VIETNAM WAR ERA JET PILOTS SURVIVAL KNIFE BY CAMMILUS
History and Identification
Early production of the Navy survival knife was by MARBLES ARMS CORP. and had a six inch blade and the entire knife was beautifully finished in bluing. CAMILLUS CUTLERY also produced this six inch blade version but it was parkerized. I assume the Navy dropped the MARBLES contract due to cost constraints since the CAMILLUS version had to be less expensive. So the CAMILLUS Production was 1958 until 1962 with a six inch blade. It was marked on blade but not dated. Then in 1962 the blade was shortened to five inches and was still marked but not dated. In Jan 1967 the markings, plus month and year of production, was moved to the hexagonal pommel.
This Pilots Survival knife is by the Cammilus factory in New York which closed its doors in the late 1970,s. The original design was from the knife firm of Marbles who the allowed Cammilus to make the knife, now due to the closing of Camillus the Ontario Knife Company make Jet Pilots Survival knife.
This example is stamped CAMILLUS NY and dated March 1967 on the pommel edge, it comes with its original leather sheath and sharpening stone.