Camillus Marlin Spike Knife

V

Vit_213

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CAMCO said:
This is a model #697 Marlin Spike knife that was recently manufactured. Camillus made this for sale to the military and civilian markets. The WWII model is a different pattern with wood handles and a small screwdriver built into the linings. The WWII version would have the 4 line tang stamp.

Tom Williams
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In catalogs of Camillus this knife appeared in 1973 as a new product, so I have a questions:
What Marlin Spike knives Camillus made between WWII and 1973 year? When there was a pattern of knife #697? How dating my Marlin Spike knife?
 
You either buy great looking knives or you do a great job cleaning them up.
 
Buck made a near clone of this knife, with only scale material an slanted bolsters as difference. I say Buck made, but actually as many of your know Buck contracted with Camillus to make its Yachtsman knife. Bolstered Bucks will be two versions. Tang stamped Made In U.S.A., with 315 stamped on reverse and BUCK, 315, U.S.A. all stamped on tang front. 300Bucks

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Vit,
Camillus made a Marlin Spike knife during WWII which was the #7085 pattern and can easily be identified by the small screwdriver and stagged rosewood handles. The model #697 Marlin Spike knife is the #5734 pattern and was made for the U.S. Military for the first time in the 1960's. The #5734 pattern was introduced in 1962.
Camillus was the primary manufacturer of the Marlin Spike knife and manufactured this pattern for Case, Kabar, Utica and Buck.
300Bucks,
The Marlin Spike knives made by Camillus for Buck would have been stamped with the model #315, not #317. Camillus started making the Buck Marlin Spike knives in February of 1969.
Tom Williams
 
Thank you, Tom! :thumbup:

edbeau said:
You either buy great looking knives or you do a great job cleaning them up.
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Model #697 is often offered on eBay, but I waited about a year to buy this knife with this tang stamp and in excellent condition :).
 
Camillus made one for K-Bar and it had bone handles and brass bolsters,it is one of the best looking knives I have ever saw.It is for sure the best looking Marlin spike I have ever saw.I would buy one if I ever saw one come up for sale.Great knife
 
There was also a WW1 version (see lower middle left in this picture; I'll see if I can find a better pic)

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These types are sometimes called riggers or sailers knives.
I have two made by Vosscut Co. Germany . The newer one also stamped Herder , a dealer perhaps ??
The older one stainless spike and blade ,nickel-silver handles , plated spring, spear point blade .
The later made one has stainless spike, blade [sheepsfoot] , stainless handles ,plated spring. This one also has a shackle that is the lock for the spike , no blade lock.
Spring seems to be the problem of otherwise very well made knife . Plating on spring will eventually peel and rusting starts!
I have no idea of the dates made.
 
I have "a bunch" of the Camillus Marlin Spike #697 knives identical to the one Vitaly posted above. I got 'em from a guy a few years back whose sister in law's cousin got 'em from a guy who found them in his neighbor's basement. They are in great shape except every dang one of 'em has at least one pin crack. Upon close inspection of Vits knife, it appears his has 2 (at least) pin cracks as well.

My knives appear never to have been used. Would Camillus have sold knives with pin cracks as new? That is, did I buy a bunch of seconds? Do the pin cracks impact performance? I'm no sailor, but I watch TV and I would assume that in the middle of a tropical storm miles from shore a sailor wouldn't want their trusted tool to fail due to hairline pin cracks that they might not even know existed.
 
citytransplant said:
I have "a bunch" of the Camillus Marlin Spike #697 knives identical to the one Vitaly posted above. I got 'em from a guy a few years back whose sister in law's cousin got 'em from a guy who found them in his neighbor's basement. They are in great shape except every dang one of 'em has at least one pin crack. Upon close inspection of Vits knife, it appears his has 2 (at least) pin cracks as well.

My knives appear never to have been used. Would Camillus have sold knives with pin cracks as new? That is, did I buy a bunch of seconds? Do the pin cracks impact performance? I'm no sailor, but I watch TV and I would assume that in the middle of a tropical storm miles from shore a sailor wouldn't want their trusted tool to fail due to hairline pin cracks that they might not even know existed.
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i doubt theyd fail but if it did itd be the delrin falling off which would still leave you with a functioning albeit not whole knife... please define a "bunch" are they in as good a shape as the one posted by Vit? i gave up scoring one on ebay years ago when the prices got too rich for me
you have my attention ;-)
Gene
 
I also would love to see a picture of a bunch of Camillus #697's. Like Ivankerley, I watched many knives on the bay but dropped out because of the price. Then I finally lucked out with one that needed a little TLC. As far as the pin cracks in delrin, no big deal and very common.

Pics of my 697

Before



After


 
I bought this Camillus 697 a couple of years ago out of a Sailor's estate (along with an older Schrade Walden 735). This one has DK #2 hand engraved on the bolster and Deck #2 hand engraved on the blade - would appear it was used on ship, maybe Navy property. I know from the records and memorabilia that the sailor was assigned to three different ships during the mid-late 1960's and in the 1970's (USS Portland LSD-37, USS Iwo Jima LPH2, and USS Vogelgesang). One of the few knives that I've established a provenance of sorts on - wish I had his name! OH

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I bought one of these knives on Black market Alley, in Naha, Okinawa, about 1968. I gave it to a friend in Special Forces who got a Marine Warrant Officer appointment and commanded a U.S. Army sea going tug in Hawaii. John
 
Old Hunter said:
I bought this Camillus 697 a couple of years ago out of a Sailor's estate (along with an older Schrade Walden 735). This one has DK #2 hand engraved on the bolster and Deck #2 hand engraved on the blade - would appear it was used on ship, maybe Navy property. I know from the records and memorabilia that the sailor was assigned to three different ships during the mid-late 1960's and in the 1970's (USS Portland LSD-37, USS Iwo Jima LPH2, and USS Vogelgesang). One of the few knives that I've established a provenance of sorts on - wish I had his name! OH

Camillus_Rigger_-_USN_1_.JPG
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The Navy's Bureau of Personnel has a record of every one assigned to any Navy ship at any given time. Maybe you could get a listing of all the crew members of the 3 ships during the 60s and 70s. The odds are pretty good that only 1 person (maybe 2 or 3 max) would assigned to be on three specific ships in that order during a relatively short time span.
 
Interesting thread... some great stories. Your military themed collection acourvil is something to be proud of. I dug out my box of rigger's knives to learn I have 20, each previously wrapped lovingly in paper towels by someone and then taped closed with a USPS sticker. I didn't want to unwrap all 20 or so, but every one I did unwrap had at least 2 pin cracks. Hence my question about these being set aside at the factory and sold as seconds. The history behind this lot is a puzzle to me and probably will remain so.

As requested, a picture of (a half) "a bunch" of sailors in a row ... IMG_1292.jpg
 
wow awesome! potentially a good chunk of change if you ever unload them on evilbay
dunno bout the cracks but they could've been set aside for QC issues, they walk and talk ok?
thanks
gene
 
citytransplant said:
Interesting thread... some great stories. Your military themed collection acourvil is something to be proud of. I dug out my box of rigger's knives to learn I have 20, each previously wrapped lovingly in paper towels by someone and then taped closed with a USPS sticker. I didn't want to unwrap all 20 or so, but every one I did unwrap had at least 2 pin cracks. Hence my question about these being set aside at the factory and sold as seconds. The history behind this lot is a puzzle to me and probably will remain so.

As requested, a picture of (a half) "a bunch" of sailors in a row ... View attachment 531142
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Get a gold membership and sell them on the exchange.
Probably a heck of a lot easier.
 
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