Quote from: zrxoa1 on May 10, 2017, 06:40:58 AMSo, how does the US Army Camillus knife compare to the SI or Soldier?Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkI have a 1993 Camillus US Army knife and if I compare it to a Victorinox alox Soldier knife the Vic wins in my opinion.The awl on the Vic works much better.The cap lifters on both knives are similar, but the Vic has a little wider screwdriver tip on it.The Vic can opener is, in my opinion, much quicker to use. The Camillus can opener is the claw type that goes clock wise around the can.The main blade on the Camillus is similar in shape to the Vic.Here are pictures of a Camillus and a Vic for comparison
So, how does the US Army Camillus knife compare to the SI or Soldier?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
In addition to the before mentioned back spring problems, the Camillus' have a well deserved reputation for removing thumbnails. They're also cruder than the SAKs.
Quote from: VICMAN on May 10, 2017, 07:15:21 PMQuote from: zrxoa1 on May 10, 2017, 06:40:58 AMSo, how does the US Army Camillus knife compare to the SI or Soldier?Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkI have a 1993 Camillus US Army knife and if I compare it to a Victorinox alox Soldier knife the Vic wins in my opinion.The awl on the Vic works much better.The cap lifters on both knives are similar, but the Vic has a little wider screwdriver tip on it.The Vic can opener is, in my opinion, much quicker to use. The Camillus can opener is the claw type that goes clock wise around the can.The main blade on the Camillus is similar in shape to the Vic.Here are pictures of a Camillus and a Vic for comparisonI have been looking at pics on eBay. The Camillus doesn't "look" to be as well made as the SAK. The bail on the US knife is hideous! I couldn't deal with the can opener either. I depend on the smaller flat head far too much. Thank you for the info and pics!!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: zrxoa1 on May 10, 2017, 08:53:27 PMQuote from: VICMAN on May 10, 2017, 07:15:21 PMQuote from: zrxoa1 on May 10, 2017, 06:40:58 AMSo, how does the US Army Camillus knife compare to the SI or Soldier?Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkI have a 1993 Camillus US Army knife and if I compare it to a Victorinox alox Soldier knife the Vic wins in my opinion.The awl on the Vic works much better.The cap lifters on both knives are similar, but the Vic has a little wider screwdriver tip on it.The Vic can opener is, in my opinion, much quicker to use. The Camillus can opener is the claw type that goes clock wise around the can.The main blade on the Camillus is similar in shape to the Vic.Here are pictures of a Camillus and a Vic for comparisonI have been looking at pics on eBay. The Camillus doesn't "look" to be as well made as the SAK. The bail on the US knife is hideous! I couldn't deal with the can opener either. I depend on the smaller flat head far too much. Thank you for the info and pics!!Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkThe oversized bail on the Camillus was for attaching to a mess kit handle with other utensils for cleaning in a tub of hot soapy water.
Well, then it was made that way for a reason. Shame on me for not knowing better. Thank you for the education. So what's the deal with the nail nicks causing so much trouble. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
With all due respect to the SAK world, of which I am gladly a part of, I had hoped for better reports on the US version. Being a US citizen, I would like to "support" my country by carrying a US made knife like the Camillus. However, at almost 50 years old, I have no desire to deal with something that substandard. I love my Wenger and it will continue to be with me daily. That said, I will source a less expensive example of the Camillus someday and add to the collection. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
And then the bail is used as a safety, to keep that soapy blade from taking your trigger finger ALL the way off... Either you are just one funny guy CS, or whoever told you that story was.
Quote from: zrxoa1 on May 10, 2017, 10:41:49 PMWith all due respect to the SAK world, of which I am gladly a part of, I had hoped for better reports on the US version. Being a US citizen, I would like to "support" my country by carrying a US made knife like the Camillus. However, at almost 50 years old, I have no desire to deal with something that substandard. I love my Wenger and it will continue to be with me daily. That said, I will source a less expensive example of the Camillus someday and add to the collection. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkThen carry one of these..... All these except the CASE and KaBar (maybe) are Camillus made. There are Camillus branded Scouts of fine quality and Remington Camp/Scouts that are also Camillus made.(Image removed from quote.)(Image removed from quote.)(Image removed from quote.)You can even get one with a Phillips...Imperial BSA 5 Blade Scout.(Image removed from quote.)Scout thread...https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,71569.msg1458308.html#msg1458308
Quote from: SAK Guy on May 10, 2017, 11:05:05 PMQuote from: zrxoa1 on May 10, 2017, 10:41:49 PMWith all due respect to the SAK world, of which I am gladly a part of, I had hoped for better reports on the US version. Being a US citizen, I would like to "support" my country by carrying a US made knife like the Camillus. However, at almost 50 years old, I have no desire to deal with something that substandard. I love my Wenger and it will continue to be with me daily. That said, I will source a less expensive example of the Camillus someday and add to the collection. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkThen carry one of these..... All these except the CASE and KaBar (maybe) are Camillus made. There are Camillus branded Scouts of fine quality and Remington Camp/Scouts that are also Camillus made.(Image removed from quote.)(Image removed from quote.)(Image removed from quote.)You can even get one with a Phillips...Imperial BSA 5 Blade Scout.(Image removed from quote.)Scout thread...https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,71569.msg1458308.html#msg1458308
I've owned Camillus army knives and Vic Soldier & Wenger SI knives. The Swiss models are my favorites. I've since sold the Camillus models to collectors. YMMV. tom.
The Vic is a better knife in every way than the old stamped steel demo knife. The steel on the demo knife is softer and harder to sharpen without rolling or burring, the can opener is nigh useless, the awl is too blunt to effectively use, the scales are sharp and uncomfortable in the hands, and the backsprings break fairly commonly. Aside from nostalgia or a militaria collection (I lean towards the collection side), there is no reason to prefer the demo knife over the Soldier or SI.ETA: My demo knife is a beat up '71 Imperial I found somewhere along the way, probably at a yard sale, for the record.Now, if you're talking about authentic Camillus bone scaled official Boy Scouts of America knives, the comparison gets harder. Those knives were beautiful, perhaps too much so for the abuse they were destined to receive in the hands of young scouts (I'm an Eagle Scout, I've seen some horrid things done to pocketknives over the years). For pure functionality and setting nostalgia aside, however, the Vic still wins. There's a reason why the only decent multifunction official scout knives currently in production are Victorinox. For full disclosure, I'm a sucker for a good four-blade Scout pattern, which is why the Pioneer is my favorite Swiss Army knife. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk