Any comments on Camillus

[Smiley]

Good day to you all.

Can anyone comment on the Camillus line of knives and specifically the BK series. I am looking at getting the crewman utility knife. Half for collection and half for my sixty acres of backwoods.

Which actually brings me to another thought. My sixty acres resides in Mass and borders over 1500 acres of state forest. I hike all the time in there and would like to have a decent sized knife on me. However the biggest knife I carry is about a 4" folder for the sheer fear of being out of line as far as state laws go. Does anyone have a knife suggestion for backwoods that someone has to go through a state and cities that are unfriendly to any kinds of "weapons"?

 

[Optical Serenity]

I have a Becker BK-7 and its an awesome knife for the money. Built very tough...just remember it uses a tool steel and is very prone to rust if you don't care for it. Also, its a very tough steel (good for chopping) so you must not let it get overly dull otherwise its a pain to sharpen.

Great knives, great prices though..

 

[lawson]

i have a couple knives from the Camillus family, a Becker Brute and a Cuda neck knife.

the brute is my field knife. i use it for everything from chopping wood to chopping catfish tails off. i'm convinced i couldn't break it if i tried. i live in a dry climate so rust has not been an issue yet, but i keep it clean, and sharpen it often. i assume the crewman utility would be equaly tough. i bought my dad a Becker Campanion for his birthday, and he loves it.

research your state knife laws, i don't know how strict connecticut is, but you might be legal in a state forest.

 

[22-rimfire]

Camillus makes good knives. Check out the SOG Northwest Ranger as a possibility. It has a 5" blade and I use it for general woods carry and hunting (in addition to a pocket knife). Check out Knifeworks.com and do some browsing. Choice really depends on how much money you want to spend.

The Blade forum has a section devoted to knife laws. You might check it out and do some searching on both CT and MA blade laws. Apparently some cities have their own more restrictive laws. You may have to join the forum to do much searching. In most cases, the "laws" apply to folks carrying inside cities and not out in the woods or camping. But, if you get on the wrong side of a LEO/Ranger/Warden you should know the actual legal requirements. Generally daggers and switchblades are illegal to carry and blades over 4-6" otherwise. In my state, the legal blade length is 4" and most are not aware of this number. These laws address carrying a large knife around town mostly.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=735

 

[hso]

However the biggest knife I carry is about a 4" folder for the sheer fear of being out of line as far as state laws go. Does anyone have a knife suggestion for backwoods that someone has to go through a state and cities that are unfriendly to any kinds of "weapons"?

Check here.

http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/links.htm#knife laws

 

[Starter52]

Camillus made blades for the U.S. military all through WWII and beyond. Their knives were always good quality. I've had a folding stainless steel US Navy knife from them for over 30 years.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Great knives for the money!

 

[carpettbaggerr]

There are no blade length restrictions in Massachusetts, other than within Boston.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=1172448&postcount=7

You'll have to research CT laws yourself.


If you're really concerned about complying with ridiculous laws, I like Spyderco's L'il Temperance. It's 3 inch smooth blade is legal just about everywhere. The blade's broad and thick, and it has a good sized handle, so you can really make it work.

 

[Rupestris]

I own three Camillus knives.
One is a Buck style folder with a 4: blade. Heavy but well built.
Second is a Ka-Bar style military knife made in 1968.
Third is a Becker K&T BK71. Same as the BK7 but in the desert camo beige.

If you're looking at the Becker, I really like the 7" model. It has plenty of heft and seems to be better balanced than the shorter model or the 9" behemoth.
While the 9" swings like a wrecking ball, its a bit unweildy for camp chores.

For reviews, read the following:
http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/becker_cu_7.html

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/becker_combat_bowie.html

I've put the Becker through its paces. The coating seems to hold up well but does thin and eventually more steel is exposed as you'd expect. Its far from pretty but I bought it to abuse. Not hang over the fireplace enshrined. Collector value is probably nil. I wouldn't count on selling it for a profit. In fact, once you use it, you'll realize its true value is in its ability to stand up to just about anything. I look for excuses to use mine.

Keep it in a backpack with a compass, some rope, a couple power bars and a few other camping/hiking items and its just part of your camping gear. Nothing illegal about camping, is there?

Best of luck with whatever you choose.