Camillus Cutlery

Camillus Cutlery Camillus, NY made their first official Scout knife as shown in the 1947 BSA catalog and produced knives until 2007. Earliest knives had lines on the bolster. ome Camillus knives are stainless steel.

Camillus 4 blade 1946

Camillus cracked ice handle

4 blade, plastic shield

A variety of 1 & 2 exists with etching on the blade but no shield in the handle. A mfg. mistake?


early 2 piece can opener	modern can opener	tank stamp	Unique Phillips screwdriver

Camillus knives are similar to Imperials. If the tang stamp is obscured the can opener and Phillips screw driver identify a Camillus.
Early Camillus’s had a two piece can opener replaced by a one piece.

4 blade, round logo

5 blade, round logo, 1973,74 catalog
black handle, Stainless

5 blade, round logo, stainless
made in CHINA, no Camillus mark

Types 6 & 7 seem to be fairly modern knives.
Dating is unknown.

They are the Camillus style (Phillips screwdriver, etc.) Camillus went out of business in 2007.

The logo on Type 7 is etched not raised like Type 6.

5 Blade Stainless China, Etched Logo


7 - 3 1/2" 3 blade metal shield 8 - Plastic shield	9 - 3 1/2" round logo 3 blade whittler-black-brown handle with & without shakle 10 - white handle 1980	3 1/4" Round logo York Knife 1985	3 1/2" whittler CHINA rasised logo imitation wood handle

Collecting Camillus Knives

           Four Blade official Scout folding pocket knives by Cammillus

1.    4 blade, black plastic handle, metal 1st Class shield, 3 5/8" size. Unique (not Remington) 2 piece can opener, longe screw drives and awl.
       With shackle. Shown in 1947 BSA equipment catalog.

2.    Same as 1 except with pearl/cracked ice handle.

3.    Same as 1 black plastic handle with plastic 1st Class shield.   ??

4.    4 blade, brown plastic handle, modern round Tenderfoot logo, one piece can opener, small awl, with shackle.
      Believed to be 1980's Blade marked Camillus New York USA.
      A. Imitation bone (stag) handle, like most modern Scout knives.

      Five Blade Official Scout folding pocket knives by Camillus

5.    5 blade, black plastic handle, stainless, modern round Tenderfoot logo, 3 5/8" long, 3 5/8", 1 piece can opener, unique "small" Phillips screw
       driver, no shackle.

6.    5 blade, black plastic handle, stainless, modern round Ternderfoot logo, same as 5 except stamped CHINA. No Camillus markings.

         Three Blade official "whittler" Scout pocket knives by Camillus

7.    3 blade whittler, plastic handle, metal 1st class shield, 3 1/2" long.
       3A. Black plastic handle 3B. Brown plastic handles 3C. With permanent shackle Brown and Black

8.    Same as 3 except plastic 1st Class. No shackle. Black and Brown

9.    3 blade whittler, plastic handle, modern round Tenderfoot logo, 3 1/2" long. 6A Black handle 6B Brown. 6C. No shackle 6D. w/shackle

10. 3 blade similar to 9 except white handle. 1980

11. 3 blade whittler, brown plastic handle, modern round Tenderfoot logo, 3 1/4" long. With a shackle.
      Unique knife presented 1985 by the York Company for the 75th anniversary.

12. 3 blade whittler, brown (looks like wood) handle, modern Tenderfoot logo. Stainless China, modern knife NOT marked Camillus.

(Left)-UnofficialCamillus. Camillus began making knives about 1886. They didn’t make official Scout knives until 1946. It’s believed that this is a early, pre-1917/18 generic knife.

(Right)- For the 75th anniversary Camillus made a special knife for the York Co. I’m unclear how it was distributed, but believe at the Jamboree. It’s similar to the Camillus 3 blade whittler, but smaller and with a shackle.

This worksheet is about Antique and Vintage knives. To be “vintage” items have to be 40 years old. I’m pushing it a couple years with some of these 75th anniversary knives made in 1985. Plus, Camillus Type11 is newer, but since I have it, I might as well describe it.

About Whittling Knives

Technically the 3 blade “whittler” doesn’t fit my description of a folding (universal) Scout pocket knife. But, they were very popular for Scouts working on woodcarving merit badges. I suspect a high percentage of Scouts working on woodcarving had the whittler. Colors and shackles and no shackles are crazy.

Modern Camillus whittler. All Camillus’s have the “match strike” blade lifter. The modern knife is available in all kinds of configurations. Brown, white and dark handles, with and without shackles, etc. These knives were made for over forty years and were very popular.

Scout patch collectors know that the BSA somehow lost control of quality in the 1970’s. Badges were accepted with poor embroidery, inattention to details, etc. I can’t help but wonder if this didn’t happen with the Scout whittler knives. Various color handles, with and without shackles, etc.

Made in China The later (modern) Camillus knives are made in China. Many people, especially my age, think of something imported as cheaper or inferior. I have inspected the China knives in my collection and I can see absolutely no difference, except the tang stamp, from those made in the USA.

This project started out to be about Antique and Vintage Scout knives. I’m pushing it a bit with the 1985 and a few later knives. They came my way so I decided to show them.

Camillus made a 3 1/4" (1 blade) and a 5" (2 blade) official Lock-Back knife in the mid-1980's

Limited Edition Camillus 4 blade with Norman Rockwell art in the handle. Date is unknown.