Camillus VietNam Survival Knife

[Sagetown]

40 years ago this month my Camillus saw duty with me in DaNang. It's scabbard fell all to pieces years ago, but the knife, like me, just shows some use and age.

Here it is on my side in late April or early May 1968 in DaNang.

 

[hso]

Outstanding.

You might be able to get a sheath for it if you look around a bit. Camillus hadn't changed anything about the knife or sheath since you carried yours in Vietnam. Since there are knives available you could purchase one of them and just use the sheath for your old friend.

 

[JShirley]

Thanks for sharing that with us.

 

[M14/11B]

I used to have one just like that in 1969. It was called an Air Force survival knife where I bought it and the sheath had a small sharpening stone in a small attached pouch. I was in the Army though.

 

[rcmodel]

Officially, (Type 4) Navy Jet Pilots knife.
They were issued to Army Huey flight crews.

We traded for them, as we couldn't get them through normal grunt supply channels.

Light gray paint on end of butt cap was luminous, but have lost their glow after all these years.

I still have mine too.

rcmodel

 

[Hobie]

Camillus is closed but the sheaths from other contractors will fit.

 

[Dirtypacman]

Great post I love the history.

 

[Sagetown]

Um Hmm; Just like M14 says ~ ~ "the sheath had a small sharpening stone in a small attached pouch. "

It also used to have the ~ ~ "Light gray paint on end of butt cap" ~ ~ as rcmodel stated. Matter of fact; looking at the close-up you can see a little of that paint still on the right corner.

Didn't know the military was issuing them. Most guys carried their issue Bayonets, which I carried also.

 

[blkbrd666]

Sagetown,

Here is a repro at auction, new condition. Would be a way to replace the sheath, although I would probably look for a new oldstock for it to keep the vintage.

Just a thought.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CAMILLUS-Pilots...ryZ63793QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[glocker82]

Cool knife...they discontinued those a few years back.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

The pic and story are very cool; thanks. But...

Officially, (Type 4) Navy Jet Pilots knife.

In what way is that Navy pilots knife different from my Camillus "Air Force Survival Knife" which looks nearly identical if not identical? I have the one like blkbrd linked to. The Navy one *might* be 1/2" shorter....

 

[rcmodel]

The knife was designed by the Navy Weapons Bureau & Marbles in 1957. The original (Type 1) had a 6" blade.

Later, Cammillus ended up with the contract, and new specs (Type 2 = 1962) shortened the blade to 5" for less interference with flight gear in the cockpit.

Camillus, Utica, and Ontario, and Milpar have made them through the years.
Milpar made the Type 3 with a cast aluminum handle.

All versions after the first one have 5" blades.

The more recent one I have in my collection by Ontario has a full metal (black) liner on the back of the natural color sheath that wraps around the bottom and comes up to the stone pocket on the front to prevent accidental cut-through.
The Vietnam era ones didn't.

Official name now is:
Knife, Hunting, Sheathed, Survival, Pilot.
#7340-00-098-4327
MIL -K-8662E
GS-07F-40050
Ontario Knife Company
9/90

Near as I know, the Camillus "Air Force Survival Knife" is not/was not GI issue.
I think it is the commercial version of the old "Navy Jet Pilots Knife" knife, which is now the "Knife, Hunting, Sheathed, Survival, Pilot".

These things, and the U.S.N. Mark II (Ka-bar) have been called a lot of things through the years though, no matter who made them.

Still pretty good knives to have around when you need them!

rcmodel

 

[Sagetown]

Removed by Sagetown

 

[hso]

There was a Navy Pilot's knife from the late '50's that was similar, but lacked the fuller.

I think the "Pilot's Survival Knife" came about in the early '60's.
While Marbles held the first contract for them, as far as I know these were the other manufactures of the Pilot Survival Knife.
Imperial Knife Co.
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Schrade Walden Knife Co.
Jet Pilot Survival Knife
Milpar Col.
Ontario Knife Co.
Utica Cutlery Co.

Camillus held the contract after Marbles' initial effort until around 1967. They transitioned to the standard 5" version everyone is familiar with after the first couple of years of production of the 6". I don't know if other companies made them while Camillus did, but after '67 it would be other manufacturers that had the contract.

 

[alwilliam]

Very Cool !

 

[Funderb]

those knives really are great, my favorite survival knife, personally.
Pops carried one when he flew.

GI issue

General issue issue?

 

[briansmech]

nice.... i need one of those...... but my cc doesnt.

 

[Horsesense]

I bought 4 of them from Sportsman's Guide a few years ago for like $10 each. You may give them a try.

 

[jmr40]

Try Brigade Quartermasters for a sheath. Their website is www.actiongear.com

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

Ontario is still making this knife, sold as the Air Force Survival Knife.

 

[armoredman]

US Cav has them for $33. Had one years and years ago, no idea why it went away.

 

[Sagetown]

I didn't know this until just recently, that my son has always admired this knife. He happened to find a new one at some kind of variety shop the other day, and he is very excited over it. It has "Camillus" brand on it, but not the floresent gray paint on the end of the handle. Same type sheath and all.

A friend of his thanked me for serving over there. You know, back then, when we came home, it was suggested by our superiors that we not wear our uniforms, as it might upset people. I wore mine anyway. My complection was about 3 shades darker than when that picture was taken. Folks just stared at me, but no-one smarted off at me. It was kind of weird.

 

[Eleven Mike]

I have an Ontario model, and I am thinking about getting an Ontario 5" Kabar sheath for it. You can order them from A.G. Russell. If I get one, and it fits, I'll let you know.

 

[Mongrel]

Can you say 'convex grind'?

I have one of these that is simply marked 'CAMILUS' on the blade (5" blade). I've had it since I was a kid and was never able to put an edge on it to save my life. It dawned on me one day that it looked like a Marbles pattern. Sure enough, used so grit cloth and in less than an hour I was shaving with it!

Man I wasted a lot of time trying to sharpen that thing over the years...

 

[bikerdoc]

had one and a bowie in the nam . still have the bowie. 40 years ago? we used to be young!!! would not trade the experience for a million dollars, would not do it again for 10 million