The "Ask Nathan a Question" Thread

TRfromMT said:
Nathan the Machinist Nathan the Machinist over in the "what would you like to see next" thread, Justin suggested a small forest axe, then maybe a bigger one.

Would you forge an axe head, or would you do some massive plate cut out and machined? Would you do a bit in a machined housing? How would CPK approach this?
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Tell me you wouldn’t like to see Nathan’s take on an axe handle?!
 
TRfromMT said:
Nathan the Machinist Nathan the Machinist over in the "what would you like to see next" thread, Justin suggested a small forest axe, then maybe a bigger one.

Would you forge an axe head, or would you do some massive plate cut out and machined? Would you do a bit in a machined housing? How would CPK approach this?
Click to expand...


Due to the fairly large amount of material scrap in something like an axe head I might utilize a forging if quantities were large enough to justify the additional step. But I would machine them from "billet" in low quantities.

The machining centers we have here are very stout Mori Seikis that have high material removal rates in steel. We would make short work of roughing an axe head. The real driver of cycle time would be the finishing steps which would be the same regardless of billet or forged. so the only real advantage to a forging would be material savings which might be offset by the expense of forging, I don't know.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Due to the fairly large amount of material scrap in something like an axe head I might utilize a forging if quantities were large enough to justify the additional step. But I would machine them from "billet" in low quantities.

The machining centers we have here are very stout Mori Seikis that have high material removal rates in steel. We would make short work of roughing an axe head. The real driver of cycle time would be the finishing steps which would be the same regardless of billet or forged. so the only real advantage to a forging would be material savings which might be offset by the expense of forging, I don't know.
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What’s it going to take to get the party started?
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Are we talking about 4140 chromoly steel or Delta 3V?
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You tell us Boss.

I recall the story you shared some years ago about exponentially increasing the lifespan of a cutting tool used in an industrial application, cutting cable or cutting fiber optics perhaps. I imagine you know the one I’m talking about.

I think your track record of optimizing HT, material selection and designing high performance, application specific cutting tools speaks for itself.

IMO there are a few very common applications for hatchets/small axes.

General camp duty is normally something ranging from a slightly convex profile to almost flat cheeks. It’s not as good as something more strongly convex for processing firewood, splitting basically.

But something strongly convex just sucks at chopping or limbing. Glancing is the worst.

So in general you want one with concave/hollow profile/cheeks for cutting, limbing etc. But that sucks at splitting.

I mostly split. But I hate glancing.

As axes/hatchets are too big to carry two IMO, I always compromise with a small forest axe around camp.

However I can’t help but look at how CPK has changed how I use knives, permanently.

I can’t say anyone has done the same for me in the axe game.

Autine (Latvia) and some Japanese makers have gone to laminated steels which seems to be the main innovation in ages. But many makers don’t even have a consistent profile or geometry, and there is some luck in how good the head you get will be. Then handles... People actually make money finding vintage heads, restoring them and hanging them. That’s kinda crazy to think but it’s how commercial quality tools changed the industry.

So I want to think you could look at the application, make some changes to what is out there now and create something better.

Actually I know you can. I just don’t know if you want to.
 
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trevitrace said:
Justin, when you say 'SFA' are you referring to their small forest axe or the Scandinavian forest axe? Thanks in advance and apologies if you've already clarified and I missed it.
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My bad, small forest axe around camp. I have a GB small forest axe and an Autine forest axe as my main users right now but have gone through countless axes over the last 30 years.
 
JustinFournier said:
Autine (Latvia) and some Japanese makers have gone to laminated steels which seems to be the main innovation in ages. But many makers don’t even have a consistent profile or geometry, and there is some luck in how good the head you get will be.
Click to expand...

Without highlighting what I really wanted to highlight

“We’re all lyin’ in the gutter, Fred. But some of us’re lookin’ at the stars…”
-Corporal Nobbs quoting Oscar Wilde
 
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