CAMILLUS U.S. MILITARY UTILITY KNIFE -- Episode 134

I never even saw one of these while I was in the Army. I had one in high school though. Don't remember the year. No idea what ever happened to it. A couple of weeks ago for some reason I decided to get on eBay and look for one. The first one I saw was my birth year. I got it.

If anybody is interested you can look up military specification MIL-K-818D. It's a 19 page document issued by the government detailing every single possible thing about the knife for manufacturers..... The knife blade has to be made from 440A, 440B, or 440C stainless steel. The other tools had different specs.

Just got one today found in a small junk pile. It is in great condition! Thanks for the heads-up on the back spring!

Recieved mine from my uncle whom served in the Navy and went to Vietnam. Mine is 1959.

Blade, tools and springs were made from 410 HCSS, I believe. You are correct, the springs are brittle but to government specs.

I have a 1968 no thumb stud was that blade replaced??

My Tony has a 1978 from the USCG- Thanks for the back spring tip!!

I'VE BEEN CARRYING THIS KNIFE (CAMILLUS 1990)SINCE I JOINED THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AT 17yrs old (4yrs)
MY GRANDPA GAVE IT TO ME BEFORE I LEFT FOR MY FIRST TRAINING COURSE
I NEVER REALIZED WHAT IS WAS OTHER THAN THE BEST EDC I'VE EVER OWNED
STILL IN MY POCKET TODAY

THANKS FOR THE VIDEO
BROUGHT BACK SOME GREAT MEMORIES
LOVE RESPECT FRIENDSHIP
❤️❤️🥃🥃👹👹🤠🤠

they quit the thumb stud in 1968. I have a 1969 version, which doesn't have a stud. it does have a busted back spring though..... must have been a design defect.

My grandpa used his 1979 to duct tape his chinooks transmission into the mounts and now I use it to cut herb

I have a camillus knife 1971. I just want to sell it.

Earlier ones had carbon steel blades and springs, and brass liners. Stainless scales though. I have not had trouble opening two opposing blades at once. I carried one like that from the first or second grade until high school.

Bought this for 10$€

Make your own back spring

Just won a bid on an auction for a 1969 model

My dad was a chief in the Navy, he gave me one of these when I was 9.

I just got a 1988. I have another but it's a bit rusted and won't open. I'm going to have to work on that one

i have a 1977 that i bought back in 1998 today i found a 1968 with thumb stud at my local goodwill i paid 3 bucks for it

Mine has brass spacers not stainless steel next to the springs. Also says U.S. Marine Corps. Has thumb stud but has no year! Any information for me? Came with a sheath that has the usmc eagle globe and anchor on it. Does not say Kingston or Camillus on it.
Was my great grandpa's who was in ww2 all the way up through Vietnam usmc.

It was always in Demo kits because it was indeed used for demo. As others mention, the knife could be used to cut det cord and time fuse. But here's why the awl is on it - to make a hole for a blasting cap. Then you could crimp it by folding the bottle opener against the back of the knife blade.
I have one dated 1984, given to me by my ODA. I graduated the Q course in class 1-83 - the last hard class. In my day you had a Rolex watch, a demo knife, and a star sapphire ring. I never figured out the significance of the ring, but the watch could be used to trade when your s**t was weak and you found yourself in a hostile environment.

Very nice job! Thank you

Carried one for years as a firefighter. Great little tool. Lost mine to the TSA. After 9 11 because I forgot I had it at airport security.

I have one of these, 1988.

Hi ! Really looks like Allox swiss army knives by Victorinox !!!!

Son of a gun. Just last month I bought one of these utility knives from Marbles, and it arrived from the factory, in the bubble wrap, with a broken back spring. So I guess Camillus isn't the only one that has this problem, and it still has not been fixed.

My Dad gave me one circa 1978. It had the stud on the cap lifter so it must’ve been an older model. Last time I saw it was when I was stationed at McGuire AFB in 1981. Missed that knife. I bought a cheap Chinese replica but it just didn’t have that American mojo but I still have it. In 2007 when I found out Camillas was closing shop I looked in Army Surplus Stores, even had a friend search in another city. Eventually I bought four (they were $20 each). Gave one away and kept 3. Two have USMC and one has US. Classics.

My uncle just gave me a 1958, bent tip and bent twisted driver, thought it was cheap junker! I will cherish it! Oooh how bout "one days trash is another days treasure"? Ss

Nothing beats the Camillus cutlery military demo knife used to cut C4 and explosive components for the EOD and military engineers .

I have a 1981 of this knife.

I've got a 67, found it when I was a kid in Germany, my first real knife. Still in my collection.

I've got one with a broken back spring also

My buddy a former Airborne Jump Master gave me one. The can and bottle opener are super hard to open. But the blade stays sharp.

I just came across a 1980. I didn’t know they made them every year and stamped them with the date. Now I’m on the hunt for a 1969. Thanks for the info. 🇺🇸

hahah...what a luck that isn't it a copy from the swiss army knive...the swiss would have done the job muchmuch bether..

I have 1981

i got my knife as a boy in a trade with my buddy,his dad was in the army.mine is 1969 and it don't have the thumb studs on it.

I can’t seem to find a 1998, but I’ll keep my eye out. :). Would love to have my birth year

Great video. Thanks for posting this. I just dug mine out after watching this. I own two of them. One is a 1992 Camillus. The other is still in the plastic wrapping, unopened, so I don't know the maker or the year. I had no idea about the backspring flaw. Thanks for that helpful bit of information. Somehow, I haven't broken or lost mine yet. I used to come across these periodically in the Army. As someone else mentioned, they came as one of the components of the demo kits. Engineers always seemed to have them, as did parachute riggers. They were also provided with survival gear. I just cleaned up my 92 version, and I'm now appreciating what a cool piece it is.

Thanks for sharing what NOT to do to preserve the backspring. Now I too will be cringing when I see images of all blades open lol

I was a Combat Engineer in the Marines and this exact knife was included in our demolition kits, we called them “demo knifes” not because they were non-magnetic, that had nothing to do with it, it was just a Boy Scout knife we used to cut time-fuse & det cord with. They were hard to find as they quickly disappeared.

I have 2 of these U.S. Camillus military pocket knives , a 1968 and a 1955 . I carried the 1968 pocket knife daily for over 24 years , it was my favorite pocket knife. Sadly I had to retire it last summer because I wore the springs out in it. I replaced it with a Boker Magnum Camp Knife , for a $20 knife I have been very happy with it.
Last Christmas my friend sent me the 1955 U.S. Camillus pocket knife. I haven't used it , I just put it away with my retired 1968 model.

I have one that says “ Western USA” where the date is supposed to be

I have 1981 type. Still looks news and works perfectly today. :D

I have a 1994 one as well, bought that year from an Army surplus truck that came to our town every month. I love the knife and it has the best can opener I have ever had. I unfortunately managed to break the tip of the blade at some point. I still use it to open cans and bottles, don't use it for anything else.

Every time this guy starts talking, he loudly smacks his lips. It's like he's chewing a cud.

My grandpa is army vet (nam) gave me one when i was a kid . and i fucking traded it for yugioh cards at the boys and girls club a good 15 years ago smh

I was born in 1962 I find hundreds of 1961s and 1963’s as soon as I find a 1962 they want like four times as much as any other Knife I’m wondering what was so special about 1962

I was issued one in the USAF. Great little knives.

I have 2 of these . A 1961 and a 2002. A bit of history and sources material. I got the 1961 out of the army Demo kit ( C4, det cord , knife , etc) . army field manual 5-25 figure 1-43 show you the demo knife in the demo kit. The first time out off AIT that I was able to blow some ordnance up in 1994 and got my 61 out of it. I used it for years until I got my 2002. My 61 stay in my jewelry box now. Great Video

Just got mine today. It’s a ‘92. I already have Victorinox and Wenger soldier knives but I like the funkiness of this one.

Thanks for another excellent video. I like the idea as using them as gifts by matching the years. Does anyone know where l can purchase replacement springs? Thanks in advance.