Old Camillus Numbering System.

Buzzbait · Jun 23, 2015

Does anybody have any info on the logic behind the old Camillus 4-digit numbering system? I just ran into my first Camillus with such a number that has been tang stamped.

I recently bought an old 2-blade jack for my 86 year old father-in-law, for Father's Day. I'm trying to find out exactly what 2034 means.

Here are some pics of the knife. It has brass liners, including a full length brass center liner. I don't see any signs of a coating on the springs. I'm thinking mid-WW2 or perhaps earlier? Any info you guys have on the knife would be greatly appreciated.

sac troop · Jun 23, 2015

I thought the model number for this pattern was 5541? By the way, nice knife.

Vit_213 · Jun 24, 2015

I recently purchased Camillus 4 line tang stamp knife. The model number is absent. Closed length 3.5"
I need help with identification and dating.

RickR · Jun 26, 2015

Nope, not a 5541. That would be the baby barlow pattern. I want to say it's a 714 but the pattern numbers are fast becoming a distant memory for me. As far as the numbering system Camillus used, there wasn't any system. Phil may have more info on this tho!

Buzzbait · Jun 26, 2015

RickR said:
As far as the numbering system Camillus used, there wasn't any system. Phil may have more info on this tho!

LOL!!! Total chaos!!!

sac troop · Jun 26, 2015

OK, so Im just trying to get my head around this. Heres are some pages of images from Principal Items Delivered to Armed Forces During World War II From 1941 to 1946
By Camillus Cutlery Co.

I do remember Tom telling me once that there were times that a specific knife could be referred to by as many as three different designations depending on what part of the factory you were working in. Also Ive seen it when the number changed over time.

Buzzbait · Jun 26, 2015

My research also revealed those documents. The easy open diagram looks spot on. I think my knife might be older than WW2 though. It's a 3-line tang stamp that I believe preceeded the 4-line tang stamp.

Buzzbait · Jun 26, 2015

I think I also saw mention in the '46 Camillus catalog of a 2-blade #34 in production, which may be the last two digits of my knife.

Oops - The knife in the catalog was a #33, which looks to be the same, but without bail. Maybe the #34 was a #33 with bail.

The catalog also shows my knife with all the other military models.

sac troop · Jun 27, 2015

Buzzbait said:
My research also revealed those documents. The easy open diagram looks spot on. I think my knife might be older than WW2 though. It's a 3-line tang stamp that I believe preceeded the 4-line tang stamp.

For the same reason I tend to also think it's likely pre-WW2. I think I'm in either the same boat or one bobbing on the same sea of "I'm not sure what all the numbers mean".