Advice on blade lengths...

Venice Will said:
Others on my list of "must haves" - Bora Dui Chura, Smasher, Bonecutter and Ganga Ram - feel free to express your choice of lengths, what you use 'em for, and why that length might prove ideal for the design...
Click to expand...

I've got a Samsher and a Bonecutter each in the 19" range... the latter is more weight forward and has a wider bevel for better bite when chopping. This is considerable, since I had previously used the Samsher to fell several trees a years and a half prior to acquiring the BC. While I've only got a smaller "Baby" Ganga Ram, I can tell you they in general they share the Bonecutter's weight-forward design, but with a narrower bevel, more like the Samsher. I'd estimate their order of chopping effectiveness (given specimens of equal length/weight) to be as follows:

1. Bonecutter
2. Ganga Ram
3. Samsher

Fiddleback spoke highly of the Samsher as a chopper (second to the original BC's in his opinion), and that got me wantin' one.
 
for woods-walking... 12 in AK villager.

for other stuff...whatever you like.
 
Carolina River Rat said:
I carry my M-43 (19" and around 2lbs) on an old leather tool belt around my waist with no problems. I don't wear things on the belt that holds my pants up cause I'm a scrawny little bugger and don't want things tugging my britches down in the woods. No sense tempting the bears and boars any more than necessary.
Click to expand...

Belts were never really meant for holding pants up; that's what suspenders are for!
Belts, by contrast, are much better for holding stuff.
 
Probably force of habit. They feel different to me, too: a little more comfortable, overall, but not quite "normal" yet.
 
My 17 3/4" WW II is the best tool for any job I have ever thrown at it. Cuts wood, prepares food, bumps in the night, light enough to hike a long way and heavy enough to feel like a fist full of fury:)

Mark
 
Well, that's 4 votes (or at least, "maybes") for the WWII: me, stickfred, greenwoods, and Uncle Bill. I'd say we have a winner.
 
I have an 18" WWII and 16.5" CAK. Both are great cutters. My WWII is probably the better cutter for heavier stuff as it is a heavier knife (about 34 ounces if I remember correctly according to it's discription) and has more foward weight. The CAK though cuts through small and medium size branches and such great and is the perfect survival knife imo. It's a bit lighter than the WWII at 29oz according to Auntie Yangdu's discription. The blade length of the WWII is a tad over 12 inches and the CAK's blade is a little over 11 inches. Both are great choices and you won't be let down by either.
 
Thanks to ALL who have weighed in on this...I have a list! :D

in order of pursuit:

-18" Chiruwa Ang Khola
- 16" WWII
- 17" Foxy Folly (on order)
- 19" Ganga Ram
- 14" Bora Dui Churra

followed shortly thereafter by:

- 22" Dui Churra
- Yvsa Cherokee Special


and after the $$ coffers are replenished:

- Bamboo Cutter
- M43 of prodigious length and girth

well...it's a place to start
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top