A 3/16 Camp Tramp

LizardKing

LizardKing

Joined
May 7, 2001
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1,138
I have a CT that i enjoy very much but i was curious, how much lighter would a CT made from 3/16th with the same handle and similar grind lines be?

any estimates?

I would like to have a lighter version of the CT for things like hiking.
 
I guess you should go for a bog dog then...:p
There is no sense thinning the CT blade to 3/16 for a 7 1/2 length IMO. But you still can ask... :D
 
CT is fine as is. It's not full 1/4th thick, just under that. It doesn't need to be any thinner. It's ballance is truly great.
 
Originally posted by Eric Isaacson
Yes, a 3/16" CT would be considerable lighter. However, don't expect this anytime soon :D:D
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Sooooooo, it may be possible then... ;)
 
Just to add, I've compared my CT to the becker cu-7. After handling each knife several times, I swore CT felt way heavier than Cu-7. The Tramp just feels blade heavy while the becker feels very well ballanced and neutral. After I weighted them individually on scale, both scored the same. I was really suprised since becker is alot thinner. With that said, CT will (hands down) outperform Cu-7. The blade geometry and thickness is what makes the Tramp superior. It will out chop Becker 2:1, need I say more?
 
heya Kaos,

yeah mate, I have both and the CT wins at everything so far.

Still, the becker is good for the money.

I like to pay a little more knowing I have that little more...;)
 
Originally posted by Kaos
Just to add, I've compared my CT to the becker cu-7. After handling each knife several times, I swore CT felt way heavier than Cu-7. The Tramp just feels blade heavy while the becker feels very well ballanced and neutral. After I weighted them individually on scale, both scored the same. I was really suprised since becker is alot thinner. With that said, CT will (hands down) outperform Cu-7. The blade geometry and thickness is what makes the Tramp superior. It will out chop Becker 2:1, need I say more?
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My Becker 9 has out performed my CT in everything I've done with both so far. The BK-9 slices veggies better and penatrated things easier.

I just checked my CT and BK-9 on my calipers and they are with in 1/32" of each other. The CT is only 1/32nd of an inch thicker than the Becker 9 (IIRC The C/U 7 is the same thickness as the BK-9). Funny how different people can get different results from the same things.

Now, the CT is more refined and in the long run will probably hold up better, but for $50 (I payed $40 for mine) the Beckers are a great deal.:) If I needed a large knife in the kitchen and a light chopper I'd grab the BK-9. If I needed a light chopper and cold weather was an issue, I'd grab the CT. My .02.;)
 
Kaos :

CT will (hands down) outperform Cu-7.
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Yes, I found it to be a directly better knife as well in all respects except the handle on the CU/7 is more abrasion and cut resistant. The CT cuts just as well in general as the edge angles are similar on the ones I used, and the extra thickness of th edge on the CT wasn't overly significant in whittling wood, cutting rope or similar.

However the CU/7 did do better on thickly binding materials like vegetables and thick cardboard, however the chopping advantage of the CT was *much* larger, and the overall blade durablity is *many* times greater. I broke several of the Becker blades and the steel showed low ductility in all the breaks. It is a much cheaper blade though, in a perforamnce/price comparison it does very well.

As for 3/16 vs 1/4, if they were made exactly the same the steel weight would be about 75%, the knife weight would be slightly more as the handles would not change. In general thoug you gain little in cutting ability by doing this, I would suggest that you look at balance and edge geometry if the knife is too heavy in hand or doesn't cut well enough.

-Cliff
 
Originally posted by wildmanh
My Becker 9 has out performed my CT in everything I've done with both so far. The BK-9 slices veggies better and penatrated things easier.
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I wouldn't be suprised seeing bk9 out perform CT since the Becker has a longer blade and that makes huge difference. Just like you'd put Ontario machete against bk9, the machete would out chop it.
Ok, the Becker may slice better, so what? I'd rather have my edge thicker (like on SR knives) which will less likely get damaged but still offer high cutting ability. It's a combat/field knife not a scalpel.

Regarding penetration, I think you're jumping ahead of the gun here. Cliff has tested both knives by stabbing them through the phone book, I think you know the results. CT scored above Becker Bowie.

A.
 
Originally posted by Kaos
Regarding penetration, I think you're jumping ahead of the gun here. Cliff has tested both knives by stabbing them through the phone book, I think you know the results. CT scored above Becker Bowie.

A.
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A Phone book?:eek: #1. I've only used my knives against fruits, veggies and meat (kitchen use). #2. The CT's have a penatrator tip, well all but mine. The tip is missing a little coating where some one roughed it up with a grinder.:confused:

It all comes down to; what you are used to and what works for you. For me, in the Kitchen the BK-9 does better. And since my CT has only seen Kitchen duty to date, that's all I can comment on. This spring in the field, I'll be able to use my knives for other things and will have a better idea as to what each is capable of.

BTW if you want a really strong knife, check out the HI 15" Ang Khola.:eek: :D People have set out to break them and have failed. :D:D
 
A phone book is one of the media I use as it is consistent and fairly standard, as a bonus it is self-calibrated, you just measure penetration via pages penetrated. I also check for penetration on various woods, and for various tasks such as removing bark for tinder. I stopped looking at penetration on soft targets like flesh because it is trivial no matter what blade is used, do a simple check on use of screwdrivers as weapons to check this out in extremes.

If the Camp Tramp doesn't have the penetrator tip ground correctly, or at all, you will see quite a lot of drop off in penetration. This tip was a significant innovation by Busse as it allows much improved penetration with little drop off in strength.

Yes the Camp Tramp is not an optomized kitchen knife and it is easily outperformed by many others for that choice of work. One of the best I have found for that is a Japanese style knife from Lee Valley. For ~25$ (CAN) you get a 5$ utility kitchen knife which has the most optimal geometry I have seen on such a knife, production or custom. They also have larger Chef's knives in the same pattern, though I would prefer a slightly more robust blade for that type. An Opinel also makes a nice paring knife.

-Cliff
 
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