The featured-filled blade has multiple tools from it’s long sharp edge, to the gut hook/cord cutter, to the tanto- esk blade end, to the serrated saw section, to the prybar tip. That’s a good thing, and something I’ve stressed with expensive knives like most of the Fallkniven variety. The grip of the Carnivore is hard plastic covering with an exposed tail section that ensures that all accurate pounding will skip the grip and focus the force completely on the blade. And with the Camillus Carnivore, you might be surprised…or not.

Both work as advertised.įor a large blade that sells for between $20 and $30, one should not have high expectations for the handle. That’s the difference between a $25 knife and a $250 knife. But it was never designed as such, nor should you expect it too. But that might not really be an issue with a knife like the Camillus Carnivore since it seem to be more of a here-and-now survival tool that might have limited use in the long term.

It is common among disposable edges like razor blades, but presents issues with actual hand knives in that the resharpenability of the blade is more difficult. The bonded property presumably is an inexpensive way of hardening the very edge of the blade.

In the case of the Camillus Carnivore, a “Titanium bonded” stainless steel, presumably a 440 Chinese variety. Stainless steels, on the other hand, don’t like to be bent, and resist the sharpening stone more aggressively than carbon steels. Most machete-sized edged tools utilize a spring steel of moderate hardness (or softer hardness to use an oxymoron) that gives great physical flexibility and ease of sharpening. By combining the traits of a large machete-like blade with that of a diverse survival knife, the Camillus Carnivore can run double duty as long as you abide by the rules of limitation.

Camillus carnivore xz