Original U.S. Vietnam War "Jet Pilot" Air Force Survival Knife by Camillus with Scabbard & Whetstone - Wartime Dated 1967
In stock
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Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of the Vietnam War Era U.S. Air Force Jet Pilot's Survival knife by Camillus, dated 1967. It comes complete with its original leather scabbard, which still has what we believe to be the original whetstone in the front pouch. The knife was originally designed in 1957 as a joint issue between the Navy Weapons Bureau and the Marbles Arms Company.
In 1962, the knife was modified by reducing the blade to 5” in length. The post-1962 knives were produced by the Camillus Cutlery Company and Milpar during the Vietnam Era. These knives were initially issued to Naval Air Crews but saw service with airmen in all branches of US military service. The knife was issued with a leather scabbard that had a pouch on the front for a sharpening stone. The Pilot Survival Knives were favored by Special Forces and other Special Operations Personnel.
The blade is in very good condition, with light wear from the scabbard, use, and sharpening. It still has much of the original finish, and the blade still has the original profile on the edge, which is still quite sharp. The stacked leather grip is in very good shape with some verdigris, and the "nut" pommel just has a bit of light oxidation and finish loss. The knife is dated on the nut pommel, CAMILLUS N.Y. 1-1967 for a date of January 1967.
The scabbard is also in quite good condition, with light wear commensurate with age and service. There is definitely some wear around the edges but no serious cracking in the leather. It still has the original whetstone with a functional pouch, and the securing strap is fully functional. The back of the scabbard actually retains the contract stamps:
KNIFE, HUNTING, SHEATHED, SURVIVAL, PILOT’S
MK K-SB621
CAMILLUS CUTLERY CO.
DSA 400-67-1138/TR601?
JUL 1967
The combination of the January 1967 Camillus-dated knife, five-inch sawback blade, stacked-leather grip, original July 1967 contract-marked leather scabbard, functional retaining strap, and surviving whetstone makes this a particularly complete Vietnam War-era pilot survival knife set. The light sharpening wear, minor oxidation, and verdigris are consistent with genuine service use, while the dated knife and sheath provide especially strong documentary value.
Dimensions:
Blade length: 5”
Blade Style: Clip-point "Bowie" with Sawback
Overall length: 9 1/2”
Crossguard: 2 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 5 ⅛” + Belt Frog
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