The Camillus Cutlery Company is one of the oldest knife manufacturers in the United States. The company was started by a German immigrant named Adolph Kastor. Kastor moved to New York in 1870 and worked for his uncle Aaron Kastor in his hardware supply business, Bodenheim, Meyer, & Company, where he was put in charge of cow chains and later moved into the firearms and cutlery department. In 1873, the company restructured as Meyer & Kastor. In September, 1876, the company closed due to poor sales, but the next month, Adolph Kastor started his own company, Adolph Kastor & Bros. on Canal Street in New York City, where he imported and distributed German-made knives. In 1897, when the Dingley Tariff was enacted, the knives became too expensive to import, so Kastor sought a domestic manufacturer. In 1902 Kastor purchased a small knife manufacturer in Camillus, New York, and assumed control from Charles Sherwood. The company then had 20 cutlers who produced about 15 different knife patterns. Image File history File links Camillus_Knives. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. ... NY redirects here. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Hardware is the general term that is used to describe physical artifacts of a technology. ... A firearm is a kinetic energy weapon that fires either a single or multiple projectiles propelled at high velocity by the gases produced by action of the rapid confined burning of a propellant. ... Starch-polyester disposable cutlery Cutlery refers to any hand utensil used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Dingley Act of 1897, introduced by U.S. Representative Nelson Dingley, Jr. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Camillus, New York is the name of two locations in Onondaga County, New York. ... Charles Sherwood of Camillus, New York was a leading manufacturer of pocket knives in the United States during the late 1890s. ... The term cutler could refer to: The musician Adge Cutler The Latter Day Saint leader Alpheus Cutler The musician Chris Cutler The software engineer Dave Cutler The British politician Horace Cutler The poet Ivor Cutler The journalist Jessica Cutler American football Quarterback Jay Cutler (football player) The scientist Dr. Leonard...

By 1910, after adding new machinery, such as steam driven drop forge hammers and fly presses, and adopting new techniques, like using alumina grinding wheels, the Camillus Cutlery Company had about 200 employees, many of them German immigrants, and was producing close to a million knives a year. The company even built a dormitory to house their German workers.

The Camillus Cutlery factory in the village of Camillus, New York.

During World War I, the company shifted production to support the American, British, Canadian and Dutch forces. The produced such products as marlinspikes, surgical scalpels, and a folding knife/spoon combination for the Red Cross. Image File history File links Camilluscutlery. ... Image File history File links Camilluscutlery. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Robert Nivelle Herbert Henry Asquith Sir Douglas Haig Sir John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow... Marlinspike (French Moulinsart) is the castle where Captain Haddock lives in Hergés Tintin comic book series, starting from Red Rackhams Treasure. ... Surgery Surgery is the medical specialty that treats diseases or injuries by operative manual and instrumental treatment. ... A scalpel is a very sharp knife used for surgery as well as various arts and crafts. ... A common silver spoon A spoon is a common eating utensil, or item of cutlery, somewhat like a small spade, with a bowl-shaped end on a handle, that occurs in a number of sizes and forms. ... The Anarchist Black Cross was originally called the Anarchist Red Cross. The band Redd Kross was originally called Red Cross. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

In the 1920s the company introduced stainless steel to their production, and started making collectible character knives, which honored such famous people as George Washington, Babe Ruth, and Buck Rogers. They also began producing products for private labels like Sears Craftsman, F.W. Woolworth and many others. They still produce Craftsman brand pocket knives. The 1920s was a decade sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... The 630 foot high, stainless-clad (type 304) Gateway Arch defines St. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732–December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and was later elected the first President of the United States. ... For the eponymous band, see Babe Ruth (band). ... This entry is for the science fiction character Buck Rogers. ... Sears Holdings Corporation NASDAQ: SHLD is the third largest retailer in the United States, behind Wal-Mart and The Home Depot. ... Craftsman is a line of tools and lawn and garden equipment, owned by The KCD IP, LLC. The tools are sold in Sears and Kmart stores. ... Frank Winfield Woolworth (April 13, 1852-April 8, 1919) was an American merchant. ...

During World War II, between 1942 and 1945, Camillus shipped 15 million knives of various styles to the allied forces. These included large fixed-blade fighting knives, machetes, multi-blade camp style knives, electrician's knives, and sailor's marlin spikes. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This does not cite its references or sources. ...

In 1947, Camillus began to manufacture a full line of official folding knives for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), which they continue to do so today.

The Camillus Cutlery factory closed on February 28th, 2007. The company cites inability to compete with foreign markets as its reason for closing. (source: Syracuse.com)

External links

• Camillus Cutlery official website
• History of Camillus Knives by Dexter Ewing