Cac knives

[whereismyknife]

I would like to get your opinion on this knife I recently received. It was designed for the French Army. It uses Axis lock (in cooperation with Benchmade). It is a relatively large knife. They have a small set screw to lock the main pivot bolt after small adjustments, which I am used to seeing in extrema ratio knives. The main pivot is large. There is a belt cutter on the blade, and it works really well because it has a curved, very thin blade (looks like a razor). It has steel liners. The liners are skeletonized so the blade is light. There's a glass breaker on the end of the blade, but it's very small, almost inconspicuous, but it's obviously functional. There is a clip for ambidextrous use. For some reason the pocket clip is too long. There is a lanyard hole in the handle. Most importantly, it has a corkscrew. The grip is not bad. It is especially nice to be able to place the thumb in two different positions on the blade. Easy to sharpen the knife, but you shouldn't expect too much from the steel. The action is good, the axis lock is really fun.

 

[marchone]

Looks like a good, functional and over engineered knife.

 

[The Zieg]

I would like to get your opinion on this knife I recently received. It was designed for the French Army. It uses Axis lock (in cooperation with Benchmade). It is a relatively large knife. They have a small set screw to lock the main pivot bolt after small adjustments, which I am used to seeing in extrema ratio knives. The main pivot is large. There is a belt cutter on the blade, and it works really well because it has a curved, very thin blade (looks like a razor). It has steel liners. The liners are skeletonized so the blade is light. There's a glass breaker on the end of the blade, but it's very small, almost inconspicuous, but it's obviously functional. There is a clip for ambidextrous use. For some reason the pocket clip is too long. There is a lanyard hole in the handle. Most importantly, it has a corkscrew. The grip is not bad. It is especially nice to be able to place the thumb in two different positions on the blade. Easy to sharpen the knife, but you shouldn't expect too much from the steel. The action is good, the axis lock is really fun.

I like it. I'm a traditional knife fan, so I wouldn't likely carry it, but if I did I would feel well prepared. As it's meant to be a hard use knife, how do the scales feel when meeting resistance? Hot spots? Digging in? Keeping the blade aligned? Are the serrations useful? I missed what steel it used and what the scales are made from.

How about a report from the field?

Oh, and the name needs changed. CAC is obviously an acronym (Combat Assistance Compagne, according to one source) but "cac" also means "shit" in a variety of Indo-European languages.

Zieg

 

[ferider]

Looks great ! If it didn’t have serrations, I’d buy and use one.

 

[whereismyknife]

I like it. I'm a traditional knife fan, so I wouldn't likely carry it, but if I did I would feel well prepared. As it's meant to be a hard use knife, how do the scales feel when meeting resistance? Hot spots? Digging in? Keeping the blade aligned? Are the serrations useful? I missed what steel it used and what the scales are made from.

How about a report from the field?

Zieg

I'm not so sure it's a heavy duty knife. Of course, this is a relative concept, but I think it is not like cold steel. There are absolutely no hot spots. Even corkscrews do not bother my hand. The steel of the blade is nitrox, a steel similar to 17N2. Scales are made of PA6 FV (a kind of polymer filled fiber glass) (There are also G10 versions). and the blade is PVD coated. I have never used it in the field, I just received it. I haven't come across anyone sharing anything about its use.I don't know if the French army actually uses it actively.

 

[whereismyknife]

Looks great ! If it didn’t have serrations, I’d buy and use one.

There is a plain edge and there is even a trainer. They also sell the blades individually.

 

[Another Shepherd]

I have one that is similar except for a different handle. Out of the box, the serrations needed sharpening. Everything else was good. I used it for a week, after which it did not need further sharpening, whereas cheap steels like 420 would have been noticeably dull. I like it, but the handle is a bit large for my medium-small hands. I might carry it again if I ever anticipate a need for the corkscrew.

 

[ferider]

Corkscrew because there's always time for wine in the French Army......
Its not like they won any battles since the 1790'or so, of course they wanna be drunk ...

Joking aside .... without the cork screw on my SAK some 25 years ago, on our first date, I might not be married to my wife.

 

[The Zieg]

I'm not so sure it's a heavy duty knife. Of course, this is a relative concept, but I think it is not like cold steel. There are absolutely no hot spots. Even corkscrews do not bother my hand. The steel of the blade is nitrox, a steel similar to 17N2. Scales are made of PA6 FV (a kind of polymer filled fiber glass) (There are also G10 versions). and the blade is PVD coated. I have never used it in the field, I just received it. I haven't come across anyone sharing anything about its use.I don't know if the French army actually uses it actively.

I only meant it's plenty robust and that with its blade and size it would take on a lot of tasks that would require a tight grip. Without comfortable scales it could be hard on the hands. But folks seem to like it!

Zieg

 

[AgentSteel]

This thread reminded me that I wanted to buy one. Mainly because I'm french (insert white flag ) and a tad patriotic.

So I got myself a variation of the knife, for a reasonable amount of money (not full price obviously).

It's a big folder, with the handle longer than the blade. Not a prybar. Not a Tri-Ad © Lock although the axis lock looks solid; Not a supersteel. A thin, very sharp blade out of the box. Yeah, a cutting tool...

 

[whereismyknife]

This thread reminded me that I wanted to buy one. Mainly because I'm french (insert white flag ) and a tad patriotic.

So I got myself a variation of the knife, for a reasonable amount of money (not full price obviously).

It's a big folder, with the handle longer than the blade. Not a prybar. Not a Tri-Ad © Lock although the axis lock looks solid; Not a supersteel. A thin, very sharp blade out of the box. Yeah, a cutting tool...

Wow this is so cool. Did the engravings on it come with a knife? If so I'll buy this version.

 

[AgentSteel]

Yes, this version is only sold on the "Kalos France" website, but it's a bit more expensive than the regular version.

(I bought mine cheaper on ebay)

 

[knarfeng]

Enough with the off topic remarks. Go start a joke thread in W&C if you want to. If you cannot stay on the topic of the knife, then stay out of the thread.

14 posts moved to the DA thread.