Who else here loves the demo pattern?

T

thatotherguy

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Oct 9, 2011
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I know jackknife has fond memories of his scout knife (:D), but I'm talking about the demo knife. The pocketknife that is set up like an all-steel scout knife, with rollstamped handles, and US, USMC, or occasionally USAF on the handles. Anyone else love this pattern?
 
I've got one, and it's the knife I bring on Boy Scout camp-outs with my son. He is required to carry a locking blade now, so he borrows one of my modern folders with a clip and lock. I carry this one, and find it takes care of most tasks.

Mine says "US" on the handle, and has a Camillus 2003 stamp on the blade, IIRC.
 
I've had a couple. I've noticed that the older models are usually better made. Didn't Camillus used to make these? Are they even made now?
 
heres mine a Camillus, won it in a giveway, courtesy of Phil Gibbs (former Camillus Employee)
great utilitarian pattern, the only bad ive heard is the breaking of backsprings, ive had 2 and neither have broken, though i dont carry them much... hard to convince my self that my Case CV stockman should stay at home:)
featured with one of my "Petty" girl zippos
regards
gene

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I like them as a tool. They are very tough and stainless, to which the lack of keeping of an edge is an acceptable sacrifice. They are expendable and not pretty at all. I don't own one but they seem like a good secondary knife to bring along for worse than just cutting something.
 
Daniel Dorn- Was one of the other kids in the troop/pack being stoopid with his knife and it closed on him, and that's why locks are required? IMO, if a kid respects his/her knives, and only uses them to cut, he/she shouldn't need a lock. My $0.02
silenthunterstudios- Yes, camillus made them (RIP), and the only American made one I can find is made by ontario. They are still being made, ontario makes em in the US, schrade makes em in china.
IVANKERLEY- The only time you will have problems with the spring is if you have 2 blades on the same spring half open at the same time. BTW-nice zippo.
Gobbo- That's what they were made for. I suggest picking one or two up.
 
I had one of those as a kid, and never really cared for it much. It was a bit too heavy and difficult to open for my taste. I much preferred my el-cheapo Imperial barlow with the chintzy plastic scales. I did like the big bail on it though. I used to carry it around tied to a shoestring, which was looped around my belt, and dropped the knife in my pocket. Whenever I needed the knife, I'd just pull on the shoestring to drag it out of my pocket.
 
moonwilson- When I pocket carry mine, I do the same thing with paracord. It works.
OwE- I didn't know the navy ones existed! I learned something today! Thanks!
 
I had one, and was really into it. I thought it was really cool. I had heard tales about how the backsprings went, but thought they were made better now.
They aren't.
The Backspring on mine went. And it was a rarely used knife (my alox SAKs are better made and more reliable), and all I did was open it up. And it was a 2006 Camillus. Not very reliable. Get a SAK. You are better off.
 
Wow, never had a problem with mine.
BTW- My most used one is a '76 Imperial USA, with carbon springs. The carbon springs had a reputation for bending before they broke. That knife is awesome, as far as demos go.
 
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thatotherguy said:
moonwilson- When I pocket carry mine, I do the same thing with paracord. It works.
OwE- I didn't know the navy ones existed! I learned something today! Thanks!
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To be honest, at the time, I didn't know they existed either. But after having been in the Navy, when I saw one of these later on, I just HAD to have one. ;)
 
Weren't we just talking about the reputation of the demo knife pattern in the scouts knife thread?

I'm incredibly interested in how certain products develop and maintain a reputation for failure. Meaningful statistics on such things tend to not be available, so there's no way to drill down to irrefutable truth. Impossible to prove that the failing product is any worse than others. Impossible prove it's just as good. We see this all the time in the cycling world regarding thing like bike rims. Some have reputations for failure that are just as persistent as the demo knife's reputation. I have and ride one of those "known to fail" rims. Not the end of the world if they fail. Same with knives. Use 'em and enjoy 'em till they croak.

I prefer the BSA/Camper variant myself but I love carbon blades too.

Can anybody comment on the quality of the Camillus stainless? I just gave an old Camillus marlin spike to my bro-in-law. He's a big time sailor. I assume the stainless on the Demo knife and the marlin spike are the same stuff.
 
OwE- The most hard to find one I've seen were the USAF ones,I thought the Navy issued ones with bone/plastic scales, or a rigger's knife.
Pinnnah- The stainless is decent. I took one of my demos to a beach, got a bit of saltwater on it, packed it with sand, and didn't have a problem. I would reccommend keeping 'em lubed with wd40 just to be on the safe side.
 
This is the Camillus Riggers Knife that I'm familiar with. Also known as marlin spike pattern. As I understand it, Camillus (among others?) had the Navy contract for these for a good while.

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thatotherguy said:
OwE- The most hard to find one I've seen were the USAF ones,I thought the Navy issued ones with bone/plastic scales, or a rigger's knife.
Pinnnah- The stainless is decent. I took one of my demos to a beach, got a bit of saltwater on it, packed it with sand, and didn't have a problem. I would reccommend keeping 'em lubed with wd40 just to be on the safe side.
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I don't really know if the 'USN' marked versions were ever actually an issue knife in the Navy. I think a lot of these knives were heavily marketed to the civilian population. To some degree, that makes good sense, as it makes it easier for the manufacturer to justify the tooling expense to produce them. The 'USN' knife I bought, I think I found it listed in a retailer's catalog, maybe SMKW; I think they had each of the services represented. This was back in the early '90s, when most of my purchases were done via 'old school' mail-order. ;)
 
This pattern holds a special place in my heart. Growing up my dad always had a few of these lying around. He has given me a few over the years. As a boy this was one of my first pocket knives. I did not really appreciate them at the time. They could be had for cheap at local army navy stores back then. After all these years I only have one left dated 1979. When ever I see this pattern or hold my demo knife I think of my boyhood years and all the kite string and fishing line I cut with them back then. It reminds he of by gone summer days spent exploring and having fun.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
I don't really know if the 'USN' marked versions were ever actually an issue knife in the Navy. I think a lot of these knives were heavily marketed to the civilian population. To some degree, that makes good sense, as it makes it easier for the manufacturer to justify the tooling expense to produce them. The 'USN' knife I bought, I think I found it listed in a retailer's catalog, maybe SMKW; I think they had each of the services represented. This was back in the early '90s, when most of my purchases were done via 'old school' mail-order. ;)
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If tou ever go to SMKW, look at the collectors section. They had old camillus demo knives there for $45-50 each last time I was there. Ha! Not in a million years will I pay that much for a demo knife!
 
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