Who carries a scout knife.....

C

camo kid

Joined
Sep 3, 2002
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For the past several years I have carried an old tl-29 as my edc for the most part, and they have been very good to me. Recently however I have rediscovered scout / camp knives. I have several of them now, my favorites are to Ulsters I found at flea markets / yard sales one cost .50 cents and the other .85 cents. After cleaning the rust from them and oiling the joints I found the carbon steel in the old Ulsters takes one heck of an edge, and the other tools are some what handy also. I was just wondering who els likes to edc a scout knives and if you do, what is your favorite brand? Joe
 
I've been EDCing a CV Case scout/camp knife for the past couple of months. It used to belong to my grandfather. I agree with you on Ulsters. Imperial is another brand I'm fond of. They aren't as sturdy, but something about them apeals to me. I'd love to get my hands on an original Remington in good shape, but I'm not that lucky.

Leo
 
what do you guys think about the older kabar camp knife? I have had my eye on one in great condition (other than surface rust) at a local 2nd hand store. I think it is 16 bucks.
 
I'd say get the Kabar. I've never handled one of their camp knives, but the other slipjoints by them that I have, have been good knives. At the very least, it should be fully worth the 16 bucks.

Leo
 
I unfortunately don't own a camp knife, per say, but one of my most carried knives of the past few years is my Wenger SI. Same knife configuration, and basically a modern Scout. I love the utility of it. I am a big fan of the camp knife and will one day have to get one.
 
lion, The imperial "Camp kings" are what I used to carry when I was younger, I cant remember how many handles I accidentally busted off of them, but their thin steel blade far out cut the other 5$ knives that were available. I also hope to find a decent Remington scout knife one day, the ones I have come across have all been in bad shape.

wudnme, I have never handled a Ka-bar scout knife, but I do have a Barlow, 2 bladed jack, and small whittler from them and all are very good quality. I would buy it if I had the chance.

ElCuchillo, swiss army knives are great and I have several of them. I love the soldier model and some times I carry that if I am going to be in or around water.
 
How do you find the can opener on scout knives? Most seem quite different than the Vic Sak ones, which I find a little odd to use.
 
Neit82 said:
How do you find the can opener on scout knives? Most seem quite different than the Vic Sak ones, which I find a little odd to use.
Click to expand...

I find them much easier to use. Most people seem to disagree with me, but I've never particuarly liked the can opener on a Vic. SAK. They work, but are counter-intuitive for me. The ones on a typical scout/camp knife suit me better. In fact, I prefer them to any of the modern can openers I've tried, including electric. My wife thinks I'm crazy.

Leo
 
Well they(scouts) are the type that cut towards yourself right? Seems a more natural motion to me.
 
I like scout knives - official BSA and others - and may decide to limit my collection to that pattern. The original down-and-back cutting "safety" can opener was patented on Christmas Day 1945 by Mirando and assigned to Imperial (Patent 22391732). The Victorinox design is patented by them. Prior to the Mirando design the openers worked as a first-class lever cutting upward, with the blade or a pin extending from it resting on the lip of the can.
 
I don't really associate this with a traditional Scout pattern, though it is, and likely older than the traditional-looking wood or bone-scaled Scouts, but I EDC a Vic Cadet with Alox scales. Too thin and lightweight not to fit right next to my wallet.

A stag or bone Peanut or Senator goes in the front pocket and gets used more for cutting, but the Cadet is just handy for driving screws and easily opening cans.
 
I carry this one in my briefcase almost all the time now.

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My first folding knife was a very old Camillus scout knife from my dad that was so old, rusted and sharpened-down (the main blade was so small that when closed, the tip stuck out of the handle) that is was hard to even use by then.

As a kid, I think I experimented a bit with an old Colonial one, but never felt great about that.

Now, the only scout-style knives I use are the Vic Soldier or Pioneer. The blade configuration are almost identical. Or were the scout knives based on the SAKs? Anyway, I personally love the Vic can openers. The Wenger can openers are like the scout knife openers, and I've used the Wenger version but don't like it as much. Personal preference.
Jim
 
I honestly don't have a preference for any of the can openers, as I find them all quite use full. I think the Wenger ones, and scout knife openers work faster for me, but I like the screwdriver tip on the Victorinox, even though the craftsman 4 way screwdriver makes that kind of redundant. Joe
 
I think that within the next few years we'll see most all cans come with the pull tab opening. It's alllready there on most of the canned food i take on camping trips like spam and sardines, and cambell soups. Even in the kitchen at home I rarely have to use a can opener anymore exept for a church key on the tomato sause cans when I make spaggetti sause or chilli.

But then I remember when you needed a church key to open a can of beer.
 
Yeah, thats a good point Jackknife. When I have grand kids one day I may have to explain to them that food came in metal cans that needed a tool to be opened. Kind of a strange thought, then again I never did get to open a can of beer with a church key! Joe
 
I'm still trying to get used to the idea of tuna fish and chicken in foil packs!

I don't know why, but that strikes me as just sort of wrong. :confused:
 
I went through a couple of Imperial Camp Kings as a kid. Now a Wenger SI or Vnox Farmer fills that roll. I have a Camillus scout knife but it has a wimpy blade spring and is kind of heavy.

FWIW Beer cans were serious containers at one time. Hamms, Kingsbury, Pabst, etc. supplied a church key with each sixpack. I felt like one of the men when my job (at five) was to open soon to be extinct steel cans ( I think) of Kingsbury for the hay baling crew.

I still have that church key. It reminds me of Grandpa and other family now gone.
 
camo kid said:
... I have rediscovered scout / camp knives. I have several of them now, my favorites are to Ulsters I found at flea markets / yard sales one cost .50 cents and the other .85 cents. After cleaning the rust from them and oiling the joints I found the carbon steel in the old Ulsters takes one heck of an edge, and the other tools are some what handy also.
Click to expand...

Amen, brother. I have one of those ancient Ulster BSA knifes and the carbon steel on it is amazing! Overall the pattern's not my cup of tea, but for someone who A) likes the scout pattern, or B) just needs a good solid cheap using knife, getting one for less than a dollar at a flea market and buffing it up with a little elbow grease is a great way to go.
 
i think that the steel in those old Ulsters and Imperials was good old 1095, or somethng close in the 10 series of simple carbon steel. I still beleive to this day that 1095 is one of the best cutting tool steels you can have. I think alot of the yonnger guys who are into knives and have ne ver used it, would be amazed at the preformance of it.

Maybe when the experiment is over, I'll go hunt down some old scout knves at a flea market and bring them back to life. My son Matt is still using the Camillus scout knife my dad gave me in 1953. He loves that knife.
 
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