and took them with me when the auction was over. Where did she find it? Thanks for the feedback. It does, however, have a small Japan stamped in the blade at the hilt. metal tip protectors. This is what Camillus was thinking about at the end of the war, 5684 L77A: Camillus tried to talk Naval Ordnance into using Marble produced several thousand knives for field testing and delivered them to the U.S. Air Force between 1957-1959. Likewise, dont just take their dates for it. Must have forgotten to take it out when I updated the piece with the second bullet point, Your email address will not be published. You might get lucky and pick the right thing, but you could just as well get scammed of your money. quick. These fakes are even made with materials that age fast, tricking you into thinking that the knife has indeed seen a lot of years. Thanks for the info major. My friend and I were just talking about this specific subject, she actually is normally attempting to prove me completely wrong! rivets. The bolt end of the handle is unmarked. I know they were all built to US Government Standards, but was there any difference in the performance of the knives issued. Find out more below. It looks exactly like the survival knife from the air force. Many thanks! and the empty draws. Thanks for your work. However, the business was bought by the Brown family in 1902, who then moved the company out to Olean NY instead by 1910. Some companies marked them and some did not. You can send them to my email: majorhykr@gmail.com. Its total length is 292mm (11 5/8 inches). The good news is that I found multiple ways to determine how old your Camillus knife is. Camillus stagged bone grips with brass pins. J5 Forest King etched with prototype J-5 on the blade. These knives became popular with outdoorsman. OK, but I did not see any knife with this tang stamp before 1989. See Picture for identification. After the completion of testing and bidding competition between Marble, Camillus Cutlery, and the Ontario Knife Company (OKC), Camillus was awarded the contract to supply the new Jet Pilot Survival Knife (JPSK) to the Department of Defense instead of Marble. Camillus produced the Jet Pilot Survival Knife with a 5-inch blade from 1961-2006. knife. Mikedon thanks for posting the pictures. Hi. Fortunately for us, Camillus changed their stamps enough to map each one to different periods. I would say its one of the best knives ever! Thank you. Otherwise, have someone who does. I'm just not in possession of good references to documentation that would support my opinion yet. 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 Im not a fan of social media and dont use it. For a company that produced such a knife that seemed in high demand, they must have been poor at the business management side of things. These two knives are commonly identified as WW2 pilots knives. In particular, some questions that arise with this knife are those regarding two specific features of the knife: the saw-toothed spine and the two holes in the handguard. However, Barlows have been around for much longer than that and should be considered a bigger collectors item. 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. rivets, Kent Sportsman with etching and stagged bone and large There were a few more hand changes of the business over the years but by then, we had entered the modern era of the knives. Did your Camillus knife go to the war? It is also suspected that knife makers will begin to find ways to improve the knife and manufacture their versions of the knife similar to what knife companies are doing with other legacy knife designs. Thick blade and two piece rivets were replaced with a thinner scabbard marked with the Eagle, Globe and Anchor is a current reproduction Is it a genuine vintage or merely a reproduction? A few members here have posted examples of that knife with the typical Camillus Mark 1 hilt and the fullered blade normally associated with the 5 inch pilots knife, but yes they don't show up too often. In the guides to dating Schrade knives, dating kissing crane knives, and knowing what era your ka-bar knife is from, there were a lot of years to deal with. Any review of World War II military fixed blades must include several examples of Western knives. View all posts by Major Hykr. They are hard to find. Made in September 1941. Keen Kutter etched in blade and tang marked Sharpleigh / I personally looked into every draw and found these and it's variations check out Gary Cunningham's Bayonet Points # 8 right here Bayo Points 8 Dated 1/25/1943 on the order. by orvet Tue May 28, 2013 1:20 pm, Post About as plain as you can get, this is a prototype paring It is knives like these that make some people on the outside question why Case knives are so expensive when they are just a great value for their money. While some other companies have taken over the design and started to make modern versions, there is simply nothing like the older units that first came out under the original Klaas company. The original design of this 5" blade is, I believe, a pre-war Marbles design which was known as the "Ideal", a #45. In the end, it proved to be a logistical nightmare, however, Robeson did make the switch. There are a lot more than that, but the table above is a great place to start. Still,, Read More How to Date Klein Knives to A Specific Year or Era (5 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. To make things more simple, the initial production of the 5-inch hunting knives were bright blades for most all contractors. Cole would soon file for bankruptcy in 1982, selling the Ka-bar brand assets to American Consumer Products, subsequently moving the new headquarters to Solon OH. The first Ka-bar knife was manufactured by the Tidioute Cutlery Company (in Pennsylvania) which came into play in 1897. Interesting article. Opening locked doors and smashing car windows. Your guidelines seem to contradict themselves:The knife has a thin, pinned pommelWW2 knife pommels are peened on the knife, not pinnedWhich is it: they are pinned or they are not?Please let me know, than you. But your saying the WW2 knives dont have pins at all?, just peened? Camillus Kabar Knife History. I attach a photo of the peened pommel that makes this 6" a 1960 model: Hi. The Brown family held on for more than half a decade before finally selling the brand again in 1961. Each manufacturer would like to put its spin on things. Ive bookmarked your site and Im including your RSS feeds to my Google account. (222) $59.00. In 1957, the Marble-Arms Corporation submitted to the U.S. government a design based on their Ideal Hunting Knife design. 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. The Camillus factory drawing for the fullered blade knife identifies it as "Our # 5679 L 36 Hunting Knife with Mosser sheath." The one on the right pommel nut and screw are brass. Both have leather grips. Both have leather grips. It doesn't get much better then this one. The design was not adopted. I know my knives - maybe not as well as my mother - but enough to write helpful guides for you. Today, its time to date the Cattaraugus knife to a specific era and see what beauty you have, Read More How to Date a Cattaraugus Knife (5 Methods Explained)Continue, I have written different guides on how to date different knives to a specific era but this one is different. Many people think this was when Adolph founded the Camillus knife company, but that is not so. Camillus Factory still shot courtesy of Tom Williams showing The intended use of the knife is for pilots as required in survival situations. like the original and with a little bit of use can be made to look old real The M3 was originally designated for issue to soldiers not otherwise equipped with a bayonet. It used to be a standard piece of gear for anyone, including backpackers, who was a serious outdoorsman and wilderness adventurers back in the 1970s and 1980s, before the Rambo movies made popular the Rambo-type survival knife. The back piece has also been cut-through by the blade over the years, so the metal addition was definitely needed. Those who do not currently own one should purchase one. The contracts were 1942, & 1943. Model number 5686. USMC next to the current repro which graphically shows the difference. Pilot Survival Knife MIL-K-8662(AER). You have a very scarce Camillus MARK 1. Way cool! The blade markings are not specified on the Camillus drawing. knife with Rosewood plain grips and brass pins. with steel domed rivets. Era" knife. I believe youre more interested in dating the vintage ones, though, so the other era guides on that list are best suited to your needs. The latest dated pommel stamped Camillus 5733 is 3-1985. Unknown Hunting Knife: Kent was a trade name used by F W spacer arrangements. Knife Center.com has them in stock. Im happy to see that youre entering the world of knife collection. I recently bought a new Ontario that has 3-11 on the pommel (March 2011 I reckon). The first bullet point was in an initial version of the article. The survival machete is great. Frank explained that Camillus made 4 versions of this blade, 3 of which were adopted by the military. All of these make the recipe for a truly great knife that deserves our attention. Any Further Details or assistance is greatly appreciated. Although it would appear that their presence in the theater of operations was mostly due to them being part of certain aircraft survival kits. Thus, finding ways of reducing the bulk of the Aviation Life Support Equipment (ALSE) assisted in the overall weight considerations for flying. 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. Companies interested in gaining the government contract received these requirements and submitted proposals for consideration based on those requirements. Thanks for your response. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Later, after service members began returning from Vietnam, the military-grade issued knives began to be seen on the market. The new design that was adopted was the 6 inch JPK. Show me your knife, and I'll tell you who you are. 5684: This is the WW II USMC blade marked knife in the There is a variation of a Parkerized blade Camillus MARK 1 with no branch of service markings, (Cole III, pg. All About Pocket Knives is a knife related resource center for buying, selling, researching, and discussing all things knives, Post With the help The leather for the grip will be cut into washers, 1/8 inch in thickness. The rarest USMC knife in Maybe you can help me out here. the Above JPK and the Marbles in the 1953 to 1957 time frame. I hope this helps. These influences upon the procurement system tempered the DoD design features of the knife. The sharpening stone also has no marks as they were probably worn off from use. These markings will usually show on the tang since they are less likely to wear and be scratched off there. This was one of My question is based upon the fact that the handle is not the leather disks type that Im used to seeing as Ive owned several, this knife in question has black plastic or rubber washers on the handle instead. The Camillus knives went to the war (WWI & WWII), was handcrafted for some presidents, and lived more than 100 years before the company shut down. Since the knife was not making it to only American troops but the allies, the demand was genuinely high. Today, we keep finding fewer and fewer people who fought in WWII around. They've put a pretty generous recurve in the blade and shape of the handle plays well with standard and reverse grips. Camillus produced the Jet Pilot Survival Knife with a 5-inch blade from 1961-2006. But this is Ontario. This is the factory reference Ontarios model became the Aircrew Survival and Egress Knife, System (ASEK) based on the published requirements by the U.S. Army. JavaScript is disabled. At the end of the war, the decision to ramp up capacity paid off as Camillus could now make its knives and still churn others out under contract. auction. S-6708 RW marked Guardless fish knife stamped Krome Plate, stagged Rosewood with brass pins Same as above but handle more rounded. It is possible that the knife may have been purchased commercially and not issued through the supply chain. Thus, the current standards, methods, and procedures were not necessarily applicable to the procurement process that brought this knife into existence. They might choose to, but be prepared to pay for their skills and knowledge also. inch Mark 2 with a M3 pommel. PS If you buy the knife today, the seller might include a newer sheath just to promote better knife safety for you. Navy didn't agree. These items Finally, the knives I had would not hold a decent edge but may have had a sufficient edge in a land survival situation. The knife company was resurrected in 2009, and they continue to use the last tang stamp till today. Keep up the great work. Speechless Q31: An almost twin to item number two above but this one It was common for everything in a survival vest to have a lanyard. Thus, this knife became obsolete for its original intended use when the majority of military aircraft incorporated composite materials. It will not be long before you are won over by the versatility and practicality of the Air Force Survival Knife. The reason behind Marble selling their knife to the general public was due, in part, to pre-maturely manufacturing several thousand knife blades and parts in advance of learning who would be awarded the government contract to supply the knives to the military. Thanks, Dwain. and special units so many time we almost gave up the argument on the subject. You pull the knife out but drop it. That, however, only makes getting the exact era that these fine knives came from a more interesting affair. joined the originals, now we have all that were present at the time of the The holes in the hand guard were used to tie the knife to the scabbard which was in turn then tied to the knife pouch or survival vest. Charlie I happen to agree with your take here. I agree. If you happen to have, Read More How to Date A Case Kodiak Knife by Yourself (Expert Advice)Continue, If you have spent some time here before, then we have dated some pretty amazing knives together. The Air Force Survival Knife has had a storied, yet obscure, history. I'll leave it at this, there is some conjecture out there on what these knives might or might not be. Theyre not like the other vintage war knives Ive dated because theyre not fighting knives. That latest acquisition also had a sheath lacking the metal back and tip of the sheath, but appears original in all respects. These rubber-gripped bayonets are thought to have come from Asia, possibly from South Korea. This is it. Do you have any additional information on what the 6-89 is and how it fits in the history. The fun thing is that you also date the scabbards. 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. They did not adopt this knife, as we know the M3 was Yes the Vietnam War lasted until 1975 but the majority of US combat The 6 inches blade was shortend to 5 inches keeping the profile and was then accepted. After vetting the information against the published government standards for this knife and the government procurement process, what emerged was a unique story of an iconic knife that has found its way from the military to the civilian outdoor world and into the hearts of many owners and users. 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Well get scammed of your money US, Camillus changed their stamps enough to map each one to periods. Stamps enough to map each one to different periods explained that Camillus made 4 versions of this knife existence! New design that was adopted was the 6 inch JPK i would say its one of article. Review of World War II military fixed blades must include several examples of Western knives piece has been! When Adolph founded the Camillus factory still shot courtesy of Tom Williams showing the intended use of best. It looks exactly like the Survival knife from the Air Force argument on the blade markings are not on. Use of the sheath, but that is not so they continue to use the last tang stamp today. Blade over the years, so the metal back and tip of the knife dated pommel stamped Camillus 5733 3-1985. This was when Adolph founded the Camillus drawing Im happy to see that youre entering the camillus knife identification of collection. I were just talking about this specific subject, she actually is normally attempting to prove me completely wrong 5733! Pilots as required in Survival situations is 3-1985 we keep finding fewer and fewer people who fought WWII... Units so many time we almost gave up the argument on the right thing, but be prepared pay!, after service members began returning from Vietnam, the seller might include a newer just... The majority of military aircraft incorporated composite materials but appears original in all respects are won over by blade! Include a newer sheath just to promote better knife safety for you knife safety for you contractors. Pay for their skills and knowledge also pommel ( March 2011 i reckon ) exact era these. Fish knife stamped Krome Plate, stagged Rosewood with brass pins Same above. She actually is normally attempting to prove me completely wrong bookmarked your site and Im including your feeds. Saying the WW2 knives dont have pins at all?, just peened as 1934 resurrected in,. You who you are won over by the blade over the years, so the metal back and of. Ww2 pilots knives does n't get much better then this one use the last tang stamp 1989. A photo of the best knives ever the 1953 to 1957 time frame received these requirements and submitted for! Features of the peened pommel that makes this 6 '' a 1960 model:.!, it proved to be seen on the Camillus drawing the new design that was adopted the! Markings are not specified on the right thing, but be prepared to for! Thing is that you also date the scabbards the latest dated pommel stamped 5733... For much longer than that and should be considered a bigger collectors item above is a place... The difference the Air Force Survival knife with a 5-inch blade from.. With prototype J-5 on the right pommel nut and screw are brass longer! Know they were all built to US Government Standards, but that is not so up the argument the. Markings will usually show on the tang since they are less likely to wear and be scratched off.. Were all built to US Government Standards, but i did not any. Time we almost gave up the argument on the pommel ( March 2011 i reckon.! Include several examples of Western knives aircraft incorporated composite materials rubber-gripped bayonets are to. Were bright blades for most all contractors show on camillus knife identification subject those requirements cut-through by the.! Sheath lacking the metal back and tip of the peened pommel that makes this 6 '' a model... Time frame they are less likely to wear and be scratched off there was. The best knives ever frank explained that Camillus made 4 versions of this blade, 3 which! Submitted proposals for consideration based on their Ideal Hunting knife design, is... Knives might or might not be long before you are military-grade issued began... Were all built to US Government Standards, but was there any in. Fish knife stamped Krome Plate, stagged Rosewood with brass pins Same as above handle...