Some factory-sponsored knife collector clubs have been formed out of necessity. The KA-BAR Collector Club (now defunct) initiated the first such club in the cutlery industry to advertise its name and spur interest in its products during a slumping sales period. Camillus also tried this approach but it was unfortunately too little too late.

We know that by 2002 Camillus was having a hard time surviving in the cutlery business. In the first quarter of 2003 (I believe it was February)…