Magnum Camp Knife... How much abuse has it withstood???

Marion David Poff

Marion David Poff

Joined
Oct 8, 1998
Messages
5,403
I don't have the magnum camp, but I have the brute. I actually think the camp would have been better for my needs. The brute sort of raises the bar in terms of what I expect a knife to look and feel like now. Everything I have feels so much smaller after I put down the brute. The problem is I have no need for something that tough. Anyway the camp should be plenty strong for most needs. I have never accidently broken a tip or snapped a blade in half under normal use. And those who have done it on purpose know that it takes considerable force to break even a very thin blade. For example I broke a buck mentor with stainless steel less than 1/8 thick, but it took a lot of abuse to accomplish this. I used the knife for throwing, stabbing wood and bending it out sideways, and finally I tried to pry a brick off and the tip let go. That was all done to a knife with inexpensive stainless steel and a very thin spine. The magnum camp should do even better than that with its carbon blade and 3/16 spine. But it's not a brute, and I think the brute or companion would be a better knife for doing the sorts of things that end up breaking other knives.
 
I skinned a squirrel and chopped through several small saplings the other day and it was still shaving sharp, if that's any help to ya. It seems like a pretty sturdy blade to me. I wouldn't do much prying with it though. Too much leverage for a kife that thin but then, I really don't know how flexible it is either. I'm gonna let Cliff handle that kind of stuff.
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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
Thanks gentlemen.

I think if I need prying done, I will buy a Campanion, but until then I think I will do well with the Magnum.

Boy, the more I hold it the more I like it.

Very fast.

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Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye, Cd'A ID, USA mdpoff@hotmail.com

>>--->Bill Siegle Custom Knives<---<<
-http://www.geocities.com/siegleknives-

Talonite Resource Page, nearly exhaustive!!

Fire Page, metal match sources and index of information.

"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.
 
MDP,
First off, thanks for being a customer! I believe that you will enjoy your MCK. But on to your question....

Well, how much confidence to put in something depends on your expectations, doesn't it. If you want a large knife that cuts exceptionally well, with enough 'backbone' to do some chopping also, then I think you should sleep well at nite
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If on the other hand, you want a knife that will challenge you in trying to break it, there are others better suited.

That being said, I had to resort to a vise and considerable effort to break a Magnum Camp in our testing. If you could give us a better idea of you expectations, we could give you more info.

BTW, I noticed on the main forum that you were loking for a new sheath for the MCK. We are especially pleased with the sheath that we send with the knife, is there something we are missing?

Thanks again for being a customer!

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Stay Sharp!
Will Fennell
Camillus Cutlery
www.camillusknives.com
 
Hoodoo :

I really don't know how flexible it is
Click to expand...

Unless Camillus has done something very odd with the heat treat, 1095 should be very ductile. I have broken several 1095 blades, all cheap ones (Ontario) and for example at 1/8" stock (no primary grind, full thickness) they will easily do to 90 degrees in 12" length and at 18" can go to 180. Which if you have not seen it before looks very impressive. Even at 1/4", with a full flat grind they will go far beyond 45 degrees. I snapped a couple 10" long and from memory I would say they were at 90 or better.

The problem in regards to prying is not the flex, but the ease at which it will bend. 1095 is a plain carbon steel and is very weak compared to the alloy steels. However because of the large flex it will take, unless you really want to, or are in an emergency, breaking it by prying is not going to happen as once the blade goes to 60 you can figure out that it might be time to stop.

Compare this behavior to for example the ultra hard stainless blades which can break at around 25 or so degrees which isn't much at all. You try to pry with them and you think you are safe as there is little flex and then - bamm - you have many little blades.

The impact toughness of 1095 is also fairly high and you can do things with it that will maul even significantly thicker blades or more brittle steel. For example I have pounded Ontario's machetes through mild steel bars without harm many times and the same will easily break chunks the size of the bar out of for example the Fallkniven VG-10 blades.

The only real disadvantage to it is that the low strength may make the edge not as durable in regards to heavy chopping on small hardwoods. I have broke pieces out of and dented up 1095 blades doing this. However it takes a fairly heavy blade for this to be possible as otherwise it simply is not possible for the swing to have enough impact energy. The latter has the interesting effect of making it possible for thinner machetes to be more durable than thicker ones for such work.

Not having used the Magnum Camp, but just based on the specs, I would not say this type of chopping would be a problem as the combination of balance, mass and length are not enough to give it a moment of inertia large enough to cause it to be able to be damaged.

-Cliff


[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 10-25-2000).]
 
Cliff,
If you are basing your judgements on spec.s, keep in mind that the BK&T's are NOT made of 1095.

------------------
Stay Sharp!
Will Fennell
Camillus Cutlery
www.camillusknives.com
 
Will, thanks for pointing that out. I don't know why I suddenly thought that the Becker blades were of 1095. In any case, being an alloy tool steel, it will be much stronger than 1095, but not as tough or as ductile. You can basically reverse the above to infer as to the advantages and disadvantages.

-Cliff
 
Will,

Thank you for thanking me, I am pleased to be a customer, I have been eying your products for awhile now. I really like this knife.

The knife does rattle in the sheath, with the blade moving along it's edge axis. Also, the knife, while being retained, goes in/out a little over a 1/4 inch. That movement is inside the retention area.

And retention is kinda light. With the handle down, sheath in my hand, thumb up, I can easily make it pop out with a jerk from the elbow.

So, I don't know if any of that is normal, but it seems less than ideal.

On a separate note, I am used to foldover Concealex sheaths that take up less space, and then the ambidexterousness is built in with the attachments. I am think of figuring a way to make a frog attachment for the Concealex sheath so that I can carry it Old West kinda style, dropped into the belt.

And let me take this oppurtunity to mention the smallish Becker that some of us have been riding you about. I would love to have a BK&T bird and trout neck knife to go with my Magnum Camp Knife... oh wait, I can have that, I just will have to ignore the blade stamp
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And, what are you guys using as a rust preventative?

Also, could you give a developers insight Brute v Machax? I have drolled over images for the Brute off and on for years, but when I held it at the shop, it seemed a bit thick. The Machax though was much lighter, felt better, and I think it may be more what I am looking for. But, I would like you take on each.

------------------
Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye, Cd'A ID, USA mdpoff@hotmail.com

>>--->Bill Siegle Custom Knives<---<<
-http://www.geocities.com/siegleknives-

Talonite Resource Page, nearly exhaustive!!

Fire Page, metal match sources and index of information.

"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.

[This message has been edited by Marion David Poff (edited 10-25-2000).]
 
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