A Year in the Life - AGA Campolin Zero

[Petunia D. Feeble]

The AGA Campolin Zero is a modern take on a classic switchblade. A long, narrow stiletto with screw together construction and N690 blade steel.

They’ve been around for a while now and my current is the second I’ve owned. I’ve always love the style of this sort of knife, but they’re not really the most practical thing in the world. Conspicuous, cumbersome to close and a little clumsy in hand due to the narrow handle.



I’ve decided to go with form over function and task myself with carrying this Zero every day for the next year and blog about it a little here. We’ll see if it survives daily use for both work and leisure, riding constantly in my back pocket.

If anyone else has something odd that they want to spend an extended amount of time with, whether it’s a classic Italian stiletto, an XL Cold Steel, or a weird art knife like a Paul Chen Citizen please feel free to join me and share your findings here.

 

[Petunia D. Feeble]

I know I just posted the thread, but I’m two days in. Still in the honeymoon period, but it’s performing well.

Friday was a work day. Light duty. It cut a few zip ties, some receipt paper for an ATM and opened a box. Not exactly pushing the envelope, but it performed well. I didn’t cut myself or scare any old ladies, so we’ll call it a win.



Today is my youngest son’s 7th birthday and to celebrate we went on a little trip to the Sonora Caverns in Sonora (go figure), TX. No photos of the knife in the cave as they don’t allow for that sort of thing, but here’s the birthday boy and some formations:







I don’t know why you would be, but if you find yourself in the area I wholeheartedly recommend taking the tour. We had a blast and it was beautiful.

The Zero didn’t play a huge roll today but did perform well in trimming tags from some gift shop purchases and opening a b’day present or two.

 

[killgar]

I suppose a Cold Steel Ti-lite 6 would count as unconventional.

The Ti-lite 6 is my all-time favorite knife, I have a powerful affection for it, and I've been carrying one every time I leave home for several years now. I don't care if it's less than practical, because my appreciation for it, and for knives in general, goes far beyond mere practicality.

I have only used my daily-carry Ti-lite 6 twice-

Once I was in a grocery store, I wanted a box of cereal from the very top shelf. Standing on my toes the box was about 8 inches out of reach, and my days of doing the standing high-jump are long over. Also, the boxes on the top shelf were packed so close together that even if I could reach them there was no way for me to grab onto one. Considering my options, I realized I had 13" of extra reach on me in the form of my Ti-lite 6. I looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then I discreetly pulled out my T6, opened it, reached up with it, stabbed the bottom of the cereal box I wanted, pulled the box off the shelf and caught it with my other hand.

The other time, I was at a friend's barbecue, my bratwurst was sizzling on the back of the grill and was ready to be removed. My friend had walked away to parts unknown with the tongs, there were no other utensils around so I pulled out my T6, opened it, and used it to skewer the sizzling hot sausage off the grill.

I also carry a few other much smaller knives for discreet use, but the two instances related above were occasions where a long knife proved to be of value.

Carrying a folding stiletto is nothing new for me, I carried a Kissing Crane folding stiletto daily for 15 years, from the age of 16 until I was 31, and I often used it for mundane tasks.

More power to you TLE Sharp. Enjoy your year with the Zero. Knives can be fun as well as useful.

EDIT: Since originally making this post I have also used my Ti-Lite 6 to lift a bag of potato chips from the top of the chip rack at Walmart. If not for the extra reach of my Ti-Lite 6, I'd probably still be there trying to find a store employee to get a stepladder.

 

[Petunia D. Feeble]

I suppose a Cold Steel Ti-lite 6 would count as unconventional.

The Ti-lite 6 is my all-time favorite knife, I have a powerful affection for it, and I've been carrying one every time I leave home for several years now. I don't care if it's less than practical, because my appreciation for it, and for knives in general, goes far beyond mere practicality.

I have only used my daily-carry Ti-lite 6 twice-

Once I was in a grocery store, I wanted a box of cereal from the very top shelf. Standing on my toes the box was about 8 inches out of reach, and my days of doing the standing high-jump are long over. Also, the boxes on the top shelf were packed so close together that even if I could reach them there was no way for me to grab onto one. Considering my options, I realized I had 13" of extra reach on me in the form of my Ti-lite 6. I looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then I discreetly pulled out my T6, opened it, reached up with it, stabbed the bottom of the cereal box I wanted, pulled the box off the shelf and caught it with my other hand.

The other time, I was at a friend's barbecue, my bratwurst was sizzling on the back of the grill and was ready to be removed. My friend had walked away to parts unknown with the tongs, there were no other utensils around so I pulled out my T6, opened it, and used it to skewer the sizzling hot sausage off the grill.

I also carry a few other much smaller knives for discreet use, but the two instances related above were occasions where a long knife proved to be of value.

Carrying a folding stiletto is nothing new for me, I carried a Kissing Crane folding stiletto daily for 15 years, from the age of 16 until I was 31, and I often used it for mundane tasks.

More power to you TLE Sharp. Enjoy your year with the Zero. Knives can be fun as well as useful.

I’ve kept a g10 TiLite 6 in my tool kit for years now. Not as a tool per se, but as a backup self defense choice.

I regularly end up working on financial equipment in less than ideal conditions and am not always armed. Having a folding sword that blends into the sea of screwdrivers and other stuff in my kit is a nice little backup option.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t also occasionally stab a box with it for giggles.

 

[Petunia D. Feeble]

It’s suffered its first battle wound! Nothing major. Just a little scuff on the handle. I dropped it the other day after fumbling it out of my pocket. Hands were full and I was trying to grab it with just my pinky… lesson learned. Character +1 though!

I kinda hope those scales are beat to hell in the next few months. An authentic amount of wear/patina. I’m considering a scale swap though. Not sure if the orange aluminum is really doing the knife justice. Maybe a poll later with some scale options?

 

[K.O.D.]

I've had my Kershaw Launch 8, which is also a modern take on the stiletto, but the blade is so thin and pointy I worry even medium use might break it.

Good luck with it, I don't think I could carry something like that as a regular EDC. The Launch 8 mostly gets carried as a backup to my pistol when I have to go into the city.

 

[Rosh]

I've had my Kershaw Launch 8, which is also a modern take on the stiletto, but the blade is so thin and pointy I worry even medium use might break it.

Good luck with it, I don't think I could carry something like that as a regular EDC. The Launch 8 mostly gets carried as a backup to my pistol when I have to go into the city.

You probably should try the Launch 15. Seems to have a bit more of utilitarian blade.

 

[pholder]

I know I just posted the thread, but I’m two days in. Still in the honeymoon period, but it’s performing well.

Friday was a work day. Light duty. It cut a few zip ties, some receipt paper for an ATM and opened a box. Not exactly pushing the envelope, but it performed well. I didn’t cut myself or scare any old ladies, so we’ll call it a win.

View attachment 2324409

Today is my youngest son’s 7th birthday and to celebrate we went on a little trip to the Sonora Caverns in Sonora (go figure), TX. No photos of the knife in the cave as they don’t allow for that sort of thing, but here’s the birthday boy and some formations:

View attachment 2324416

View attachment 2324417

View attachment 2324418

I don’t know why you would be, but if you find yourself in the area I wholeheartedly recommend taking the tour. We had a blast and it was beautiful.

The Zero didn’t play a huge roll today but did perform well in trimming tags from some gift shop purchases and opening a b’day present or two.

Nice pictures, HAPPY BIRTHDAY little fella, I see knives in your future

 

[LimpCroissant]

How's the stiletto life treatin ya so far?

 

[AntDog]

Petunia D. Feeble - the Zero isn’t all that “unconventional” to me. With its brick shithouse construction and blade steel other than 440a it’s a real honest to god EDC hotrod in the Italian stiletto world. It carries well, cuts stuff well, and stays sharp. It’s far more ZT than IT. It’s a fully capable blade that just happens to look like it does. Here’s mine:



K killgar - I carried that exact same model of Kissing Cranes wood handled manual stiletto for years too. I got mine when I was 14 or so and carried it for years.

 

[Ray1911]

View attachment 2328339

It’s suffered its first battle wound! Nothing major. Just a little scuff on the handle. I dropped it the other day after fumbling it out of my pocket. Hands were full and I was trying to grab it with just my pinky… lesson learned. Character +1 though!

I kinda hope those scales are beat to hell in the next few months. An authentic amount of wear/patina. I’m considering a scale swap though. Not sure if the orange aluminum is really doing the knife justice. Maybe a poll later with some scale options?

I just ordered my Zero from 3knives. I got the highly polished dagger but it only came with the white aluminum scales. Is there a company that sells scales for this model?

 

[Ray1911]

View attachment 2328339

It’s suffered its first battle wound! Nothing major. Just a little scuff on the handle. I dropped it the other day after fumbling it out of my pocket. Hands were full and I was trying to grab it with just my pinky… lesson learned. Character +1 though!

I kinda hope those scales are beat to hell in the next few months. An authentic amount of wear/patina. I’m considering a scale swap though. Not sure if the orange aluminum is really doing the knife justice. Maybe a poll later with some scale options?

What cool pic.

 

[Petunia D. Feeble]

I just ordered my Zero from 3knives. I got the highly polished dagger but it only came with the white aluminum scales. Is there a company that sells scales for this model?

Not that I found. There’s a couple of one-offs floating around but nothing that could be considered a production piece.

 

[Ray1911]

Not that I found. There’s a couple of one-offs floating around but nothing that could be considered a production piece.

Yeah, same here. I'm really liking my Zero. I think I'm going to get the bayo style next as the dagger is really cool but I feel that using it for everyday tasks is doing it a disservice, lol.

 

[TacoTime]

Curious how the zero performed for the remainder of 2024?

 

[The True North]

Aluminum doesn't get enough respect. It's an amazing material.