The "Ask Nathan a question" thread

Just wondering what the draw-backs are of adding a swedge, in particular to the edc? Obviously it adds the ability for piercing but does the slight removal of steal near the tip leave it more fragile than usual? Basically, are you sacrificing durability of the tip/knife for the addition of piercing efficiency?
 
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XtianAus said:
Just wondering what the draw-backs are of adding a swedge, in particular to the edc? Obviously it adds the ability for piercing but does the slight removal of steal near the tip leave it more fragile than usual? Basically, are you sacrificing durability of the tip/knife for the addition of piercing efficiency?
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nope. Plenty of material left there, virtually the same amount where it matters as the original.

To my way of thinking a swedge;
-is an easy way to lose a small amount of weight overall
-is a way to dial in the balance by adjusting the tip to butt weight ratio, allowing more precise control of the tip with relatively more mass in the handle
-gives a slightly better visual index of where the point is
-adds some pizazz
 
If the knife is designed as a swedged knife to start with you're really just dropping the shoulder down from the spine to an area more directly behind the point by using a combination of a more obtuse primary grind angle and a sizable swedge. This, plus some additional thickness is a reinforced point, so a swedge can be an element in a stronger point, just like a fuller can be an element in a stronger blade design. That said, obviously cutting a swedge into the EDC certainly won't improve the tip strength, though the meat directly behind the point isn't changed so for most uses it isn't greatly weakened either. If you're planning to do heavy prying with the point the unswedged blade would be better. If you're just popping staples it won't matter.

To me the real benefit in my own use of swedged blades is the way the swedge rides over bumps better when deburring the inside of a pipe or tube, leaving a better cut. And I guess they stab shit better, if you do a lot of that.
 
Casinostocks said:
Ah shock absorption and reverberations I had completely forgotten about. That said, for newbie G10 lovers: Nathan's buffed micarta scales are very close aesthetically and an excellent alternative to G10. If the Man recommends micarta, don't go against his recommendations ;)
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Please tell this noob what G10 is. I’m loving making knives and sheaths but some of these industry particular terms escape me.
 
Frank Perricone said:
Please tell this noob what G10 is. I’m loving making knives and sheaths but some of these industry particular terms escape me.
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G10 is a glass reinforced epoxy laminate composite. It's heavy, it's hard, it's stiff. "Micarta" (in this context) is a cotton laminate reinforced phenolic. Like G10, it is a strong dense thermoset that is much more durable than wood, but micarta is lighter than G10, feels better in the hand, and (counterintuitively) is more abrasion resistant.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
G10 is a glass reinforced epoxy laminate composite. It's heavy, it's hard, it's stiff. "Micarta" (in this context) is a cotton laminate reinforced phenolic. Like G10, it is a strong dense thermoset that is much more durable than wood, but micarta is lighter than G10, feels better in the hand, and (counterintuitively) is more abrasion resistant.
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Thanks! Still can learn even at this ripe age. Lol
 
What happens is people get grit or sand in their sheath and it wears down the scales some. This is more of a problem for folks outside a lot in sandy conditions. The sand embeds in the kydex and rubs away at the scales. G10 wears faster than you'd think, considering how hard it is. I don't think it's better than wood. Micarta actually does really well. At least twice as well and probably more. When you figure micarta is reinforced with cotton and G10 glass you'd expect it to be the other way around, so I'm guessing the difference must boil down to the phenolic resin vs epoxy.
 
Interesting that G10 wears faster^
I would of expected/did assume the opposite.

Would you expect that there would be more corrosion under scales of a knife with micarta because micarta absorbs moisture/liquid whereas G10 does not?
 
XtianAus said:
Interesting that G10 wears faster^
I would of expected/did assume the opposite.

Would you expect that there would be more corrosion under scales of a knife with micarta because micarta absorbs moisture/liquid whereas G10 does not?
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Once again, the notion that Micarta absorbs anything is entirely unfounded...even getting dye to penetrate a few thousandths requires time at near boiling temps.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/micarta-damage.407828/

An EDC that I got used had quite a bit of corrosion under the...wait for it...G-10 scales.

~Chip
 
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WValtakis said:
Once again, the notion that Micarta absorbs anything is entirely unfounded...even getting dye to penetrate a few thousandths requires time at near boiling temps.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/micarta-damage.407828/

An EDC that I got used had quite a bit of corrosion under the...wait for it...G-10 scales.

~Chip
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Very interesting. Thanks for the link. Something to read on my break ;)

Was your experience with 3V, 4V or D2?
 
XtianAus said:
Very interesting. Thanks for the link. Something to read on my break ;)

Was your experience with 3V, 4V or D2?
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D3V. When it come to moisture between the scales and tang, you're fighting capillary action...unless you fill the gap (oil, wax, epoxy, etc) water WILL find its way in. I like to Renaissance wax the tang and reapply the scales, a heavy oil would probably work just as well. :)

~Chip
 
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WValtakis said:
D3V. When it come to moisture between the scales and tang, you're fighting capillary action...unless you fill the gap (oil, wax, epoxy, etc) water WILL find its way in. I like to Renaissance wax the tang and reapply the scales, a heavy oil would probably work just as well. :)

~Chip
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Thanks for the advice Chip! I'll try that

Christian
 
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