1967 Camillus Pilots Knife with M1910 hook on the sheath?

C

CopperAge

Joined
Nov 17, 2019
Messages
12
51923306514_78f58d99da_o.jpg

Ordered this 1967 Camillus Pilot Survival Knife the other day and I noticed something about it that I've not seen on any others. At the top of the sheath, you can see it has one of the M1910 hooks that you often see on older militaria. Was this something that came with these sheaths and most sheaths just have them removed? Was it just something the service member would have added themselves? Were these even used during the Vietnam era? Any information is appreciated. I've looked at a lot of these online but it will be the first one I've owned. I'd uploadmore pictures but the website wasbeing a little touchy with me. Thanks!
 
I note that your sheath does not have the metal guard on the tip of the sheath either.Someone should be along who will be able to answer your question. John
 
Knife looks in pretty good shape for its age. My 81 came without a sheath, so I’m about useless.

Parker
 
Can't speak as for that knife. But I had an M7 that I got at the army surplus in '73. Used stock. It had the metal clips on the sheath. So I would guess the clips were used in Vietnam.

These gents would be likely to know.
T tltt
G GIRLYmann

And here's an article which suggests M1910 Hangers were used on at least some equipment.

Use of M1910 Hanger and ALICE Clip Gear

Hi guys, I'm researching the 1950-60's advisers in Vietnam and I'm trying to determine the type of field gear that was most commonly used. I've looked at a number of pictures and there seems to be a pretty fair mix of WWII era gear and M1956 gear. I'm curious though how often WWII field gear woul...
www.usmilitariaforum.com
 
knarfeng said:
Can't speak as for that knife. But I had an M7 that I got at the army surplus in '73. Used stock. It had the metal clips on the sheath. So I would guess the clips were used in Vietnam.

These gents would be likely to know.
T tltt
G GIRLYmann

And here's an article which suggests M1910 Hangers were used on at least some equipment.

Use of M1910 Hanger and ALICE Clip Gear

Hi guys, I'm researching the 1950-60's advisers in Vietnam and I'm trying to determine the type of field gear that was most commonly used. I've looked at a number of pictures and there seems to be a pretty fair mix of WWII era gear and M1956 gear. I'm curious though how often WWII field gear woul...
www.usmilitariaforum.com
Click to expand...
op
never seen such a fixture.
imho
it don't appear factory fitted.
hate to speculate
but it seems possible
that at some point
a previous owner
must have figured out
the cool idea of slipping in a hanger
into the existing top lace holes
on the scabbard/sheath??!
but for it to work as a belt hanger,
there ought to be some freed up top space
on the bend metal loops to exactly fit and dangle freely
at the measured height
of the gormets on the mil spec. belt.

i stand corrected of course
but, just my 2 cents.
so let's wait for S sac troop
meantime,
perhaps some related reading material might help enlighten some on the subject matter...
"Darwinism in the Knife Field"

The Jet Pilots Survival Knife

In an e-mail explaining why he did not include Japanese copies of the Fairbairn-Sykes Commando knives on his book “Knives of the United States Military in Vietnam,” Mr. Mike Silvey told me: “That knife, like many others, were not included because I was intent on presenting the higher end knives u...
www.usmilitariaforum.com
 
Last edited:
This one wasn't actually "issued" to me, :) but I picked it up in Danang in 1968, and my sheath doesn't have the hook. Otherwise it looks about the same. And to answer your question, yes, they were used in Viet Nam. Afterwards, it turned out to be a reliable camping/hunting/do everything knife for many years before I retired it.



(Note: I, like a dummy, removed the pocket for the sharpening stone years ago, after I lost the stone.)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 315
They were always punched to accept a M1910 hanger, but one wasn't supplied with the knife. Many times a leather lace was run through them to act as a handle tie down.

The scabbard was plain through late 1967. In 1968 they started adding a metal tip, and in mid 1974 they went to an all metal back plate. Camillus offered plain or metal backed with their civilian sales models for decades afterward.

The reenforcement of the scabbards was something that was asked for unofficially for a long while. The Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) recommended tip protection, and a metal throat stiffener all the way back in the late 50's. The tip protection became official, the throat stiffener did not.
 
That knife was very popular in Vietnam. Pilots, were of course, issued one. But, if you look at enough pictures of ground troops, you will see a lot of guys carrying them.

I carried one as a SWAT cop for 15 years.

It’s exactly not a perfect knife for any one purpose. But, it’s a very good knife for most any purpose.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top