Carothers Performance Knives, Use & Abuse

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It will, of course, prove absolutely nothing. The things that make my knives exceptional will not be on display. It will just be an unbreakable piece of steel. And certain people will clap and flap their hands and be happy.
 
Red Leader said:
I sincerely hope not. I would buy one. Why not? My knife is 50/50 used as a prybar/knife when I'm out in the field. Heck, make it 1/2" shorter, 1/4" thick solid slab D3V, called it the FTFK (Firemans Tool Field Knife) meant to pry and whack, and sometimes cut. Better yet, give it a chisel tip. I'd rock it. I think there should be at least one CPK that survives the rod.

I can't explain. Some like thick women. I like thick knives. Maybe it's a disorder.🤪😂
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I only mean he would not make a knife simply to pass a you tube ‘test’. I am confident the SDFK as offered would pass, however I am not offering mine to anyone until I am dead! 🤣.

One amazing thing about CPK is Nathan takes the time to answer questions and concerns from folks here on the forum (even lowly guys like me who only have 2 CPK’s). He does not claim anything that he does not stand by.

Would a .25” BFK hold up to Joe X? Sure it would. It would be nice for Joe to hang some carcasses or hides up to cut as far as his testing, to show more of what the knives might be capable of during parts of his destruction testing. Just my thoughts.

I love stout knives but more importantly ones I trust. Off road (especially in winter) the SDFK is with me. Knowing I can count on it if I really need it is comforting. I think you would like the Fireman’s tool. Maybe a Fireman’s Tanto🤣

**Edit to say Nathan made a unicorn! Special edition unicorns would fetch a high price! 🤣
 
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mb> said:
Nathan the Machinist Nathan the Machinist after the sword bend demos, I didn’t expect the BFK to take a bend. Is that just a matter of fatiguing the steel with repeated bending?
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It was difficult to tell, in that video, if it was bent and which way. The spherical distortion from his video made it look bent to the left in some views and then bent to the right in others. Did it take a bend in the log? My impression from his description was no, but looking at the video it looked like a lot. And in my experience it was none. Was it distortion from his video? I'm not sure. From what he was saying it must have been, but from what I saw, I don't know. Depending on where he held it and in what view, it looked bent in one direction at one point and in the other direction at another point. Did it take a bend and how much? I don't even know. I cannot answer that question.
 
beeinak said:
I only mean he would not make a knife simply to pass a you tube ‘test’. I am confident the SDFK as offered would pass, however I am not offering mine to anyone until I am dead! 🤣.

One amazing thing about CPK is Nathan takes the time to answer questions and concerns from folks here on the forum (even lowly guys like me who only have 2 CPK’s). He does not claim anything that he does not stand by.

Would a .25” BFK hold up to Joe X? Sure it would. It would be nice for Joe to hang some carcasses or hides up to cut as far as his testing, to show more of what the knives might be capable of during parts of his destruction testing. Just my thoughts.

I love stout knives but more importantly ones I trust. Off road (especially in winter) the SDFK is with me. Knowing I can count on it if I really need it is comforting. I think you would like the Fireman’s tool. Maybe a Fireman’s Tanto🤣

**Edit to say Nathan made a unicorn! Special edition unicorns would fetch a high price! 🤣
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I only have 2 CPKs as well. I used to have 3😭😂. But it was a worthy sacrifice to see two things I like and admire (CPK and the JOE X testing) come together. My sincere hope was that it would turn into a fun, educational, and perhaps even inspirational experience. Apart from a troll here or there, I've enjoyed the after action and I hope there will be more to come.

In some test videos, he has thrown up some cardboard after the brick, and attempts to cut it. May be good to put that back into rotation perhaps!

And, I would buy a 'stupid thick BFK' that survives the pole. 100%. Even if it didn't cut as well. Can't explain why. Maybe we'll just chalk it up to ignorance on my part - I'm okay with that:thumbsup:
 
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Nathan the Machinist said:
It was difficult to tell, in that video, if it was bent and which way. The spherical distortion from his video made it look bent to the left in some views and then bent to the right in others. Did it take a bend in the log? My impression from his description was no, but looking at the video it looked like a lot. And in my experience it was none. Was it distortion from his video? I'm not sure. From what he was saying it must have been, but from what I saw, I don't know. Depending on where he held it and in what view, it looked bent in one direction at one point and in the other direction at another point. Did it take a bend and how much? I don't even know. I cannot answer that question.
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In a lot of his test videos, I've seen this same thing happen. Usually this happens after an extreme bend test, and I cannot tell either. He's also got an 'unbatonable' log (different from the one in this vid) that sometimes he'll throw really big knives in, and whack on them until the baton breaks. They usually make it in 2" and they are stuck. They bend in the wood, but when they are pulled out, they usually end up straight, but you can't really tell from the video. If he got a straight edge, and held it up to each side for a couple seconds, that might be a good way to do it.

I've seen that sword bend test video, which is very impressive, and in some ways a different test. That seemed to be a pretty long radius test, whereas the BFK bend test at the stump was a far more localized extreme bend focused over a small area. Most knives he tests either snap, or do take a small set (plastic deformation?)
 
I thought it was video distortion until he stated it around the 15:00 mark.

I scanned a couple others and saw where he definitely bent a Battle Mistress.

Just made me wonder about the 90 deg test thing and how many times you can bend a blade before it takes a bend.
 
Red Leader said:
I've seen that sword bend test video, which is very impressive, and in some ways a different test. That seemed to be a pretty long radius test, whereas the BFK bend test at the stump was a far more localized extreme bend focused over a small area. Most knives he tests either snap, or do take a small set (plastic deformation?)
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For sure, bend radius and blade thickness are critical elements. Bending something really long or really thin is much less impressive than bending something short and thick.

Bending a fencing foil 90° is trivial. Bending a 3/16" sword that is 20" long is not trivial. Having that sword spring back straight is impressive.

Historical swords would not be able to perform that. But modern metallurgy is able to. Mine is, but I do not claim to be the only maker capable.

...that said, most would fail.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Making a knife to pass this test should not be rocket science. I'll send him another 5-inch field knife that's a little bit thicker and see if it does any better. It won't cut very well or be a very good knife, but I expect it should tolerate what he's dishing out ok
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the one CPK I'd like to see that guy full ham on is a DEK2, which was literally designed for this kind of dumbassery.
 
Red Leader said:
I only have 2 CPKs as well. I used to have 3😭😂. But it was a worthy sacrifice to see two things I like and admire (CPK and the JOE X testing) come together. My sincere hope was that it would turn into a fun, educational, and perhaps even inspirational experience. Apart from a troll here or there, I've enjoyed the after action and I hope there will be more to come.

In some test videos, he has thrown up some cardboard after the brick, and attempts to cut it. May be good to put that back into rotation perhaps!

And, I would buy a 'stupid thick BFK' that survives the pole. 100%. Even if it didn't cut as well. Can't explain why. Maybe we'll just chalk it up to ignorance on my part - I'm okay with that:thumbsup:
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No ignorance on your part at all! We like what we like🤣.

You have shown excellent taste in the knife you carry on the job, and showed a significant investment in sacrificing your ‘extra’ to Joe. The CPK community here is pretty awesome, and I for one am glad you are participating.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
^ generally speaking, I try to make knives of a kind that are outstanding high performance knives and not pry tools. There are, of course, exceptions.

No I wasn't kidding. I made a very stupid thick BFK today and I will be sending it to this fella to beat on.
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I think most of the “regulars” here on the sub-forum would like to see some pics of this thicker test-mule BFK next to a standard BFK before you send it off to this JoeX fella.

Even better would be not to send it to him until after the upcoming gathering. ;)

I’ve never asked this before but I’m assuming that you can do your own heat treat for prototypes at the compound without having to send them out?
 
yoko said:
I think you should call the thick BFK the CHONK lol
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It's a great name for a knife, but I've seen it used fairly often as a name among (Many) other makers......

It should Be a style of knife (Chonk) , like Woodcraft, Kephart, Nessmuk..... lol idk?
 
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