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

Ken,
I agree, the side awl is easier for me to drill holes with too.
Us woodsmen are like picky divas when it comes to our knives.:D
Iz
 
kgd said:
.....Sometimes I wish that had both awls on the same knife and lose the bottle opener :D
Click to expand...

The awl works well as an awl, unlike the ones on some multi-tools I have owned. It's also good for producing fine shavings as a scraper. I literally shaved a full-length piece of material off one of my BSA hot-Sparks with it yesterday, so went back to holding the saw blade and using the back of that.:o

The silver one in the pic was recently modified to remove the can and bottle openers and I was actually thinking about making a bail for it like on the old Scout knives. I was in love with the idea of a split ring for securing it inside my coat or shirt pocket with a blanket pin, but the thing he ring attaches too digs into my hand when I use the saw, so it went the way of the can and bottle opener.

Funny how preferences vary. I didn't like bails before but think I will make one from the same brazing rod that I used for the pins. I decided that the inconvenience of it sometimes being in the way (unless mounted on the saw/knife pivot end) was worth the security and it should not dig into me when I use the saw.

Without those tools it strays a bit from the Scout platform, but I carry a couple P-38s and don't use the bottle opener in the woods at all. Even at $30 these are a good value. Wish I had grabbed half a dozen when the red ones wer going for $15.
 
Farmer gets my vote to, I have only been carrying mine for a little over a year, but before that I carried an Imperial Scout knife. I loved my saw until it broke on some osage!

The awl on the farmer is quite handy for drilling holes. I like the side opening position to, but those awls can't drill as big of holes and are a different beast in my opinion.
 
Jeff H said:
Thanks.

Yes, the blue has a certain appeal. Wish I had a few more of them.
Click to expand...

To my eye, the blue Farmer is one of the best looking knives ever made.

I owned 7 at one time but have since gotten down to 1. I wish they would start making them again.
 
desmobob said:
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?

Stay sharp,
desmobob
Click to expand...

There's an oldtimer down the street from me that carries his jackknife by the bail. This guy has been a biology teacher/naturalist for at least 50 years, still heats his house with wood, and is stubborn as all get out. No way he would carry it like that if it didn't work exactly how he wanted it to.

He uses a double bolt snap... one snap through the bail and the other around his belt loop.
 
desmobob said:
Those Craftmans are sweet. Were they made by Camillus? I know Camillus made the "Sears" brand knives in the past.
Click to expand...

From what I understand, these Craftsman scouts were made by Ulster Knives. It's hard to pin point production though. Ulster was merged with Schrade at the time, and both companies were even manufacturing from the same building in Ellenville. To make matters more difficult, tooling was often sold to neighboring knife companies, like Camillus, and then the work farmed out to the current owner of the tooling. The histories and dealings of slipjoint manufacturers in the Northeast, especially in Upstate New York, are very interesting, yet quite confusing at the same time.

I also have a mint Camillus 99 Scout, much like yours. But mine is from one of the final runs from the Camillus factory, so it's stainless steel and has the more modern short bottle cap lifter. I really like yours a lot.

99_Scout.jpg


Another great option is the old Mauser style German Army knife. Mine isn't a Victorinox, but Victorinox did produce this model. It's got a great lanyard hole, a really big blade, a short saw, a cap lifter, a corkscrew for those who want to carry a Vic eyeglass screwdriver, and a long side style awl. All in all, a very robust knife.

Mauser.jpg
 
Last edited:
While I still keep my Skeletool where I can grab it, a red Alox Vic Farmer rides in my left front pocket under my wallet.

When I was a kid in NYC, a camp knife was the knife to have. The awl was indispensable for mumblypeg. :)
 
Thanks for all the input, fellas.

Buzzbait, your photos are very appealing! This thread has me gaining a lot of interest in traditional knives and the Northeast's great history of knife manufacturing.

In honor of it all, I just ordered new sleeveboard and sunfish patterns from Great Eastern Cutlery and started looking for more vintage camp knives.

I guess my Vic Farmers still maintain their position at the top of the heap of my "Wilderness and Survival" folders (with the Vic Huntsman and Hiker right behind and a new One Hand Trekker ordered and on the way for consideration), but there's something about the old NY- and PA-made camp knives and traditional folders that really is attractive to me.

You know, I can actually remember the time when I had one knife, and was satisfied....


Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I've fallen under that "Farmer's" spell too - but I've also got a couple vintage "Official Boy Scouts of America" knives - two 40's era Remmingtons a Dwight Devine, and a couple Camullius that all show lots of wear but are all there! - Side Bar - the B.S.A. now "officially" sells Vic Tinkers, Mechanics, Classics, and another with just the two blades at least - so I can still be a true Boy Scout and carry a Vic - Now if only they would authorize that Farmer!
Peace
Revvie
 
Buzzbait said:
Another great option is the old Mauser style German Army knife. Mine isn't a Victorinox, but Victorinox did produce this model. It's got a great lanyard hole, a really big blade, a short saw, a cap lifter, a corkscrew for those who want to carry a Vic eyeglass screwdriver, and a long side style awl. All in all, a very robust knife.

Mauser.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes, those are very nice too. A bit larger than the Farmer. Great grip and tools. But they're quite hard to find these days.

Victorinox108mm.jpg
 
All this talk of Camp style knives makes me want to carry one today. For a while I collected Boy Scout knives, so I have many too choose from.
 
desmobob said:
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.... :rolleyes:

:D

Stay sharp,
desmobob
Click to expand...

So, you're the one that keeps beating me out on the bidding. :)
 
I would take the Farmer every time . The Pioneer/Soldier would also be no slouch .

Chris
 
William Cannon said:
All this talk of Camp style knives makes me want to carry one today. For a while I collected Boy Scout knives, so I have many too choose from.
Click to expand...


Post some photos of them, William!

Liveitloud and I are going to buy up all the ones on eBay (I just scored another really nice Camillus model 99 today). That should drive up the value of your collection. ;)



:D
Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Ski, you got some nice looking knives. The copper Alox is beautiful.
Click to expand...

Thanks... It's actually orange, I'm not very good at taking pics. I have always loved SAKs (starting carrying them when backpacking/canoing/camping at age 11) but just in the past year I have been picking up a few nicer ones. The best part is they will be part of my woods rotation (dang that BCUSA forum :eek: ).


By the way the orange one is my favorite too :D

Ski
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top