The camo badge - why?

[Sawl Goodman]

Honestly, I’m mystified. What’s special about camo scales compared to others? Is it to do with the relative bravery of carrying camo knives outdoors where they can easily get lost? Does the badge have a particular history I’m unaware of? 

I’m not demeaning the badge. I realize that like all badges it’s just for fun. I have a forest camo Spartan myself. But to me it’s nothing special, except that I like the colours.

Tell me what I’m missing here! 

[Aloha]

Honestly, I’m mystified. What’s special about camo scales compared to others? Is it to do with the relative bravery of carrying camo knives outdoors where they can easily get lost? Does the badge have a particular history I’m unaware of? 

I’m not demeaning the badge. I realize that like all badges it’s just for fun. I have a forest camo Spartan myself. But to me it’s nothing special, except that I like the colours.

Tell me what I’m missing here! 

I'm thinking this.  I'd also say while Red is likely the most popular the Cammo is not as popular for everyday.  I'd imagine who ever requested the badge be created figured it'd be fun to celebrate those who might prefer it over Red.

I don't have it on any authority I'm just spit balling here. 

[Reinier]

Who says there is anything special about it?

[Sawl Goodman]

Who says there is anything special about it?

Well, since there’s no badge for yellow scales, or white scales with spots or tiger stripes, there must be something “special” about camo scales, no? 

[Sawl Goodman]

I'm thinking this.  I'd also say while Red is likely the most popular the Cammo is not as popular for everyday.  I'd imagine who ever requested the badge be created figured it'd be fun to celebrate those who might prefer it over Red.

I don't have it on any authority I'm just spit balling here.

Perhaps it’s a thing from the past when camo scales weren’t as common as they are now? I see more camo than I do yellow or white scales, for instance.

[McStitchy]

Well, since there’s no badge for yellow scales, or white scales with spots or tiger stripes, there must be something “special” about camo scales, no? 

What not trying one out for yourself? 

[Syncop8r]

To be honest, I did not see that coming either.

[PTRSAK]

What makes them more special compared to white or yellow?
Someone made a badge for them, that's what.

[Sawl Goodman]

What makes them more special compared to white or yellow?
Someone made a badge for them, that's what.

Ummm... they definitely did that! 

[kamakiri]

My guess: it’s just a ‘fun’ badge...in a way, like most of them are. Or maybe it’s for wanting a knife that’s really hard to find if you drop it in the woods. 

I like my Camo knives too. But I don’t need a badge for them. My favorite is the Camo McKinley and have both user and MIB copies. 

Just don’t inquire about why or who the advanced or expert modder badges are for.   

[Sawl Goodman]

My guess: it’s just a ‘fun’ badge...in a way, like most of them are. Or maybe it’s for wanting a knife that’s really hard to find if you drop it in the woods. 

I like my Camo knives too. But I don’t need a badge for them. My favorite is the Camo McKinley and have both user and MIB copies. 

Just don’t inquire about why or who the advanced or expert modder badges are for.   

Yes, perhaps the boldness of carrying and using a camo knife outdoors is a good enough reason!

Never knew there was a Camo McKinley. Can you post a pic?

[kamakiri]

Yes, perhaps the boldness of carrying and using a camo knife outdoors is a good enough reason!

Never knew there was a Camo McKinley. Can you post a pic?

I didn’t either! I got the user first...and incorrectly assumed it was re-scaled. I liked it anyway as I have the rest of the 60% serrated varieties in red cellidor. And it has the ‘original’(?) style with the stainless inlay shield. Then I found the one in the box...

[Sawl Goodman]

Nice! Was a stainless shield once usual for camo?

The camo pattern is exactly the same as my Spartan’s so I can see why you’d think your user knife had been rescaled.

There’s also a camo Spartan with a red triangular shield, much like the one on old economy knives. The contrast in colour is fetching and I wish I’d bought one when I saw it.

[Reinier]

Well, since there’s no badge for yellow scales, or white scales with spots or tiger stripes, there must be something “special” about camo scales, no? 

I misunderstood the thread title and first post. I thought the question was what's so special about the badge itself compared to other badges.

Never mind

[Sawl Goodman]

I misunderstood the thread title and first post. I thought the question was what's so special about the badge itself compared to other badges.

Never mind

lol, we all have misunderstandings from time to time. 

[McStitchy]

I didn’t either! I got the user first...and incorrectly assumed it was re-scaled. I liked it anyway as I have the rest of the 60% serrated varieties in red cellidor. And it has the ‘original’(?) style with the stainless inlay shield. Then I found the one in the box...

You've got my attention at "stainless inlay shield".
That's a nice one Grant 

As for the badge I think that you've got to have some easier badges as well. Something to get one started at a topic. Like the Flashlight one too.

[Jud65]

As for the badge I think that you've got to have some easier badges as well. Something to get one started at a topic. Like the Flashlight one too.

This.
Having just claimed both Flashlight & Camo badge I can safely said that it was an easy way to get involved with the forum as opposed to just lurking suspiciously in the background - a pastime I've been indulging in shamelessly over the last year.

On the other hand it has inspired me to look at the other badges out there - the Scale Changer & Titanium are within my reach! Perhaps one day I'll even aspire to one of the Modder options. Like all "Gaming" inspired rewards, perhaps this is the reason that remains for it - motivating someone to get their next badge. Whether or not that was the original intention I have no idea.

[ulzhan]

If used correctly no one will ever see that badge - it's camouflaged!

[MichaelGT83]

This.
Having just claimed both Flashlight & Camo badge I can safely said that it was an easy way to get involved with the forum as opposed to just lurking suspiciously in the background - a pastime I've been indulging in shamelessly over the last year.

On the other hand it has inspired me to look at the other badges out there - the Scale Changer & Titanium are within my reach! Perhaps one day I'll even aspire to one of the Modder options. Like all "Gaming" inspired rewards, perhaps this is the reason that remains for it - motivating someone to get their next badge. Whether or not that was the original intention I have no idea.

Pretty much my experience as well. It's why my first challenge was the Pen Challenge. Take a photo of a pen every day? Easy. Simple. Gets you into the swing of things and involved with others and I now feel much more comfortable in the PX Challenge and I'm looking forward to others in the future that might challenge me more. The other badges serve the same purpose, to me.

[Reinier]

If used correctly no one will ever see that badge - it's camouflaged!

True!

I think I have about 20 camo SAKs but I've never seen them.

[ElevenBlade]

My take on the matter...

In the beginning, there was red and black.  In the 80s I used to go to the shop and look at the various SAKs in the display cabinet. They were all red and black. They didn't have any Alox models. But there was always a Camo Trekker.  It was the one all the way on the bottom right of the display. 

There wasn't a single yellow or white one. I remember the dayglow version in the catalog.

The only unique scale was camo.

Then one day there was a second Camo SAK in the display cabinet. It was a Huntsman, if I recall correctly.

Still though....  A sea of black and red, with a couple of special ones hiding in plain sight.

[kamakiri]

Nice! Was a stainless shield once usual for camo?

The camo pattern is exactly the same as my Spartan’s so I can see why you’d think your user knife had been rescaled.

There’s also a camo Spartan with a red triangular shield, much like the one on old economy knives. The contrast in colour is fetching and I wish I’d bought one when I saw it.

Same here on that red printed shield. Let too many get away.

Based on my understanding regarding the chronology, the stainless ones are normal and typical for the first ones from the mid-‘90s+. But I’m not popping these off to check the date stamps!

You've got my attention at "stainless inlay shield".
That's a nice one Grant 

As for the badge I think that you've got to have some easier badges as well. Something to get one started at a topic. Like the Flashlight one too.

  Thanks and agreed! There’s a place for all levels of difficulty.

[39hotrod]

Camo is Cool !!!

[kamakiri]

The patterns for the stainless shield appear to be the same except in the vicinity of the shield. The stainless version only borders black, unprinted cellidor. Should help anybody trying to ID a stainless version.

[nmpops]

Personally I don’t see the preoccupation with being awarded “badges”. I’m an old man and just enjoy talking about knives, SAKs in particular but I have no need for badges.


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[Reinier]

Personally I don’t see the preoccupation with being awarded “badges”. I’m an old man and just enjoy talking about knives, SAKs in particular but I have no need for badges.

There should be a badge for that.

[Reinier]

The patterns for the stainless shield appear to be the same except in the vicinity of the shield. The stainless version only borders black, unprinted cellidor. Should help anybody trying to ID a stainless version.

Interesting.
Is it because the scales are painted first? And you can't insert a shield into a scale where it's painted?

[kamakiri]

Interesting.
Is it because the scales are painted first? And you can't insert a shield into a scale where it's painted?

I dunno. That is not what I would think, but I suppose that could be possible. 

The blank margin does leave some room for error. My assumption was that the shield went first. But it is possible that their shield inlay process is precise enough to do that second, after the pad(?) printing.

[Reinier]

I have no idea

I do know that the processes (both printing and the inlay process) are very precise. I have a SAK with 3d scales (the haptic ones) with zero clearance around the shield.

[Sawl Goodman]

The patterns for the stainless shield appear to be the same except in the vicinity of the shield. The stainless version only borders black, unprinted cellidor. Should help anybody trying to ID a stainless version.

Thanks for passing this on, much appreciated.