Nathan the Machinist
KnifeMaker / Machinist / Evil Genius
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2007
- Messages
- 17,943
We have a new sub forum here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/929-Carothers-Performance-Knives
The Field Knife was designed as a collaboration with Lorien Arnold. It is a well made, no frills, high performance utility knife. The steel is Crucible CPM 3V at HRC 61-62 with the fully optimized heat treat with very good edge retention and edge stability. You'll be surprised how sharp this gets and how well it holds an edge. If you have never used 3V this hard and thin, it is gonna blow your mind.
This steel with this heat treat will support a fine edge, so this was taken down to .015" before sharpening and it was sharpened 18 degrees per side. This is relatively acute and it cuts well, but is very durable. This batch is also lightly hand ground after machining to give it a slight convex grind.
Some might consider this a tactical knife but the point is not reinforced and it is not shaped or balanced as a weapon. It's reasonably thin behind the edge. It is a hard working cutting tool, a big skinning knife and woods knife. There is a pry/scrape in the tang.
The handle is ergonomically designed for a standard forward, reverse, saber and pinch grips for an average to relatively large hand. The tang is internally skeletonized. The scales are 3D sculpted CNC machined. The blade is made of 3/16 3V with a heat treat that has been optimized to maximize edge stability in rough use. Despite being relatively thin it is durable. You can baton with it. You might damage the fine edge if you set your mind to it, but the knife itself is practically unbreakable.
A side effect of this heat treat is a higher percentage of free chromium, so although it is not stainless, it is nearly so.
Specs:
3V, tested 62 HRC, .188 thick at ricasso
This 3V is a fully optimized 3V for this hardness and application
Total length 9.75
Blade length 4.625
Weight 8.0 oz
Grippy 3D machined scales in micarta or G10
Black oxide treated 18-8 stainless steel fasteners
Jared Corry sheaths are custom made for these knives and are well designed and well made. They can be worn vertical or horizontal and can be configured for left hand or right hand carry.
Tell me what scale option you choose and I'll build it. There are ten knives available in this sale. The knives in the picture are the knives in this sale. Some will need scales and sharpened so they will not ship until end of next week.
Rather than just take my word for it I made a video:
[video=youtube;1w1_WX_fNN8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w1_WX_fNN8[/video]
These are all field grade, as machined and stonewashed with tool and grind marks.
$235 in micarta, black or brown
$245 in solid color G10, black, OD green, Forest green
$255 in multi color G10, OD green / black
We have a few in some of the old multi color G10 available
Includes a good kydex sheath.
Shipping in the USA is $10.
These knives are unusual because they are machined. I do this in my shop on industrial CNC machine tools. A WIP thread documenting my technique can be found here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1048443
I take paypal, cash, check or MO.
We are experimenting with an order list for the Field Knife here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1411961-Field-Knife-pre-order-thread
The new 3" EDC is only a few weeks out now.
Thanks for looking,
Nathan
The Field Knife was designed as a collaboration with Lorien Arnold. It is a well made, no frills, high performance utility knife. The steel is Crucible CPM 3V at HRC 61-62 with the fully optimized heat treat with very good edge retention and edge stability. You'll be surprised how sharp this gets and how well it holds an edge. If you have never used 3V this hard and thin, it is gonna blow your mind.
This steel with this heat treat will support a fine edge, so this was taken down to .015" before sharpening and it was sharpened 18 degrees per side. This is relatively acute and it cuts well, but is very durable. This batch is also lightly hand ground after machining to give it a slight convex grind.
Some might consider this a tactical knife but the point is not reinforced and it is not shaped or balanced as a weapon. It's reasonably thin behind the edge. It is a hard working cutting tool, a big skinning knife and woods knife. There is a pry/scrape in the tang.
The handle is ergonomically designed for a standard forward, reverse, saber and pinch grips for an average to relatively large hand. The tang is internally skeletonized. The scales are 3D sculpted CNC machined. The blade is made of 3/16 3V with a heat treat that has been optimized to maximize edge stability in rough use. Despite being relatively thin it is durable. You can baton with it. You might damage the fine edge if you set your mind to it, but the knife itself is practically unbreakable.
A side effect of this heat treat is a higher percentage of free chromium, so although it is not stainless, it is nearly so.
Specs:
3V, tested 62 HRC, .188 thick at ricasso
This 3V is a fully optimized 3V for this hardness and application
Total length 9.75
Blade length 4.625
Weight 8.0 oz
Grippy 3D machined scales in micarta or G10
Black oxide treated 18-8 stainless steel fasteners
Jared Corry sheaths are custom made for these knives and are well designed and well made. They can be worn vertical or horizontal and can be configured for left hand or right hand carry.
Tell me what scale option you choose and I'll build it. There are ten knives available in this sale. The knives in the picture are the knives in this sale. Some will need scales and sharpened so they will not ship until end of next week.
Rather than just take my word for it I made a video:
[video=youtube;1w1_WX_fNN8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w1_WX_fNN8[/video]
These are all field grade, as machined and stonewashed with tool and grind marks.
$235 in micarta, black or brown
$245 in solid color G10, black, OD green, Forest green
$255 in multi color G10, OD green / black
We have a few in some of the old multi color G10 available
Includes a good kydex sheath.
Shipping in the USA is $10.
These knives are unusual because they are machined. I do this in my shop on industrial CNC machine tools. A WIP thread documenting my technique can be found here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1048443
I take paypal, cash, check or MO.
We are experimenting with an order list for the Field Knife here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1411961-Field-Knife-pre-order-thread
The new 3" EDC is only a few weeks out now.
Thanks for looking,
Nathan
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