dunmore1774 Posted October 13, 2014 Share #1 Posted October 13, 2014 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunmore1774 Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted October 13, 2014 knife and sheath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunmore1774 Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted October 13, 2014 again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunmore1774 Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted October 13, 2014 pinned pommel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunmore1774 Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted October 13, 2014 sheath back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted October 13, 2014 Share #6 Posted October 13, 2014 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 More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted October 13, 2014 Share #7 Posted October 13, 2014 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 More sharing options...
doyler Posted October 13, 2014 Share #8 Posted October 13, 2014 Intresting scabbard.I have one like it.any one know what era or country of origin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted October 13, 2014 Share #9 Posted October 13, 2014 Yeah, that's a scabbard I've never seen the likes of. Anyone familiar with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunmore1774 Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted October 14, 2014 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 More sharing options...
poch Posted October 28, 2014 Share #11 Posted October 28, 2014 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 More sharing options...
dunmore1774 Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted November 2, 2014 Many thanks for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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