It's an annual tradition – when we put together end-of-year "best of" lists, we inevitably come across something shiny and new that could have made the list had we previously covered it. In this case, it's the MKM Campo 7 we happened upon when diving into the top multitools of 2023. Leatherman claimed the first multitool use of CPM MagnaCut steel with its Garage 005 special edition, but Italy's Maniago Knife Makers (MKM) wasn't far behind in applying the steel to the Campo 7, a basic folding pocket tool with seven implements aimed primarily at camping and outdoor cooking.
More than just a leap onto the MagnaCut train, MKM describes the Campo 7 as the next step in a steady multitool progression. The company has been brainstorming ways of improving the basic Swiss Army-style pocket tool that has already taken on about as many forms and functions as the human mind can devise. It landed on the idea of using better blade steel and pursued it first with the M390 steel in its Malga 6 and now with MagnaCut in the Campo 7.
Brought to market in 2021, CPM MagnaCut is a stainless steel specially developed by metallurgist Larrin Thomas and New York steel company Crucible Industries. The CPM part of the name stands for "Crucible Particle Metallurgy," a powder metallurgy process Crucible uses to create superior high-alloy tool steels for specific uses and industries. MagnaCut was developed to enhance properties favorable for knife making, particularly a better combination of wear resistance and toughness.
You can read more about the formula and journey behind CPM MagnaCut in Montana Knife Company's 2022 interview with Thomas. Or for an even deeper dive, Thomas really gets down to granular level on his own website, Knifesteelnerds.com.
Suffice it to say, MagnaCut is prized in knife making (and buying) for its edge retention, superior corrosion resistance and all-around toughness. In the case of the Campo 7, MKM uses it for the 2.6-in (6.6-cm) slip-joint blade that anchors the tool, opening with help from a nail nick.
MKM complements the Campo knife with a fold-out three-prong fork. You'll have to find another way of ladling soup and keeping your steak steady while cutting it, but otherwise the Campo can serve as a basic set of field-ready flatware.
MKM rounds out the sub-4-oz (113-g) package with a corkscrew, can opener, bottle opener/flat head driver, Phillips driver, and scissors. All the tools besides the blade are made from 420 stainless steel.
The Campo 7 won't be the go-to tool for every task, but the 3.9-in-long (10-cm) tool looks perfect for stowing in a camper van drawer or puffy jacket to have at the ready around camp and trail. It carries a US$189.90 MSRP but is currently on sale at several retailers.
Source: MKM
