Les Stroud SK Desert Folder

Les already has some higher end more expensive knives and products that he has worked to develop with other companies, the reason he did this with camillus is because not everyone can afford all that expensive stuff and need somthing that just works. So he worked with Camillus to do these knives, while not very pretty in some respects, they look comfortable and the little firesteel notch can be filled and tweaked abit with little trouble to solve the problem. While they are not a super steel, or anything fancy, they look like they work. These knives may move some people into more bushcraft and camping type things, and let them have something just to start off with. These like the leatherman wingman, which I like and use everyday, where built with price point in mind so as to be affordable and appeal to a broader range of people and not really aimed at knife snobs
 
Nah. Camillus died and was buried in 2007. February 28th, if I remember right. This is an Acme knife stamped Camillus, a nostalgia mark.
 
I guess Les feels if Bear can pull it off why not him ...

camillus-sk-arctic-survival-knife-by-les-stroud-%5B2%5D-9936-p.jpg


[video=youtube;gtTWs9BrMIE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtTWs9BrMIE[/video]
 
From watching Les's show, you can tell that he's not a high-end knife type of guy. In fact, there were two episodes where he spent a week out with nothing but a Swiss Army knife as his one and only blade. Most episodes he'll just have a multitool, and when he carries an additional knife, it's usually a no-name brand that you get in a truck stop. A cheap knife will still get the job done, and will always be better than no knife at all. If this knife gets more people interested in knives, or carrying a knife, then good job Les!
 
I think some in this thread need to come to terms reality a little more. At the end of the day (god I hate that phrase), Les (who I happen to like) is NO DIFFERENT from Bear Grylls. He is an ENTERTAINER, he is not beholden to some noble code of morality. Les and Camillus are just trying to make a living, just like the rest of us. He agreed to have his name on these knives because "Camillus" was willing to PAY HIM TO DO SO.

Think for one minute...if a knife company (even one you do not necessarily like) came to you and offered hundreds or even tens of thousands of dollars + royalties, to simply stamp your name on one of their knives(quality regardless), what would be your answer. As for the "Higher End" knife companies, ironically they probably cannot afford to pay for that sort of advertisement or do not need it. We all have a price, anyone who states otherwise is a liar. Call Les Stroud, Bear Grylls and others like them sell-outs if it makes you feel better, but they still get their money. If you were given the same opportunity, chances are you would make the same choice they did....

RANT OVER!!!
 
No, staking my reputation as an expert professional outdoorsman by having my name printed on a knife of dubious quality made in Xinjiang, China would not be a choice I would personally make.
 
From the video, looks like things were well thought out... I'd be putting any problems down to factory QC. Its a tough call for me, but then again, the most I've spent on a knife was just over 120, and I know lots of guys who consider $60 to be a high dollar knife. I'd rather have one of these than a bear grylls. not everyone is going to carry 400$ of steel. The Helle he worked on looks great, but that is well beyond what most average folks would spend. The guy has to make a living, not my place to decide how he should do that. the truth of the matter is, no one will ever sell a perfect knife, the critter does not exist.
 
For some reason the TV guys think that you should use the cutting edge to strike the ferro rods??

Also I think that thay think there probucts are GREAT because in there heads thay think I would have no issue useing this knife!
And if thay can why not everyone else! Well this knife is 100 times better than no knife, but he could have made some better choices!
O well what do I know!

Thanks
 
Les seems a great guy, what the hell was he thinking putting his name to these ???

He would have been far better approaching someone such as TOPS knives and bringing out one quality blade with his name on. Mykel Hawke, Dave Canterbury , Tom Brown and many others went to them, so I'm sure Les would have been welcomed !!!

When you see the close up pics of that knife the quality is terrible compared the the humble Victorinox SAK !
 
I saw this knife on sale at my local Academy Sports the other day and picked it up for $20 just for the novelty since I am a Les Stroud fan. Right out of the clamshell it was shaving sharp and easy to open and close (though I've seen easier). It can be quickly deployed with a flick of the wrist using your thumb to start it, and it's a nice sharp click when the blade locks open. It's also relatively comfortable and 'grippy' in the hand, but it would be much more so without the attached pocket clip. That being said, I noticed there is a triangular lanyard hole at the pommel, so I considered taking off the clip and attaching a lanyard. That's when I noticed that the edge of the blade intrudes into the wide part of the lanyard hole just enough to eat though any possible lanyard installed.

As for the ferro rod, it will spark, but not like it should if used with this knife as designed. The blade is coated as stated in previous posts with a non-stick coating that interferes with the the steel throwing sparks off the rod. Once the coating is removed out of the striking notch on the spine, it will throw sparks, but not well. I believe this is because there is a bevel along the spine that creates an angle greater than 90 degrees. In my experience greater than 90 degrees or rounded edges are just not going to find purchase enough to get a good shower of sparks. Of course my removing of the finish in the notch may have diminished the edge on the spine enough to impair it also, but it's still better than no sparks with the finish. Once it is able to throw sparks, those sparks will leave scars on the adjacent finished areas that can be both seen and felt. Not so smooth now.

Over all, it's a $20 knife that has some good ideas that could have been executed better. I'm not going to depend on it in the field because I have knives I trust more. I'm not going to use it as EDC simply because it's got more meat to it than I would prefer in my pocket, and it is bulldog in a clown suit ugly. Do I regret this purchase? Not at all. It is a reminder that brands are willing to sacrifice their names for a few pennies now as opposed to building their names on quality.
 
Coatings are a big problem for firesteels. I file an area off on the spine to remove that. Also will file the spine of non coated knives if they don't toss a good spark. A sharp 90 spine angel is good for more than just firesteels. In a pinch a sharp rock works as a striker. The same can be said of the blade. Not ideal but if fire is really needed then so be it. On a side note I have purchased knifes from respected custom makers that haven't come shaving sharp. Or maybe the "opportunity" to sharpen a brand new knife is a benefit of spending so much more!
 
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If I recall correctly, Les is not afraid to use the blade edge for striking firesteels. He even makes a point one time stating their are many who believe you shouldn't use the blade edge but he still does. Maybe he expects people to use the edge instead of the spine... I'll say that I'm a big Les fan but was a little disappointed by him going with Camillus. I was hoping for a team up with a more quality mass producer of blades.
 
trevytrev said:
If I recall correctly, Les is not afraid to use the blade edge for striking firesteels. He even makes a point one time stating their are many who believe you shouldn't use the blade edge but he still does. Maybe he expects people to use the edge instead of the spine... I'll say that I'm a big Les fan but was a little disappointed by him going with Camillus. I was hoping for a team up with a more quality mass producer of blades.
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If he expected people to use the edge then they wouldn't have made a big deal out of the notch on the spine. Out of all of them I like Les the best.
 
Maybe there was a difference between the samples and final production? I don't know. The other factor may be that camillus was willing to put forward a better deal, as they are trying to rebuild their brand. I still want one the Helles. I think everyone can agree thats an appropriate choice of collaboration.
 
The knife is ugly, made in China, with questionable steel, and is all marked up with logos. I would not own one, or carry one, if free. :eek:
 
Not Camillus. Acme United Corporation. Camillus is a branding now, not a maker of knives. Like Schrade. People at Acme designed a knife, signed the celeb to promote it, had the knife and components made at some unnamed knife factory overseas, branded it with the Camillus name and the celeb's name.
 
Dave Behrens said:
Think for one minute...if a knife company (even one you do not necessarily like) came to you and offered hundreds or even tens of thousands of dollars + royalties, to simply stamp your name on one of their knives(quality regardless), what would be your answer.
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Honestly, my answer would be no.

At the point that you are whoring your name out on products of questionable quality, just because someone is throwing money at you, your reputation is worth just about the quality of the product that carries your name. In other words, not much.
 
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