What makes Camillus a standout?

C

camillus advocate

Joined
Oct 10, 2008
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6
Some of you may have seen or replied to the other thread I posted, and this question is also for an article I am working on for The Advocate, a Camillus community newspaper.
I hear from so many of you that the quality of a Camillus knife is outstanding, but being a non-collector, I was wondering what that means, exactly? What about the design, the blade, etc. make the knives such high caliber?
What is it that you look for in a knife that Camillus delivers? And how much does the history of the Camillus name play into their popularity?

Thanks again, I am thoroughly enjoying all of your responses and I am excited to be able to put together an article like this for the community.

Thanks in advance and I apologize for any improper forum etiqutte I may display - I'm unfamilliar with the protocol!

Ami Olson

Editor
The Advocate

Eagle Newspapers
5910 Firestone Drive
Syracuse, NY 13206
advocate@cnylink.com
315.434.8889 x335
315.380.0983 cell
 
I think one of the things that makes them stand out is the amount of knives they made with other brands on them. For that reason they were known as "the knifemakers knifemaker".

If they were good enough for another knife company that is a pretty good endorsement. Some of their contract knives are highly sought after collectibles.

I would also recommend that you read this forum from the first post to the most recent, if you haven't already.
 
There are many reasons that Camillus knives stand out in the knife collecting world.

1. First and foremost was the quality of their products and the expanse of their product line. Throughout its history Camillus Cutlery Company has made a wide range of products, from high quality, high dollar specialty items to lower-cost every day use cutting implements. In recent years they have made very high quality collector grade knives as well as less expensive but quality user knives.

2. Camillus Cutlery Company was known as "the knife makers knife maker." I have no doubt, when viewed in a historical perspective, that Camillus made more knives for more different companies than any other knife maker in America and probably the world. Camillus didn't always get the respect that I feel they deserve, but that didn't seem to bother them. I have actually set in a group of knife collectors and watched them react with indifference to a Camillus knife, but then to be excited and pay considerably more for the same knife made by Camillus for a different company. They were totally unaware that Camillus made their highly regarded collectible knife.

3. The patriotism of Camillus Cutlery and of its workers also makes Camillus knives stand out. During World War II Camillus produced 15 million knives for the United States Armed Forces, in addition to knives for the British and Canadian militaries. This in itself is a feat worthy of recognition. Indeed the United States government did recognize Camillus cutlery for its tremendous contribution to World War II. But there was an unintended side effect; when the troops came home from World War II they retired their military knives and purchased civilian knives for their civilian occupations. They had learned to depend on their high-quality Camillus military knives. Where better to go for a civilian knife then to Camillus?

4. Camillus knives also stand out for their functionality. Camillus was able to design knives that fit the rigorous requirements of the military use as well as the day-to-day needs of its civilian users. But beyond their ability to design a good knife, Camillus was able to execute the design with good fit and finish and with high quality cutlery material. This means that not only was the knife well designed, but also the knife was dependable for every day use. This really made Camillus not only a successful cutlery company, but it is also the reason they were the "knife makers knife maker."

5. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, Camillus knives stand out because of the people behind them. It has been my great privilege to get to know some of the people who worked at Camillus through the technological marvels of the Internet and even telephone. I can tell you from personal experience that the people who worked at Camillus had a great deal of pride in their company and in the products they produced. In the long run this high caliber of people produce a better product and better customer service than can ever be imported from an overseas company.

These are in my view, the main reasons that Camillus knives stand out. I think even 100 years from now knife collectors will still be looking for Camillus knives.

Dale
 
For me, more than anything, it's "the knifemakers' knifemaker" description that's been mentioned twice already.

Earlier this year, I bought several loose blade "grab-bags" from an online vendor; these were 6 piece lots of un-handled blades from the auction at Camillus. Out of a total of 24 blades, there are at least eight different brand names stamped on them: Schrade, Western, Colt, United, Remington, Moore Maker and others. Some of these blanks are/were VERY high end knives.

That's my observations; I'm looking forward to seeing this article you are writing.

thx - cpr
 
orvet said:
There are many reasons that Camillus knives stand out in the knife collecting world.

1. First and foremost was the quality of their products and the expanse of their product line. Throughout its history Camillus Cutlery Company has made a wide range of products, from high quality, high dollar specialty items to lower-cost every day use cutting implements. In recent years they have made very high quality collector grade knives as well as less expensive but quality user knives.

2. Camillus Cutlery Company was known as "the knife makers knife maker." I have no doubt, when viewed in a historical perspective, that Camillus made more knives for more different companies than any other knife maker in America and probably the world. Camillus didn't always get the respect that I feel they deserve, but that didn't seem to bother them. I have actually set in a group of knife collectors and watched them react with indifference to a Camillus knife, but then to be excited and pay considerably more for the same knife made by Camillus for a different company. They were totally unaware that Camillus made their highly regarded collectible knife.

3. The patriotism of Camillus Cutlery and of its workers also makes Camillus knives stand out. During World War II Camillus produced 15 million knives for the United States Armed Forces, in addition to knives for the British and Canadian militaries. This in itself is a feat worthy of recognition. Indeed the United States government did recognize Camillus cutlery for its tremendous contribution to World War II. But there was an unintended side effect; when the troops came home from World War II they retired their military knives and purchased civilian knives for their civilian occupations. They had learned to depend on their high-quality Camillus military knives. Where better to go for a civilian knife then to Camillus?

4. Camillus knives also stand out for their functionality. Camillus was able to design knives that fit the rigorous requirements of the military use as well as the day-to-day needs of its civilian users. But beyond their ability to design a good knife, Camillus was able to execute the design with good fit and finish and with high quality cutlery material. This means that not only was the knife well designed, but also the knife was dependable for every day use. This really made Camillus not only a successful cutlery company, but it is also the reason they were the "knife makers knife maker."

5. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, Camillus knives stand out because of the people behind them. It has been my great privilege to get to know some of the people who worked at Camillus through the technological marvels of the Internet and even telephone. I can tell you from personal experience that the people who worked at Camillus had a great deal of pride in their company and in the products they produced. In the long run this high caliber of people produce a better product and better customer service than can ever be imported from an overseas company.

These are in my view, the main reasons that Camillus knives stand out. I think even 100 years from now knife collectors will still be looking for Camillus knives.

Dale
Click to expand...
Awesome post Orvet!!:thumbup:
You summed it up well for me, as well

Especially #3
If they were good enough for our fightin' men...

The big thing for me is the history of the company and the employees
I daydream about the lives of the workers
What did they do for fun? How many hours a week did they work? How did they get to work? How far was it their house? Where was the bar that they all hung out at after work on Friday?

This is from a Lamson & Goodnow factory
In my mind I picture workers very similar to this at Camilllus[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]











[/FONT]
 
Camillus to me represented a great knife for what the price was.
My first decent knife was a Camillus, I took it out in the woods with me alot.
Abit of the American spirt died with Camillus.
 
Agree with all the above. I was issued 2 different folders while in Vietnam and they got me out of a few undisclosed tight places. I was sorry to hear of another American icon gone.
Tom
 
Thanks for all of your heartfelt replies, it is so nice to see that the Camillus name impacted so many people, in different eras and different parts of the world. Please see the finished article here, http://www.cnylink.com/cnynews/view_news.php?news_id=1226510111.

Thanks again to you all, happy holidays -

Ami Olson

Editor
The Advocate

Eagle Newspapers
5910 Firestone Drive
Syracuse, NY 13206
advocate@cnylink.com
315.434.8889 x335
315.380.0983 cell
 
Ami, very good article on Camillus. I am not a collector of Camillus but I am a collector of Western Knives. It is sad to see the "old" makers of American knives fade away.
 
Great article!!!
Thanks for the bladeforums.com plug!!!
Hopefully when can get some new Camillus collectors stumbling in here
It gets kinda lonely in the sub forum sometimes!!!

Can you let us know if anything happens regarding the sale or demolishing of the building?
I know a lot of people are curious what happens to that old, historical factory...

P.S.
Dale will be signing autographed copies of the article in the lobby at noon!!!!!
 
<< Hopefully when can get some new Camillus collectors stumbling in here >>

For the sake of continuity, the oral history of the company should be shared with the young people that live in the community and gather every weekday just steps away from the factory at the local youth center. Some may find it fascinating.
 
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