Midtechs by Mechforce

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The True North said:
It's not relevant whether they were manual or CNC machinists before getting into the knife industry, nor is it relevant what they are or are not optimizing. What you SAID was:


Which I have not found to be the case at all. Can you provide multiple specific examples?




And yeah, you can make good parts on a cheap machine. Most high end USA-based knife makers however, are NOT using bottom of the barrel machines, as you posited previously. Or does anything not automated automatically fall into that category in your eyes? You seem to be implying that anyone not deeply invested in automation and maximized production output are somehow amateurish, which is of course ridiculous.
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It is extremely relevant. Maybe I should have specified production CNC machining. Obviously even the small custom knifemakers will know their way around a manual knee mill, how else would they make anything? That's not what we're talking about. I'm not sure exactly how to explain the distinction to someone not directly involved in manufacturing, but there's very little crossover between these two worlds. And old school tool and die is very much on the manual knee mill side, Mitch is correct with his examples and the majority of knifemakers have a similar background.

Yes they are using bottom of the barrel machines, and no it's not just about automation. There's a broad range of CNC machines on the market, and knifemaking is an area where acceptable tolerances are loose enough that the low end can be acceptable. Haas is bottom of the barrel whether they're automated or not, for a wide variety of reasons. Brother and Robodrill are also common with knife companies, but while these are much better, they are still what's known in the industry as a "commodity machine." They're geared towards lower-end job shops, but there's a whole world of higher end machines beyond that.
 
Tsujigiri said:
It is extremely relevant. Maybe I should have specified production CNC machining. Obviously even the small custom knifemakers will know their way around a manual knee mill, how else would they make anything? That's not what we're talking about. I'm not sure exactly how to explain the distinction to someone not directly involved in manufacturing, but there's very little crossover between these two worlds. And old school tool and die is very much on the manual knee mill side, Mitch is correct with his examples and the majority of knifemakers have a similar background.

Yes they are using bottom of the barrel machines, and no it's not just about automation. There's a broad range of CNC machines on the market, and knifemaking is an area where acceptable tolerances are loose enough that the low end can be acceptable. Haas is bottom of the barrel whether they're automated or not, for a wide variety of reasons. Brother and Robodrill are also common with knife companies, but while these are much better, they are still what's known in the industry as a "commodity machine." They're geared towards lower-end job shops, but there's a whole world of higher end machines beyond that.
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Go back and read your original claim about American knifemakers being machinists only secondarily.
🤷🏻‍♂️

Your need to pontificate is causing us to talk circles around one another, like ships in the night. So I'm out.
 
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Tsujigiri said:
It is extremely relevant. Maybe I should have specified production CNC machining. Obviously even the small custom knifemakers will know their way around a manual knee mill, how else would they make anything? That's not what we're talking about. I'm not sure exactly how to explain the distinction to someone not directly involved in manufacturing, but there's very little crossover between these two worlds. And old school tool and die is very much on the manual knee mill side, Mitch is correct with his examples and the majority of knifemakers have a similar background.

Yes they are using bottom of the barrel machines, and no it's not just about automation. There's a broad range of CNC machines on the market, and knifemaking is an area where acceptable tolerances are loose enough that the low end can be acceptable. Haas is bottom of the barrel whether they're automated or not, for a wide variety of reasons. Brother and Robodrill are also common with knife companies, but while these are much better, they are still what's known in the industry as a "commodity machine." They're geared towards lower-end job shops, but there's a whole world of higher end machines beyond that.
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I have to agree with you on your points so far. I myself have production experience in the mining industry of vulcanizing machines and have seen this stuff first hand.
 
mitchnola said:
Ya came in a little hot and ya leaving steaming. Just having a friendly discussion bro.
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I plead innocent on both counts, I have been nothing but friendly. Tone is half of intention and all that, and tone does not come across well on a forum.

The guy moved the goalposts every time he got quoted and replied to though. 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
The True North said:
Go back and read your original claim about American knifemakers being machinists only secondarily.
🤷🏻‍♂️

Your need to pontificate is causing us to talk circles around one another, like ships in the night. So I'm out.
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The True North said:
I plead innocent on both counts, I have been nothing but friendly. Tone is half of intention and all that, and tone does not come across well on a forum.

The guy moved the goalposts every time he got quoted and replied to though. 🤷🏻‍♂️
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Hey, man, more than happy to give you the benefit of the doubt on that. No goalposts were moved, my meaning was the same from start to finish whether you understood it that way or not. Tool and die guys are a particular bunch, they don't consider themselves to be "cnc machinists," and are very quick to say so whenever I try to talk about machines with them. They're adamant about this even if they have a programmable z on their knee mills, which would technically make them cnc machinists. That's a nuance I wouldn't expect someone outside of the industry to know, so no shame in not knowing that. On the other hand, I also wouldn't expect someone to attempt arguing semantics in a sphere they're not familiar with. In any case, I was just putting that out there for anyone who might be interested in the subject and didn't mean to embarrass you.

Back on topic, I am wondering what OP thought about the knife, regardless of country of origin. I haven't been able to dig up much info on their knives or who's making them on their behalf. I think I saw that they managed to collab with some name designers, though. How does the quality stack up to CKF, Rike, Reate, We Knife, etc? Here's my flashlight from them below, I'd honestly put it up against the best in this category of light so I'm curious if the knives live up to the same standard.

20260131_155713.jpg
 
Tsujigiri said:
Hey, man, more than happy to give you the benefit of the doubt on that. No goalposts were moved, my meaning was the same from start to finish whether you understood it that way or not. Tool and die guys are a particular bunch, they don't consider themselves to be "cnc machinists," and are very quick to say so whenever I try to talk about machines with them. They're adamant about this even if they have a programmable z on their knee mills, which would technically make them cnc machinists. That's a nuance I wouldn't expect someone outside of the industry to know, so no shame in not knowing that. On the other hand, I also wouldn't expect someone to attempt arguing semantics in a sphere they're not familiar with. In any case, I was just putting that out there for anyone who might be interested in the subject and didn't mean to embarrass you.
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Mod asked us to be civil, so I won't respond to this snide, smarmy B.S. the way it deserves to be responded to.
 
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