The "Ask Nathan a Question" Thread

Nathan the Machinist said:
Yeah I want to do something like a 2 lb boys axe. Something like a small forest axe? Most everything I see today is overly simplified, you don't see the contouring geometry like you used to see on something like a Plumb, and nobody is making an axe with optimal metallurgy.

One of my challenges however is the math.

If the starting billet is 6" x 4" x 1", the raw material starts off as 7 lbs of CPM-3V. Never mind the machining cost, do you know how much CPM 3V costs for seven pounds of it?

... Even before you get into machining, heat treat, and finishing, the raw material cost is a problem.

This is something I want to tackle someday, but I have to think it's going to be a very small run because there's not many people wanting to drop this kind of coin on an axe head
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I feel nobody would blame you if you picked a "cheaper" steel, like - say - A2 ?

Sounds like a lot of setup though .... almost more than the folder ?

:)
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Yeah I want to do something like a 2 lb boys axe. Something like a small forest axe? Most everything I see today is overly simplified, you don't see the contouring geometry like you used to see on something like a Plumb, and nobody is making an axe with optimal metallurgy.

One of my challenges however is the math.

If the starting billet is 6" x 4" x 1", the raw material starts off as 7 lbs of CPM-3V. Never mind the machining cost, do you know how much CPM 3V costs for seven pounds of it?

... Even before you get into machining, heat treat, and finishing, the raw material cost is a problem.

This is something I want to tackle someday, but I have to think it's going to be a very small run because there's not many people wanting to drop this kind of coin on an axe head
Click to expand...
Ok yeah but you could just take a 7-lb chunk of 3V, stamp it with your signature, and sell it as is in a nice leisurely 45-second sale.
 
Burke said:
Nathan the Machinist Nathan the Machinist have you ever fully serrated any of your Shivs or UF2s?

Just saw a couple go up for sale and curious if those were afternarket modifications or a factory special.
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I’ve heard stories from Mat and Marc about what happened on Nate’s birthday at the shop durning the 2020 Pandemic lockdown, but it was mostly Tanto related, and didn’t involve serrations 😁

Would be a heck of a grail if OG, a CPK Serrated Shiv 😱
 
Richard338 said:
I just looked on ACK. The full description of the item is Nathan's wording including warranty, despite the fact that it was modified and they don't mention that.
I think the serrations are ill advised. They do look well done, perhaps someone commissioned REK to do it...
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If that's the case, I fear that North and South Carolina may sever relations...
 
Richard338 said:
I just looked on ACK. The full description of the item is Nathan's wording including warranty, despite the fact that it was modified and they don't mention that.
I think the serrations are ill advised. They do look well done, perhaps someone commissioned REK to do it...
Click to expand...

They do look well done and I would honor a warranty on that knife however, I'm not confident the heat treat is preserved at the cutting edge. That's quite a bit of grinding to be done in the hard condition, wet or not.

But, people wanting a fully serrated knife may not be particularly concerned about fine edge stability and I'm sure the actual hardness is still good, you can get my 3V over a thousand degrees before it gets soft. The Delta magic gets wrecked at 500, but it's still a functional knife up to over a thousand degrees.
 
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