My first DOTD arrived on Monday. I snuck in and got the 17" baby Ganga Ram on April Fool's Day. It actually arrived last Friday, but it took til Monday to get it out of the PO.
Anyway, this is a very different blade from my 18" sirupati. my first thought was: "wow, this knife has a big butt." 2 7/8" across, to be precise. Nice satisal wood handle. If I'm reading the markings right, it was made by Vim (the YBB listing said "Bural"--I'd thought maybe it was by Bura? The marks are the sun and Vim's nepalese flag).
The blade's 7/16" across at the base, and despite the big butt, it swings nicely in my hand. Compared to the sirupati, it feels like swinging a hatchet. The two blades are essentially the same weight, and that made the difference noticeable.
Anyway, I went to visit my mom up in the hills today, and I took it along to show her. It's nice having a mom who appreciates knives! Anyway, I told her about the recommended test, and she took me out to her wood pile. There was an old 7" toyon log. Toyon's a hawthorn relative, and the wood's similar to cherry.
Anyway, I gave the log three full strength slaps: spine and each side. Blade's solid, nothing bent or cracked. Then I hit the log hard with the edge. Blade sank in about 3/4." Not bad. In fact, it cut so well that I found a knot and brought it down as hard as I could on the edge of the knot. *That* dented the blade. Good, it dents, rather than spalling. Then, to make sure, I put the blade in a vise and gently jerked it both ways. No bends, no breaks, whole bench groaned from the strain on the vise. No problem with this blade.
Test finished, I went inside to tell my mom that the blade was fine. "Great, but I thought you were going to cut that log for me. I need it cut in half for the wood pile." Oh. Five minutes later, the log was cut through. Too bad I forgot to bring my camera, or I'd have a nice picture of wood chips and fire wood.
Now, this khukuri had come sharp, and aside from a few passes with the chakma, I hadn't done anything to it. After cutting through the log, it was still sharp. All I have to do now is clean up the dent.
Another keeper. Thanks Auntie!
F
Anyway, this is a very different blade from my 18" sirupati. my first thought was: "wow, this knife has a big butt." 2 7/8" across, to be precise. Nice satisal wood handle. If I'm reading the markings right, it was made by Vim (the YBB listing said "Bural"--I'd thought maybe it was by Bura? The marks are the sun and Vim's nepalese flag).
The blade's 7/16" across at the base, and despite the big butt, it swings nicely in my hand. Compared to the sirupati, it feels like swinging a hatchet. The two blades are essentially the same weight, and that made the difference noticeable.
Anyway, I went to visit my mom up in the hills today, and I took it along to show her. It's nice having a mom who appreciates knives! Anyway, I told her about the recommended test, and she took me out to her wood pile. There was an old 7" toyon log. Toyon's a hawthorn relative, and the wood's similar to cherry.
Anyway, I gave the log three full strength slaps: spine and each side. Blade's solid, nothing bent or cracked. Then I hit the log hard with the edge. Blade sank in about 3/4." Not bad. In fact, it cut so well that I found a knot and brought it down as hard as I could on the edge of the knot. *That* dented the blade. Good, it dents, rather than spalling. Then, to make sure, I put the blade in a vise and gently jerked it both ways. No bends, no breaks, whole bench groaned from the strain on the vise. No problem with this blade.
Test finished, I went inside to tell my mom that the blade was fine. "Great, but I thought you were going to cut that log for me. I need it cut in half for the wood pile." Oh. Five minutes later, the log was cut through. Too bad I forgot to bring my camera, or I'd have a nice picture of wood chips and fire wood.
Now, this khukuri had come sharp, and aside from a few passes with the chakma, I hadn't done anything to it. After cutting through the log, it was still sharp. All I have to do now is clean up the dent.
Another keeper. Thanks Auntie!
F
Your mom sounds like mine. :thumbup: My mom asked me to come down hang out and sharpen her Kumar Karda the other day.