever issued was an M7 bayonet. I'm pretty sure I had to turn it in with my weapon to the armory after every issue. I don't think I was ever issued the same one twice. Heck most of our gear and equipment was U.S Army DRMO. I'm convinced that USMC digital camo was derived from the ubiquitous existence of variously shaded Sharpie rectangles covering all the previous owners' identification on all of our "deuce" gear.

We couldn't have nice things. Thanks Bill.

USMC 1992-2001 MOS0341,8151,4066
 
Last edited:
Cooew9exuty3kurXCdPBF-vu_TIb7kMP-6ujbs-STir688KiGzeDFciJ87iHK6UlKx4nhF1EIEONzl_WpA=w413-h275
 
OzarkJoe said:
How many of you were issued the original Camillus “Demo” knife? I was in the Army from 1990-1993 and I don’t recall seeing too many. I was never issued one. How about you?

http://www.thetruthaboutknives.com/2013/09/classic-knife-review-camillus-model-1760-demo-knife/
Click to expand...
I wasn't issued one, but my friend found one on the catwalk at the barracks. He gave it to me and I still have it. It says 2/1 comm set #1 one on it. Piece of junk IMO. That was the early 2000s. Most people bought their own multitools and knives. A decent leatherman multitool would do everything that could and much more.
 
The one that was issued in my toolbox back in the 80's sucked. The thing was way too hard to open. I tried working it to loosen it up to no avail. I got myself my first SAK and been carrying those since.
 
I saw a few laying around the paraloft in my first two commands (89-93), but by then Gerber and Leatherman multitools were the go-to folder.
 
I never served, but my dad was in the ARMY from '78-'86 and reserves from '87-'91 with a few different M.O.S and according to him the only blade he ever saw aside from what he would eventually have to use in the kitchen were bayonet's. An M-7 in basic, then a brand new m-9 he was issued right before he was supposed to ship out during desert Storm.
Its weird how many " issue " knives there were / are but how many people say they weren't issued them or never even saw them.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Its weird how many " issue " knives there were / are but how many people say they weren't issued them or never even saw them.
Click to expand...

It's not weird at all. Just because something has a National Stock Number(NSN) and is purchased by a DoD component does not mean it is common throughout the services or world-wide. Its very common for a unit to make a large one-time purchase of an item, saturating that base or region with that item, but no other region has ever seen it. A good example: In 2007 my unit purchased a 14-piece protective combat uniform system(PCU) that was made by Patagonia, enough for the entire command and extra for incoming folks. There are still pieces of that kit floating around 10 years later, but most of the Navy or Marine Corps has never seen it.
With something as personal and opinionated as knives and boots, the only commonality is that there is no commonality. Most of us have personal duty knives and even if it is issued, it could be a TOPS BoB, SOG SEAL Pup, or BRK Bravo.
 
Maybe your MOS might make a difference. We were issued Gerber and Leatherman multitools. But I was on a tank crew.
 
I was a Medic assigned to Infantry (2/187) from '93-'99. I can recall seeing a couple Demo knives as well as the Leatherman Multi-tool laying around our Aid station. I was never issued one, but didn't really care at the time because my Multi-Tool & Victorinox SAK were better than the issue stuff. Retrospect I wish I had "acquired" one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top