Camillus MC-1 with a loose blade.

WolfSpring

WolfSpring

Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
126
So I was recently given a Camillus MC-1 "paratrooper" "Air Force Survival" knife(heard them called both funny my dad is Air Force, gave it to me and I'm a paratrooper). Anyway, the blade wiggles to the left and right and with minimal pressure will close, as well as the locking mechanism does not at all. Every thing else about this knife is amazing, it still pops out quickly when the button is pushed and has no other issues. I lightly took a pair of vice grips to the joint area where the blade is attached and it didn't seem to matter with the pressure the blade is still wobbly. Is this normal for this knife to be wobbly? I realize it should lock better, but I don't see how the blade could be any tighter. After playing with it a little I notice the wiggle and the lock is all about the button as well would love to see an exploded view of the components. I'm going to get it cleaned up and a couple pictures of it.

I know Bill DeShivs works on them and his price is fair for the work he does for sure, but I'm not sure if it is worth having this one worked on due to the sentimental value and it being all original parts. Anyone else have experience with this model and the looseness, maybe a known issue or a fix?
 
The blade pivots on a hollow bushing peined at the ends to a lining & the center scale. This was called the "first assembly".
Second assembly was installation of the locking mechanism & adjustments to same.
Third assembly was installation of the shroud cutter blade & it's spring, along with final liner & both handles.

I have never seen an adequate method of tightening the blade without disassembling the knife.
I have even tried to bend lining & center scale inward a little. This seems to slow down opening of blade, but does not seem to significantly reduce side to side play.

Your lock open problem perhaps maybe easier to address.
Clearly the lock still works in the closed position.
Do you know how to extract the lock lever?
 
If the knife works properly, it's best to leave it alone.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
If the knife works properly, it's best to leave it alone.
Click to expand...

From my research I value this opinion very much and I agree, I'm a communications tech and we always say, "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

it does "work" and now that I understand the looseness of the blade is a semi-normal thing I'm ok with that, I am more concerned with the safety not working at all, which I can live with, but if it were an easy fix or known issue I would try. The lock works good enough to use the knife if I needed to, there'd be no "stabbing" as the blade would close, not that I'd be stabbing with it. Thank you both for your thoughts, I will keep it as is and be happy with it's condition, no rust no major chips all original parts. The fact I don't plan on using this very often not really a reason to pay to have it fixed.
 
You can remove the button and get to the safety without disassembling the knife. Just lift the button up and pull it back when it clears the hole. You may be able to bend the safety in place with the button out.
It's usually cheaper to find/buy a nicely working model than to have these repaired.
 
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