Field Knife 2.0

JustinFournier

JustinFournier

Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
4,971
With the Field Knife being discontinued, the recent fancy scales sales and a great email conversation with a friend regarding this pattern, the FK has been on my mind a lot lately. I have called it my favorite mid-sized knife of all time. But the truth of it is, I think it is my all time favorite knife.

The idea of a second generation FK has been mentioned by Nathan, and Lorien said he would like to revisit the model.

I thought it would be worth starting a thread to condense our community's input for Jo, Nathan & Lorien to consider.

The first major suggestion I read was from duramax here.

He asked if the possibility a heavy duty version of the FK existed, to which Nathan replied that he liked the idea.

Naturally, one feature of the knife to remove or change for an HD version or any for that matter would be the pry/scraper pommel. Perhaps it could be made more in-line with the other models if people find that more attractive and versatile.

One feature I love, that I would like to see kept as is, personal preference here is blade profile in a general, not identical way. In particular the spine with the chamfer/bevel/radius being reduced as it heads from the thumb ramp towards the tip. I can't tell exactly if it is a radius, or a chamfer with the edges softened in the stone wash, but it's an exquisite detail that I love. Something you will never see executed this symmetrically by a guy on a grinder. It really highlights the level of attention to detail that really sets Nathan apart.

In my opinion when knowledge of Nathan really gets out there and is recognized by the greater community for the genius that he is, people in the know will look back at this model among others as a harbinger of a gigantic step forward in the quality, performance and level of design consideration people will come to expect of the knives on the custom market.

So what would you guys like to see kept, and what would you like to see changed?
 
the exercise of developing the SK, and getting feedback, I think is going to inform the FK V2
 
I would support thinner stock and the removal of the Pommel. Oh and about 100 employees to make dozens per day.
 
Great thread! I think you just started a wildfire...

I really like my FK as is, but here are a few things that have been on my mind using it:

When I bought the FK I somehow had imagined it in thinner stock, so that's something I'd actually like to see! (More so than HD, I think there are so many options for that out there, and with the d3v you can get it as strong in a slicier package.)

Also I bought it partly for the prybar thingie as a novelty. I do use it, mostly for paint cans and such, but overall I guess it limits the options how you can use the knife. So I'd vote no for v2.

Also maybe shorten the distance between index finger and the edge, and personally I've never really liked edge "heels" in blades. I guess they're useful if you don't have a sharpening ricasso etc (except for safety).

And maybe a tad more filling handle. But not as much as the EDC or the new spec GSOs. But I guess I can add my own liners to accomplish that too.

And the sheath... I LOVE that it's so compact, but is like to see more carry options. I guess that's just a matter of making my own adapter or drilling out the one that comes with the knife, but still.
 
90* spine, a little more blade length, a bit more hand-filling scales, and a kydex sheath on par with the ones that come from SURVIVE!
 
" JustinFournier "

I agree with the above and like what you have to say there. For a newbie here and still waiting for an FK to get into my hands :-) I just like the idea of FKv2 being along the lines of the HD and LC choppers. That said, I'll be patiantly waiting to see what is designed and released. Hopefully Nathan gets production somewhere in the future to the level he desires and and both model FK's and others will be available :D:D
 
ManOfSteel89 said:
90* spine, a little more blade length, a bit more hand-filling scales, and a kydex sheath on par with the ones that come from SURVIVE!
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that the sheaths these come with were made by a much more renowned sheath maker than S?K.

I'll just wait to see what Nathan and Lorien come up with. I believe they're fully capable, and I think they'll do a much better job than anything we could dream up.

It's great to have an outlet to bend the maker's ear, but I trust these fellas.
 
AntDog said:
I was under the impression that the sheaths these come with were made by a much more renowned sheath maker than S?K.

I'll just wait to see what Nathan and Lorien come up with. I believe they're fully capable, and I think they'll do a much better job than anything we could dream up.

It's great to have an outlet to bend the maker's ear, but I trust these fellas.
Click to expand...

I love my CPK's but IMO the sheaths aren't even close. They function and I'm not bashing them but the ones that come with the S!K's are the nicest factory sheaths I've ever had. The only one I've seen on par with them is the one that comes with an ESEE Junglas.
 
The Field Knife is being discontinued?? oh, I missed that news. Mine's gonna be worth a bit now :). Especially with a nice aftermarket sheath - I agree the stock sheath is sub-par when compared to the great knife (sad to say). Where was it stated it was being discontinued?

IMG_7035_zpsi3x2fzvi.jpg
 
I believe it's been mentioned in a couple threads. The FK design is being put to the side so to speak as the SK design could possibly be out by December. I think we could possibly see its return sometime down the road ? But this is just my take on what I've read here, so we'll have to wait and see.
 
Devil's advocate: to my mind, the forthcoming survival pattern is a heavy field knife.

Given that we're talking about a knife in 3V here, with a very good heat treat, I find myself wondering what another variant of the field knife could really bring to the table that the current one doesn't — certainly, in that general blade length, "heavy" can't mean "better chopper", since length is the limiting factor. And going for heavier stock in 3V would be more or less pointless given the already best-in-class toughness of the steel and heat treat.

The only thing that I can personally thing of is to have a wider (as in taller) blade, and more of a spear point (kephart influence), but that's really picking nits, and to some extent seems to take away from the current streamlined design that seems to marry the functional goals of something like a stout kephart, and a drop-point hunter pattern.

On the other hand, if length is a variable that can be played with, then something in between the current field knife and the forthcoming survival pattern (ie. something in the fiddleback duke's size range, or a touch bigger) would probably be just dandy :)
 
I dont have a FK nor ever held one. The only thing i would like is another preorder. Missed the first one and dont want that to happen again.
Thank you Nathan and Jo.
Cheers
 
I'm usually viewed as a collector, because that's what I've become in later years. But my life/work/profession gave me many reasons to need and use knives of all kinds. The only change I would even consider making to the field knife would be another half-inch of length. But that would cause the entire blade geometry to require revision.

Point is, it needs absolutely nothing done to the design, IMOHO. It is perfectly fit for very many uses. I can understand any maker wanting to fiddle with design, but this one is as near perfect as it needs to be. I would maximize my time with new rather than revisionary design.
 
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I vote leave it exactly as it is. If you want a heavy duty, fine. Make a heavy duty knife and call it the Field Knife Heavy. Remember proper tool for the task? This blade is a fine everything blade with very little compromise. In fact, between the Lt Chopper and the Field Knife, what more capability do you need. Seems you would have to get a specialty tool to better the combination of those two knives like say, a saw, a hammer, a machete (or better yet a bush hog), a pry bar, a broad belly skinner in 10v but even that's splitting hairs.

Just my 2c. But as usual, I could be completely wrong.
 
ManOfSteel89 said:
90* spine, a little more blade length, a bit more hand-filling scales, and a kydex sheath on par with the ones that come from SURVIVE!
Click to expand...
I know ManOFSteel would appreciate a righteous choil on the FK2.0. Don't let him convince you otherwise. Plus, I can use the choil to help me mount it on my mom's basement wall. Win!

😂

Ok, I was joking. Slightly. My mom doesn't have a basement. Lol.

Seriously, as others have mentioned FK is near perfect. But should a version 1.5 or 2.0 come out, I'd like to see a flat pommel, hidden lanyard hole, slightly stubbier blade tip, and fancier handle hardware that can be easily taken on/off.

We all have to dream about something, right?
 
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