Kershaw Camp 10 Machete, 10" High Performance Carbon Steel Blade, Glass-Filled Nylon Handle, Includes Protective Blade Sheath, Ideal for Camping and Outdoor Chores

I own the Kershaw 10, 14 and 18 inch. I have been using them for more than two years mainly for hiking and property maintenance. These are good quality large knives that work very well at limbing trees, opening coconuts, clearing a path of heavy brush, and removing large plants like banana and papaya. All of my Kershaw Camp knives came very sharp out of the box with a good working edge. Although I have an assortment of machetes from short to long, none of them hit with the authority of the Camp series of knives. The heavier blade doesn't require the velocity of a machete strike. The approximately 3/16ths of an inch steel also has a tendency free itself after a strike and not get wedged into the wood. This is a full tang knife with steel going all the way to the back of the handle. I added a paracord lanyard easily to the big cutouts in the handle to make a D-shape guard. I have never had a slip or drop with that set up. The rubber grip has very aggressive traction that smoothes out over time but shows no wear after some pretty heavy use. The plastic sheath is very functional and solid. I added a snap and strap to hold the handle while using the sheath in a drop leg configuration to control bounce. A leg strap keeps the whole setup in place when walking. Of course a baldric (shoulder strap) or pack mount are easy and quick to setup, too. The steel appears to be a simple carbon steel with a baked on finish that is durable enough for medium use but with quickly wear in heavy use. There's no need to strip any of these. The knife keeps an edge that gets me through the day but requires regular maintenance. The blade and handle fasteners should get a light coat of mineral after each use. I sharpen mine after ever use and they stay shaving sharp with about two minutes on a strop. Not bad for such a big blade. This is a solid choice if you want a very good knife with a versatile sheath that you're not afraid to use in the deep, deep forest without a rider on your homeowner's policy. I have better knives with better sheaths that cost hundreds of dollars more and do everything better - and they should! But bang for the buck? It's hard to beat the Kershaw Camp series.

What it is: A quality heavy cutting tool! What it is not: A machete. (it's really more like a short sword) It just doesn't get any better than this. If you are looking for a serious and versatile cutting tool for cold to temperate climates stop looking and buy it now. You would be hard pressed to find anything better, This will chop, hack, split, and cut anything you put in front of it. Chops dead-fall better than a hatchet or almost any axe in the price range and clears trails better than a big knife (I'm lookin' at you CS Trailmaster and RTAK II) and clear shrubby stuff like a long handle brush axe... minus the long handle ;) will do anything a machete will for a few swings before your arm gets tired. Leave your other blades at home... you wont be needing them. Pros: - One of the best "Big Blades" available period (Not just for the money) - Excellent heat treating - perfect temper - Scary sharp out of box! - Blade is Full Flat Ground with a nice convex edge and 3/16" thick! - Nice durable black powdercoat on blade, will wear with time but so far so good - The injection molded rubber handle is very comfortable in hand and not too "grippy" - Sheath is not too shiny and and has plenty of attachment points for your pack or MOLLE/PALS gear but this blade WAY too heavy for tactical use! *Get to feel like Crocodile Dundee "That's not a knife..." Cons: - They try to sell it as a machete which it is not. If you want to swing this thing around all day at thin springy vines and branches or grasses then forget it; it's just too heavy. Buy a tramontina instead or if you are headed for the real jungle get a Condor light machete. - As other Reviewers have noted the sheath isn't the best. It is a functional hard plastic that is annoyingly loud with zero passive retention, It is also heavy. But If you shove some foam rubber in the bottom or add a retaining magnet to keep it quite it should do just fine, for professional use; get a Kydex sheath. - Negative for your wallet; If you're like me it will make you want to buy two or three these; just in case this one walks off and they stop making them. - After you clear your property of all standing vegetation... It Might make you neighbors nervous when you're asking if they need anything cut down. Pro tip: Use Lemon Pledge to keep your blades clean and protected, it makes them cut better too! WD-40 will do the same job but can harm the finish.

I've owned a lot of large blades over the years. This one has really impressed me, I actually own 2 now. If you are a into carrying large knives into the field, over an ax, this may be the one for you. It feels wonderful in the hand, nice comfortable handle, very grippy. The ergonomics of the blade alone make it an excellent chopper and its got a good weight to it. Both of mine came hair popping sharp, are easy to sharpen, and maintain an edge well. The sheath is actually pretty nice too, I like it anyway. You can easily rig it to ride higher by your waist, or lower on your hip. You can adjust the straps on it for right, or left hand carry, (great for me, because I'm a lefty). You can even adjust it for side carry. No rattling around either! Its not as thick as some if its pricier competitors....but I think thats actually an advantage in this case. The length, weight, and overall design, actually lend this thing to be one of the easiest large blades I've ever handled, to be used for machete oriented jobs. I really like this, because when I am out in the field, I often find myself wishing I had a machete with me, I just can't warrant carrying one along, I need something thats going to be able to split wood as well, and I just don't feel that a machete is suited to much besides clearing light brush here in the northwest. The end of the blade flairs out a bit in almost kukri fashion, which not only makes it a great chopper, but also makes it easy to handle as a draw knife, or grip up for small tasks. The price point is where this thing really shines...and I think blows its competition out of the water. For $40 you are getting a large, well designed, carbon steel, full tang Blade, with a pretty good sheath, from a reputable manufacturer. Considering what this thing is capable of...I'm just not sure you can find too many other bargains like that. I think this thing is on par with the Cold Steel Trailmaster, or the Ontario SP50 and the like...in my opinion anyway. I bring those up specifically because they are popular bowies with stellar reputations, and I own both of them. Having used all of these...I can tell you that this Knife performs and holds up, just as well. I even favor it. Now check out the price tag on those others...this thing is a bargain. If you are a big knife guy...you really have to own this. I go in phases of using different styles of tools and had been leaning towards using a hatchet for sometime. This thing brought me right back to big knives!

Wow this thing is great! Ill admit im a Kershaw fanboy but this knife blew me away. The fit n finish are superb. The knife arrived quickly from Amazon well oiled and with a beautiful razor edge. Im not going waste time describing this knife. descriptions are everywhere. The carbon steel blade holds an edge great. I recently took it out chopping heavy oak logs for my fire pit with a hair popping edge. I was purposely rough with it for about 4 hours. After that, it wouldn't shave hair anymore but it still cut paper perfectly. No chips or dents in the blade. The finish did get scuffed up but this is to be expected. Actually in my experience, this finish held up better than the finish on any of the Becker/Kabar knives I own. All of which are much more expensive than the CAMP 10. Not much to say about the handle. Rubber overmold and full tang. Fits my hand great. The rubber is "just right" grippy and feels of quality. The Camp 10's shape and weight makes it really good at chopping and batoning. I could see it doing well at clearing brush too although its weight is front heavy. I could learn to handle that. The grind and edge retention makes it good at slicing too. This knife is very handy. I am REALLY happy with this purchase. However the sheath, while well built, sucks IMO. I HATE Non rigid belt loops. This loop has a Velcro detachment which is nice but the thing flops all over the place when hooked to your belt. This is super annoying to me. My solution is to tie the bottom of the sheath to my thigh with elastic or cord. luckily the plastic sheath has plenty of holes for lashing. The sheath does has multiple carry options. It comes with 2 nylon/Velcro strap for horizontal carry or lashing to a pack - this makes up for the lame belt attachment. The retention is a nylon strap that wraps around the hilt and snaps. Its adequate at holding the hefty CAMP 10 in the sheath, BUT, when you remove the knife the edge can possibly cut the strap. DUMB. Only a matter of time for me. Im about to make my own kydex sheath for it. I could live with the factory sheath but I enjoy making my own kydex sheaths, holsters etc. Im pretty sure the CAMP 10 is made in china. BUMMER I really really love this knife and I glad I have it in my collection. I highly recommend the CAMP 10 to anyone who enjoys the outdoors. But due to the sheath and china I give it 4 STARS

Overall this is a well made blade. I hesitate to call it a knife because it is so long. 18" is not a knife. For a machete it is a good size and weight. I think the handle is comfortable but it is a bit on the small size for something this big. It is considered a full tang, but it is not as wide as the blade because it is a hidden tang. I plan to make a handle for it out of some good heavy weight hardwood and it should balance out a little better and fit my 3x large hands. If you want a well made machete that is not the typical stamped out piece of 1/8" metal than this is a bargain. I also bought the 10" knife and it is also well made and big. It is forward heavy as a chopper should be but the handle is smaller than I care for so I will make a handle for this one too. Most people would not have an issue with these handles. I have very large hands. The sheaths are ok. They work. Plenty of ways to attach and carry. The only thing holding these large blades in place is one strap that wraps around the handle and snaps in place. Take that strap off and that blade will come out easily. For the price these are a bargain. Any negative comments are simply my thoughts. Most people would not have a problem either way with these. I have yet to use these so I can't comment on the blade structure, but as soon as I do I will post the results.

This review is based on my first impression of this knife. I just got it today so my opinion could change. If it does I'll update this review. First off have to just say this is a fantastic knife. I'm not a big fan of china made products, but this is an exception. The quailty of workmanship is top notch. I wouldn't consider this a machete. The blade is 10" long and 3/16" thick which doesn't equal machete. I would call this a camp/survival knife for sure. The steel used is comparable to 1065 to 1070 medium carbon steel, which is typically used to make combat swords. What does that mean? It means its softer and more flexible than steels typically used for knives, but thats ok with me. It makes it more flexible and less prone to chipping compared to say a typical 1095 steel. Its easier to sharpen, but wont hold an edge like a harder steel. It comes out of the box with a sharp semi polished convex edge, which is excellent in my opinion. I usually dont rate knives base on their factory sharpness. I don't care about it because I always re-profile them and put a convex edge on anyway. This one come from the factory already perfect! It's not quite as sharp as I like, but fantastic for a factory edge. The sheath is excellent. I don't know what else to say. The only thing I would change is to add a snap to the belt loop. Other than that its perfect. The only possible weak point I can see is the handle. Only time will tell how it holds up, but its comfortable and you can get a really good grip on it. Im just concerned the plastic may break over time. Maybe it wont. If it does im sure Kershaw will replace it without any problems. For the price you can't really beat it. I chose this knife over a Becker BK-9, and I love Beckers.

Holy Christmas....Pinch me, please!? Kershaw really knocked-it-out-of-the-park with their Camp Knife line!! Starting at $36 bucks for their 10" version, I bought all three (3) sizes, sight unseen. So I've read all of the negative reviews but at $36 bucks....are you kidding me?? Firstly, I disagree with the review that claims the sheath is cheap and plastic-like. In my opinion, It's sturdy enough and well-designed but most of all will NOT rot on you for those using it in wet, humid jungle/tropical climates. I own a LOT of machetes including Condors and expensive tactical ones(brands I won't mention) and here's where the Kershaws shine. Right out of the box the handle fits perfectly in your hand. Because of it's well thought out design and almost "sticky" rubber grip, it really inspires confidence during full swings and never feels like it will accidentally slip out of your hand. This is my main beef about the other machetes - their handles almost require some sort of rubber wrap or lanyard to keep them from slipping out of your hand during use. Kershaw's is extremely and utterly PERFECT! So yeah, the blade coating isn't parkerized or super-durable but at this price point, who cares (that's what they make oil for)? Did I mention it's pretty well balanced w/ a slight frontal bias, perfect for chopping and follow-through? I would have no hesitation taking these Kershaw Camp Knives with their robust blades and super-grips out into the jungles of Costa Rica where these tools would undoubtedly be my best friend in any survival situation! Oh BTW, these things would probably really wreak havoc on any occasional zombie crossing paths with you..haha! Conclusion: Kershaw Camp Knives are "perfect" out-of-the-box tools at an incredible price point. In fact, they're so cheap, I'm buying another set of the three available sizes! Thank you, Kershaw for an amazing, well-designed tool at an incredibly affordable price!

Of the variety of large knives, machetes and so forth, this is by far one of the best knife & sheath combinations. The price makes it an even better deal. It doesn't really matter to me whether it is a true Kukri a Bolo or something else. What matters is that it works. There are several larger knives I have been looking at but now question whether I would use them enough to make the purchase. This past year I bought a Kukri style knife, 'U.S.Army Strong" Tactical Kukri. It was not very good. Just a heavy piece of metal at a low price. It did put me on a trail to find something better. As a result I've purchased a variety of chopping blades. For the most part, I've moved toward the re-curved style. They are not as easy to sharpen as a straight edge but they work better for me. I love the Camp 10. It is the right size, it cuts really well, the handle and grip are well above average. You can hack w/ it, baton it and even make a few curls for a fire. It doesn't substitute for a Mora or other light bushcraft knife. Its a little big for dressing a squirrel or cleaning fish. It is what it is - a camp knife. At this length and design, I would also have trouble calling it a Kurkr or a Machete. Only time will tell how well it holds up. Since I really like it, I will use it. The sheath is the best I've found in my journey for a really good camp knife. The Schrade set-up is a close second It is a hard shell w/ very functional webbing straps. It can be carried in a number of ways and has lashing slots and holes. It does not have MOLLE webbing. It could be very easily modified to use attachments. I've made an extension to the belt loop attachment to drop the handle below my waist and allow it to swing more along w/ a loop of cord around the handle and sheath strap to pull the handle closer to the body. Given the price of under $35 I can't complaint. In my search, I've stayed away from the really long blades. For me they are beyond my need, cumbersome and more weight. I have grass cutting machetes which I never use. Of the others I've picked up, the Schrade are really good. The SOG is o.k. but I've found that saw-backs are of of limited value and tend to cut their sheaths. The Marbles hookbill axe and the Silky hookbill are also excellent. If you buy a Marbles - be sure to get the sheath. Since its multi-functional, I plan to take Marbles w/ me whenever I pack out. In fact, its good to just have in the truck. The Silky is in a price by itself, both in price and quality. It is a quality lifetime tool. The Cold Steel is a really good working tool. Budget wise it is hard to beat. The down side is - it comes w/ a raw grind which has to be finished. The Kershaw, Marbles and Silky are fun to use. All are really good pruning, trimming and chopping tools. I've found the re-curve Kukri style and the hookbills to be my favorite chopping tools. I hope this information is of value to you and wish you the best in your selections.