What knife would you like to see next from CPK?

Actually a CPK Bladesports type chopper is on the white board and something we are seriously considering. 👍😊

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well, that's got me stoked!
 
wrt folders; my opinion is that $1000 is twice as much as a folding knife for utility should cost.

I have folders worth somewhere in that ballpark, and while I use them, their value to me comes from their artistic and handmade aspects, for testing, and for personal reasons

Shirogov's knives are really cool. Lots of intricate detail work and machining, innovative features and components, great designs. Rockstead, too. But I'd never spend that kind of coin on one. For that price, I'd rather have an artsy fartsy kind of thing

There is a huge pool of great knives available in the $500 range. That tells me that's where the heat is and where I think the CPK folder is destined to compete
 
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That's good news for me. Anything north of $500 would put it outside my price range.

You could probably get a nice Winnebago for a grand. :D
 
Agreed, I would never spend that kinda money on a Folder! Too many moving parts equals too many things that can go Wrong, and usually do! A Dan Keffeler Sasquatch is however a different story, And or Perhaps a Carothers 12 Inch Chopper at .225 thickness with TeroTuf Handles!!
wrt folders; my opinion is that $1000 is twice as much as a folding knife for utility should cost.

I have folders worth somewhere in that ballpark, and while I use them, their value to me comes from their artistic and handmade aspects, for testing, and for personal reasons

Shirogov's knives are really cool. Lots of intricate detail work and machining, innovative features and components, great designs. Rockstead, too. But I'd never spend that kind of coin on one. For that price, I'd rather have an artsy fartsy kind of thing

There is a huge pool of great knives available in the $500 range. That tells me that's where the heat is and where I think the CPK folder is destined to compete
 
wrt folders; my opinion is that $1000 is twice as much as a folding knife for utility should cost.

I have folders worth somewhere in that ballpark, and while I use them, their value to me comes from their artistic and handmade aspects, for testing, and for personal reasons

Shirogov's knives are really cool. Lots of intricate detail work and machining, innovative features and components, great designs. Rockstead, too. But I'd never spend that kind of coin on one. For that price, I'd rather have an artsy fartsy kind of thing

There is a huge pool of great knives available in the $500 range. That tells me that's where the heat is and where I think the CPK folder is destined to compete

By no means a folder connoisseur and what I am about to say will probably ruffle some feathers! Give me a folder with the robustness and frame integrity of a CRK Sebenza, but something with a higher quality steel alloy which incorporates the propriety Carothers HT and comes light saber sharp outta box. I will pay $100 more for such knife than any plain Jane CRK Sebenza which I will not have to send it to a professional to have resharpened because my CRKs all had dull and lackluster blades right out of their box! Weight is also a major consideration as the price so something in the $500-$550 and 5 oz range will be a solid consideration for me. It could be very hard to keep the price in that range while offering an intricate single/multiple bearing system, so if it uses washers where it pivots then so be it.

My only concern remains the ability of the end user to be able to take it apart to clean as opposed to sending it constantly to the factory for that dreaded "spa" treatment. I know that Nathan likes to incorporate very tight tolerances in his hardware and handles so I am concerned about the relative user friendliness of such folder when it comes to maintenance. If the folder is going to be based on the EDC platform, i would like to see either FFG or a hollower ground than the EDC. Not too thrilled about a high saber grind on a folder TBH!
 
Huh! You mean I should be sending my CRK's to a professional to have them sharpened instead of sharpening them the old fashioned way on 12" oiled Norton and Arkansas stones? I've been using dull knives for a awful lot of years and didn't realize it.


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Huh! You mean I should be sending my CRK's to a professional to have them sharpened instead of sharpening them the old fashioned way on 12" oiled Norton and Arkansas stones? I've been using dull knives for a awful lot of years and didn't realize it.


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different strokes for different folks, dude :rolleyes:



Casino, I'm right there with you regarding weight. 4-5oz for a full sized pocket knife is just about right, in my book

wrt steel, Delta'd 3V would be great but I'm thinking that the D2 option would be a really good one, too

pivot mechanism? I've got my own zany ideas, and the reason for that is I'm not sold on the current de facto bearing assemblies that are so common. There are some pretty good looking options, like Shirogov's, but there are some real issues with the way it often is done. Bushings are cool and might provide a suitable alternative

building a durable flipper that lasts, is mechanically perfect, and works hard is going to be a major challenge. Fortunately, the EDC pattern lends itself perfectly to this type of knife. We'll see how Nate and co. approaches this project- it'll be quite the investment of time and resources, but I don't think I have to tell any of you what, generally, to expect:cool:
 
Huh! You mean I should be sending my CRK's to a professional to have them sharpened instead of sharpening them the old fashioned way on 12" oiled Norton and Arkansas stones? I've been using dull knives for a awful lot of years and didn't realize it.


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Yes Chief, you got it! You've been doing it all wrong all this time ;)

Why is it that every time something critical is mentioned about CRK, someone will have to make derisive and / or sarcastic comments? Nothing wrong with what I had said as I both praised the knife for its robustness and yet criticized it for it's dullness. I never had one which was super sharp out of the box and unlike many, I don't have super sharpening skills or the necessary gear. Did my comments merit a snippy sort of reaction? Well, it is totally up to you!
 
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Thank you Lorien regarding the extra tidbit of info but as an immediate reaction I do not feel too enthused about D2 (prefer the D3V) simply because the "competition" seems to be using all these newer super alloys, but then again I am a know-nothing wannabe steel snob :)
 
Well at least it explains why I've been having such a hard time cutting warm butter! Glad that's cleared up.


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wrt folders; my opinion is that $1000 is twice as much as a folding knife for utility should cost.

I have folders worth somewhere in that ballpark, and while I use them, their value to me comes from their artistic and handmade aspects, for testing, and for personal reasons

Shirogov's knives are really cool. Lots of intricate detail work and machining, innovative features and components, great designs. Rockstead, too. But I'd never spend that kind of coin on one. For that price, I'd rather have an artsy fartsy kind of thing

There is a huge pool of great knives available in the $500 range. That tells me that's where the heat is and where I think the CPK folder is destined to compete

This is something that is really REALLY interesting to talk about. For an entry level Shirogorov selling direct via their website, they are in the $420 range, going up to the Custom Division in the $1400 range. Leave out the full custom artsy fartsy as you call it knives which just sold via auction for well over 10Gs, US. Now when you add in secondary market markup to get them into the US, you see the ranges go into the $600s, up to $2000+ for the CDs.

That is something Shiro and CPK have in common. High secondary market demand. How many folders are $500+ new, and on the secondary market take HUGE losses? Most of them.

So that tells you Shiro can make a spectacular knife in the $300 range, and sell it for $420 at a profit. And the market is willing to bear a MUCH higher price for it because.....

So while Nathan is going to have to make a lot of really tough decisions on how this is done, there is hope for me that if it is executed properly, it will sell extremely well and Nathan will be able to sell them at a premium and reinvest that money into equipment improvements. It's not charity, just smart business.

Personally I will spend much more on something that is very high quality that I will use and that will serve me well, because I believe that tool perhaps might outlast me. I will spend much less on something that is only for looking at because I perceive less value in something I can only look at, but not really touch.

That is why Shiro works so well for me, rather than spend a ton of money or time making something that is more for looking at, they have poured over the smallest detail, and created something that is primarily a tool, and added a little embellishment that aesthetically pleasing to my eye. I am happy to pay a premium for the combination of perfect mechanical execution, flawless finish, user oriented design, over the top level of attention to detail and the amazing level of machining steps they take.

The reason I am so interested in the CPK folder is I believe Nathan has a lot to bring to the table. Quite frankly, I don't expect him to make Nathan's version of a Sebenza and would be disappointed if that's what happens. Not that it matters why I think, but like you said, the market is crammed full of $500 knives that are selling for much less. I want to see what Nathan's vision is, his interpretation of an EDC folder, something meant to work, mechanically perfect, robust and durable, but performance oriented, like a Shiro. And I will happily pay.

The Sebenza was molded into something that could be turned out as easily as possibly and in as large numbers as possible. CPK isn't like that.
 
This is something that is really REALLY interesting to talk about. For an entry level Shirogorov selling direct via their website, they are in the $420 range, going up to the Custom Division in the $1400 range. Leave out the full custom artsy fartsy as you call it knives which just sold via auction for well over 10Gs, US. Now when you add in secondary market markup to get them into the US, you see the ranges go into the $600s, up to $2000+ for the CDs.

That is something Shiro and CPK have in common. High secondary market demand. How many folders are $500+ new, and on the secondary market take HUGE losses? Most of them.

So that tells you Shiro can make a spectacular knife in the $300 range, and sell it for $420 at a profit. And the market is willing to bear a MUCH higher price for it because.....

So while Nathan is going to have to make a lot of really tough decisions on how this is done, there is hope for me that if it is executed properly, it will sell extremely well and Nathan will be able to sell them at a premium and reinvest that money into equipment improvements. It's not charity, just smart business.

Personally I will spend much more on something that is very high quality that I will use and that will serve me well, because I believe that tool perhaps might outlast me. I will spend much less on something that is only for looking at because I perceive less value in something I can only look at, but not really touch.

That is why Shiro works so well for me, rather than spend a ton of money or time making something that is more for looking at, they have poured over the smallest detail, and created something that is primarily a tool, and added a little embellishment that aesthetically pleasing to my eye. I am happy to pay a premium for the combination of perfect mechanical execution, flawless finish, user oriented design, over the top level of attention to detail and the amazing level of machining steps they take.

The reason I am so interested in the CPK folder is I believe Nathan has a lot to bring to the table. Quite frankly, I don't expect him to make Nathan's version of a Sebenza and would be disappointed if that's what happens. Not that it matters why I think, but like you said, the market is crammed full of $500 knives that are selling for much less. I want to see what Nathan's vision is, his interpretation of an EDC folder, something meant to work, mechanically perfect, robust and durable, but performance oriented, like a Shiro. And I will happily pay.

The Sebenza was molded into something that could be turned out as easily as possibly and in as large numbers as possible. CPK isn't like that.

Justin, regarding the part of your post which I have emboldened: there are going to be a few extra factors involved with CPK which actually constitute a less steps in the proverbial supply chain:

1- By and large CPK sells directly to its end users. Yes, there are "authorized" dealers such as Fort Henry, but there are no huge network of dealers and distributors which add onto the retail price of their products.

2- Nathan's prices are low(er) as compared to a lot of other similarly sized knives which use lesser quality steel, less optimal HT and craftsmanship.

3- The tight supply and the high demand in addition to CPK's cult following (for good reasons) will almost ensure that unless Nathan manages to produce a complete dud of a folder, we will not be seeing any of those concerns when it comes to the secondary market as long as the secondary marketplace has actually heard of this guy! I have zero concern about buying a $500 knife from Nathan which will end up being a $350 knife immediately when I open its box and find out that I don't like it. ZERO CONCERNS!
 
Justin, regarding the part of your post which I have emboldened: there are going to be a few extra factors involved with CPK which actually constitute a less steps in the proverbial supply chain:

1- By and large CPK sells directly to its end users. Yes, there are "authorized" dealers such as Fort Henry, but there are no huge network of dealers and distributors which add onto the retail price of their products.

Shiro has 1 Authorized dealer, recon1 in the US. All the rest of the people or businesses selling are secondary market. Most people on this side of the pond can't buy direct, hence recon1 and huge markup.

2- Nathan's prices are low(er) as compared to a lot of other similarly sized knives which use lesser quality steel, less optimal HT and craftsmanship.

Factory prices from Shiro as lower that many other makers selling inferior knives. The secondary prices are super high because there is that much demand.

3- The tight supply and the high demand in addition to CPK's cult following (for good reasons) will almost ensure that unless Nathan manages to produce a complete dud of a folder, we will not be seeing any of those concerns when it comes to the secondary market as long as the secondary marketplace has actually heard of this guy! I have zero concern about buying a $500 knife from Nathan which will end up being a $350 knife immediately when I open its box and find out that I don't like it. ZERO CONCERNS!

Same as Shiro, except Nathan's stuff does not have as much of a big dollar spender cult following, nor the same popularity (yet) so secondary market wouldn't accept 50% markup like some Shiro does. Nathan's customs might be into the range of Shiros depending what he does next year. There are tons of parallels between the two companies/makers.

Nothing would be more awesome than to see Nathan spitting out small projects based on his creative expression vs larger batches of user grade stuff to try and keep the bills paid, IMO.
 
Interesting info on the Shirogorov's exclusive dealer / distributor here in the U.S. I simply did not know so I had just assumed that it was parallel but on a smaller scale to CRK which has many authorized dealers. I applaud those of you who have moved up the proverbial folder echelon dabbling in Shiros which are above my pay grade and enthusiasm (for spending more money) scale.
 
16-18" machete. Curved handle, exposed ring on back of handle for wrist thong attachment. That would be supremely useful for when I move back to FL.

'Course, you put a D guard on it and it will be good for the zompacalypse too ;)


C'mon Nathan, I only have one of your blades. I still need a pig sticker and an edc to say the very least.
 
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