Horribly disappointed

Triton

Triton

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Well guys I took your advice and got the camillus edc. It came in yesterday and I excitedly tore open the packaging. When I got it open my first reaction was "What the heck this thing is tiny!" It is too, and it is definitely not easy to open because of it. I have to contort my hand into this weird cramped position to even get it open one handed and then it doesn't open easy. I'm horribly disappointed to say the least. I like the design, but it needs to be about an inch longer and an 1/2 inch wider. So what's the deal do you all just have tiny hands or do I not know what I'm doing when opening the knife or what? Anyway this morning I ordered a new buck crosslock from them and will ship this one back. The buck crosslock is big enough and a truly easy opening one hander. Don't mess with success I guess. Sigh.

Don't get me wrong I appreciate you all taking the time to make the recommendation, and I have no problem with the retailer they were as helpful as can be. I don't even have a problem with camillus it seems like a quality little knife. Apparently it just isn't the knife for me. Is there something wrong with me? :(
 
Originally posted by Triton
So what's the deal do you all just have tiny hands or do I not know what I'm doing when opening the knife or what?
Click to expand...

To be honest, you probably don't know how to open the kife. I had the exact same problem when I first got mine, but after a few day of practice it became very easy. It was also my first framelocl, which took a bit of getting used to.

Sorry to hear it wasn't what you were expecting, if you haven't shipped it yet keep using it and see if the feel improves.
 
Is there a knife store In your area? If so, you should probably go there next time you buy a knife and handle the one you are considering. I myself love the EDC, had no problems opening it. (That is why I never buy a knife my mail or on the net, I just do the reading on the net and then go to a knife store and look at it.)

Regards,

Steve C.
 
I don't know what to tell you, I always found the Cross Lock to be difficult to open. It just goes to show you that what works for one may not work for another.

Paul
 
You are probably right, but shouldn't opening the thing be pretty much intuitive? It was with the crosslock solitaire that I had. Also the thing doesn't really seem to fit my hand, and it's not like I have giant freak hands or anything.
 
I agree, the EDC is a nice knife, but like all knives, it's not for everyone. I didn't have trouble opening or closing it, but it did feel too small in my hand. It seemed like it was all blade and no handle. One company that does a good job making smaller knives that fit full-sized hands is Spyderco.
 
Oh I meant to say that clawhands suggestion is a good one and basically the same conclusion I reached myself upon reflection. Sigh.
 
It's not the knife's fault it doesn't fit your hand. It's yours.
Plan before you buy. Next time you start shopping for a knife, measure your hand, and compare it to the handle length of the knife. Look at the handle's shape, too. A knife like the EDC has a "place" for all your fingers. Will they fit in there? Consider that if you have long fingers, even a long enough handle might not fit, if the knife is a slender framelock that still doesn't allow you to get a positive grip, and might slip or rotate in your hand. Look for size comparison pics on the forums, or just ask for them.
If your hand is 4" across, and the knife has a 3.5" handle...what do you expect?

One reason I like the idea of customs, is not just that you can have higher end steels, and nicer knives, but that you can have the knife fit to you, as you can specify the handle/blade length on a folder, or the length, and even contours of the handle on a custom fixed blade. 'Course that's not free:)

Be sure and measure across the fingers, not the palm, and with your hand gripping something...it's wider like that than if you just hold up your hand to a ruler.

edit: Darrel can make you a bigger EDC, you know;)
 
Sure, I acknowledge that there is nothing wrong with the knife. It is what it is and appears to be a quality piece of work. What kind of weirds me out is all the positive recommendations I got for it (once I had ruled out spyderco) with no mention of this particular aspect. So I figure either I am doing something wrong or this forum is populated by munchkins. :) The thing is that dimensionally this knife isn't much smaller then the solitaire but in a very practical sense those dimensional differences make it completely unsuitable for me. I did not think that they would.

I went and checked out a picture of that cuda max. It looks beautiful but it isn't exactly what I had in mind for stuffing in my pocket on an everyday basis. The other thing is that the whole reason I am shopping for a knife is because I lost my last one. Losing a 50 dollar (my ceiling) knife is bad enough, losing a 150.00 dollar one would really be uncool.
 
I feel for you... I bought a Microtech UDT automatic for EDC. It turned out that the knife was much smaller than I expected and thus was awkward to hold in my hand.

If you can't try before you buy, I'd suggest that you get ahold of a dealer that will give you a 100% satisfaction guarantee, which it sounds like you did.

It is a big bummer when you buy something and it doesn't fit well. Fortunately for me, I didn't have to return the UDT as it fit my fiancee's hand perfectly and she loved it.

And I do agree Spyderco does make small knives that fit the hand well.

Good luck.
 
Before purchasing you probably should have checked out the dimensions of the knife before purchasing, if not in person, then ask here or at the Camillus site. I have *relatively* small hands, but have to adjust my grip to accommodate my EDC's operation. I also have zero trouble one-hand operating my large folders. Knives often look larger in photos but if you find out the dimensions you can get a clear idea if it's suitable.
Jim
 
Absolutely right, I did check out the dimensions they were minutely smaller then what I was carrying, but apparently that difference made all the difference in the world.
 
Triton,
When I first got my EDC a week or so ago, I had a hard time getting the hang of the opening. I have very large hands. I was not suprised by the size of the EDC. I actually was looking for something a little more substantial than the Spyderco Native that I had been using as my small utility type knife. The EDC is thinner and narrower than the Native. I had to adjust my methods to make the Native work for me. The same has been true of the EDC. I have adapted and now have no problem opening the knife. Give it a chance. I think it will be worth the work. It is a sweet user.
On another note, I have a Maxx 5.5 due in on Monday. I will have both ends of the spectrum covered. ;) :D
 
I found that a quick flick with my middle finger on the underside lug opened and locked the EDC every time. It was very smooth and very fast to open. I don't think I ever used my thumb.
 
It may be a little on the small side but that is one of the advantages to the design, slim and trim! I do have smaller hands and they just barely fit. You certainly could not fit any more blade into this knife. I found the ball detent to be stiffer than many of my other knives but I like the fact that it's not going to open (or close) unless I want it to. Great knife IMHO, just took a little getting used to.
 
Just wanted to say that I had the same experience, and I do not have large hands. I would have been happier if the EDC thumbstud had been closer to the pivot. My remedy? I removed the thumbstud. I can open the EDC better without it. The EDC is a a wonderful knife for the price, one of the best deals going, but that doesn't mean that the ergonomics work for everyone.
 
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