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Camillus US Military Pilots Survival Knife

I was hired to repair, well that might not be the right word.. lets say build a Camillus US Military Pilots Survival Knife. My customer Allen gave me a Camillus blade and guard and asked me to put it together, It will be a gift for a friend of his.

This company went out of business in 2007 so I did some research and was able to find the drawings for the parts I need to make, the pommel and Case.

This is what he gave me, I took a picture of it on top of one of the drawings I found online:

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Daniel Howland on May 4, 2013 at 18:55

My first thought was to try to recreate this to the same specifications as it was intended to be. Make it look original. Now how the heck am I going to re-blacken the blade, it's in rough shape. I need to find out how this process is done.

Permalink Reply by Daniel Howland on May 4, 2013 at 18:57

Here are the drawings I found.

Permalink Reply by Daniel Howland on May 4, 2013 at 18:58

Daniel Howland said:

Here are the drawings I found.

Permalink Reply by Daniel Howland on May 4, 2013 at 19:01

Stacked leather handle, metal spacers at guard and pommel. I think I can do this. Does anyone know how to blacken these blades or the method Camillus used?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Best

Dan

Permalink Reply by Ron Cooper on May 4, 2013 at 20:56

I'm not sure how much help it will be? But I know carbonitriding was one of the processes that Camillus used on some of their blades...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonitriding

Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on May 4, 2013 at 20:57

Daniel,

I just happen to have one of those .. would offer to take any measurements you might need .. looks like you have that covered though.
I've used Ferric Chloride to obtain that finish on another project here .. 8th pic down. After a light buff or rubbing out .. the finish is VERY similar. This is what I did ..but.. warming the etchant & suspending the blank within the etching solution results in a more uniform finish. The reaction is endothermic .. so adding heat increases the reaction .. providing a deeper etch in a shorter time.

NOTE: Even though I moved the blank frequently .. I ended up w/ some lighter areas where the blank was in contact with the vessel.
If at some point you feel detailed pics of an original would benefit .. just let me know. The one I have I KNOW to be original. It was issued to a helicopter pilot in viet nam. Among other things, he used it to cut through a portion of the fuselage after a crash. No bull. It was my brother-in-law's.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on May 4, 2013 at 21:10

Daniel,

Great Project! Thanks guys for the ideas on the finish, anyone else?

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on May 4, 2013 at 21:25

???? ... parkerizing ... ???

Carbonitriding (as I understand it) is a hardening process & results in a case hardened part .. i.e. the surface to a depth a few thousands is hardened to spec .. while the majority of the part is not. I believe the part is allowed to cool in a saturated nitrogen environment ..but.. not sure on that.

Ferric Chloride is readily available @ Rad Shack for ~ $12 a bottle. It is caustic as all get out .. fumes included. Handle with appropriate caution !!!!!

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on May 4, 2013 at 22:49

phosphate parkerizing carbon steel

... Zinc Phosphate Parkerizing ...

Permalink Reply by Daniel Howland on May 5, 2013 at 7:28

Thanks Ron, Dale, Jan.

Dale,

Thats pretty neat having a knife with a known history, be sure it stays with the knife for generations to come.

I could use some dimensions, off of your knife thank you for that!. I would like to know the metal spacers thickness and diameters, I'm guessing the top and bottom are different. Is the handle round or oblong? also the highest/thickest part of the handle and measure where it is. My thought is once I know spacers and high spot on handle, I can work the leather off of those measurements. I have never done stacked leather, this will be fun!

Can you see if the guard was soldered on? I think I want to solder it.

It seems the first production run the pommel was screwed on then later peened, I will screw this one on.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1062050-Camillus-J...

I was considering Ferric Chloride, I know some makers who use it but it leaves a more grey finish, I want a darker finish,

The Zinc Phosphate is interesting, hmm.

I spent some time researching finishes and I am really intrigued with one method I found on you tube, This guy Tim does a nice black oxide coating using a phosphoric acid and manganese dioxide mixture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyMrhkQ4zj0

Looks like I have some chemicals to buy, seems they're all pretty cheap.

Thanks

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on May 5, 2013 at 8:50

Daniel Howland said:

That's pretty neat having a knife with a known history, be sure it stays with the knife for generations to come.

It is indeed "super cool". One I will not part with ...... with one exception. I've insured the gentleman's daughter knows I have it. During a recent (but unfortunately rare) visit .. I reminded her of that & offered it to her daughter (currently 11) should the desire ever arise. I'm being allowed to keep it .. huge smile !!!

Got it ..or, more precisely.. will get them ......... and, will get some detailed pics too !!

Can you see if the guard was soldered on? I think I want to solder it.

It is NOT soldered on. However, when querying the "finish" aspect, I came across a thread by someone else doing a rebuild on the same knife. This gentleman did not like the finish on the metal & polished it out .. personal Argh .. so, didn't save link. However, to avoid what he stated was a common problem, i.e. having the gaurd loose and rattling around if/when the leather washers dried out .... he choose to solder the guard in place. I personally think it'd be a good idea. Original production .. i.e. stringent authenticity .. NOT soldered.

Looks like I have some chemicals to buy, seems they're all pretty cheap.

Ferric Chloride I have 1st hand experience with. Would very much appreciate your results with other approaches !!!

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on May 5, 2013 at 13:07

Dan,

I'm guessing specs for the lower metal washer next to the guard @ a nominal 1 X 3/4.

.. an asymmetry of 0.100" was noted in the maxima of leather washer dia ..

... which occurs @ the longitudinal midpoint .. for what may have been originally spec'ed @ a compressed (leather washers) length of .. 3 & 3/8. i.e. these are dry enough the guard can be moved independent of the blade & handle.

The leather washers are profiled such that a smooth transition exists from the maxima to the respective steel washer @ either end.

The dia of the steel washer mating the butt is such that it could easily have been finished to match that of the butt .. which I suspect was a nominal 7/8.