What brought you to CPK?

Totally left field stuff just from my moonbeam sorta mind:

Betznie will always get a like from me whenever he posts a picture of his dagger, no matter what! For instance, he could be clubbing the cutest baby seal smack on its noggins using that dagger and I doubt that I'll even notice the crime scene! o_O :eek: :D
 
I guess you could say the NASK is what finally brought me to buy CPK knives.

I have followed Nathan the machinist's work when he was testing shivs with different 3V and Elmax heat treat but didn't have much need for a fighting knife.
Took a good hard look at the field knife when they came out but don't use a 4.5 inch blade knife a whole lot (carry a folder with a 3.8" blade)and they were hard to get so I eventually picked up a GSO-4.7 which was too small for my likes though.
Thought about a light chopper but they were scarce too and I have Busse and Becker knives in the 8-11" blade size so I put buying one on the back burner.
I had been searching for a strong 6-6.5" blade knife with good edge retention and corrosion resistance and was considering a few.
I decided on S!K (GSO-6 & 10) and have several on order but the wait is unbelievably long so I started casually looking again (my boys will probably end up with the GSO-6s when ever they get made).
I noticed that CPK had their own subforum and ventured in on the "What knife do you want to see next from
CPK?" thread.
I posted that I would like to see a 6.5" knife and was alerted to the Fluffer (nask) and here I am.:thumbsup:
So I have purchased a couple NASK first but a light chopper is the first CPK I've gotten in hand.:)
 
Word of mouth.

ManOfSteel89 ManOfSteel89 has had nothing but great things to say about Nathan and CPK - and he's been referring people to check them out, so I did.

I've spent hours reading through this sub-forum, and have been damn impressed with Nathan, Jo and Lorien's input and dedication to their craft. The knowledge and information they have provided about their company and processes has been very insightful, and very enjoyable to read. I'm no metallurgist by any stretch, but I like learning about the "science" behind their success and how much time/effort they've committed to refining their steels, tweaking the heat treat, thinking outside the box (or CPM spec sheet :)) and innovating in new ways. It's always a pleasure to read Nathan's posts/explanations/experiences - he is pretty damn articulate and speaks plainly enough for those not directly involved to understand and appreciate how awesome the work and effort he's putting-in really is.

The knife industry is definitely not stagnant, but it is companies like CPK that "go rogue" and end up creating such a buzz within the business. Simply because they are doing things their way, on their terms, without sacrificing or making concessions just to appease a mass demographic of consumers. I like how they don't compromise their well-being (or sanity, to a degree) to keep up with the obviously growing demand for their products - and would rather keep the "If it aint broke, don't fix it" ethos going. While other companies have outgrown their current resources to keep up with demand <cough, cough, S!K, cough> it seems CPK has a good thing going with small batches and foaming-at-the-mouth collectors/enthusiasts fortunate enough to grab any scraps that fall from the table.

Beyond all that - they make excellent hard-use WORKING knives....and while I only have the EDC (right now :D) I hope to expand my collection, but I fear that many other knives in my collection will be sold or be neglected.
 
So much good in here :thumbsup:

betzner said:
I became aware of "Nathan the Machinist" sometime in early 2014 through some mention of him and his work in a thread in the "Customs and Handmade" section of Bladeforums. Whatever it was (pardon my aweful memory), it was around the same time that I first noticed his 6" fighter (the UF or Utility Fighter) in the Exchange. In fact, I still have that thread saved, lol.

I began to follow his work and purchased several shivs between then and mid-2015. At that point I think I was already hooked, but am absolutely certain I was once I lucked out and was probably first to notice for sale (and bought) the knife below on July 3, 2015. And since then, I've made sure to grab any model available. What keeps me coming back, beyond the knives themselves, are Nathan, Joe, Mark and Lorien. They are the best in every way.


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Bob, one of the low points of my bladeforums life was clicking into the dagger thread, seeing it wasn't yet taken (out of sheer luck I had clicked right in behind Nathan and you hadn't posted yet. I believe you took it in like the first minute) and then seeing I didn't have the scratch for it.......I had to get away from the computer I was so sick about having to leave it lol. On the other hand, I remember thinking, man congratulations to you sir, because it was and is such a fine piece. I still remember one of the other posters, and I think it was the Virginian.....'Must...Never...Leave...Computer!!!' LOL! :D

I've followed along with Nathan's posting for a long time, from knives to grinder parts. Someone raving about this dude's chilled platens, I think, ha. And then an infrequent poster (Brian77 :D ) started a thread in General where his boy talked about how well one of Nate's field knives had performed on an elk hunt out in Colorado. That got my attention, I spend a lot of time chasing critters. After a question or two to Nathan, which he was kind enough to reply to, I was a fan. There's been a field knife bouncing around with me since then through the Western states for food prep, cleaning fish, and handling game. I'm sure glad that there's an actual CPK forum now, I appreciate this place :thumbsup:







 
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I just liked that Nathan uses words I don't understand and most I can't pronounce and that Lorien rides mountain bikes and throws knives that aren't meant to be thrown. Clearly it has nothing to do with the designs, knives, great customer service, crazy steel improvements, or the super bang for the buck factor.
 
Oh, and the potato knife. That really drew me in. The idea of a kitchen stocked with CPK AEB-L excites me more than shivs and choppers. But that is just me.
 
adamlau said:
Oh, and the potato knife. That really drew me in. The idea of a kitchen stocked with CPK AEB-L excites me more than shivs and choppers. But that is just me.
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You are not alone. I also admired Nathan's work during the fighter stage but really never pictured them being of practical use to me. The Kitchen knife was one of my very first. It's not my only kitchen knife but it hangs in my kitchen to this day. Really cool design.

Once I got into the LA design collabs, and finding them so practical for me, I had to go back to Nathan's previous work and see what it was about.

I'll tell you this, he massively under sells and over delivers. Just looking at something like the Shiv in a sales thread gives you almost no idea what it's like in person. Just the first couple inches from the tip back in particular looking down at the spine is like "Oh my Gawwwd".

Then I had to have at least one of everything and I was super hooked. Now almost 40 CPK later there is still no end in sight.
 
Lorien said:
my mind is frequently blown by the camaraderie in this forum, especially today!
Thank you, Justin Fournier!
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I agree completely. I have not posted much in other forums despite being around for a few years. I typically do a lot of reading, but I try to stay out of the drama. This specific sub-forum has a completely different feel, so I've definitely been comfortable becoming involved. I think that has been a major factor in my continually developing interest in CPK. This community really maintains respectful and supportive mindset.
 
MikeKu825 said:
I agree completely. I have not posted much in other forums despite being around for a few years. I typically do a lot of reading, but I try to stay out of the drama. This specific sub-forum has a completely different feel, so I've definitely been comfortable becoming involved. I think that has been a major factor in my continually developing interest in CPK. This community really maintains respectful and supportive mindset.
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:thumbsup:
 
I happened across CPK when a buddy from the SK! FB fan page asked me if I was going to try and get a Field Knife on a Friday sale. I knew SK! was working on their 4.1 in D3V, but didn't know CPK was offering the FK in that steel. Ended up getting a FK off the exchange in pre-delta, than was one of the lucky 20 that got one in D3V during the last sale a few days later. Ended up getting a great deal on a EDC in D3V from Tommy a few months ago.

I still have quite a few SK!s, Busse, Swamp Rats, Barkies, and several other excellent brands. However, I appreciate the time and quality of each blade that goes out of CPK. Also, the business model is more palatable for me versus SK! these days. I like the fact that if you are one of the lucky ones to snag a blade direct from CPK it ships within a week. It's tough to pay for a blade up front and wait an unknown amount of time with SK!. Either that or be told it'll ship in a few weeks as months go by. That being said, the SK!s and CPKs are both my favorite brands at the moment. I love the EDC and using my 4.1 and FK for hiking, backpacking, and camping. They're perfect all around blades for my purposes.
 
I heard about CPK from Andy Roy when he contracted with them to aid in the production of a component for mid-tech/production Fiddleback Forge knives.
 
I'm impressed by the number of people who ended up here based on referral. Usually that's a pretty good sign. A thread like this might encourage newcomers as well.

Now that I think about it, I might have shot myself in the foot for having a chance at new releases by starting this thread.. damn my foolish enthusiasm!
 
MikeKu825 said:
Now that I think about it, I might have shot myself in the foot for having a chance at new releases by starting this thread.. damn my foolish enthusiasm!
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A topic that comes again and again.

We've contemplated keeping this all hush hush until we all have what we are after, but it seems the secret was out before we even knew it.
 
JustinFournier said:
A topic that comes again and again.

We've contemplated keeping this all hush hush until we all have what we are after, but it seems the secret was out before we even knew it.
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I'll admit, even in my rookie status with CPK, my mind has already drifted to the inevitable future..

I can visualize future me.. "Damn these fricken new people taking up all the damn knives.."
 
MikeKu825 said:
I'll admit, even in my rookie status with CPK, my mind has already drifted to the inevitable future..

I can visualize future me.. "Damn these fricken new people taking up all the damn knives.."
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People have come into the scene quickly and won knives on their first try. This of course while people have tried many times and been unsuccessful.

That's when the proxy issue came to a head.
 
JustinFournier said:
People have come into the scene quickly and won knives on their first try. This of course while people have tried many times and been unsuccessful.

That's when the proxy issue came to a head.
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Yes I can definitely understand that being a bit of a grey area. When I first stumbled on this forum I tried to be available for a Friday sale thinking I'd have a chance if I casually monitored the situation.

After my second attempt I was certainly frustrated by the sheer speed of it. The proxy situation seemed unfair as an outsider. I decided to persist and I posted my frustration and intentention of not giving up in that same sales thread. Another forum user reached out almost immediately and sold me my first EDC.

After that I really became invested in the CPK community and have since made many friends who have been willing to try and help me. I think that's the point of it all. If you're passionate about this community, and you are willing to contribute, you will create the connections you need to get the your hands on one of these knives.

Even if you don't succeed right off the bat, if you persist, you will succeed.

The proxy bid is a decent microcosm for many things in life. It sort of reminds me of the whole toilet bowl of life. You get out what you put in.

Of course, that's only my opinion. I certainly don't mean to discourage those who only wish to observe and take their chances as a solo effort. I just know I'd rather go into combat against an unknown adversary as a part of a team.
 
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MikeKu825 said:
Now that I think about it, I might have shot myself in the foot for having a chance at new releases by starting this thread.. damn my foolish enthusiasm!
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Lol. Most everybody's faster than me in the sales threads anymore. But the same guys that just out-shot you might turn around and help you find a blade or sell you one themselves. Mat and Justin both come to mind as folks that have helped me out, and who are extremely quick on the trigger. Spread the word I say, it'll pay dividends down the road.
 
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