Aero-Hill Blades is a new name in the knife world, but the company’s founder has spent a lifetime designing products that people rely on every day. Michael Sciulli may not be a name you are familiar with, but there is a good chance that you have seen or wore his work as he spent 3 decades designing footwear for major companies including Reebok, Calvin Klein, and Coach just to name a few.
Sciulli has since retired from his career in footwear design and spends his time in the mountains of Northwestern Connecticut which inspired him to start making knives and found Aero-Hill Blades. To make his dream a reality Sciulli partnered with designer Aasin Thomas, experienced knife maker Joe Carey and Precision Machinist’s Richard Stebbins and Don Coffin.
Aero-Hill Blades Design Approach
Aero-Hill Blades have a unique aesthetic that conveys the importance of both form and function. Each model was clearly designed to perform heavy duty outdoor tasks and look good while doing it.
All the materials used to build each Aero-Hill Blade are among some of the toughest in the industry including CPM-3V blades, micarta handles scales, and kydex sheaths.
For those who enjoy customization and the finer details Aero-Hill Blades has you covered! Each knife is made to order in Connecticut allowing the buyer to choose from a number of blade finish options including Cerakote, various patinas and even detailed laser engraved finishes. There are also several handle color choices, all made from custom jute micarta Finally the kydex sheath also offers customizations and multiple mounting options.
The Aero-Hill Blades Camp Fireside Design
Aero-Hill’s website describes the Camp Fireside as “one bad ass blade” and at first glance you’d be hard pressed to disagree! The Camp Fireside features and aggressive 5.25 inch compound grind blade made from 7/32 inch thick premium 3V steel. The slightly shorter handle brings the overall length to just below 10 inches. The version I tested weighed just under 14 ounces which is some pretty considerable heft that lends to the functionality of the design.
The handle fills the hand well tanks to the contoured handle scales and maintaining control of the Camp Fireside during use is no concern thanks to the jimping found both on the spine of the knife and finger relief. The addition of a blade guard ensures there are no accidental injuries during hard use tasks.
The sheath is made from kydex and has a cool two-tone effect that adds to the overall aesthetic of the package. The sheath is designed to accept both a wide Tek-Lock for belt carry and Ulti-Clips for varied carry styles even in your pant pocket provided you are wearing outdoor or work style pants with large pockets.
Putting the Camp Fireside to Work
Sciulli created the Camp Fireside to be an all purpose knife for use around the campsite and outdoor pursuits – and I can confidently say he achieved his goal!
The compound blade style does more than just look awesome, it also allows the user to accomplish a number of different outdoor tasks easily and efficiently. The Tip of the blade has a swedge to help provide excellent piercing performance while maintaining tip strength and the blade section behind the tip offers a nice bit of belly. These features are exceptional for processing game or prepping your next camp meal.
The curved section of blade towards the rear of the blade is reminiscent of the famed Tom Brown Tracker Knife and offers a ton of functionality for wood processing tasks including wood shaving, carving, and splitting. Combined with the robust blade stock and tough CPM-3V steel, there are no issues hard using the Camp Fireside for extensive wood processing in both camp and bushcraft related tasks.
The handle fits the hand well, allowing for excellent control and retention with minimal hand fatigue during extended use. The jimping helps ensure there are no slip ups during use. My one caveat with the jimping on the underside of the handle is that can cause some discomfort during extremely prolonged use if you aren’t wearing a work glove – but during regular use it was not problematic and you should be wearing some kind of work glove during real world extend use any way!
Final Thoughts
The Aero-Hill Blades Camp Fireside is a truly premium custom-made knife that blends artistic design, rugged looks, and purpose driven function that is sure to please the most discerning outdoors person or avid knife collector. Being a premium custom knife that is made in the USA, the Camp Fireside knife is not inexpensive, but pricing is in line with what I would expect from a custom made to order knife. If you are in the market for an amazing custom knife that you can truly use and want to turn some heads while using it, the Camp Fireside will not disappoint!
Aero-Hill Blades Camp Fireside Spec Sheet
- URL: Aero-Hill Blades
- Blade Steel: CPM 3V
- Blade Thickness: 7/32”
- Blade Length: 5 1/4″
- Blade Grind: Compund
- Blade Finish: Industrial Patina (Optional)
- Handle Scales: Shade Tree Custom Jute Micarta
- Total Length: 9 7/8″
- Weight: 13.8 ounces
- Sheath Kydex with Topo Overlay (Optional)
- Base Price: $575
- Price as shown $799
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