Just this past weekend I got a chance to try out my first villager. http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum53/HTML/000885.html
Until I got this one I was not particularly interested in villagers, my thinking being that HI blems offered more bang for the buck. However, when I saw this one it was love at first sight because its blade had what I consider a slightly more traditional shape.
When I received the villager I was impressed! True, grind marks and hammer indentions were in abundance, but there was an overall symmetry and uniform thickness to the blade that reminded me very much of the original Ganga Ram Specials -- the ones made by the old master himself. In fact, I believe that if the kami who produced this villager had access to BirGorkha's facilities, he would be producing khuks of incomparable workmanship.
During the course of my weekend camping trip, I gave the khuk a major workout -- and I have the blisters to prove it. For the most part, it performed extremely well as far as the chopping went. However, there was one "fly in the ointment" that I'm not sure about -- the handle loosened from the tang, causing a vibration problem. At first, I didn't know what the problem was, then I figured it out. I can grasp the blade and twist the handle and feel movement around the axis of the tang. I'm not sure what to do about this and was wondering if anyone else had ever had a similar problem and what they did about it. However, I am still very satisfied with my first villager, so much so that it will surely not be my last. And if anyone's got any suggestions about how to fix the loose handle I'd sure like to hear them.
[This message has been edited by Steven F (edited 10-16-2000).]
Until I got this one I was not particularly interested in villagers, my thinking being that HI blems offered more bang for the buck. However, when I saw this one it was love at first sight because its blade had what I consider a slightly more traditional shape.
When I received the villager I was impressed! True, grind marks and hammer indentions were in abundance, but there was an overall symmetry and uniform thickness to the blade that reminded me very much of the original Ganga Ram Specials -- the ones made by the old master himself. In fact, I believe that if the kami who produced this villager had access to BirGorkha's facilities, he would be producing khuks of incomparable workmanship.
During the course of my weekend camping trip, I gave the khuk a major workout -- and I have the blisters to prove it. For the most part, it performed extremely well as far as the chopping went. However, there was one "fly in the ointment" that I'm not sure about -- the handle loosened from the tang, causing a vibration problem. At first, I didn't know what the problem was, then I figured it out. I can grasp the blade and twist the handle and feel movement around the axis of the tang. I'm not sure what to do about this and was wondering if anyone else had ever had a similar problem and what they did about it. However, I am still very satisfied with my first villager, so much so that it will surely not be my last. And if anyone's got any suggestions about how to fix the loose handle I'd sure like to hear them.
[This message has been edited by Steven F (edited 10-16-2000).]
