I received this 15 20 oz Ang Khola with satisal handle a few weeks back. I've been slowly getting to know it, touched up the edge, tried it out, and finished the handle. I love these blades. Each one is different, but the quality is amazing. I just can't put it down, have to grab it throughout the day. I also have a 16.5 19 oz KLVUK, which I will be comparing with the AK.
The AK is beautiful, I love the fullers, check it out:
The handle wood has a nice fine grain and deep luster. I'm a sucker for the satisal handles. I sanded it out, starting with 320, and moving all the way up to 1500. I soaked it in BLO for two nights. Then I wet sanded it with BLO from 600 to 1500 again. It feels smooth and, I don't know, finished right. It's still plenty grippy. I touched up the end plate during this process, and now I can't even feel the transition from wood to metal.
The KLVUK is on top here:
In the hand during use it feels solid. It chops great. I can choke up on the handle, up to the cho and try some fine work. All I've got to chop right now is some really hard rhododendron (I think?), I'd like to try this out on something a little softer for variety.
Compared to the KLVUK, the AK is a little short and stout, in a good way. The KLVUK is just light and long enough that I can flick it with my wrist and take out light green vegetation, like shrubs and vines. The AK prefers something with a little more wood in it. Really I can use either blade for general tasks, as the KLVUK can chop, and the AK can do the light stuff to, but they're different and I like to think about which tasks each blade excels at.
The KLVUK is a great yard blade, but the edge is thin and I have to be careful if I start into some real hard wood. I took out a tree (some really, really hard ornamental) and used the KLVUK to break up all the limbs. The edge on the KLVUK was ever so slightly wavy after that. I've sharpened most of that out, and I'm fine with it because I pushed it to the limit, and it held up with only some minor dis-alignment of the edge. The AK has a thicker edge profile and can hold up to that kind of wood.
I plan on using the AK as much as possible, in the yard, camping etc. I like the idea of having this tough functional blade that is absolutely beautiful at the same time. I'm still thinking about forcing a patina on the blade, because I want a touch more rust resistance and I like the look.
The AK is beautiful, I love the fullers, check it out:
The handle wood has a nice fine grain and deep luster. I'm a sucker for the satisal handles. I sanded it out, starting with 320, and moving all the way up to 1500. I soaked it in BLO for two nights. Then I wet sanded it with BLO from 600 to 1500 again. It feels smooth and, I don't know, finished right. It's still plenty grippy. I touched up the end plate during this process, and now I can't even feel the transition from wood to metal.
The KLVUK is on top here:
In the hand during use it feels solid. It chops great. I can choke up on the handle, up to the cho and try some fine work. All I've got to chop right now is some really hard rhododendron (I think?), I'd like to try this out on something a little softer for variety.
Compared to the KLVUK, the AK is a little short and stout, in a good way. The KLVUK is just light and long enough that I can flick it with my wrist and take out light green vegetation, like shrubs and vines. The AK prefers something with a little more wood in it. Really I can use either blade for general tasks, as the KLVUK can chop, and the AK can do the light stuff to, but they're different and I like to think about which tasks each blade excels at.
The KLVUK is a great yard blade, but the edge is thin and I have to be careful if I start into some real hard wood. I took out a tree (some really, really hard ornamental) and used the KLVUK to break up all the limbs. The edge on the KLVUK was ever so slightly wavy after that. I've sharpened most of that out, and I'm fine with it because I pushed it to the limit, and it held up with only some minor dis-alignment of the edge. The AK has a thicker edge profile and can hold up to that kind of wood.
I plan on using the AK as much as possible, in the yard, camping etc. I like the idea of having this tough functional blade that is absolutely beautiful at the same time. I'm still thinking about forcing a patina on the blade, because I want a touch more rust resistance and I like the look.
