New Knife - Camillus Bushcrafter

Time for a premiere both for the blog and for me. A first Camillus. An American brand with ancestry and a lot of history since it was founded back in 1876. Something that is gladly highlighted both on the company's website and Instagram. Somewhat less information is found about the fact that the company went bankrupt under rather spectacular circumstances in 2007. However, the brand was resurrected rather quickly but as just that, a brand and no longer an independent company. The people who then bought Camillus are called Acme United Corporation. It was a name I thought only existed in the comic book and movie world along with phone numbers starting with 555.

Otherwise, it's a bit of the same fate that befell many American brands in recent decades. Recently, exactly the same thing happened with SOG and Cold Steel, which now sort under the same parent company (GSM Outdoors), and previously Gerber was bought up by Fiskars, for example.

It is against this background that the new ventures from these companies should be seen. The question is, however, are their products worth investing in? That they are not what they were is surely quite true. Instead, the question is whether the new knives measure up?

I intend to try to find out by testing and reviewing a couple of knives from Camillus Brand as they are now called. At least they do on Instagram. First up, is this knife called the  Bushcrafter 8.5".

Camillus Bushcrafter 8.5"

Bushcrafter is an extremely solid knife that both in theory and in pictures looked decent. A sturdy frame with a couple of chunky pieces of Micarta on the outside for handles is complemented by a drop point blade that opens with thumb studs. It's complemented with a back lock, which feels completely right in the context. The design may not be innovative, but that's not what I expect from a knife named Bushcrafter either.

The steel that is Swedish, Sandvik's 12C27 or " the Moraknivs steel" as it was long known as feels just as right. Then Camillus claims that the blade is "Titanium bonded", whatever that is, and that it should somehow make the blade stronger. I'm a bit skeptical about that part in particular, but promise to come back when I know more about what is meant.

A sturdy lock-back knife with Micarta in the handle and 12C27 in the blade

Camillus seems to believe in the concept as it is released as a small family right from the start. This is the big brother of the folding knives and it is also available in a smaller version with an overall length of 6.75" instead of the eight and a half inches that this one measures. Then there is a fixed blade version with the same name and length as this knife, but with a very different look. That is a bit confusing. 

According to the information, this specific model will also be manufactured in the USA. I have to say it looks good so far. I can already promise presentations of additional folding knives from Camillus in the relatively near future, along with a couple of small fixed blades.

/ J 

#knivesandbikes #knivigtvarre