CAMIII

CAM III is short for Charles Arthur Mahon III. Back in the 1980’s, “Chuck” designed knives and had them built in Japan to his metallurgy specs. Chuck sold his knives through JC Penney stores until that chain dropped its sporting goods section. After that he sold his remaining stock through his retail store in Vacaville, California. CAM III knives were made in Seki City, Japan and one of the primary makers was Seizo Imai. Seizo was a master knifemaker from Seki, Japan, who had a lifelong involvement with knife making. He began his journey at the age of 17 when he joined his father-in-law’s knife factory. A decade later, he took over the factory. Imai then collaborated with Parker Cutlery in Chattanooga, TN, leading to the construction of a new factory in Seki. This partnership resulted in the production of high-quality pocket knives under the brand name “Parker-Imai” for about 20 years. The factory expanded to include around 50 workers. However, as production and the number of employees increased, Imai began to worry about quality control. At the age of 47, he decided to close the factory and become a one-man custom knifemaker. He preferred the personal relationship between the knifemaker and the collector, which is why each of his knives equals a labor of love1. Imai passed away in 2014, after dedicating over 50 years to making fine knives2. His legacy continues through the many knives he crafted, each one a treasure.