An afternoon with the 'chax (PIC HEAVY!)

[thrillbilly]

All the kids were cranky and general poopoo heads, so we didn't go camping...since I had a free afternoon I worked on my 4.

started out by sanding the coating down a bit so it wouldn't trap wood media as bad

that worked pretty well, in this pic you can see the texture difference between sanded/non-sanded areas.

Then I got out the belt sander to knock off a couple high spots on the Laminate scales.....and decided I was gonna try Fisking, cold-turkey, no real idea what I was doing (smart huh!)

touched it up a bit with a hone-stone (thanks again Murph) and went out to test the new edge.

found a evil sapling that needed taught a lesson

de-limbed it and chopped it into firewood lengths

did a lil cross-grain batoning

Then a lil batoning (Im trying to get used to the 4's curve while batoning)

After that it still did a good job of feathersticking with the chest-lever cut reverse grip (thanks Moose)

Practicing the lanyard technique to use a big knife like a lil knife (thanks again Moose)

I am still getting used to the dynamics of the 4, it for sure aint a 9, but I like this blade...very nimble and fast...not a brute chopper, but an EXCELLENT brush clearer/de-limber. It WILL chop, but the 9 beats it hands-down in a chop test. If I had to choose just one, I aint sure which one it would be.

 

[thrillbilly]

A few pics just because I found them pretty

I was gonna test the durability of the new coating...but I wore so much of that I am just gonna strip it. I aint sure if what I ended up with is exactly a convex or not, but it is sharp LOL

 

[jim62]

Dang..

I did not really even notice the knife on account of those fugly azz handles.. Did KABAR have a garage sale or sumthin'???

Seriously ,glad you had fun today with your 'chax.. And I have the same opinion of it compared to the BK-9.. I like the straight knife better. If for no other reason that it will do everything the Machaxe will and is a better thrusting tool for Wild boars, Cranky mother in laws, etc.

I never thought I would ever be so happy with a "My Nine" ... In pistols though, I still like a good old .45.

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

Jim,
those are some FINE lookin handles....I have to get me some!
Thanks thrillbilly,
tomorrow hangover or not...Beckers will make trees bleed...(not really, I have a ton of dead stuff at the parents place that needs cleaning...) BUT it sounded way cooler the other way.

 

[thrillbilly]

Dang..

I did not really even notice the knife on account of those fugly azz handles.. Did KABAR have a garage sale or sumthin'???

Seriously ,glad you had fun today with your 'chax.. And I have the same opinion of it compared to the BK-9.. I like the straight knife better. If for no other reason that it will do everything the Machaxe will and is a better thrusting tool for Wild boars, Cranky mother in laws, etc.

I never thought I would ever be so happy with a "My Nine" ... In pistols though, I still like a good old .45.

I like the scales, they aint bookended and they had a couple high spots.....but nothing a minute with the belt sander couldn't fix. They are a lil more flat-sided then the grivory, I like flat sides on my choppers. They have a nice feel and texture to them....classes up the 4 a lil I think.


I never said I 100% prefer the 9.....I like the 4, I think once I use it more and get used to its quirks, and just get familiar with the recurve....I will REALLY like it. It does some tasks better then the 9, and it is lighter to pack around.....the angled handle is also less fatiguing to the wrist after long-term use.

 

[The Warrior]

Awesome post, awesome photos. Looks like a productive day.

 

[Kabarcamper]

Good stuff thrill, I'm gonna give that lanyard technique a try too. How you like it with the fisk, does it bite deeper now ?

 

[thrillbilly]

Good stuff thrill, I'm gonna give that lanyard technique a try too. How you like it with the fisk, does it bite deeper now ?

appears to, I aint entirely sure if I did it any good with my poor technique....calling it ''fisked'' is prolly to high a compliment LOL

but it is pretty dang sharp...and keeps an edge well. I think it bites a lil deeper now.....Prolly even better once I 100% strip it

 

[tradewater]

Looks like you did a fine job with the Fisk method there Thrill. How do you like it now?

 

[jim62]

Jim,
those are some FINE lookin handles....I have to get me some!

Thanks for the compliment..It is much appreciated.

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

Thanks for the compliment..It is much appreciated.

I have been checking them out for a while.
I like that they are laminated, they remind me of the milspec rifles I used to own...I always liked those old guns. something about wood and steel together, that just feels right.
Also, they are less likely to spit or warp due to the lamination.
Sorry to highjack the thread Thrill, seriously.

 

[thrillbilly]

Looks like you did a fine job with the Fisk method there Thrill. How do you like it now?

I like it, seems to slice/cut better. I am horrid at sharpening, but I'm trying to improve, if I'm gonna have a metric sh*t-ton of knives I need to be able to maintenance them myself, IMO.

I kinda rounded the tip a hair when I was sanding/fisking, I corrected it mostly with the stones....still not perfect.

 

[thrillbilly]

I have been checking them out for a while.
I like that they are laminated, they remind me of the milspec rifles I used to own...I always liked those old guns. something about wood and steel together, that just feels right.
Also, they are less likely to spit or warp due to the lamination.
Sorry to highjack the thread Thrill, seriously.

This is my thread...I dont give a rats hinny about ''hijacking''. Talk about whatever ya need to talk about brother. Just no brony crap LOL

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

This is my thread...I dont give a rats hinny about ''hijacking''. Talk about whatever ya need to talk about brother. Just no brony crap LOL

I promise, I won't talk about my broner, I swear.

 

[gutsy]

i think ya did excellent ! after using the chax for a while it has changed the way i look at bushcraft and survival and it seems like it does alot of things pretty well . kind of a do it all type of tool . use it like the tool for the job and try not to think about if its a knife or not . it helps .

 

[Viper715]

Nice! It looks like you got the package and the handles found a new home.

Ive been dreaming of a big Becker. When I get the chance at a Becker again I'm going for either the 4 or the 9.

Great photos Thrill, I like seeing the 9 in action.

 

[thrillbilly]

i think ya did excellent ! after using the chax for a while it has changed the way i look at bushcraft and survival and it seems like it does alot of things pretty well . kind of a do it all type of tool . use it like the tool for the job and try not to think about if its a knife or not . it helps .

thanks man, and that is true...the 4 is versatility personified! (so to speak) The more I use it the more I find it can do.....I have basically zero experience with a blade style like this so it's a learning process.

Nice! It looks like you got the package and the handles found a new home.

Ive been dreaming of a big Becker. When I get the chance at a Becker again I'm going for either the 4 or the 9.

Great photos Thrill, I like seeing the 9 in action.

Yep. I thought I sent u a message LOL...but anyways, the 2 arrived safe and sound, thanks again man! I like it, it will be reviewed later.

 

[wasatchdan]

I like how the 4 turned out with the Fisk stripe running down the factory finish. I have yet to strip my 4. I've decided to just use it until the finish is mostly gone before I strip it down. I like how used and battered it looks.

Your Machax looks like a real fine chopper now, Thrill. Nothing like a good convex to make it cut deep.

 

[thrillbilly]

A lil video on lanyard techniques that I learned from Moose, from his Knife-Class.

LOL I'm prolly doing them wrong.

 

[BaldingEagle]

Great post Thrillbilly!
Love the pics.....artsy fire/burning fuzzies!
Cheers
Balding