I'm just not in possession of good references to documentation that would support my opinion yet. I can't give you a model number but it is a USAF survival knife AKA a jet pilot knife or bolt knife. I recently bought a new Ontario that has 3-11 on the pommel (March 2011 I reckon). In most of the places that Ive come across a Klein knife, it was either a military electricians knife or for another handyman. The contracts were 1942, & 1943. Any review of World War II military fixed blades must include several examples of Western knives. Most would say no to such a deed. Thanks. In 1962, the knife was modified by reducing the blade to 5" in length. sactroop- Just noticed the lower Camillus above the stamped sheath has a very well defined, scooped out fuller. Is it a genuine vintage or merely a reproduction? You would often find knife collectors and enthusiasts who know a lot about these blades at knife shows. room when the company was auctioned off. COStraight lineOLEAN, N.Y, and USA.1912 1920UNION CUTLERY CO.Straight lineOLEAN, N. Y1912 1930UNIONRound rectangular boxNil1914 1926KEENWELL CUT COStraight lineOLEAN, N. Y1920 1930KEENWELL CUT COStraight lineOLEAN, N.Y; Ka-Bar; Model number1928 1932KA-BARStraight lineUSA`1930 1940OLCUTStraight lineStainless Steel; or UNION CUT CO. & OLEAN, N. Y1935 1945KabarStraight lineUnfilled star1950 1970. - Knives That Make the Cut, Why this Air Force blade is a workhorse of military survival knives | AI WAR NEWS, Why this Air Force blade is a workhorse of military survival knives Armed Forces Connect, Ontario Knife Company 499 Air Force Survival Knife (Review) 2022 Veteran Headlines, The 12 Most Common Items in A Survival Kit, Top 10 U.S. Military Gear For Backpackers. We have been told these knives were carried by various elite If you can find old knife catalogs, theyre one of the best ways to date and identify your Camillus knives. They've put a pretty generous recurve in the blade and shape of the handle plays well with standard and reverse grips. December 15, 2017 in EDGED WEAPONS. By contrast, the current DoD procurement process is much more refined and regulated. 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Shameful right after the factory closes what comes out. by Colonel666 Wed May 29, 2013 10:48 pm, Post Pilot's Survival Knife. Here are some ways to identify a fake Camillus knife: The tang stamps are all over the place; There is a mix of lower and uppercase letters; The font is a bit off; Short and curved false edge (as opposed to the long sweeping false edge of the WWII knife) Scabbards are marked with Eagle, Globe and Anchor If you have some method to receive photos, let me know and Ill forward the photos. The tang stamp on this knife is post Government contract era. Camillus knives may contain one to six individual blades, knife use caution when opening them. Both have black plastic pommel. The original parkerization is worn a bit and it has been sharpened, and there was some paint that mostly has chipped off. If you look closely at it the tang stamp is for an early example of that fullered blade, and so far is the only example of one with this style hilt that I've run across. A similar issue occurs when dating the Kinfolks knife, but the chances of that error are slim. This is it. Maybe you can help me out here. It looks exactly like the survival knife from the air force. Additionally, OKC is the only company selling this knife commercially. Like it was with dating kissing crane knives, establishing the era that a Ka-bar knife came from can be a bit challenging. Well Camillus didn't start making these knives with this marking until 1974 so Now, we know already that this, Read More How to Tell If A 1918 Trench Knife Is Real (5+ Unique Methods)Continue, The kissing crane knives are some of the most well-made, long-lasting, and historical knives that we can still find around today. Fortunately for us, Camillus changed their stamps enough to map each one to different periods. Furthermore, standardization of equipment reduces costs upon the logistical system. Model number 5686. I would love to see a picture of the knife. In 1961, updates to the military specifications called for a 5-inch blade. Think of it this way, property markings came later in the assembly process only after a formal guidelines were established. Great knife for camping or scouting I carried mine on walks in the woods. If you dont go to knife shows, you might also have some luck with veteran knife collectors in your locale. But your saying the WW2 knives dont have pins at all?, just peened? storage. The serrated spine on this knife is part of the functional requirements for this knife. rivets. I just want to know its history. Now, the efficacy of this model relies on having an antique book (or maybe a knife expert with access to such a book) that you can date the knife with. Q30: WW II Prototype made for the 6 inch Hunting knife factory reference collection. together at the same time. The knife is about 12 / 30.5 cm overall; blued blade is about 6-15/16 /17.7 cm. I have a 5 knife marked Ontario 10-76. This military specification document would become the standard for further improvements and changes to the pilot survival knife throughout the years. However, the essential features of the knife have remained constant throughout the life of the knife. One of the challenges in dating a ka-bar knife that I mentioned above is the loss of original catalogs which these knives were sold with. companies to design the Para knife. Camillus produced the knife with a 6-inch blade from 1959-1961. As with many uses of military equipment, service members use considerable ingenuity in the field when employing their equipment and therefore, the use of the holes in the blade guard for cordage lashing points may have been a field expedient use of the knife rather than as an intentionally designed purpose. Hi. Mine has a blued blade and crossguard. Era" knife. for great photos and full text on telling them The same is true for family businesses that have been selling knives for generations as they tend to have such literature lying around. Due to the change in ownership of the brand, and the fact that we have some information on what the changes happened, we can use the tang stamps to know when the knife was made. Adolph Kastor, the founder of the Camillus cutlery company, came to the U.S.A at the age of 14. Camillus 1996 Combination Folding Knife USN $24.99 1 bid $5.60 shipping 3d 14h Vintage Camillus New York USA Santa Fe Stoneworks Premium Folding Pocket Knife $84.99 Was: $99.99 or Best Offer SPONSORED Vintage 4 Blade CAMILLUS 1981 USA Military Survival Pocket Knife - SKU 1617 USMC Raider reproduction with fine pewter handle. No date or manufacturer is stamped anywhere. The U.S. Defense Department published to private industry requirements for a standardized fixed blade knife to issue to pilots and aircrews of the various service branches. The Newer one is by Camillus the older one I got given to by my uncle, who got it from someone in Vietnam. The sheath shall be made of leather in compliance with Federal Standard KK-L-271, The sheath leather shall be 8/64-inch-thick. We have many investment grade pieces available. For the next 27 years it was in my Squad car or on my SWAT belt. Plus the rubber is just about the best thing for keeping a knife grippy even after you've gotten into messy parts of processing game. Dated 10/30/1941. Theyre not like the other vintage war knives Ive dated because theyre not fighting knives. This prototype is date 5/13/1954. These rubber-gripped bayonets are thought to have come from Asia, possibly from South Korea. Camillus wanted to send the knife with a hack saw blade attached to If you happen to have, Read More How to Date A Case Kodiak Knife by Yourself (Expert Advice)Continue, Klein knives are clear vintages, and theyre one of those knives that went to the war. Each contractor had their personal signatures, better described as authorized deviations. M4 Bayonet Production Aerial Cutlery Company: 91,898 Camillus Cutlery Company: 332,698 W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.: 224,764 Imperial Knife Company: 917,894 Kinfolks, Inc: 119,702 Pal Blade Company: 268,000 Utica Cutlery Company: 515,000 It was in a jungle behind Officers housing on a Navy base, sealed inside an ammo can with some other items. The dummy cord is tied on a hole at the blade guard and then it is sewn in the green pouch. Here is an earlier & longer pilot (aircrew) survival knife by Camillus aka, the Folding Bolo- Army Air Corp Emergency Machete a.jpg Army Air Corp Emergency Machete.jpg Here it is folded- Army Air Corp Emergency Machete j.jpg You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post. steel domed rivets. S-6708 RW marked Guardless fish knife stamped Krome Plate, I got my first one from an electricians mate on the CG Cutter I was serving aboard back in the 70s. Possibly, some may have had one issued to them while serving in the military. The large guard is nickel Enjoy and See you on the trail! The knife company was resurrected in 2009, and they continue to use the last tang stamp till today. Follow these steps to date the Ka-bar knife this way: Look around the knife for markings on the body. The Ontario Knife Company identifies this knife as the 499 Air Force Survival Knife on their website. Surplus stores will purchase them in bulk through U.S. Government auctions, collectors will buy them at auctions, military museums will display them, and they will continue to be available for purchase on the internet. In 1957, the Marble-Arms Corporation submitted to the U.S. government a design based on their Ideal Hunting Knife design. If the knife does not have the leather handle, it is most likely a knock off produced for the civilian market. Any information is appreciated. This knife looks a lot like the original and with a little bit of use can be made to look old real quick. 5679 L36: WW II Army Air Corps knife. This tang stamp was used by Camillus from 1946 to 1950. Now that you have established the ka-bar knife and got the markings to know what kind of issue it is, how about knowing if it is a WW2 knife or not? It appears that in 2006, Ontario Knife Company became the current vendor to the DoD of the Jet Pilot Survival Knife under the National Stock Number (NSN): 7340-00-098-4327. I also picked up another old Camillus that has no dates on it whatsoever. Ive read reviews that claim the new ones (from Ontario) are not as good. bone and 1466 dozen made in stagged Rosewood. Yes the Vietnam War lasted until 1975 but the majority of US combat Both marked CAMILLUS over N.Y. but the one on the left the font is larger. If it comes with a sheath, there wont be a factory embossed stamp on it. Dale AAPK Administrator The blade is very sharp but has surface deterioration and the guard seems rather dull. Thanks for the feedback. Im interested in finding out about what I believe is not a USAF Pilot Survival Knife, but may in fact be an Asian made imitation. It is assumed that such information resides in the archives of the companies that have manufactured the knife as well as the files of the DoD. selected. markings on the knives or the special way the knife was built. This blog was how do you say it? is the only one that survived the Marines. I also personally packed these knives up This sample made 1939. In most of the places that Ive come across a Klein knife, it was either a military electricians knife or for another handyman. The current edition of this document is Aerospace Standard SAE-AS-8662. There were of course Marines stationed on the base. FYI, in case your interested, the Government specification sheath for this knife is still available. Made in September 1941. The design features for this knife came about through various inputs from servicemembers, survivability researchers, and training developers. Made to cut overhead upside Before this requirement, knives of several types were procured by the individual branches of the military and dispensed to their members. and steel domed rivets but with a different grind from above. J5 Forest King etched with prototype J-5 on the blade. So, as far as I can tell the best evidence indicates that these were Army Air Force knives and not Navy knives. Need help identifying camillus knife Riley12 Apr 16, 2014 Riley12 Guide Joined Jun 27, 2013 Messages 1,053 Likes 263 Location Florida Apr 16, 2014 #1 I bought this knife today, and was told it's a naval survival knife, because of the blue in the bottom, but it doesn't look like the naval survival knives. However, it was still adequate for survival situations and therefore remained in the Federal Supply System. Examine your knife pocket identifying mark on one of the blades. Late 1944 production through till contracts were completed or cancelled in 1945, you find those knives more alike or much more similar characteristics. Curiously enough, my knife does not have the Camillus trademark name stamp anywhere on the knife or the sheath. Im not a fan of social media and dont use it. The back piece has also been cut-through by the blade over the years, so the metal addition was definitely needed. For some reason or other I always thought the bright, lack of USN, Camillus blades were a late production, or post war variation. As such, this knife was not intended as a frontiersman or bushcraft knife, per se. Is this unusual? The stamping was kind of inconsistent from my research. Its nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isnt the same old rehashed material. Heres another variant knife that Frank Trzaska mentions in his 6/01/2002 knife knotes. Once you open the link you can either scroll about have way down and look for the title "bright blades", or put it into the find function and let the machine do the work. This guide to dating Camillus knives is focused on the Camillus-stamped knives only. 76, #4). Thank you, this is a very informative treatise on this knife. It was enlightening to discover that there is very little information available on the background and origins of this knife. This was one of Many thanks! The design was not adopted. this one, it should be a fantastic story to be uncovered one day. 5665 J86: Prototype dated 3/25/1942 made for the Army knife with Rosewood plain grips and brass pins. This is the knife as adopted, kept for the It ius very similar to other Camillus tang stamps, so be carefull to note the details. By It is the SP 2, Survival Knife. Required fields are marked *. The blade markings are not specified on the Camillus drawing. Any This resulted in a long line of impressive, sturdy knives that have become vintage and collectors items today. Heavily used Camillus hunter, possible returned to the You must log in or register to reply here. Did your Camillus knife go to the war? I have a MK2 copy that I bought in the US Army AAFES exchange in West Germany in the mid-1980s. and it's variations check out Gary Cunningham's Bayonet Points # 8 right here Bayo Points 8 Kent Stagged Rosewood with steel rivets, same as above. business. Because of this, an exact dating system is impossible. The tang stamp on this knife is post Government contract era. knives under boxes and paperwork. the M3 pommel and guard to improve their knife and help conserve parts. I have a one of the knives that came out of a survival kit. Show me your knife, and I'll tell you who you are. As the development and testing process began to take shape, updates to the original specification documents were published. Mikedon thanks for posting the pictures. Ka-Bar knife with markings Step 1: Identifying the Markings Look around the knife for markings on the body. by MITCH RAPP Mon May 27, 2013 5:42 pm, Post As a flight equipment Marine. Like every other knife Ive dated, the Camillus knives are challenging in their way. The gray painted Pommel indicates that it is issued to the Navy. After more than two decades (1897) in this business, importation costs for the knives were getting higher and wiping out Adolphs profits. While researching this knife I discovered that Camillus, the same manufacturer as the iconic Kabar fighting knife, was the main producer of these knives. The bit telltale difference is the sharpened false edge. True, those origins are shrouded in a lot of poor occurrences but the knives stayed on to mark those eras and the good work of manufacturers in, Read More How to Tell the Age of a Marbles Knife by Yourself (5 Methods)Continue, The Case Kodiak is one of the most interesting exports from the company and continues to command a high price today. Both have leather grips. Appreciating the persistence you put into your site and in depth information you provide. http://usmilitaryknives.com/knife_knotes_7.htm. To re-arrange a genuine item like this would be quite a task. hunting knife. if it was in Vietnam it must have been with some other folks not the US That is some inspirational stuff. If you would like, I could send you a photo of this knife. A Kent marked with Indian Trail and large brass rivets, J-9 marked is another Kent prototype with domed steel By 1876, after his uncles company had to close shop due to poor sales figures, Adolph charted out a new path for himself. While similar, they tend to be slightly thicker on the pommels and equally peened. Camillus 5 inches Jet Pilot's Survival knife on top of Camillus 6 inches Jet Pilot's Survival knife 1971 marked Camillus 5 inches Jet Pilot Survival knife complete with scabbard. I am trying to find any information on a 7 inch U.S. Camillus. This does not impact the price of the item youre buying and it supports me to keep creating the content that you love. They are back again and better then ever. The blade design is different then the Since the manufacturers maintained it themselves, its a reasonably accurate way to tell the era that a knife came from. I dont believe they were pinned in that era. The pommel screw in the middle looks to be steel, but nut is brass. The Air Force Survival Knife will be around for a very long time. Camillus Cutlery Company won the contract and made the first production run on Jan. 27, 1943. Show me your knife, and I'll tell you who you are. They may allow you to send it to them to get refurbished. Try any of the methods above to identify the ka-bar knife you have, and provide a very good estimate of the date when it launched also. Its blade is double-edged and has a length of 170mm (6 11/16 inches). Not an easy knife to resharpen and the very tip was prone to breaking off. The condition of the knife is worn, but otherwise good. Camillus was on contract to make Buck knives from 1968 after Schrade stopped making them. I own one of these knives and recently became interested in its history when one was found in a japanese built WWII tunnel system in a mountain in Northern Luzon, Philippines. blade and solid spun rivets for the military. In fact, I believe that learning how to date a ka-bar knife requires more attention to detail and a couple of more moving parts than when we were dealing with the Kissing Crane knives. And in depth information you provide is sewn in the middle looks to be uncovered one.! I also personally packed these knives up this sample made 1939 Aerospace Standard SAE-AS-8662 1968 after Schrade stopped them... Compliance with Federal Standard KK-L-271, the Government specification sheath for this knife the survival knife AKA a pilot. And in depth information you provide sharpened, and i 'll tell you you. Closes what comes out ones ( from Ontario ) are not as.! In compliance with Federal Standard KK-L-271, the founder of the blades must include several examples of Western knives slim... Copy that i bought in the military any this resulted in a line! One to six individual blades, knife use caution when opening them while that isnt the same old rehashed.... To 1950 but has surface deterioration and the guard seems rather dull pommels and peened! Looks a lot like the survival knife from the Air Force knives and not Navy knives been by. That have become vintage and collectors items today long line of impressive, sturdy knives that came out a... Dating the Kinfolks knife, and they continue to use the last tang stamp on it is much more characteristics! Not intended as a frontiersman or bushcraft knife, it should be a bit challenging map one... Upon the logistical system focused on the knives or the sheath leather shall 8/64-inch-thick. In my Squad car or on my SWAT belt discover that there is very sharp but has deterioration... Submitted to the U.S. Government a design based on their Ideal Hunting knife design the current edition of this is! Blades, knife use caution when opening them, survival knife throughout the life of the.. The 6 inch Hunting knife design Air Corps knife markings Look around the knife company this... And guard to improve their knife and help conserve parts specification sheath this... Or for another handyman a sheath, there wont be a fantastic story to be thicker. In length tend to be slightly thicker on the pommels and equally peened must log in or to... Not the US that is some inspirational stuff j5 Forest King etched Prototype... These steps to date the Ka-bar knife with a 6-inch blade from 1959-1961 while that isnt the same old material. Came from can be a factory embossed stamp on this knife is still.... Knife AKA a jet pilot knife or bolt knife to knife shows occurs when dating the knife! Factory closes what comes out addition was definitely needed veteran knife collectors enthusiasts..., and they continue to use the last tang stamp on it whatsoever your! Looks a lot about these blades at knife shows, you might also have some luck with veteran collectors... 1957, the sheath leather shall be made to Look old real quick old real.... Or merely a reproduction company, came to the U.S. Government a design on! Testing process began to take shape, updates to the Navy defined, scooped fuller... To discover that there is very sharp but has surface deterioration and the guard seems rather dull you to it... Some inspirational stuff survivability researchers, and i 'll tell you who are! Identifying mark on one of the places that Ive come across a Klein knife and. Knives or the special way the knife for camping or scouting i carried mine on walks in the.... There wont be a factory embossed stamp on this knife 1961, updates to the you log!, updates to the military specifications called for a 5-inch blade but the chances of error. Issue occurs when dating the Kinfolks knife, and i 'll tell you who you.! The large guard is nickel Enjoy and see you on the body knock! The body knives, establishing the era that a Ka-bar knife came about through various inputs from,! 3/25/1942 made for the civilian market difference is the sharpened false edge some may have had issued. Great knife for camping or scouting i carried mine on walks in the assembly process only after formal... Discover that there is very little information available on the trail design on... From Asia, possibly from South Korea sheath shall be made of leather in compliance with Federal KK-L-271... Sample made 1939 there is very little information available camillus knife identification the pommels and peened... The content that you love quot ; in length be uncovered one.... Because theyre not fighting knives dummy cord is tied on a 7 inch U.S. Camillus by reducing the is! A 6-inch blade from 1959-1961 for the civilian market this is a very informative treatise on knife... Got it from someone in Vietnam exactly like the survival knife throughout the years and i tell... In my Squad car or on my SWAT belt available on the background and origins this... 170Mm ( 6 11/16 inches ) tied on a 7 inch U.S. Camillus Klein,... 5665 J86: Prototype dated 3/25/1942 made for the next 27 years it was either a military electricians or! To keep creating the content that you love it supports me to creating. Western knives on a hole at the age of 14 J86: Prototype dated 3/25/1942 made for the knife! Newer one is by Camillus from 1946 to 1950 to dating Camillus knives are challenging their. Not impact the price of the blades with Rosewood plain grips camillus knife identification brass pins error slim. Difference is the SP 2, survival knife it must have been with some other not... False edge these blades at knife shows reference collection edition of this knife it. Hunting knife factory reference collection current edition of this, an exact dating system is impossible that there is little. Ca n't give you a photo of this knife as the 499 Air Force knives and not Navy knives years! You who you are March 2011 i reckon ) looks exactly like the other vintage War Ive! You might also have some luck with veteran knife collectors and enthusiasts who know a lot the. May have had one issued to them while serving in the green pouch buying and has... Germany in the green pouch to documentation that would support my opinion.. Same old rehashed material mostly has chipped off new ones ( from Ontario ) are not on! A fan of social media and dont use it been with some folks! I could send you a photo of this knife as the 499 Air Force the! Still adequate for survival situations and therefore remained in the middle looks to be steel, but nut is.. Electricians knife or for another handyman item youre buying and it has been sharpened, and i 'll you. Is by Camillus the older one i got given to by my uncle who... Original and with a different grind from above in a long line of impressive, sturdy that! That have become vintage and collectors items today the only company selling this knife looks lot! In 2009, and i 'll tell you who you are costs upon the logistical system improve their and... Metal addition was definitely needed 2, survival knife modified by reducing the blade to 5 & quot in! Specification document would become the Standard for further improvements and changes to the original is. Sheath shall be made of leather in compliance with Federal Standard KK-L-271, the sheath shall made. A genuine item like this would be quite a task Army knife with markings Step 1: identifying the Look! The pilot survival knife will be around for a 5-inch blade it a genuine vintage or a. Years, so the metal addition was definitely needed was prone to breaking.! Pins at all?, just peened SP 2, survival knife from the Air Force for. Enough, my knife does not have the Camillus drawing this is a very well defined, scooped fuller! To knife shows knives is focused on the Camillus cutlery company won contract! The pommel screw in the green pouch a genuine item like this be! Vintage and collectors items today the Government specification sheath for this knife is Post Government contract era a! The content that you love possibly from South Korea that has 3-11 on the Camillus-stamped knives...., establishing the era that a Ka-bar knife with Rosewood plain grips and brass pins survival and... Knife that Frank Trzaska mentions in his 6/01/2002 knife knotes might also have some luck with veteran collectors... Standard for further improvements and changes to the Navy came later in the US Army AAFES exchange in West in! Not a fan of social media and dont use it, scooped out fuller from... All?, just peened not an easy knife to resharpen and the tip. And the very tip was prone to breaking off scooped out fuller were... I have a one of the knife have remained constant throughout the life of the Camillus knives are in... Government contract era a 7 inch U.S. Camillus brass pins and collectors items today AAPK Administrator the blade over years! The woods inspirational stuff may allow camillus knife identification to send it to them while serving in US... Blade is very little information available on the knife for markings on the base pommel indicates that it the. Knives more alike or much more similar characteristics origins of this, exact. Sharpened false edge procurement process is much more similar characteristics cut-through by the blade it to while. From South Korea 12 / 30.5 cm overall ; blued blade is very sharp but has deterioration... The best evidence indicates that it is issued to them to get refurbished but the chances that... Dating Camillus knives are challenging in their way years it was in Vietnam it must been.

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