Review Carothers Performance Knives(CPK) Behemoth, Work Tuff Gear (WTG) Pathfinder, and Work Tuff Gear (WTG) V44X Bowie

carnifex knifeworks

carnifex knifeworks

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Here's a comparison of 3 large knives:

WTG Pathfinder Specs:
Blade Length: 10.00"
Cutting Edge: 9.30"
Handle Length: 6.20"
Overall Length: 16.20"
Blade Material: SK85 (new name for SK5) Carbon Steel
Blade Thickness: 0.196"
Blade Hardness: 56-58HRC
Blade Grind: Sabre with Convex Cutting Edge
Handle Thickness: 0.93"
Weight: 1 lb 10.95 oz.

WTG v44x bowie Specs:
Blade Length: 10.00"
Cutting Edge: 9.30"
Handle Length: 6.20"
Overall Length: 16.20"
Blade Material: SK85 (new name for SK5) Carbon Steel
Blade Thickness: 0.196"
Blade Hardness: 56-58HRC
Blade Grind: Sabre with Convex Cutting Edge
Handle Thickness: 0.93"
Weight: 1 lb 10.95 oz.

Carothers Performance knives (CPK) Behemoth chopper (prototype version) Specs:
Cpm-3V steel with delta heat treat protocol
60.5 HRC
.250 thick at ricasso (1/4")
Total length 17.75"
Blade length 12.0"
Weight 24.5 oz
Edge angle 20 DPS
.035" BTE with additional meat towards the tip.

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Top: CPK Behemoth
Middle: WTG Pathfinder
Bottom: WTG V44X Bowie

DISCLAIMER: I bought each of these knives with my own money. I'm not affiliated with either of the knife companies. This is NOT a scientific test in a laboratory. I tried to make everything as fair and balanced as possible using real world materials and scenarios. I'm sharing my observations and opinions, that's it.

Right up front, it's important to note that the V44X will be at a disadvantage because the other two knives are significantly longer and they weigh more. This means they'll generate more force when chopping. However, I don't think it would matter very much in real world scenarios. In a competition it would make a huge difference, in the woods, camping it wouldn't be as important.

Chopping Cottonwood Log
First thing I did was chop with each knife into a very dry, hard cottonwood log. This wood is very fibrous and stringy. I took 12 swings with each knife on the same log. The log was held in place with framing nails used as pegs that the log would rest against. It didn't work very well, so I ended up pinning the log using my boot. It was pretty stable, the log wasn't bouncing when I was chopping it.

The v44x chopped about 1 and 3/8 inches deep.20250623_150655.jpg

The CPK Behemoth chopped slightly deeper at 1 and 1/2 inches.20250623_150701.jpg

The pathfinder only chopped about 1 and 1/4 inches deep.20250623_150720.jpg

I have to admit, I could have done better when using the CPK Behemoth. It would have done much better if I hadn't put quite as much distance between where I placed my swings. I accidentally had a wider chopping path than with either of the other 2 knives.

The pathfinder seemed to struggle with the hard wood for some reason, though there was no perceivable edge damage to the blade.

2x4 Chop
Next, I clamped down a 2x4 and chopped into it 8 times with each knife. 20250623_151944.jpg

I marked the section chopped by the v44x with an "X", the pathfinder's section was marked with a crudely carved "P", and the behemoth's section is marked with an even worse "B" carving.

It should be no surprise that each knife did very well against the soft 2x4s.

The pathfinder seemed to excel at this chopping task. It sunk very deep with each swing due to its very thin geometry.20250623_161203.jpg

The behemoth chopper did nearly as well, but didn't get quite as deep. However, it's the only knife that broke a 2x4 before I completed the 8 chops, so I had to get a new 2x4 and do the test again.20250623_161156.jpg

The v44x also performed well, but as expected, was slightly behind the larger blades.20250623_161200.jpg
Continued in next post
 
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Splitting Cottonwood Logs
The final chopping task I did was splitting small logs of dried cottonwood.

The V44X did really well with anything around 4 to 4.5 inches in diameter; frequently splitting them with a single strike. Once we started getting into larger logs, it would be necessary to baton through them. I was really surprised at how well the knife did, though.20250623_153231.jpg
20250623_153239.jpg

The behemoth chopper was a total monster here. It's the perfect balance of blade length and width. I actually couldn't get photos of it stuck in any 4.5 inch diameter logs because it just kept splitting them with a single strike. I moved up to logs between 5 and 6 inch diameters, which the chopper had no issue getting through, but it stuck enough that I could get a few pics.
20250623_160538.jpg20250623_160546.jpg

I actually ran out of smaller logs by the time I got to the pathfinder so I just started on anything in the 5 to 6 inch diameter range. The knife did well, but it was harder to split with than the behemoth, which I believe is due to the blade geometry being thinner for a longer distance (i.e., from the edge towards the spine).
20250623_160828.jpg20250623_160823.jpg

Balance and handles/scales
After swinging each knife several times through this comparison a few things became very apparent.

The pathfinder's handle was the least comfortable by far. The scales are simply too thick and they lack contouring. For reference, I typically wear large size gloves, so it's not that I have small hands. Honestly, it seems like the scales weren't given much thought, which is pretty disappointing. My personal opinion is that the handle and scales on a knife are one of the most important aspects, if not the single most important.

I believe the scales on the pathfinder are what give it a peculiar feeling when swinging it with force. The blade is quite long and quite tall (distance from edge to spine). Add to that the thick blocky scales and it feels like the knife is very front heavy, which it isn't. It's almost like it creates an illusion of being more front heavy than it actually is. Having said that, the knife is surprisingly nimble for its size, which I would attribute to its fairly thin primary grind.

The v44x on the other hand has a very basic handle, but the shape is contoured in a way that allows for a firm, secure grip. It's well balanced and swinging it with force reminds me of a thin well made hatchet. It feels compact for its size and is easy to wield.

The CPK Behemoth is a different animal; it has excellent geometry for chopping. The balance is incredibly well thought out and the handle is a joy to use. You can tell the knife has length to it, but when you swing with force that length becomes an extension of your arm; it feels very natural.
20250623_201412.jpg

Final Observations
After I had completed the three chopping tasks for the comparison, my arm was definitely starting to feel a little rubbery, so I went back to each knife again to see what they feel like when fatigue begins creeping in. This is where small flaws or strengths are magnified exponentially.

The irksome handle of the pathfinder became downright unpleasant. Until I can get some contoured scales, I won't be using the knife.

The v44x continued to surprise me with the performance it delivers for its weight and shorter length. It's thinner and lighter than the other two knives, so I started to appreciate that more as I continued chopping. Needless to say, I'm a fan.

The thing that stood out to me the most was how good the behemoth felt, even as I began to really get tired. The extra blade length never felt like it was leveraging against me or trying to turn in my hand, the handle never felt cumbersome or lacking. Every aspect of the design is thoroughly thought out and it shows, especially during use. I'm a huge fan. This knife is in a class of its own.


That's my take on the 3 knives. I hope you find some part of this useful. Stay safe, stay sharp!
 
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