Jump to content

Camillus MK2 Vietnam?


dunmore1774
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hello, I just picked up this Camillus Combat knife and cannot figure out what type or era it is. The only marking on it is on the ricasso US over CAMILLUS. It looks like a Mark 2 (MK2). No markings on the guard or the sheath. The blade is 7 inches, and appears to be parkerized. The handle is just under 5 inches, made of leather rings and stained a dark brown with a slight reddish tint. The sheath is a hard green plastic with a green nylon frog sewn on with a khaki snap strap (marked DOT on the rear of the bottom snap).

 

The only similar one I was able to find is being sold as an "Vietnam War Era Navy SEALS Experimental knife". It is supposedly documented in "Cole's book of knives".

 

This comes from this site:

http://militaryitems.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=244_366&products_id=28557

 

I got the knife cheap and am highly suspect of anything called 'experimental' or something for "SEAL's" so I don't know what to think and I do not have access to Cole's book.

 

Any thoughts on this one?

 

Thanks!

post-104684-0-74850500-1413213625.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Camillus used this marking from early 1974 until about 1989. While 74 is still within what is called the Vietnam era, it's highly unlikely that much if any equipment made at that time found it's way to Vietnam thru the U.S. supply system.

IMHO this is a knife from that period matted up with another sheath.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Camillus used the marking US over CAMILLUS, NY until Sept 1974, and then dropped the NY. Your knife was made after September 1974 and up until 1978 or so, when I believe Camillus lost their contract. After that period they used a stylized marking for the civilian market, and Ontario took over the contract, There was an abortive effort for a company called MSI to produce Mark 2s, but they could not meet specifications and lost their contract after making somewhere around 5,000 or so (maybe less, as I don't have my books with me to check). With the exception of the early Utica Mark 2 knives, the sheath for the Mark 2s was leather with seven rivets (early a reddish color, later black; I'm not sure when the change over was).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The scabbard is the catch with this one. It seems to fit the knife very well, width, thickness and length as well as the flat rail on the top where the knife guard touches. No markings on it at all. There is a hole at the tip, for drainage? The stitching on the frog part (belt loop) seems to be machine-done, very well made, doesn't appear to be hand stitched.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi,

according to info from Gary Cunningham (bayonetman) there were two types of marking used after 1974. This narrower and higher should be later one. But I don´t know when they changed the letters. In 1979 Camillus started with black grips.

The only info about the scabbard in Mr. Cole´s book is: "New U.S.N. scabbard for UDT Mark 2 knife".

 

Hope, this helps you.

Pavel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...