Carothers Performance Knives, Use & Abuse

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Red Leader

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Basic 5" Field Knife


I am an HVAC tradesman and I carry one every day I'm in the field.







Sorry no glamour pics next to bourbon or watches🤣


I use it for so many tasks, many of which are outside the purview of what we think a knife should do. I come home thankful everyday that I had it on my hip.
I want to know the limit of what this knife, and D3V in general, is capable of withstanding. Deep down, you probably do too. My gut feeling? It will be a good showing.
 
Basic 5" Field Knife


I am an HVAC tradesman and I carry one every day I'm in the field.







Sorry no glamour pics next to bourbon or watches🤣


I use it for so many tasks, many of which are outside the purview of what we think a knife should do. I come home thankful everyday that I had it on my hip.
I want to know the limit of what this knife, and D3V in general, is capable of withstanding. Deep down, you probably do too. My gut feeling? It will be a good showing.
Probably the kind of post that warms Nathan's heart.
 
Basic 5" Field Knife


I am an HVAC tradesman and I carry one every day I'm in the field.


I use it for so many tasks, many of which are outside the purview of what we think a knife should do. I come home thankful everyday that I had it on my hip.


You are 100% who this knife is made for.

:thumbsup:
 
Tell us more about the tasks ā€œoutside the purview of what a knife should do.ā€ Sounds interesting!

You are 100% who this knife is made for.

:thumbsup:

I take these giant 30-40lb panels of the sides of rooftop units that would be impossible to get off w/out this knife. After taking off about 14-16 3/8" bolts, the panel is basically welded to the side of the unit w/ the foam tape...if I tried to use a leatherman (which I also carry) I would either break the Leatherman (which I've done) or it would slip if I tried to grip and pull it back and I'd go careening off the ladder, so I use the knife as a prybar, where a normal prybar won't work because I need the sharpness of a knife tip to get inbetween the panel and sides of the unit - I have to cut through the seam and start separating the pieces. I don't think it is actually that hard on the knife, as I'm not using a ton of pressure, but something no other tool could really do.

I'm excited for this test because I think the knife will do really well. So many of the blades marketed for 'hard use' Joe X eats for breakfast. Plus its the knife I carry everyday so I have a vested stake in it's performance. I'm confident.

I'm sure to some he seems like nothing more than an exhibitionist, but after watching more and more videos, there is is a methodology which becomes useful as more and more blades are tested, and which I have come to sincerely appreciate as we can observe patterns develop. Yes it is extreme, yes the blades are destroyed, but that is the point. And it's great entertainment to boot. The 65MN steel machete tests are pure gold, if you haven't seen them.
 
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I take these giant 30-40lb panels of the sides of rooftop units that would be impossible to get off w/out this knife. After taking off about 14-16 3/8" bolts, the panel is basically welded to the side of the unit w/ the foam tape...if I tried to use a leatherman (which I also carry) I would either break the Leatherman (which I've done) or it would slip if I tried to grip and pull it back and I'd go careening off the ladder, so I use the knife as a prybar, where a normal prybar won't work because I need the sharpness of a knife tip to get inbetween the panel and sides of the unit - I have to cut through the seam and start separating the pieces. I don't think it is actually that hard on the knife, as I'm not using a ton of pressure, but something no other tool could really do.

I'm excited for this test because I think the knife will do really well. So many of the blades marketed for 'hard use' Joe X eaten for breakfast. Plus its the knife I carry everyday so I have a vested stake in it's performance. I'm confident.

I'm sure to some he seems like nothing more than an exhibitionist, but after watching more and more videos, there is is a methodology which becomes useful as more and more blades are tested, and which I have come to sincerely appreciate as we can observe patterns develop. Yes it is extreme, yes the blades are destroyed, but that is the point. And it's great entertainment to boot. The 65MN steel machete tests are pure gold, if you haven't seen them.


That's awesome!

There's also some other HVAC members here too!
 
Unwatchable for me. Jumping on the roof of a car wearing a gas mask. Joe X didn't get the memo "Never go full retard".

I'd much rather watch Nathan's more controlled tests and explanations of the design and heat treatment.
 
I take these giant 30-40lb panels of the sides of rooftop units that would be impossible to get off w/out this knife. After taking off about 14-16 3/8" bolts, the panel is basically welded to the side of the unit w/ the foam tape...if I tried to use a leatherman (which I also carry) I would either break the Leatherman (which I've done) or it would slip if I tried to grip and pull it back and I'd go careening off the ladder, so I use the knife as a prybar, where a normal prybar won't work because I need the sharpness of a knife tip to get inbetween the panel and sides of the unit - I have to cut through the seam and start separating the pieces. I don't think it is actually that hard on the knife, as I'm not using a ton of pressure, but something no other tool could really do.

I'm excited for this test because I think the knife will do really well. So many of the blades marketed for 'hard use' Joe X eaten for breakfast. Plus its the knife I carry everyday so I have a vested stake in it's performance. I'm confident.

I'm sure to some he seems like nothing more than an exhibitionist, but after watching more and more videos, there is is a methodology which becomes useful as more and more blades are tested, and which I have come to sincerely appreciate as we can observe patterns develop. Yes it is extreme, yes the blades are destroyed, but that is the point. And it's great entertainment to boot. The 65MN steel machete tests are pure gold, if you haven't seen them.

As much as I would love to watch a video of this, it sounds like filming it would be incredibly dangerous for you—so don’t do it! Thanks for the info though. I’m now mentally scrolling through all my knives to determine if it could handle this task. I think the Utility Fighter would excel at getting into that foam tape. It’s got a nice tip (thatswhatshesaid).
 
As much as I would love to watch a video of this, it sounds like filming it would be incredibly dangerous for you—so don’t do it! Thanks for the info though. I’m now mentally scrolling through all my knives to determine if it could handle this task. I think the Utility Fighter would excel at getting into that foam tape. It’s got a nice tip (thatswhatshesaid).

Honestly the task is nothing special, but definitely something that I wouldn't try w/ my SAK! I'm on that job tomorrow so maybe I'll snap a pic. The BFK does a nice job on the sharpness/toughness balance.

(thatswhatshesaid) ...lol
 
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Unwatchable for me. Jumping on the roof of a car wearing a gas mask. Joe X didn't get the memo "Never go full retard".

I'd much rather watch Nathan's more controlled tests and explanations of the design and heat treatment.

I watch both, as both have useful data. The 90 deg bend of the K20 was very impressive in Nathan's videos.

The antics in the former's work is just performance art. I find it funny and quite heartwarming because it pushes the free speech envelope in certain ways and I admire when people do that, even if it's not what I would say or do. I 100% acknowledge that many people find it incredibly distasteful. Maybe takes one (me) to know onešŸ˜‚.


Someone sent him one???

Yeah, I did.

Probably will take some time, because these tests happen in batches, but should happen this year I believe.


Yeah...we're not big on promoting his videos here for reasons.

Okay, another edit (since this is mod-view only at this point):

Guys, please bear with me here. I read through the entire 26 page thread on the other sub-forum and can see there is quite a contentious relationship btw this forum and Joe, without needing to take a side. Lots of hate, in fact. And on both sides. It's something that I sort of picked up on, but had no idea how deep it ran. I can imagine it stemming from (as per that 26-pg thread) some of the personal insults from videos that were either edited or removed - and I never saw them.

No joke - I came into all this thinking it could be just a heck of a fun time, seeing a Carothers finally tested (as was suggested by some very posters in this thread in the long 26 pager) knowing that it would probably do great. It would be interesting, something to talk about, etc. I haven't yet seen a destructive testing matchup w/ Carothers yet against other 'hard use' type blades, and something instructive might be gleaned from it. And unbeknownst to me at the time of sending it, people had been asking for it. The first responses I got were surprising in a pleasant way - Nathan responded, you responded, ppl were joking around, everyone seemed cool and a real good sport, because I'm not stupid, I know that Joe's videos can be polarizing. Anyway, got a great vibe. But it changed!

And I know that I've only got something like 20+ posts, not an everyday regular, but BladeForums has always been good to me. I'm not a troll. I'm a Carothers owner. I was so excited when I got a spot in the Friday sale for the BFK. Good times. I suppose I just wanted to say my motive should be clear. I carry this knife every day I'm in the field. I'm an HVAC technician. I don't buy knives to collect and look at. I use them, and hard because that's what the job demands. Which is why I bought a Carothers. Which is also why the Joe X testing doesn't bother me. I want to see it destroyed to know how far it can be pushed first. I want to see how tough it is. That's it. And maybe others do too. Maybe not! That's fine too. I'm always willing to maintain a high standard of conversation, and I would like this conversation carried forward, respectfully of course, but not at the expense of it being scrubbed clean of it's original intent: Joe X is going to destroy a Carothers knife, and we are all going to see how long it lasts. I'm confident, and thought that was the energy I'd get here too, sort of that 'oh hell yeah, here we go, do your worst!' kinda thing. Even if you don't like him, you at least can have faith in the knives themselves šŸ˜„ I just thought it could be something fun we could talk about, and I'm going to challenge you to think about it from this point of view but if the history runs too deep, it is what it is. If all this remains unacceptable to the moderation team, I would much prefer you just kill it versus editing it into something I did not intend, because that just seems dishonest. It would suck, but 'Respect the Mods' is the 1st rule. Your house = your rules. Thanks guys
 
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I watch both, as both have useful data. The 90 deg bend of the K20 was very impressive in Nathan's videos.

The antics in the former's work is just performance art. I find it funny and quite heartwarming because it pushes the free speech envelope in certain ways and I admire when people do that, even if it's not what I would say or do. I 100% acknowledge that many people find it incredibly distasteful. Maybe takes one (me) to know onešŸ˜‚.




Yeah, I did.

Probably will take some time, because these tests happen in batches, but should happen this year I believe.




Okay, another edit (since this is mod-view only at this point):

Guys, please bear with me here. I read through the entire 26 page thread on the other sub-forum and can see there is quite a contentious relationship btw this forum and Joe, without needing to take a side. Lots of hate, in fact. And on both sides. It's something that I sort of picked up on, but had no idea how deep it ran. I can imagine it stemming from (as per that 26-pg thread) some of the personal insults from videos that were either edited or removed - and I never saw them.

No joke - I came into all this thinking it could be just a heck of a fun time, seeing a Carothers finally tested (as was suggested by some very posters in this thread in the long 26 pager) knowing that it would probably do great. It would be interesting, something to talk about, etc. I haven't yet seen a destructive testing matchup w/ Carothers yet against other 'hard use' type blades, and something instructive might be gleaned from it. And unbeknownst to me at the time of sending it, people had been asking for it. The first responses I got were surprising in a pleasant way - Nathan responded, you responded, ppl were joking around, everyone seemed cool and a real good sport, because I'm not stupid, I know that Joe's videos can be polarizing. Anyway, got a great vibe. But it changed!

And I know that I've only got something like 20+ posts, not an everyday regular, but BladeForums has always been good to me. I'm not a troll. I'm a Carothers owner. I was so excited when I got a spot in the Friday sale for the BFK. Good times. I suppose I just wanted to say my motive should be clear. I carry this knife every day I'm in the field. I'm an HVAC technician. I don't buy knives to collect and look at. I use them, and hard because that's what the job demands. Which is why I bought a Carothers. Which is also why the Joe X testing doesn't bother me. I want to see it destroyed to know how far it can be pushed first. I want to see how tough it is. That's it. And maybe others do too. Maybe not! That's fine too. I'm always willing to maintain a high standard of conversation, and I would like this conversation carried forward, respectfully of course, but not at the expense of it being scrubbed clean of it's original intent: Joe X is going to destroy a Carothers knife, and we are all going to see how long it lasts. I'm confident, and thought that was the energy I'd get here too, sort of that 'oh hell yeah, here we go, do your worst!' kinda thing. Even if you don't like him, you at least can have faith in the knives themselves šŸ˜„ I just thought it could be something fun we could talk about, and I'm going to challenge you to think about it from this point of view but if the history runs too deep, it is what it is. If all this remains unacceptable to the moderation team, I would much prefer you just kill it versus editing it into something I did not intend, because that just seems dishonest. It would suck, but 'Respect the Mods' is the 1st rule. Your house = your rules. Thanks guys
I hope you have another? Once he destroys it, what then?
 
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