Soldier Vs Camp Knife

K

Knifeclerk

Joined
Jul 16, 2004
Messages
1,083
I know that the SAK Soldier is very popular. But how does it compare to the Camillus USMC Camp Knife? I had one gentleman in my store who just swore by the Cam's can opener. What are all your thoughts on the two? Which would be your choice?
CM-1763P.jpg

Camillus
Soldier.jpg

Victorinox
-KC
 
The Camillus is the same style as their Dura-Tool line, good working knives, but nothing elegant. Interestingly enough, the Camillus has an NSN, so I was able to order one through the Postal Service catalog for my building engineer. They are nice in that nobody hesitates to use them hard :) But the SAK is easily as tough.
 
The Soldier is better finished, the edges are rounded and the knife is slimmer than the Camillus.

The new Soldiers have no lanyard attachment. The bail on the Camillus works but it seems too large.

You can use the end of the Victorinox can opener as a little screwdriver, on the Camillus you can't. I can open a can with either style of opener, but I don't really open too many cans.
 
I have used both styles of can opener and both knives. I prefer the Soldier by a large margin, but the "Scout knife" type would get the job done.
 
Both are decent knives, but for a little more money you can purchase the Vic "Farmer" model. The Farmer is a soldier with a added wood saw. :D
 
I've got both, go with the soldier. The camillus came very dull and it felt like there were burrs in the backspring, the soldier was sharp and smoooooooth I use it like a worry stone sometimes. Plus if you go to Target and get lucky you can find the soldier for 10 bux.
 
I suspect that the Camillus can openner is labeled because people under 50 might confuse it with the cap lifter. These are very unfamiliar tools.
 
Jeff Clark said:
I suspect that the Camillus can openner is labeled because people under 50 might confuse it with the cap lifter. These are very unfamiliar tools.
Click to expand...

Heh. I _wish_ that was the answer. :D

Unfortunately, my dad has a Camillus camp knife that he got in the Navy. The knife's stamped "1969", and it _still_ has the can opener labelled.
 
The Victorinox Soldier and the Wenger Standard Issue are better than the Camillus without a doubt IMHO.

I've never seen a Vic Soldier that was'nt nearly flawless.

Also be sure to check out the Electrician and the Pioneer line of Alox knives by Victorinox.

The Pioneer Harvester has replaced the Electrician as my favorite pocket-size slip-joint SAK (but the Rucksack is the best SAK ever).

Allen.
 
I was in the Air Force active duty for 8 years before receiving a disability discharge in 1996 (related to Desert Storm/Shield).
I used one of the "good ole" utility issue knives, went through three of them in that time. I used both and would take the SAK soldier over it any day. I use to accidently bend the blades on the issue utility knife. It was not that hard! It is still agood knife, but after using both for may years, there is not allot of competition.
 
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