Old scout/camp knives vs. Vic Farmer for outdoor EDC

[desmobob]

When I was a teenager, one of the first knives I bought was a Case camp knife. It was carbon steel with black jigged bone handle scales. I loved it. It was one of two knives I own that was lost for a long time and then found. That made it kind of special, but I didn't carry it as much as a my old Schrade stockman because it was pretty heavy and bulky. Several years ago, I came across it while sorting some tools in an old toolbox. I've since misplaced it and can't find it!

A week or two ago, a former neighbor of mine showed me a very old Western camp knife that had belonged to his grandfather. It was in beautiful shape. It made me think about my Case camp knife and I decided to pick up another. It turns out vintage carbon steel Case camp knives can be pretty pricey, but I found a vintage Camillus for about $20. I cleaned, lubed and sharpened it and it will pop hairs easily, and still has a wonderful walk and talk and tight pivots. Unfortunately, it has cheap plastic handle scales. Jigged bone would have been great!

I put it on my nightstand next to the current DEC rotation, planning to carry it occasionally. I put it down right next to a Vic Farmer. Hmmm... I picked up the Vic to compare it to the Camillus. It has the same tools, but also a saw blade. They were virtually the same length and height, but the Vic was actually thinner, despite having a third layer!

And, surprisingly, the main blade of the Vic was slightly thicker than the Camillus' blade. The Vic Farmer really is a well-designed tool. I love my new-to-me Camillus, but now I love my Vic Farmers even more!

Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[Snow]

The Farmer is one of the absolute best. If I had to sell all but a few of my knives, it would remain.

 

[Angus McGunnigl]

Farmer. The saw wins it for me.

The scout knife is classy. I wish it could talk.

Hope you re-find yours.
My son "lost" his SAK(first knife, engraved w/ name and date) Camper in the yard a couple weeks ago. Almost puked with despair when he told me. We found it after an hour of searching. Just about killed the fatted calf !!

Added a 4 " hunter orange para-cord fob thing too it immediately.

I gave that to him on a fathrer/son camping trip when he was 6. 3 days of just him and I and the majority of it spent teaching him how to use the knife safely.
Glad he found it.

 

[wildmike]

I had a Vic Farmer for over 20 yrs. till it was stolen. The only thing I didn't like was the can opener. Now I carry a Vic Pioneer Harvester which fills the same niche.

I also have one of the Camillus scout knives. Wish the Pioneer Harvester had the bail. Great knive.

I also have one of the Camillus made, double lockback model 892's. It is very unfortunate that they are no loger made. Great folders for wilderness use when used within their limitations.

Both Camillus and Victorinox have the heat treat down on the steels they used.

 

[TheUSMC2017]

I think I have that camillus. I have a lot of them in my family for some reason, including a 1983 camp knife and 1970's jet pilot knife.

 

[ZombaiO]

The Farmer is really awsome :thumbup:

 

[TheGame]

I always have a farmer with me. One of the few blades that hasn't ever left the pocket for extended time.

 

[desmobob]

Farmer. The saw wins it for me.

The scout knife is classy. I wish it could talk.

Hope you re-find yours.
My son "lost" his SAK(first knife, engraved w/ name and date) Camper in the yard a couple weeks ago. Almost puked with despair when he told me. We found it after an hour of searching. Just about killed the fatted calf !!

Added a 4 " hunter orange para-cord fob thing too it immediately.

I gave that to him on a fathrer/son camping trip when he was 6. 3 days of just him and I and the majority of it spent teaching him how to use the knife safely.
Glad he found it.

Ah... the saw. I also prefer the Farmer to the attractive old Camillus because of the saw. Camillus did make a similar scout knife with a saw (and serrated blade) under the Remington brand, but I suspect it is probably too thick and heavy to carry comfortably in a pocket.

I hope to someday re-find that Case scout knife; thanks! I'm glad you and your son found his Camper. The way kids are with things at that age, I always figure it's pretty much pure luck that some things will survive childhood ownership and become treasured heirlooms. I hope that happens with his SAK.

I had a Vic Farmer for over 20 yrs. till it was stolen. The only thing I didn't like was the can opener. Now I carry a Vic Pioneer Harvester which fills the same niche.

I also have one of the Camillus scout knives. Wish the Pioneer Harvester had the bail. Great knive.

I also have one of the Camillus made, double lockback model 892's. It is very unfortunate that they are no loger made. Great folders for wilderness use when used within their limitations.

Both Camillus and Victorinox have the heat treat down on the steels they used.

Now that I have the Camillus scout knife, I'm remembering how I felt about the bail on the Case scout knife: it always seems to be in the way when I'm opening or closing the blades. The Farmer's attached split ring, on the bottom of the knife, can't get in the way of the blades.

Do (did) you use the bail for carrying the Camillus knife? How so?

I think I have that camillus. I have a lot of them in my family for some reason, including a 1983 camp knife and 1970's jet pilot knife.

They made folding knives longer than any company in the US... there are a LOT of them around, especially here in NY. I think the military version of the camp knife might have been made in greater numbers than any folding knife? I believe the number of them produced for the US Govt. is in the millions....


Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[76bird]

I know what you mean. I had a Boy Scout knife like this when I was in scouting.

It was easy to sharpen and stayed sharp for a while. It broke my heart when I lost it. Especially since I had only ever seen one like it.

I used to look at all the gunshows I attended trying to find another one. Finally a friend recommended I do a search on Ebay. Now I think I'm covered. LOL

 

[desmobob]

I know what you mean. I had a Boy Scout knife like this when I was in scouting.

It was easy to sharpen and stayed sharp for a while. It broke my heart when I lost it. Especially since I had only ever seen one like it.

I used to look at all the gunshows I attended trying to find another one. Finally a friend recommended I do a search on Ebay. Now I think I'm covered. LOL

It's a mental illness of some type, I'm sure. I've been looking at auctions all afternoon, bidding on knives. Knives that I don't need, but that trigger some little flicker of a spark in my feeble brain, due to old memories or something....



Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[Tye Possum]

I have a Vic Farmer as well and love it, carry it every day.

I was recently considering buying an old scout knife because it has similar tools but also has that traditional look that the Farmer somewhat lacks. The absence of a saw changed my mind though.

I realised that the Farmer is pretty much the perfect pocket knife for me and the only reason I wanted a scout knife was for the looks, so functionality won out and I stuck with the Vic Farmer, and it's not like the Vics Alox scales look bad or anything. Made me appreciate my Vic Farmer even more, though I continue to carry a Case med stockman in my other pocket for that jigged bone goodness.

 

[Buzzbait]

The Farmer has a lot going for it over a traditional scout pattern. The amazingly compact design, the killer saw, the integrated can opener/screwdriver, the awesome awl, the split ring that doesn't get in the way of a closing blade. It's my choice for EDC. I tried a Sebenza, SNG, 710, and a host of other folders. In the end, my EDC is a $30.00 Farmer. I spent a lot of extra money arriving at that decision.

A good old scout knife does have a few advantages though. The carbon steel blades of the older ones are often ground thinner and more efficient than an alox SAK, and have far better edge retention. The Delrin scales are less easy to damage to the point of creating a jagged edge than alox, although this point is admittedly a bit of a stretch. Many people hate the position of the Farmer's split ring, making a scout's bail the less objectionable of the two choices. And last, but not least, a good scout knife's tang integrates with the shape of the handle, creating a functional ricasso to rest your index finger into, helping to prevent the blade from accidentally closing. This last point is by far the biggest to me.

I'm an avid collector of old scout patterns. My first pocket knife, given to me by my father when I was a kid, was a scout pattern. There's something very nostalgic about them, to me at least. But in the end, when I weigh all of the choices, the Farmer is just the superior knife.

 

[desmobob]

There is something very attractive to me about the traditional camp/scout knife... maybe it's just nostalgia.

Those Craftmans are sweet. Were they made by Camillus? I know Camillus made the "Sears" brand knives in the past.

Here's a (very slightly) better photo of my Camillus. The images in the original post are flatbed scans, and show the blades as dull gray rather than bright. The blades actually have a mirror finish with lots of micro-scratches. I suppose if I was ambitious I could sand them out.... I did it to an old '40's era Case that was badly scratched and it was a l-o-n-g process (which yielded great results).

Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[Jeff H]

Farmer fan here.:thumbup:
I posted these recently, but love to look at them.
Never owned a scout knife but always thought they were cool.:thumbup:

 

[bindlestitch]

Great knives, great thread.:thumbup:

I did a little video review of some of these style of knives a while back.
I dig the Sak farmer that snow gave me. I carry it everyday now.

Here's the vid if anyone is interested in size comparisons and what not.

[youtube]D5RJDq8exoI[/youtube]

Iz

 

[kgd]

I like the farmer, very compact and efficient with that slightly fatter main blade. In the end, I get drawn towards the longer saw on the 'bigger' models like the Rucksak and OHT. I've settled on the OHT being my EDC and backup-woodsey knife. But the farmer ain't no slouch!

 

[desmobob]

Farmer fan here.:thumbup:
I posted these recently, but love to look at them.
Never owned a scout knife but always thought they were cool.:thumbup:

I'll be blue until I find a blue one....

Nice photo.


Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[desmobob]

Great knives, great thread.:thumbup:

I did a little video review of some of these style of knives a while back.

Iz

Great video, Iz!

We all have our personal preferences and wants in a pocket knife. You mentioned not really needing the saw but valuing the awl. Well, I use the saw a lot but can't remember ever using the awl at all.

When does the awl come in handy for you?

Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[bindlestitch]

desmobob,
Yeah the saw is way cool, I don't use it much but it is a handy little accessory.
I use the awl for drilling holes in my bow for bow and drill. I show it in one of my videos but I won't spam you guys with all that.
And the handiest use for the awl, in my opinion, is that it's great for striking a firesteel. You can get hotter, larger sparks using it on not so easy to light tinders. It's also easier for me to control than most any other striker.:thumbup:
Iz

 

[kgd]

desmobob,
Yeah the saw is way cool, I don't use it much but it is a handy little accessory.
I use the awl for drilling holes in my bow for bow and drill. I show it in one of my videos but I won't spam you guys with all that.
And the handiest use for the awl, in my opinion, is that it's great for striking a firesteel. You can get hotter, larger sparks using it on not so easy to light tinders. It's also easier for me to control than most any other striker.:thumbup:
Iz

Hmm, I've a few times considered the merits of the side opening awl versus the center opening awl. The side opening awl is much better for firesteel striking, but I find the center awl better for poking holes in stuff. Sometimes I wish that had both awls on the same knife and lose the bottle opener