The "Ask Nathan a question" thread

Nathan the Machinist said:
A reinforced point will help prevent snapping the tip off, but it sounds like you actually broke your knife back in the blade a ways back from the point? Still, not a problem, but it will be impossible for me to set up a demonstration on a 4" log while whacking on an inch or two of the tip with the DEK1 due to the shorter blade length. But I'll try to put together a video with the DEK1 doing something as similar as possible.
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That's probably right. It was a while ago but i'd say about about 1/2-3/4" of length, so a little more than just the tip

Thanks Nathan
Much appreciated, as always with your tests and dedication to designing a perfected tool.
 
XtianAus said:
I was stabbing into and then prying apart wood of a log while on a hike. I did this after some battoning and it snapped a large chunk of the blade I think on the 3rd or 4th pry

It was just a budget blade and a schrade with questionable quality (hence my lack of hesitation and my misuse for 'fun'). Even though the steel, and HT is questionable, I still pause and hesitate with quality blades that arent reinforced, because although this was pretty much a piece of junk, it was still a 1/4" hunk piece of steel.

I'd love to see a demonstration if you are willing to do so. I always appreciate your videos as a whole and have seen them all.

Said knife below

oVmOuVf.jpg
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for one thing, that Schrade lists for quite a bit less than $100. For another thing, it's a Schrade.

I'd love to do some testing for you, but my proto is quite a bit thinner and has an even pointier point, so it won't reflect accurately the limitations of a regular production knife. I'm hesitant to use one of the two production models Nate sent me since one is my wife's birthday present and the other I will probably have to turn into money. That being said, it might just be impossible for me to give up that spare one so we'll see. Now, if someone sends me their for destruction testing, I'd be happy to oblige :)
 
Lorien said:
for one thing, that Schrade lists for quite a bit less than $100. For another thing, it's a Schrade.

I'd love to do some testing for you, but my proto is quite a bit thinner and has an even pointier point, so it won't reflect accurately the limitations of a regular production knife. I'm hesitant to use one of the two production models Nate sent me since one is my wife's birthday present and the other I will probably have to turn into money. That being said, it might just be impossible for me to give up that spare one so we'll see. Now, if someone sends me their for destruction testing, I'd be happy to oblige :)
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All fair points! Thanks Lorien
 
XtianAus said:
That's probably right. It was a while ago but i'd say about about 1/2-3/4" of length, so a little more than just the tip

Thanks Nathan
Much appreciated, as always with your tests and dedication to designing a perfected tool.
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I’ll share an anecdote. I had a Proto LC a few years back sent to me to toy with. I ended up hammering it into I think it was a cherry tree. I can’t remember now. I ended up standing on the handle gently bouncing on it and it didn’t break.

I didn’t think it would break after watching the video of what it took for Nathan to bend one but I mean, I’m 180lbs or so, I can’t say how much force I was applying to the knife but it was well into a ‘Hold my beer, watch this’ amount.

I didn’t push it because as I was looking down and picturing myself sliding down that edge if I slipped or something happened.... I thought “this is even dumber than the time I tried to cut a football sized bald-faced wasp nest out of a tree with no shirt on after too many adult beverages.”

I have enough faith to do pretty much anything I think is even remotely reasonable to these knives at this point.
 
Hey Nathan, is there a minimum quantity that would make it feasible to run a batch of TeroTuf scales for the LC? Have no idea what your setup time is like. But since nothing else but the BC proto fits the LC, it’s rather hard to find TT scales for these.

I’m talking in your post K-18 delivered, post all moves of any kind life btw. :)
 
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mb> said:
Hey Nathan, is there a minimum quantity that would make it feasible to run a batch of TeroTuf scales for the LC? Have no idea what your setup time is like. But since nothing else but the BC proto fits the LC, it’s rather hard to find TT scales for these.

I’m talking in your post K-18 delivered, post all moves of any kind life btw. :)
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Seconded
 
Nathan, I noticed you are 3d profiling the primary form of your blades. I'm no grinder but I know CAM and machining and I have long wanted to try to make a knife this way. How do you handle the back side/2nd op? Do you have a fixture with the form milled into it, small supports, clay? Or does it work unsupported? Any tips you've learned along the way?
 
mb> said:
Hey Nathan, is there a minimum quantity that would make it feasible to run a batch of TeroTuf scales for the LC? Have no idea what your setup time is like. But since nothing else but the BC proto fits the LC, it’s rather hard to find TT scales for these.

I’m talking in your post K-18 delivered, post all moves of any kind life btw. :)
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We don't generally go back and make more scales for a retired line. To answer your question, we produce scales for other makers in production. Typical minimum run is 200 sets.
 
dylan_d said:
Nathan, I noticed you are 3d profiling the primary form of your blades. I'm no grinder but I know CAM and machining and I have long wanted to try to make a knife this way. How do you handle the back side/2nd op? Do you have a fixture with the form milled into it, small supports, clay? Or does it work unsupported? Any tips you've learned along the way?
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Every project is different. We've used fixtures made of aluminum and steel, but also bondo etc. I've fixtured with polycaprolactone. Epoxy. Often times an unsupported cut will work with the right strategy and things like chatter can be addressed with a strategically placed piece of soft polyurethane rubber. I can't say there's a one-size-fits-all strategy, if there's an approach to fixturing, I've tried it.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Every project is different. We've used fixtures made of aluminum and steel, but also bondo etc. I've fixtured with polycaprolactone. Epoxy. Often times an unsupported cut will work with the right strategy and things like chatter can be addressed with a strategically placed piece of soft polyurethane rubber. I can't say there's a one-size-fits-all strategy, if there's an approach to fixturing, I've tried it.
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If you don't mind me asking, how did you do the recent boot dagger? I understand if you don't want to reveal how to sausage is made ;)
 
Nathan, i was wondering the best way to remove some black (corrosion?) spots under my handle scales on my FK2?

It and the HDFK i picked up from another forum member are hands down the best constructed and most comfortable to use knives i own for camping/outdoors tasks. I am really looking forward to your future works, and can hardly wait for the SDFK and Kephart( please add a 90 degree spine option on the Kephart for bushcrafty stuff)

You and Jo and the gang have showed me just how good knives can be, i wish good fortune and health to you all.
 
Meridian said:
Nathan, i was wondering the best way to remove some black (corrosion?) spots under my handle scales on my FK2?

It and the HDFK i picked up from another forum member are hands down the best constructed and most comfortable to use knives i own for camping/outdoors tasks. I am really looking forward to your future works, and can hardly wait for the SDFK and Kephart( please add a 90 degree spine option on the Kephart for bushcrafty stuff)

You and Jo and the gang have showed me just how good knives can be, i wish good fortune and health to you all.
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You can reinstall the scales and use red loctite on the fasteners. Then use a small drill (3/32") and drill out the hex on those screws, making them round. then, sleep easy knowing it will never, in your lifetime, matter in the slightest that the tang has developed black spots under the scale.




.... sorry for the smartass response... I don't know the best way to remove discoloration under the scale. I've never worried about it.


There is a thin carbon steel kitchen knife that has been in my family for probably about 100 years. My grandfather (who was born in 1899) added it to the kitchen before my mother (who is 78) was born, so I don't know the actual age.

It was their go-to kitchen knife. The wood scales were attached with two cutlers rivet, no seal under the wood at all. Used in the kitchen, it got wet very regularly for generations. The blade was worn down to an odd and silly shape. It went to my oldest aunt and then to my Mom. Eventually it needed some work (the handle was completely falling apart) and I was the obvious person to repair it. I drilled the rivets, used some Osage orange from the family farm and put new handles on it.

The "discoloration" under those scales was pretty severe. It was actually being a problem. I used acraglas for the installation to halt future corrosion.

That's the only example that I'm aware of where corrosion under the scales mattered, and it was a thin carbon steel kitchen knife that got wet every day for at least a generation.

Delta 3V has good strength and good corrosion resistance and is thicker than this very thin kitchen knife. I wouldn't worry about it. In my opinion the only harm it causes is to your mind when you look at it. A simple way to address this is to not look at it.
 
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Nathan the Machinist said:
You can reinstall the scales and use red loctite on the fasteners. Then use a small drill (3/32") and drill out the hex on those screws, making them round. then, sleep easy knowing it will never, in your lifetime, matter in the slightest that the tang has developed black spots under the scale.




.... sorry for the smartass response... I don't know the best way to remove discoloration under the scale. I've never worried about it.
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Flitz and a Q-Tip will probably work just fine.
 
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