Codger_64
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Surely someone here collects old Camillus/Kastor fixed blades. What is your oldest blade?
I think these are my oldest made at Camillus, sometime in the 1930's. A “Special Factory Order”, they were made for P.G. Franz, buyer for F.W.Woolworths (originator of "five-and-ten-cent" stores) and stamped with their "KENT / N.Y. City / U.S.A." mark. Albert M. Baer was put in charge of sales in 1930. From what I have been able to learn, this small inexpensive hunting knife was made between 1931 and 1939. The most expensive items Woolworths sold in the stores until that time were 10 cents in the east, and 15 cents in the west. Then with Camillus knives sold to them by Baer, in 1932 they rocked the stock market by announcing goods for 20 cents!
When the knives hit the stores, they were a sensation. The sales were enormous. You could go and count how many they sold per hour. In fact, I did just that, and we started to mechanize the Camillus factory as a result of the Woolworth order.
These rosewood handled Kent "Sportsman's Knife" is plain ground and full tanged with two brass pins through the handle scales. They are 7 1/2" long with 4" blades.
I think these are my oldest made at Camillus, sometime in the 1930's. A “Special Factory Order”, they were made for P.G. Franz, buyer for F.W.Woolworths (originator of "five-and-ten-cent" stores) and stamped with their "KENT / N.Y. City / U.S.A." mark. Albert M. Baer was put in charge of sales in 1930. From what I have been able to learn, this small inexpensive hunting knife was made between 1931 and 1939. The most expensive items Woolworths sold in the stores until that time were 10 cents in the east, and 15 cents in the west. Then with Camillus knives sold to them by Baer, in 1932 they rocked the stock market by announcing goods for 20 cents!
When the knives hit the stores, they were a sensation. The sales were enormous. You could go and count how many they sold per hour. In fact, I did just that, and we started to mechanize the Camillus factory as a result of the Woolworth order.
These rosewood handled Kent "Sportsman's Knife" is plain ground and full tanged with two brass pins through the handle scales. They are 7 1/2" long with 4" blades.
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