Estate Sale Find #2 - Jet Pilot Knife aka USAF Survival Knife

I have one, a Camillus date 5-1967. It also has a grey pommel. I was told gray means navy. I was told this by the collector former navy guy I bought it from.

My knife has is well worn and has pitting along with a water damaged sheath.

For some reason, I can't get picts off my camera.
 
Ματθιας;141204069 said:
I have one, a Camillus date 5-1967. It also has a grey pommel. I was told gray means navy. I was told this by the collector former navy guy I bought it from.

My knife has is well worn and has pitting along with a water damaged sheath.

For some reason, I can't get picts off my camera.
Click to expand...

I managed to get them.

attachment.php


attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • 000_2786.jpeg
    000_2786.jpeg
    123.7 KB · Views: 906
  • 000_2788.jpg
    000_2788.jpg
    58.5 KB · Views: 899
I've had several of these knives relieved from my possession at Phan Rang AB RVN by my 1 Sgt during several barracks shake down's I know some of you AF Type's can recall. we didn't have immediate access to our M-16's so we scrounged what we could. Our knives were from Ontario knife company in the 70-71 time frame. ours did not have the metal tab on the bottom of the sheath. They & yours were/are pretty nice examples. Tom
 
JPSK

I brought one home from Vietnam, but it is kind of quirky...
I worked on EC-47s at TSN
It looks exactly like these Camillus brand.
No finish on blade,
stacked leather grip,
Hexagon pommel with open thread showing about 1/8 inch
The only thing is that it is stamped JAPAN. No date.
Looks of high quality and service duty, not cheap looking.
There was no sheath with it.
 

Attachments

  • 20210712_173205.jpg
    20210712_173205.jpg
    112.9 KB · Views: 121
  • 20210712_173433.jpg
    20210712_173433.jpg
    105.6 KB · Views: 109
Tony Tiger said:
I brought one home from Vietnam, but it is kind of quirky...
I worked on EC-47s at TSN
It looks exactly like these Camillus brand.
No finish on blade,
stacked leather grip,
Hexagon pommel with open thread showing about 1/8 inch
The only thing is that it is stamped JAPAN. No date.
Looks of high quality and service duty, not cheap looking.
There was no sheath with it.
Click to expand...


I don't own one, but I've seen hundreds of them over the years.
That's a copy, of course, but, I've seen worse copies. I've seen some that look like 10-year-olds made them. :eek:


----------------
 
When I was a teen in the 1970s they caught my attention. I always wanted one but never got one. When I became an Army pilot in the 1980s I was issued one. It was heavy for something that I would never use in a peace time military. My flying area was just desert not much to cut or pry. If we went missing we would be found in a short period of time. I removed mine from my vest. I never saw anyone ever use their issued knife. When we went to Desert Storm everyone wanted to get a knife for war. Fixed blades were popular. I got a cold steel SRK and carried it on my gas mask case strap. Many people I served with did not even carry folding knives on a daily basis. I would guess half did not own a handgun. The most useful tools I carried were my Leatherman tool for the pliers and wire cutter and my Spyderco folder.
 
30-30remchester said:
Look closely at the 6 squares on the nut. Camillus should be written along with a date. I have had several that were painted as yours and I have never heard a logical explanation.
Click to expand...

I have a couple unissued still in the wrap that I bought for five bucks at a Army/Navy surplus store in West Memphis, Arkansas back in the '90's. I recall they had a cardboard box full of them at the time.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • Knife - Air Force Survival 02.jpg
    Knife - Air Force Survival 02.jpg
    51.5 KB · Views: 652
Hi Tony, The knives I had were etched with the maker (Ontario) on the end of the knife. it also had the "year" etched in there also. I was surprised to see there were several makers of this knife around. I wouldn't mind finding one in the year time frame that I served at Phan Rang. Tom
 
rbrbrb6 said:
Only one I have had is the Randall A/F knife I bought for my son in law who flies for the pararescue jumpers.
Click to expand...


Randall got you to huh? My son flies ISR and I gave him a Model 15 Airman.
 
Last edited:
Here’s my Knife that I carried in SEA.
The top knife is an older 6 inch.
You’ll notice the aluminum plated riveted on the bottom of my Sheath.
There were problems with the blade cutting through the Sheath.
The fix was to locally rivet aluminum plates on the Sheath.
I have a copy of the Mil Spec for this knife.
The actual official name is -
KNIFE, HUNTING, SHEATHED, SURVIVAL, PILOT’S.
 

Attachments

  • 12E80DBA-E369-4E83-A3BC-A6206451ED6B.jpg
    12E80DBA-E369-4E83-A3BC-A6206451ED6B.jpg
    157.5 KB · Views: 81
A college buddy of mine had one. His dad, a Naval Academy grad/naval aviator, gave it to him. Can't remember if his dad carried in combat or not, as he was on active duty during the Korean War and Viet Nam as well.
 
JPSK

I did some digging and found this that has a lot of history about the JPSK.
There were quite a few copies made in Japan and sold in the BXs overseas and a lot of those saw tours in Vietnam (where I picked up mine) used by personnel that could not qualify for a government issue one
I would be interested in finding a sheath for mine if anyone has a heads up on one.
Here is a link to a site that has a lot of information and pictures.
The Jet Pilots Survival Knife - EDGED WEAPONS - U.S. Militaria Forum
 
Last edited:
I had one issued during flight training in Pensacola, 1965. It was fairly good for its intended purpose, and generally popular with aviation as well as non-aviation personnel. Some believed that the tip was a bit fragile and tended to break off, but I never observed that to occur. I'm not sure if the one I have now is the "original" '65 issue or a replacement, but I use a Fallknieven now for most purposes. One of my grandsons saw the pilot's knife and lusted after it, so I bought him a new one and he has been very pleased with it.
 
Nice find! FWIW, when it is discussed on fighting or survival knives, this is always the thought I refer to.
 
Okay, I went to my "knife drawer" and found the two I mentioned above that I bought still in the wrap at a Army-Navy surplus store back in the 1990's.

As I recollect I actually bought several, four or five, for 5 bucks each. It's been a couple of decades but I recall I gave one away, put one in my fishing tackle box, and one is hanging on the peg board above my work bench that I use from time to time.

But these two, for whatever reason, I put back for safe keeping and never took out of the wrap they came in. I suppose I could probably get my 5 buck investment back on them these days. :)

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2399.jpg
    IMG_2399.jpg
    84 KB · Views: 498
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

AJ
Kutmaster 2 bladed folding Pocket Knife.
Replies
6
Views
685
chief38
chief38
Faulkner
Fixed blade pocket knife
2
Replies
36
Views
2K
Shrek Of The Arctic
S
Shark Bait
Some Yarborough Knife Facts...
Replies
0
Views
401
Shark Bait
Shark Bait
ISCS Yoda
Odd Japanese knife
Replies
12
Views
1K
ISCS Yoda
ISCS Yoda
boykinlp
Really Like This Knife!
Replies
7
Views
683
swagmeister
S

Latest posts

Back
Top