Camillus did make several "WEST-CUT" brand knives for Western Cutlery in 1965-66. These were folding knives that included models #331, #332, #333, 334, #335 and #336. I also remember that Camillus made a standard Barlow and Daddy Barlow in the last years that the company was in operation. I believe that they were "WESTMARK" brand and they may have been made for Smoky Mountain Knife Works. Several years ago I repaired both of these models in my knife shop. Phil Gibbs may remember these knives as to when they were made.
When I started working for Camillus in 1974 the company was selling several fixed blade knives that were made by Western Cutlery Co. They were leather handle hunting knives-models #1006, #1007 and #1008. They came with Western's own handmade leather sheath with the acorn/leaf pattern. I was really impressed by these knives and I carried one of the small models for many years. I still have that knife somewhere.
During the September 2007 auction at Camillus I purchased all the dies and molds that were used for making the Western leather sheaths. A collector contacted me several years before Camillus closed and asked me to look for them. Camillus had acquired them at the Western auction in 1991 when the Western trademark was purchased. I bought them at the auction and my friend Tom Liggett helped me load them in the truck. I took them home along with several hundred pounds of miscellaneous Western items and packed the leather dies and cutters, along with some Western blade blanks, onto a pallet. I took the pallet to Yellow Freight and had everything shipped to the Western collector. He has all equipment required to reproduce Western sheaths.
I was always impressed by the knives that Western made. My mother knew Harvey Platts and she would see him at the trade shows. He came to the Camillus factory on several occassions. Camillus made knives for Western and Western made knives for Camillus. There were closer ties between competing knife companies that the general public never knew about.
Tom Williams
