10″ Light Chopper (Retired)

The Light Chopper was a collaboration between Nathan Carothers and Lorien Arnold. It is an exercise in geometry, weight distribution and ergonomics to make a light weight well balanced chopper that hits well above its weight. It’s a large woods knife, with a ~10″ blade that weighs 17.1 oz that is somewhere between a machete and a camp knife. It’s light enough to be carried on a long hike without weighing you down and it’s engineered for performance when you go to use it.

It’s made of CPM 3V at HRC 60.5 with the newest heat treat for 3V that offers a phenomenal combination of toughness, edge durability and edge retention. With that in mind, it was given a relatively thin cutting geometry designed for cutting performance so it is not an overbuilt pry bar. It cuts like a laser, but it is still very durable.

It’s light enough and long enough to develop tip speed to cut thinner vegetation that heavy choppers struggle with. But when you put it to work in the big stuff you’ll find that it hits hard and bites deep and it won’t wear you out.

The hand grip works great as a camp knife when held towards the front with good balance and dexterity. When held towards the back it fully fills the hand and offers control and reduced hand and forearm fatigue for extended hard work.

It has a forward lanyard hole and a hidden rear lanyard hole.

These are available in natural or black micarta (buffed or un-buffed) and in TeroTuf.

Light Chopper Specs:
CPM 3V, 60.5 HRC, .188” thick at ricasso
Total length 15.625”
Blade length 9.875”
Edge is sharpened 20 DPS
Weight 17.1 oz
Grippy 3D machined scales in micarta or TeroTuf
Black oxide treated 18-8 stainless steel fasteners