A Trio of Camillus Knives

[KaosDad]

Hi All! Three more finds from the Rupertus Family:

 

 

The top blade is marked "CAMILLUS, NY". The other two are marked:

US

CAMILLUS, NY

 

There are no other markings on the blade or guard. The pommels are fixed. The whet stone in the top piece is complete, but broken. THe markings are:

 

C280 PV

PRODUCT BY

NORTON PIKE

 

The stone is grey with yellow letters.

 

Pat Rupertus was a USMC pilot, but switched to USAF Reserve for about a month after he was told he would be flying a desk (at least - that's how the story goes).

 

Comments & info are always welcomed especially - are they all USMC issued, or is it a mixed lot? I know a little from other posts here.

[bayonetman]

These could easily be USMC issue. All of them are considered "all services" and can be issued to members of any of the armed services. I have a Pilots knife that was issued to and carried by a Coast Guard airman. The sharpening stone is (I think) correct.

 

The blade marking on the Pilots knife makes it between 1962 when the 5" blade was adopted and the first of 1967 when the marking was changed to a pommel flat.

 

The Combat Knives were made probably in the late 1960s till February 1974 when the NY was dropped from the Camillus marking. The lower one may be the earlier of the two as from the photo it appears to be an "oxblood" colored grip (very dark slightly reddish brown, almost black) while the other appears to have the true black grip.

[GREMLIN2]

My gold plated lettered 50th Anniv. commemorative Camillis U.S.Army Air Force 1943-1945 Battle over Europe knife made in 1995 exactly as the top knife has the Camillus N.Y. markings on it. Five inch blade,9 1/2 inches overall.

 

 

Jack

[GREMLIN2]

a pic of it