Manufacture date or pattern or serial #

[BestWitted]

I've been searching for information on my Camillus for many hours. I bought this Camillus many years ago but don't really understand its history. The blade is 5 in. and the leather is approx. 3 1/2 in. I don't see anything that would associate it with the military. The only markings are:
CAMILLUS
N.Y.
3-1935

These markings are on one side of the 6 sided pommel. No markings anywhere else. Do the numbers represent a date or something else? Any info would be appreciated. I would add a photo but don't think I'm eligible for that. Thanks, Dave

 

[sac troop]

does it look anything like this?

 

[BestWitted]

Yes....it looks exactly like that with the exception of the CAMILLUS N.Y. on the blade.

 

[zzyzzogeton]

Take a look at the numbers again. It is the month and year of manufacture, but the earliest date would be 1-1967 (no dates prior to then).

The knife is a JPSK or Jet Pilot Survival Knife. Do a bladeforum search on "JPSK" and you'll turn up a bunch of references. There is also some good info over at USMILITARYKNIVES.COM about these and other US sharp/pointy things.

 

[sac troop]

What you have is what is frequently called a “Jet Pilots Survival Knife” or JPSK. Camillus’s model or stock number for this knife was “5733”. The knife is also known as a MIL-K-8662 The U.S. Government specification for this knife regardless of specific manufacture.
The knife was developed by the Marble’s Arms Corporation in cooperation with the Navy Bureau of aeronautics. It was adopted in 1957. The Marble’s knife turned out to be very expensive to make and Camillus was awarded the contract for making these knives shortly there after.
The original knife was made with a 6 inch blade and stayed that way until about 1962. Up until 1967 all of the knives made had their maker marks on the blade and no date of manufacturing was included. The specification was changed and the knife I showed above was a transitional piece with a 1966 blade on the newly stamped pommels. After those blades were used up the rest of the knives made have a sterile blade.
Camillus, (along with other companies), provided these knives under military contracts to the U.S. until around 1984.

IMHO the year stamp on your knife in reality would be 3-1985. At least at this present time (3-1985) remains the latest date stamped pommel from Camillus that I have run across.
Sometime in 1985 Camillus switch back to putting their name on the blades of this pattern knife, (although the marking is different than the early version knives). Camillus continued to make and sell these knives right up to 2006 when the factory was closed.

This is what the post Government contract knives blade marking looked like.