Kershaw Scamp Long term review.

[Raghavachari]

Hey there.
Intro first I guess. Amateur camper, biker and general nomad from India here. Always liked knives and been a "knife guy" in that manner but never actually had the opportunity to be educated about it as I have on this forum.

As my id will tell you all, I am pretty new to this knife stuff. I have camped and hiked all over India and always ended up using cheap knives and axes for any bush work I need to do. I also am not in the habit of edc-ing a knife in an urban environment.

http://s1157.photobucket.com/albums/p58 ... vachari77/

This knife (KAI2710) was the first quality folder I bought and used and I have to say I have abused it to an extreme level. I have even baton-ed with it. Small pieces and with the lock disengaged but it damn well performed. I have used it for food prep both meat and vegetables, trimming bushes (like a machete is supposed to do), cutting walking sticks, cardboard, lots of carpeting, dug holes and notched in trees and tent pegs and cut anything else that needed cutting, I use this over some of my kitchen knives when I want to process stuff with bones in it. The steel is exponentially better than anything I have used before (taking into account I have used only carbon steels and regular-maybe 440- soft steels). It holds an edge as good as some reconditioned metal saw blades I use for bush-crafting. I am not too educated or experienced in super-steels but I submit that a blade that holds such a good edge over so much cutting through so many very tough materials and still sharpens up to a scary fine edge, is alright by me. The edge got dulled and curled over use and I have sharpened it many times but it stays sharp for so damn long. I use a meduim and fine combo oil stone from Carborundum Universal, finish it with the ceramic stick from a Smith 3in1 (I changed the edge geometry) and strop it on an old leather belt. There is still no blade play I haven't been able to eliminate with a 2 second tightening with a hexbit. This is to me a hard use folder; emphasis on the hard.

I have seen so many expert reviews on knives like the Spyderco Tenacious, the Rat 1 from Ontario and the Cold Steel Recon 1 etc and though I have never used or even held these knives, the Kershaw scamp would compare favorably with them on any criteria IMHO. That frame-lock looks and feels like it will survive anything and I feel it would be stronger than a lockback or a linerlock mechanism. I don't know much about the more advanced locks like the Axis by Benchmade or Cold Steel's Tri-Ad lock. Hell, I carried it camping over my later acquired SOG Northwest Ranger 2.0. (Thank you Adam from E2E for helping me with that decision) and did not miss a fixed blade at all. I had my Aruval (Traditional reverse recurved South Indian Machete/Chopper) for all the tree chopping and batoning stuff but this did everything else, fire-making included. I dare say I wont need another folding knife for a long time.

For the equivalent of $36 shipped to India... this is a steal.

My first review, my 2 cents and my request to forgive any dumbassery inferred from my "review".

Thanks and Regards
Vasu

[Moin.]

Hi Vasu;

Welcome to the Archery, Knives & other edged tools
section of the IFG forum. Somehow can't open the link you've posted, but difficult to beleive that this folder can take the abuse you've mentioned. If so wonderful. Do post pics of all your blades and ofcourse your jungle exploits.

Reviews is something missing from this forum, great that you've started with one.

Best Regards
Moin.

[Rajat]

Hello,

Welcome! Good to read your review and recommendation. By looking at it the Scamp looks like a decent knife with clean lines and if you have tested it so extensively we will add it to our list of good knives.

Do share your views on your other knives and gear etc.

[xl_target]

Good review. A lot of people like this knife. I think I'm going to look into getting one. If nothing else, the price is right.
Nutnfancy did a review on this and he seems to really like it too.
[youtube][/youtube]

[ckkalyan]

Welcome to IFG Raghavachari ,

I wish you an enjoyable time here.

Thank you for sharing pictures of your amazingly versatile blade and the detailed review. Good work!

[Raghavachari]

Hey guys,
Thanks for the warm welcome.
Moin, I have taken a look at your collection and mine is a microscopic fraction of yours. I am a user not a collector. At least not yet.

I have the following (will upload pics soon)

1. No Name Chinese Slipjoint- This was a surprising find at RS.100 at Crawford Market. I bought 3-4 different ones but this one just took a wicked edge and kept it for surprisingly long through paper, polythene, cardboard and some pencils. This is my EDC. And I think it will serve well as a personal defense weapon too should the need arise.

2. Kershaw Scamp- Off 20north- Review already here. My first proper quality folder. Decided to put it to good use.

Hope U can see this pic. Its on the first hiking trip. Practically unused at the time. Stopped EDCing this because there's too much metal there to be discreet and very little real application in an urban environment. Though it opens tender-coconuts very neatly

3. SOG NW Ranger 2.0- Off 20north- This was a subjective purchase. I just wanted it! After watching the video by Adam from equip2endure on youtube. Its a beautiful blade. Light and tough. Haven't really used it yet. Its till in the box and plastic. The Scamp just carries so much better. Even out camping or hiking its not practical to carry a belt carry blade in a leather sheath. I get looked at funny. Don't even know if I want to keep it.

4. Aruval- Cheapo carbon spring steel Aruval reconditioned by a local smith in Chennai under my instructions. He heated and hammered at it for a day and then tempered it. Had a "dharwaala" re-profile the edge. Angle unknown but kept it pretty thick cos its gotta chop.

That's it for now other than a bunch of beater kitchen knives and a few sharpened saw blades.

I also have 2 Carborundum Universal Oilstones, A Smith's 3-in-1 (Off 20north) and a Swedish firesteel (Off Oliveplanet)

I think I am pretty well equipped for most situations, bladewise.

[Raghavachari]

IMG00185-20120313-1124.jpg

Just a couple of clarifications.I never got into it with the intent to "test" it in the reviewer sense.
Just found myself liking the way it felt in my hand and using it more and more. It constantly impressed me and has gotten me hooked on to good knives and everything surrounding good knives.

I repeat, I am no expert. I just enjoy the outdoors and now I find myself enjoying knives.

[xl_target]

Raghavachari,
After reading your review, I liked the blade and handle shape of the Scamp. I went looking for a Kershaw Scamp but was unable to find one. However, I was at Cabelas last weekend and I found and bought a CRKT Lake 111 z2 (2.5 inch blade).

As you can see from the photo, it's generally similar to the Scamp but is slightly smaller. It also has the LBS safety as shown in the video below.


http://www.crkt.com/Lake111Z2?&search_id=1162769

This one has a combo edge. I usually prefer a plain edge but decided to try the combo edge this time. The dang thing is razor sharp and I've already cut myself with it. It's going to replace my Gerber Parafarme as an EDC, at least for a little while. Mine is the newer version with stainless liners rather than brass. It has the Zytel scales rather than Aluminum, which would work better for me in the winter.

A video review (by someone else):
[youtube][/youtube]

[Raghavachari]

Raghavachari,
After reading your review, I liked the blade and handle shape of the Scamp. I went looking for a Kershaw Scamp but was unable to find one. However, I was at Cabelas last weekend and I found and bought a CRKT Lake 111 z2 (2.5 inch blade).

As you can see from the photo, it's generally similar to the Scamp but is slightly smaller. It also has the LBS safety as shown in the video below.

[ Image ]
http://www.crkt.com/Lake111Z2?&search_id=1162769

This one has a combo edge. I usually prefer a plain edge but decided to try the combo edge this time. The dang thing is razor sharp and I've already cut myself with it. It's going to replace my Gerber Parafarme as an EDC, at least for a little while. Mine is the newer version with stainless liners rather than brass. It has the Zytel scales rather than Aluminum, which would work better for me in the winter.

A video review (by someone else):
[youtube][/youtube]

Nice knife. Perfect blade shape IMHO. And its good to see them bolstering the lockback. Its CRKT so QC will be pretty good. I owned a N.E.C.K from them and it was my edc when I traveled up country. Gave it to a friend and replaced it with the Eskabar because the recurved tanto shape limited utility. I always recommend framelocks because its the simplest and strongest form of lock that can be mass produced without too much chance of failure. But that LBS looks like it provides that extra toughness. Let me know if it is as effective as the video claims.

And I like the newer version's higher grind. In a knife this size blade thickness below the spine doesn't matter as long as the spine maintains thickness. I am sure its a fine cutter. I do see the value of the serrations but they are a b****h to maintain especially if like me you put your knives through abuse. But its the perfect size. The scamp fits in my hands like it was made for me but its a big heavy chuck of metal in the edc spectrum. I do believe the lake wins out on carryability.

The edge geometry looks steep.

[xl_target]

But that LBS looks like it provides that extra toughness. Let me know if it is as effective as the video claims.

The LBS works pretty good. They must have improved it since the video was made. Mine locks up tight. When open and locked, you can't move the blade. When closed and locked, it moves a very little bit, maybe a couple of mm. Definitely not as much movement as shown in the video. I did not get an adjustment wrench for the pivot as shown in the video. The slots are still there but unlike the knives in the video, the pivot screws on mine have a T6 torx socket in the middle of the screw head. I much prefer this than having to rely on some proprietary tool. Another thing I like about this knife is that it is quite thin.