Timberline Vallotton Chameleon
- Thread starter Mundele
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2001
- Messages
- 3,709
Is this the one you're referring to?
Zytel handle, rubber inserts, made in Taiwan. I checked one out at a local dealer. I liked it when I saw it, but I opted to buy a CRKT Ryan model 7 instead.
Zytel handle, rubber inserts, made in Taiwan. I checked one out at a local dealer. I liked it when I saw it, but I opted to buy a CRKT Ryan model 7 instead.
As old as this thread is I don't know if it's worth mentioning but I bought this knife two years ago.This knife was known as model # 10411 by the way.All I can say in response is...
*Taiwan made is generally good quality but I impressed at how nicely it's made against the pricier Chameleon by Butch Vallotton himself.Definitely was Timberline's flagship knife.Keep in mind the Chameleon was an auto and the Timberline model is a manual with Teflon washers.
*Very similar to a Lone Wolf utilizing full-length backspacer construction.Nice grippy and well textured rubber inserts in the zytel scales and twin steel liners.The handle is extraordinarily good combining slimness,arching scale ends, and durability.The blade stop isn't a bolt but the blade rests on the backspacer and thumb studs
Very smooth opening with good lock-up.The serrations Taiwan put on are more definitive than the Chameleon actually.Although a fine-edged version of this knife by Timberline did exist.You don't see clip-points at use on modern folders anymore really but it's a smooth user blade and it looks good.There is blade spine jimping on the Taiwan model also but the Chameleon was better.The Chameleon's jimping ramps naturally and Taiwan model is like a Cheyenne model by Lone Wolf-ramps then does a sudden arching to the spine.The blade came reasonably sharp at a 3.5 out of 5.It has a good grind in width but needed a little more narrow of an edge angle.The blade steel is AUS-8 hardened to 58rc (this was mentioned in the mini catalog in the knife box for models by Timberline in the time era).It's a decent steel and thankfully Taiwan sticks to Japanese steel opposed to Chinese comparatives.For a mass production steel AUS-8 holds a good edge and sharpens well.The very few sources I have been able to find the Vallotton/Timberline design it seemed to range in the $50-$60 price range.The only thing I do not like about either knife is the checkered traction from the kraton inserts causes resistance when taking it out.Otherwise it was an awesome user knife and was the best $54 I've spent on a modern knife.
*Taiwan made is generally good quality but I impressed at how nicely it's made against the pricier Chameleon by Butch Vallotton himself.Definitely was Timberline's flagship knife.Keep in mind the Chameleon was an auto and the Timberline model is a manual with Teflon washers.
*Very similar to a Lone Wolf utilizing full-length backspacer construction.Nice grippy and well textured rubber inserts in the zytel scales and twin steel liners.The handle is extraordinarily good combining slimness,arching scale ends, and durability.The blade stop isn't a bolt but the blade rests on the backspacer and thumb studs
Very smooth opening with good lock-up.The serrations Taiwan put on are more definitive than the Chameleon actually.Although a fine-edged version of this knife by Timberline did exist.You don't see clip-points at use on modern folders anymore really but it's a smooth user blade and it looks good.There is blade spine jimping on the Taiwan model also but the Chameleon was better.The Chameleon's jimping ramps naturally and Taiwan model is like a Cheyenne model by Lone Wolf-ramps then does a sudden arching to the spine.The blade came reasonably sharp at a 3.5 out of 5.It has a good grind in width but needed a little more narrow of an edge angle.The blade steel is AUS-8 hardened to 58rc (this was mentioned in the mini catalog in the knife box for models by Timberline in the time era).It's a decent steel and thankfully Taiwan sticks to Japanese steel opposed to Chinese comparatives.For a mass production steel AUS-8 holds a good edge and sharpens well.The very few sources I have been able to find the Vallotton/Timberline design it seemed to range in the $50-$60 price range.The only thing I do not like about either knife is the checkered traction from the kraton inserts causes resistance when taking it out.Otherwise it was an awesome user knife and was the best $54 I've spent on a modern knife.
I have a 10413, just marked Timberline Knives, Taiwan 10413. Bought new about 15 years ago at show without box, no further details. Black Zytel scales with rubber insert. Steel unknown. Great design - fits my hand like a glove. Edge a bit difficult to sharpen. Blade opens out of the pocket smoothly and as reliably as with an Emerson wave feature except out of the most slippery nylon type cloth. You couldn't tell by just looking at it. Salesman demonstrated opening it out of the pocket against the pocket seam to me, warning one must make sure there is no one behind one. Just then another sales assistant passed behind him. He didn't see, too fast for me to warn - sliced her arm open, blade looked like it just feathered against her arm, but left deep nasty cut. She fainted, needed stitches. Still got ugly scar on the arm.