My newest camp blade

caine

caine

Joined
Nov 9, 2003
Messages
4,248
Bill Siegle 10inch 1/4 thick Nata 5160
snata1.jpg


snata2.jpg
 
i bet that has some chopping power to it with that much steel left at the point.

i still like that "hoodlum" blade that was on the woodsmaster video cutting up a pop can.

thanks for sharing and i hope you enjoy using that beast :)
 
That should be a helluva chopper. At least this one arrived to you safely.
 
WAY Cool! Love the design and tknife is right on the money. You could cleave your way through just about anything.

Cerberus :cool:
 
That is a great looking blade.

IIRC A nata is a bamboo cutting blade, a use which places lots of stess on a blade. Years ago (~2000) a forum member (Shrike9) wrote that he had broken several well known knives, i.e. Cold Steel Kuhukri and the like, on the same tasks.

That nata is a knife that looks like it could take on that job without being phased. Bill Siegle is known for making an excellent, tough working tool. His work is featured on the Hoods Woods videos taking some incredible abuse, chopping through multiple frozen caribou leg bones.

His heat treat of 5160, an already tough steel, sure makes it very suitable for use as a survival blade.

From my dealings with Bill, I know his grind lines are good, and he is good to deal with.

You have a great looking blade, backed up with a Rucksack you should have your knife needs covered.

I am interested in hearing how it performs, please keep us informed.
 
i also have a rucksack to go with it

one of these days ill get out and do some work with it and do a write up on it
 
one of these days ill get out and do some work with it and do a write up on it
Click to expand...

That would be great.

A couple questions, if you don’t mind:

Is the blade differentially tempered?
I realized both pics show one side of the balde, is the knife V ground (Saber) or chisel ground?
How thick is the knife behind the edge?

I really admire that knife, great looking design and steel choice for hard use. I also very much like the handle design, it looks like it would be comfortable in a variety of grips, and having used Bill’s work before I know he can work micarta well. The grip material is also a great choice for hard use, durable and secure. Looks to be a very cohesive design, all the elements work well together.

Again, great choice for a hard use knife!!
 
its not a chisel its v

as for the tempering you can email bill and he could tell you more about it
 
The Nata inspired design of this knife got me to thinking about the different philosphy beteen Eastern and Western tool design, especially knives. I was reminded of a conversation I had with a custom knife maker who is also a cabinet maker and finish carpenter by trade. He collects wood working tools, as only a skilled craftsman can. My how they must accumulate over the decades.

Anyways, the maker (Chudzinski) told me about the different designs in eastern tools, especially Japanese wood working tools. Hammers, chisels, skews, gouges, saws, scrapers, scribes, planes, all he described as being markedly different than what would be considered traditinal western tools.

He praised the designs, and claimed they were superior in many ways for the fine work he does. Eastern tools see to have a more “form follows function” philosophy than in the West. They seem less concerned with durability, nad more concerned with efficiency in performance, probably relying on user skill to replace the strength that comes from a tool being overbuilt.

I have seen this myself in Japanese cooking knives, and the designs they inspire.

Going back to the Nata design, I think it is a superior design to the Western style Bowie for a field knife. The western Bowie’s Clip, or even spear or drop point palce more of an emphasis on stabbing ability and have a more center balance, quicker in the hand. Perhaps this stems from the dual role of weapon/ tool that the large knife has played in Western history.

In contrast, the broad tipped blade, almost sheep footed, really looks like it would be more useful for the type of work typically done in the outdoors. The much broader tip leaves more metal out front, shifting the balance forward for greater chopping ability out of the same length blade.

For those that use their knives as a digging tool, the broad tip looks to be a much more efficient shovel.

I don’t recall ever having to stab anything (besides a few shadows as a child) when I am in the woods, whether for recreation or practicing bushcraft skills. While a thin tip is nice for fine work, that is not the big knife’s forte anyways, thus I carrya smaller knife or two. One of which is always a SAK. Much more efficent for fine work. Less tiring, does a better job.

Nice knife, Big Country had a similar one in their lineup
Click to expand...

I would easily choose the Siegle knife over the Big Country. Easily. Better steel and handle material for hard use, and I would argue a better blade design.

Ken Warner is a pretty cool guy though, talked to him a few times on the phone. He is a knife lover as well, and I think he would choose the Siegle knife as well!

This is one of those knives that sticks in my head, I would love to get one, It is near the top of my list for knife purchases to make.
 
knifetester said:
I don’t recall ever having to stab anything (besides a few shadows as a child) when I am in the woods ...
Click to expand...

From a hunting/fishing perspective it has some use and the tip goes into wood easier so has uses for removing bark and picking apart woods for grubs or sap woods.

However as you noted the heavier rounded tip has a lot of benefits as well, I also like the fact you can work with a overhand grip up there for draw cutting.

I would not mind it on a large knife, I would want more curve to the edge though, and more hook to the end of the handle to drive off on a swing.

I would easily choose the Siegle knife over the Big Country.
Click to expand...

Indeed, no contest. The big billhook looks interesting but that tip looks fragile.

-Cliff
 
and more hook to the end of the handle to drive off on a swing.
Click to expand...

The handle design looks *great* to me. Any more hook and it would really pound my little finger on hard chopping.

BTW, Re: Heat Treat from Bill's site:
Almost all of my blades consist of 5160 high carbon spring steel. I selectively harden my blades, this results in a knife with a hard edge and a softer spine to take shock and abuse.
Click to expand...

I think I can actually see the temper line in your pic, the monitor I am using right now is old, I will check from my LCD at home later.

For another Sielgle design that looks nice (except I would want a much smaller guard), check out the Hoodlum knife:
http://www.survival.com/siegle_blades.htm

Damn, now my next Big Knife has to be a Siegle!!
 
knifetester said:
Any more hook and it would really pound my little finger on hard chopping.
Click to expand...

The angle is critical, as it gets higher it gets more secure, but if you go too high there is no give. Ideally there is enough give to prevent impacts, but not so much to reduce efficiency. You can also use a greater angle if the "hook" is highly swelled :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/parrell_parang_side.jpg

That is an extreme example flare wise. I designed that to be used even with a partial grip around the very end. Different techniques require different handles of course. My brother uses little wrist drive (which is odd because he does when he uses heavy hammers) and tends to like straigher grips.

The Hoodlum looks nice but I don't like recurves in wood brush blades, they work well for lighter vegetation, but for wood I prefer a style like the Valiant Golok, it is much smoother, especially on thicker wood, essentially it has the same sore of curvature as the bit of an axe.

-Cliff
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top