Two Camillus folders

[Real1]

OK, hope this is in the right forum.

So the one on the right(tap on pic and it goes horizontal), is my boyhood 'Scout' folder from the 50's. I whittled down a Soapbox Derby car with it...the reason it was purchased. I think I was 8yrs old at the time...Cub Scouts. Then some older idiot told me tree sap was cool to chew. And this 8yr old idiot went out to carve some tree sap. Knife folded on my finger nearly severing in half. Dropped the knife at the base of the tree and ran for my life/finger. 30yrs later was going through my dad's 'tool' drawer and there she was, still blood stained.

I cleaned it up and started using it. Spring broke and I ran into a knife 'maker'. Said he could fix it up no problems. Should have been more communication between us as to what I wanted/expected. As you can see, he didn't use back the correct silver end pins. And I don't know why he did this, but he buffed down the handle slabs where the rivet pin is...essentially ruining the knife. 

The knife on the left is a much later Camillus from maybe the 80's? Anyway, I want to sacrifice the handle slabs on that knife to go on my original knife. And to have the correct silver pins put in the ends, of course. I don't see this as a expensive repair....even thought of doing it myself, but never worked on a knife like that before. Big caveat is that I don't wont to damage the old one further.

Suggestions?

Kevin

[SteveC]

If it was me I would  retire the old one and leave as is. It kind of tells a story the way it is. I would use the heck out of the other one.

[Real1]

Well...that's an interesting take.

I guess I'm still mad that he did that and would like to return it as it was. Maybe I could compromise and just put in the correct silver pins.....and leave it.

One interesting note about the two main blades....the older Camillus blade is thicker and on the signature side it's 'rounded' down to the blade. The newer blade is just flat. Other than that, they are very similar.

Kevin

[SteveC]

These are basically BOA badged Camillus #72 Whittlers or Carpenters knives as they were originally called. The older ones main blade is a Saber ground blade like the Whittlers and the newer one is Flat Ground.

[Barry Rowland]

  Love the character of those knives. 

If it was me I would  retire the old one and leave as is. It kind of tells a story the way it is. I would use the heck out of the other one.

[Real1]

Interesting how they changed the 'Whittler' blade design. I would guess the Saber ground blade would shed wood slivers/curls better than a flat blade? Never really taken the time to whittle anything since I was a kid.

Kevin 

[SteveC]

Interesting how they changed the 'Whittler' blade design. I would guess the Saber ground blade would shed wood slivers/curls better than a flat blade? Never really taken the time to whittle anything since I was a kid.

Kevin

Could be it was changed for the BOA model to keep cost down or also it looks like a later model when Camillus was cutting corners to try and stay afloat.

[David]

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Camillus 72 and 1047.      

[Real1]

Wow......200+ pages. That's gonna take awhile. I see a #72 in the yellow handles.....sweet!

Well, I as wrong about the age of my original. Using my fingers & toes I count that it was bought around '61. It has the long underline under 'Camillus' with the main blade.

Handle material looks the same on both knives.....I'm assuming Delrin. I'm not sure I know how to identify the 'bone' handles, but given the yr of the original it's probably not. Also, where the guy over-buffed mine, it looks melted.....I don't think bone would look like that.

They mention a guy that re-handles these so there are people that do that.........

Kevin

[Aloha]

Theres a few ways to identify bone vs plastic ( delrin ).  If you have magnification you can look in the jigging..  Plastic will be smooth as it has no pores or grain to it.  Bone will show grain and pores under the magnification.  This is the same along the back of your knife.  Look at the covers where they meet the back springs.  You should see fine layers on bone covers vs plastic.  You can also ( be warned tho ) take a pin and heat it and touch the cover, plastic melts, bone wont.  I had and still have a tough time telling some apart.

[SteveC]

Some are harder than others to tell apart although once you know what to look for it's fairly easy


One in Rogers bone and the other delrin

[Real1]

OK, so I'm looking for pores and/or layers with the bone.

I've got a headset loupe I use for hobby stuff, but it's not anywhere near 50x. I see no pores or layers....looks like composite to me. I think it's safe to say they are both the same....the handles on both knives.

I've I'm judging Steve's pic, I would say the top knife is bone?

Kevin

[David]

I've I'm judging Steve's pic, I would say the top knife is bone?

Kevin

Nope, the bottom knife is the Rogers bone covered knife.     

Camillus had quit using Rogers bone covers on the 72 in the 50's. After that composite and then delrin covers were used. Exception for a few black bone covered knives in the 90's

[Aloha]

Not sure its across the board but I also look at how the shield is on the covers.  With bone you can see the shield is "placed" onto the cover rather than set in.  On bone at the least the one I have they are not as flush, or as flush all the way around. 

[SteveC]

OK, so I'm looking for pores and/or layers with the bone.

I've got a headset loupe I use for hobby stuff, but it's not anywhere near 50x. I see no pores or layers....looks like composite to me. I think it's safe to say they are both the same....the handles on both knives.

I've I'm judging Steve's pic, I would say the top knife is bone?

Kevin

As David said bone on the bottom knife. The Delrin on that 72 is some of the most realistic Camillus used.


A couple more for fun

[Aloha]

 

Bottom first pic is bone. 

Top knife second pic is bone but.....  I almost said both   

[SteveC]

One more:    Both bone,  both Delrin  or one of each   

[Aloha]

 

Both Delrin.  Heres why I say this, the top ones pins seem to me to be pressed quite nicely INTO the covers.  That to me seems like Delrin.  The way the bolster is fitted to the cover is also very well done tho I'm sure a custom knife maker could achieve this  .  Lastly the break at the end seems to clean for bone. 

The bottom, pretty much the same reasons.  I'd also say the coloration is very good on these and neither is as "polished" as bone seems to be when carried.  I find bone gets a smoothness while Delrin looks "waxed".  I do hope that makes sense.  I have been taken by surprised when I've handled some knives at the flea market.  Even my CRKT threw me off as the shield was well applied.  It also was waxy looking to me but its bone. 

 

[Borg]

I struggle to tell the difference too, some good info here 

[David]

One more:    Both bone,  both Delrin  or one of each   




(Image removed from quote.)

Top bone. Bottom delrin.

[SteveC]

Bottom first pic is bone. 

Top knife second pic is bone but.....  I almost said both 

Correct   

[SteveC]

Both Delrin.  Heres why I say this, the top ones pins seem to me to be pressed quite nicely INTO the covers.  That to me seems like Delrin.  The way the bolster is fitted to the cover is also very well done tho I'm sure a custom knife maker could achieve this  .  Lastly the break at the end seems to clean for bone. 

The bottom, pretty much the same reasons.  I'd also say the coloration is very good on these and neither is as "polished" as bone seems to be when carried.  I find bone gets a smoothness while Delrin looks "waxed".  I do hope that makes sense.  I have been taken by surprised when I've handled some knives at the flea market.  Even my CRKT threw me off as the shield was well applied.  It also was waxy looking to me but its bone. 

 

 

Top bone. Bottom delrin.

Correct   

[Real1]

Wow.....I have a lot to learn about Delrin and bone....lol!


Kevin

[Aloha]

 .  It can be hard especially with some companies doing such great jobs with their Delrin.


Thanks Steve for posting these.