- Joined
- Jul 24, 2001
- Messages
- 8
Well, I was really impressed with the outward beauty of the HIK and they are worth far more then what I paid for, it truely is an work of art. I was happy enough with that. This weekend though, I learned what all the HIK owners know... The "other half" of the reason why we love HIK so much.. Their performance when they are used.
It's been my nightly ritual to take my sirupati out of scabbard and stare at it while giggling unstoppably. (my wife gave up and let me be now...as oppose to when I used to do this with my Katana). Eventually, I worked myself up to using it... I really wanted to see what it could do. So I took it out into backyard trail, where there's enough branches ready for clearing.
I started out small.. like 1/2inch (gotta go eazy the first time.
), then worked up from there...It cut nicely up to about 1.5inches in one swing. If it got any thicker, it goes in partway and then branch cracked/split on it's own weight. I think this is because:
a)I'm still learning to hit with sweetspot on the belly
b)sirupati is narrow, light and thick(ok, not as thick as the bigger ones out there I'm sure...) so unless there's enough speed and accuracy, it can't follow through.
As I get use to it, I think it will be able to handle these easier.
Now, I've got good idea that I could swing this thing, I tried it on the 5inch thick dead tree that's dried and hardened. I wouldn't have done this with other blades I have, but cutting up different branches gave me enough confidence in Sirupati to try it out. First swing went in entire blade width and some more, nice clean entry. Second, third followed with similar result. Check on blade showed no sign of degradation of sharpness due to rolled edge or chip. So I went full force and kept swinging my sirupati at the tree for next couple of minutes until it came down.There were 2 cuts that were made in "bad" angle, and I ended up slapping the side of the blade against the tree in full force. Again, no appearant damage to the blade or handle.
I came home and then cleaned the blade..., very minor scraches along the grind line.. but that was it, the edge held scarly sharpness after all the use it went through.
I've read about how HIK can take beating from all of you here on forum, but I didn't _KNOW_ until I played with it this weekend. If Sirupati can do this, no wonder those big'uns (GRS UBE, ETC) can tackles heavy duty chores. (too bad my taste run the opposite, light and fast).
I'm looking forward to ordering my next HIK.
- Ted Tanaka
It's been my nightly ritual to take my sirupati out of scabbard and stare at it while giggling unstoppably. (my wife gave up and let me be now...as oppose to when I used to do this with my Katana). Eventually, I worked myself up to using it... I really wanted to see what it could do. So I took it out into backyard trail, where there's enough branches ready for clearing.
I started out small.. like 1/2inch (gotta go eazy the first time.
), then worked up from there...It cut nicely up to about 1.5inches in one swing. If it got any thicker, it goes in partway and then branch cracked/split on it's own weight. I think this is because:a)I'm still learning to hit with sweetspot on the belly
b)sirupati is narrow, light and thick(ok, not as thick as the bigger ones out there I'm sure...) so unless there's enough speed and accuracy, it can't follow through.
As I get use to it, I think it will be able to handle these easier.
Now, I've got good idea that I could swing this thing, I tried it on the 5inch thick dead tree that's dried and hardened. I wouldn't have done this with other blades I have, but cutting up different branches gave me enough confidence in Sirupati to try it out. First swing went in entire blade width and some more, nice clean entry. Second, third followed with similar result. Check on blade showed no sign of degradation of sharpness due to rolled edge or chip. So I went full force and kept swinging my sirupati at the tree for next couple of minutes until it came down.There were 2 cuts that were made in "bad" angle, and I ended up slapping the side of the blade against the tree in full force. Again, no appearant damage to the blade or handle.
I came home and then cleaned the blade..., very minor scraches along the grind line.. but that was it, the edge held scarly sharpness after all the use it went through.
I've read about how HIK can take beating from all of you here on forum, but I didn't _KNOW_ until I played with it this weekend. If Sirupati can do this, no wonder those big'uns (GRS UBE, ETC) can tackles heavy duty chores. (too bad my taste run the opposite, light and fast).
I'm looking forward to ordering my next HIK.
- Ted Tanaka
