The "Ask Nathan a Question" Thread

Nathan the Machinist said:
This is a very loaded question, and I don't want to touch it except to say that, yes, I have. Several pieces. It's fine. They're very much like my pre-Delta heat treat, which is pretty good.

I would encourage anyone who says "SR3V is even harder than Delta 3V! How did they achieve this level of ductility that's even harder than Nate's" to be a little skeptical about that claim. Side by side testing on a calibrated tester (this is both an objective measurement and also comparative side by side testing) has demonstrated no difference here.

You can buy his work and rest easy knowing that he does good work, it is competently executed, and it will serve you well. I would use it.
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Not equal, but close — and still at the pre-Delta heat treat level.
……

Got it, thanks.
 
cricks1492 said:
I received an email from bigchillin83. The person asked if cashapp or PayPal g&s works. You explicitly state in your post that you don’t use PayPal and wait for the aim invoice. Was this person you or a scammer?
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You've posted your email publicly on this site in the past. That is an invitation for scammers to contact you posing as CPK and / or any other legitimate seller. Sit tight and await instructions from CPK.

Also, a search of Google shows that the user name "bigchillin83" has been used on other sites to scam members
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
This is a very loaded question, and I don't want to touch it except to say that, yes, I have. Several pieces. It's fine. They're very much like my pre-Delta heat treat, which is pretty good.

I would encourage anyone who says "SR3V is even harder than Delta 3V! How did they achieve this level of ductility that's even harder than Nate's" to be a little skeptical about that claim. Side by side testing on a calibrated tester (this is both an objective measurement and also comparative side by side testing) has demonstrated no difference here.

You can buy his work and rest easy knowing that he does good work, it is competently executed, and it will serve you well. I would use it.
Click to expand...

This shouldn't surprise you, Nate, and is just what I assumed would follow on that "other" forum once you replied to his query:





未

Thread 'Delta 3V VS SR3V'

IMG-9766.png
If anyone actually has the setup to do a proper side-by-side, I’d really like to see Delta 3V vs SR3V tested under identical conditions — same primary grind (same V-bevel geometry), same edge angle, same sharpening.
For edge retention, a coarse rope cut test would be straightforward. For edge stability (impact resistance / deformation), using identical nails or bolts would make sense.
For the nail test, clamping the blade in a vise and striking with a hammer would help eliminate lateral variables.
Run both steels through both tests, side by...
  • Like
 
Blues said:
This shouldn't surprise you, Nate, and is just what I assumed would follow on that "other" forum once you replied to his query:





未

Thread 'Delta 3V VS SR3V'

IMG-9766.png
If anyone actually has the setup to do a proper side-by-side, I’d really like to see Delta 3V vs SR3V tested under identical conditions — same primary grind (same V-bevel geometry), same edge angle, same sharpening.
For edge retention, a coarse rope cut test would be straightforward. For edge stability (impact resistance / deformation), using identical nails or bolts would make sense.
For the nail test, clamping the blade in a vise and striking with a hammer would help eliminate lateral variables.
Run both steels through both tests, side by...
  • Like
Click to expand...
lol. I saw that coming.
 
cricks1492 said:
I received an email from bigchillin83. The person asked if cashapp or PayPal g&s works. You explicitly state in your post that you don’t use PayPal and wait for the aim invoice. Was this person you or a scammer?
Click to expand...


That, my friend, is a scammer


The community here is made up of really awesome people but there are outsiders who are not a part of the community, that come here to prey on the trust and good will of the quality people here
 
Hello Nathan, I hope this is not an impolite question since the subject tends to invoke emotional responses.

What's your take on the Bark River situation?
Is the outrage justified or a little overblown?

I am asking because the view from inside the industry might be different from what we observe as customers, often enthusiastic and knowledgeable but still - customers.

Kind regards,

Zen AF
 
I'm going to take the liberty of giving a #notnathan reply before Nate steps up. I do not pretend to speak for him.

Can you imagine the outrage here, (among folks who have participated in, and watched Nathan grow his brand over a period of years, and who has earned a reputation for honesty and integrity in all his dealings)...if he was found to have not only taken shortcuts, but had gone so far as to mislabel a steel that he had become "famous" for and associated with, by substituting steel of unknown origin and quality to his customers?

(Not to mention the number of other issues associated with Stewart and company.)

Ponder that for a moment while you await a reply from Nathan.
 
Blues said:
I'm going to take the liberty of giving a #notnathan reply before Nate steps up. I do not pretend to speak for him.

Can you imagine the outrage here, (among folks who have participated in, and watched Nathan grow his brand over a period of years, and who has earned a reputation for honesty and integrity in all his dealings)...if he was found to have not only taken shortcuts, but had gone so far as to mislabel a steel that he had become "famous" for and associated with, by substituting steel of unknown origin and quality to his customers?

(Not to mention the number of other issues associated with Stewart and company.)

Ponder that for a moment while you await a reply from Nathan.
Click to expand...

Most of us are on the same page here, this is why I am curious about an insider, so to speak, perspective.
I was afraid this could trigger strong emotions, it's an unpleasant situation. Please forgive me for stepping on a sore toe.
 
ZenAF said:
Hello Nathan, I hope this is not an impolite question since the subject tends to invoke emotional responses.

What's your take on the Bark River situation?
Is the outrage justified or a little overblown?

I am asking because the view from inside the industry might be different from what we observe as customers, often enthusiastic and knowledgeable but still - customers.

Kind regards,

Zen AF
Click to expand...


Their actions harm me and they harm people I care about and it pisses me off.

It makes the entire industry look suspect to a semi-enthusiast who has a penchant for acquiring high-end knives. It makes the whole industry look suspect and lame. If he's full of shit, maybe everybody else is too. For many people, we all lose some credibility by proxy.

I have made knives from CPM 154

Someone buys a Chinese blank that he reground into a Bark River knife made from something probably similar to 440B. "It's just as tough and the edge holding as close" is bullshit.

So, someone buys one of these knives and goes "you know what, Walmart knives are just as good". Because they are.

And then he never gives me a chance.

And this is harmful to Niagara Specialty Metals who produces CPM 154 because people try it and they think it's mediocre, they don't understand how good it can be because they haven't actually had the real thing. This harms a company that I rely upon. America has already lost Crucible. Niagara is in the difficult position of having a high-end expensive product in a world where people fixate on costs. If the actions of someone like bark River lead people into thinking there's no real difference, that is harmful to a company that is irreplaceable in this ecosystem. They're in good condition, but it's stupid shit like this that can threaten that.

This is not recreational outrage. I'm legitimately pissed off that a person that folks might have trusted has done this because it harms all of us. It is a blight on the industry. A choice that he made that benefited him and harmed others. Fuck that guy.

"I did it from my employees"

No he didn't. He did it for the exact same reason a gambler can spend his life savings stupidly.

There is a saying "don't spit in the soup, we all got to eat".
 
ZenAF said:
Most of us are on the same page here, this is why I am curious about an insider, so to speak, perspective.
I was afraid this could trigger strong emotions, it's an unpleasant situation. Please forgive me for stepping on a sore toe.
Click to expand...
Not at all. I think you'll get a well reasoned reply from Nathan, and I don't think you've stepped on a sore toe. Our membership here is loyal, but fair. Nobody is gonna come at you with pitchforks and torches. ☺️

I don't know how far back your knowledge goes, but I can recall several in-person conversations with makers going back over 20 years in regard to the "issues" with Stewart.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Their actions harm me and they harm people I care about and it pisses me off.

It makes the entire industry look suspect to a semi-enthusiast who has a penchant for acquiring high-end knives. It makes the whole industry look suspect and lame. If he's full of shit, maybe everybody else is too. For many people, we all lose some credibility by proxy.

I have made knives from CPM 154

Someone buys a Chinese blank that he reground into a Bark River knife made from something probably similar to 440B. "It's just as tough and the edge holding as close" is bullshit.

So, someone buys one of these knives and goes "you know what, Walmart knives are just as good". Because they are.

And then he never gives me a chance.

And this is harmful to Niagara Specialty Metals who produces CPM 154 because people try it and they think it's mediocre, they don't understand how good it can be because they haven't actually had the real thing. This harms a company that I rely upon. America has already lost Crucible. Niagara is in the difficult position of having a high-end expensive product in a world where people fixate on costs. If the actions of someone like bark River lead people into thinking there's no real difference, that is harmful to a company that is irreplaceable in this ecosystem. They're in good condition, but it's stupid shit like this that can threaten that.

This is not recreational outrage. I'm legitimately pissed off that a person that folks might have trusted has done this because it harms all of us. It is a blight on the industry. A choice that he made that benefited him and harmed others. Fuck that guy.

"I did it from my employees"

No he didn't. He did it for the exact same reason a gambler can spend his life savings stupidly.

There is a saying "don't spit in the soup, we all got to eat".
Click to expand...

Thank you. What happened felt fundamentally wrong but I could put into words how deep it cuts.
 
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