The "Ask Nathan a question" thread

Nate designs his handles to be comfortable without gloves (but you can, of course, use them with gloves).

Keep in mind that the BC handle has several different hand positions built into it.

While you can hold it with the swell in the palm of your hand, for me, the hand position with the bottom of my hand socked up against the flared end, is the power position for chopping hard. It feels very secure in use, without needing a death grip.

This means my hand doesn't get tired as quickly from holding it and my arm doesn't get tired as quickly from swinging it, as that position generates a deep bite without having to try to 'muscle' the swing.

The forward grip is where I choke up on the grip, getting me closer to the COB (Center Of Balance). This grip gives more control for snap cuts for smaller stuff (brush, small limbs etc.). I don't know if I ever have my hand centered on the handle.

 

Good info. Thank you

 

@Nathan the Machinist, I have a question in the CC sale thread which I like your help to guide me pls

Thanks!


Don

 

How did this sweet thread ever fall back to page 2?!

Nathan, you must've received your F95 by now. Have you had a chance to tinker with it, a little or a lot already? Tested the hardness? Will you be reviewing it? TIA

 

Healing nicely

I know there are folks who like a folder that is so smooth that it can close under its own weight. But not me. I have mixed feelings about this knife, there are aspects of it that are good but I don't love it.

 

I admire and salute your left field sharpness test

 

one of my pet peeves as well

 

Happy to hear this. I like and use Shiros, but I would like you to go another direction, I think you can do better all on your own.

 

my dream is to one day design a CPK folder

 

Way back in the 80’s the Toyota made Lexus LS400 was reverse engineered based on the Mercedes-Benz W126 chassis 420 SEL. Lexus took out the kinks that the obtuse German designers and engineers were too stubborn about correcting and then Lexus arguably ended up with a better over all vehicle.

I’m just saying that things do not need to start up from scratch!

 

Agreed, that's all Sergey did, were talking a framelock folder here, he sure as hell didn't do anything original with the F95. I believe if anyone can come up with something better, or possibly even different, it will be our half sloshed on a Friday night, evil genius. If you want to inspire him, send another six pack and let's leave him be for a while.

 

Don’t know how everyone feels about single piece knife bodies. Here are a few photos of a Peter Rassenti knife. WE Knife has a few models also. The Rassenti is more of a custom piece, whereas the WE Knife models are production pieces.

I enjoy single piece bodies because they are a bit unique and seemingly simple. I’m sure there are trade-offs in material management and manufacturing and possibly strength/durability. In general, they seem a bit heavier than the more traditional designs, but not overly so. The WE Knife models are a bit more slim and lighter.

The only thing that I don’t enjoy about this knife is, see the first picture, that the end and swell of the rather stiff machined pocket clip is located very close to the integral lock arm “flex” divot. This configuration forces my pocket rim down into and through the rather sharp cornered divot. This damages the pocket rim and makes installing and removing the knife more difficult.

I really think that many of the more flexible sheetmetal clips work better than many of the “too stiff” machined titanium clips. Maybe not the most aesthetic, but the Spyderco wire clips seem to be some of the best functioning clips, in my opinion. They are easy to use, don’t damage the pocket rim, and, because of the round wire cross section, don’t scratch, as badly, all of the things I seem to run against in my sometimes manic moving around during the day.

And while I’m making this too long for most to want to read.... I’ll let loose another opinion. Being close to OCD about symmetry, I think that my favorite knives are nice, thin, light, liner locks. There are arguements about functionality and strength, and the liner lock still does not make for a completely symmetrical knife, but at least the scales are the same on both sides! Damnit! I can handle an integral with just plain metal on both sides, but anything on one side and not the other, drives me nuts, and I won’t buy it.

Just my very long winded opinions. If anyone tried to read all of this and is still awake, I’m open for other opinions.

And I’ve probably out done Matty for words in a post. Mike

 

Close. But nice read.

 

I prefer liner lock as well, generally speaking. Too often on framelocks does the lock face cutout create a sharp corner which digs into your finger when using forceful cuts, like shaving down a branch for example where you have your thumb wrapped around the handle and you're pushing hard into the material. I think there are ways around this issue, but even some of the more established patterns I've handled don't nail this part of the equation very well

perhaps the overall chassis of a framelock is technically stiffer, (an integral even more so) but apples to apples that difference in stiffness would likely not be perceptible to anyone

a linerlock provides the ability to have a nice hand filling handle without a lot of extra weight. A solid ti handle would have to be pretty thick to fill up your hand, and that comes with a lot of extra weight, unless you add the extra expense of removing material, (which starts to erode the potential stiffness advantage of a two or one piece frame)

the ability to use various materials to suit various tastes and aesthetic preferences is also a good reason to built liner lock knives

2 cents

 

Peter is a pretty cool dude makes a nice knife and Integrals are cool, but I honestly think thats all they are, just cool. For me its all about the overall design of the knife. Doesn't matter if is a Liner, frame lock, bolster lock etc etc. I like his Nirvana design but thats about it.

 

That knife did the same thing to me (THAT knife). It's possessed.

 

Me too

 

I have to say I don't like a folder to fall shut so easily either ... if they are well designed it's no more difficult to shut even if it doesn't fall shut and it's a matter of time before it bites you if it falls shut.

 

Hey I guess we're blood brothers now...

 

if your thumb can comfortably open the lock in a position that the blade then falls down with the edge on that same thumb there is a design flaw.