Entended Use of the Camillus EDC

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Feb 25, 2001
Messages
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Hi everybody. I’ve had my Camillus 154CM EDC for a about a month and a half now, so I thought I’d share my feelings after extended use. I’ve purchases a ton of knives over the course of four months, in search of that perfect inexpensive folder. Some knives were pretty nice at first, but had little eccentricities that bothered me overt time. Other knives left me cold right out of the box. The Camillus EDC has actually grown on me over time. Only after a lot of carry do you really appreciate how much knowledge went into this design. There are just so many things that are right about this knife.

First, and most apparent, are the good looks. Darrel Ralph really showed his artistic eye on the EDC. Everybody who sees the EDC absolutely loves it. I’m not talking knife nuts either. Members of my family love the looks. People at work love it. Everybody who sees it compliments the compelling looking design. This is a knife you can take out in public, without getting those “This guy must be a mass murderer” kind of glances. And as I’ve done myself, skeleton wrapping adds a whole new dimension to the EDC, allowing you to customize the looks even further.

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The shape of the blade is also quite impressive. Darrel must have really gone to work on this aspect, trying to fit every bit of edge he could into the handle. The overall size of the EDC is actually pretty small, but there’s a whole lot of cutting edge in there!!!! The simple frame lock mechanism seems to lend itself to fitting lots of blade, but the blade shape itself is also a biggie. There’s so much recurve on this thing that the actual cutting edge is significantly larger than the length of the blade. The recurve also makes simple chores like box cutting a breeze. I’m no bladesmith or anything, but I do a lot of cutting. The EDC can handle some pretty big chores!!! Even better, it’s great for small chores. I don’t know about everybody else, but most of my cutting tasks are less than Herculean. I don’t cut down trees with my folders, and seldom have to clean hippopotamus carcasses. I’m just an average guy. Darrel didn’t lose touch with the real world uses for a small folder, but added versatility to the mix.

Other aspects that impress me are little things like the lanyard hole. I can wrap a tail on my EDC without it getting in the way of my grip. I can’t say that about any other small folder I’ve purchased so far. Darrel made sure to keep the lanyard hole down and out of my way. Lanyard holes on many knives feel like an afterthought, without any consideration for whether the feature actually works well or not. Mr. Ralph did his homework and added in useful features. The pocket clip is also as good as it gets. I have to say that I like the EDC’s pocket clip more than any other clip I’ve used. It’s got an amazing grip. It makes for a VERY secure grip on less than secure clothing. I also haven’t had the clip snag on anything yet, which speaks quite highly of the design. You get a very secure, very deep pocket carry on the EDC.

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The shape of the handle is absolutely perfect. I’m not a small folder lover by nature. My fingers are a little longer than most, which makes small knives a bit uncomfortable. The handles just aren’t big enough to handle the wrap of my fingers. I can use them, but my grip isn’t sure enough for very heavy cutting. Darrel was smart and broke away from the standard straight handle design. He put a lot of rounding on the back of the handle, and a great finger groove on the front. This did wonders for my grip. I get a nice secure hold on the EDC, lending confidence on larger cutting chores. The handle feels almost custom molded for my hand.

Another thing I love about the EDC is.... how often I don’t think about it! This is a light knife with very rounded edges. You can stick it in your pocket or in your waistband without any pinching, binding, or pulling your running shorts down around your ankles. My favorite kind of knife is the kind that I forget about until I need it. The EDC is just that. Between the weight, shape and pocket clip, you can forget about the EDC. There’s no “Ouch that darned knife”, or “Where did I lose it again” kind of stuff. You just trust that it will be there.

Camillus has also done a fine job on the EDC. I can imagine that a frame lock is pretty tough to mass-produce. Tolerances have to be pretty tight to lock up without blade play, I’ve purchased three different versions of the EDC now, and it looks like Camillus gets better and better every time they make a run. The bend in the locking bar, as well as the overall smoothness of the lock is absolutely perfect on my latest EDC. It seems that Camillus has perfected their manufacturing process, and really gotten the frame lock design down to a science. The EDC’s lock is strong, simple and smooth. That’s a great combination.

The choice of blade steel is also a great choice on the part of Camillus. The standard 420HC is a fine starting point that’s very easy to sharpen. Or for a little bit more, the 154CM holds an edge quite well. I’ve done a lot of cutting with my 154CM EDC, and the maintenance has been quite minimal. A few passes of the fine stone on a SharpMaker, and a quick blowing out of pocket fuzz, and your weekly touch-ups are done. That’s all of about 2 minutes a week for a good amount of use.

I’ve also gotten great support from Camillus. I had one question about the EDC, which I emailed to Will Fennell. He placed a call into my house not ten minutes later. Will was a pleasure to talk to, and was happy to share his knowledge with me. Camillus really goes out of their way to support their product.

When they named it the EDC, they weren’t kidding. It just may be the perfect every day carry. The knife is cheap enough that you don’t worry about ruining it. It’s light enough to go with you, no matter how you’re dressed. It’s strong enough to give you peace of mind. It’s cute enough to keep the naysayers at bay. That’s about all I can ask for in an EDC. It’s one touch, yet functional knife.

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Buzzbait,

Nice review! While I haven't had the chance to sample the Camillus version, the custom version exceeds your sentiments in every way. I would say that Will and Darrel did a great job in pulling off their interpretation of Darrel's custom effort. I guess I really need to pick-up a 154CM version when I get the chance.

BTW, your cord wrap job is both innovative and good looking while also improving your grip. Very nice.
 
Hey there Buzzbait, you're right about the EDC. It's great. I can't wait to get my hands on the Outdoor Edge Paragee and see how they compare.
 
Buzzbait,

Thanks for the excellent review! I'm working on a trade for a Camillus 154CM EDC right now, and your comments and pictures have really motivated me.
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The only other Camillus knife that I own is a Cuda CQB-1, and the workmanship on that knife is impeccable!

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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
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<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by el cid:
Hey there Buzzbait, you're right about the EDC. It's great. I can't wait to get my hands on the Outdoor Edge Paragee and see how they compare.</font>

I got a shipment of Paragees in last week. They are very, very similar in construction to the EDC. Fit and finish are also similar. The Paragee has been selling well for me. Of course I kept one for myself.



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Dennis Bible
 
The paragee is the same size as the EDC. Both have 3" blades.

I am down to one now.

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Dennis Bible
 
I was tremendously impressed with the thought that went into the design of the EDC. So much blade in such a small package, so nicely put together, and so perfectly positioned in the hand. Excellent small knife, really. But - alas! - the handle was just a little too small for my hand. Looks like the paragee is more forgiving in that respect, BUT it just doesn't look as cool to me as the EDC. Sigh.

BTW, that grey & gold EDC looks so good I may have to reconsider my reservations!!

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[previously incarnated as fishface, since 10/98]

the beatings will continue until morale improves
 
Buzz, great review of a great little knife, I've been carrying one for some time and it's all that you say it is. I have the plain steel version and one of the Anniversary knives on the way.

Darrel and Will, you too, nice job.

Thanks.

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Will Work 4 Knives
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