BAS blem arrived...

[Rust]

And what a beautiful knife it is. Somehow, I hadn't expected intricate engraving and inlay. That was a pleasant surprise. I also hadn't anticipated the weight - what a monster!

The nick in the handle was a little more severe than I'd expected, but was still an easy repair with epoxy. I'd say that the damage was done at the factory, and not in fact in transit - there was polishing rouge in the nick. The rings in the handle were also filled with rouge, and were a slight pain to clean, but I knew how to go about it due to recent threads. The final repair was to the sheath, whose brass cap had broken loose. Again with the epoxy, and good as new.

I've never owned a knife of this quality before, and thus had no frame of reference to fully understand the term "scary sharp". I've sharpened the BAS now, and it takes the hair off my arm effortlessly. And I can sharpen it better than this.

For a trial run, I cut through a section of pressure treated 4X4. I'd say that on average, it bites about 3/16" deep across the grain. After cutting through, the blade was still sharp enough to shave, though it needed a slight touch-up with a strop to bring it back to where it was.

 

[Will Kwan]

Rust, glad you managed to get a khukuri. How did it go for you with regard to customs?

Will

 

[Bill Martino]

Many thanks for report from the field, Rust, always the best kind.

 

[Rust]

Originally posted by Will Kwan
Rust, glad you managed to get a khukuri. How did it go for you with regard to customs?

Well, there was no duty charged whatsoever. I'm a little unclear on whether or not the parcel was opened at customs.

 

[Bill Martino]

That's typical of Candian and US customs both! Sometimes US customs open my parcels and cut up a couple of scabbards to see if we're smuggling drugs or other contraband in the scabbards. Once in awhile they rip a handle apart. And sometimes they charge duty which they should not since Nepal is so poor it's on preferred status -- and sometimes they charge nothing. It's a crapshoot with customs both here and Canada.

 

[Yvsa]

Originally posted by Rust
And what a beautiful knife it is. Somehow, I hadn't expected intricate engraving and inlay. That was a pleasant surprise. I also hadn't anticipated the weight - what a monster!

(snipped)

Rust you ain't seen nothin' yet!!!!
The BAS is a little Khukuri, but it will gradually build up your arm so you can handle one that actually is a Monster.
Dayumed nice ain't they?

I've never owned a knife of this quality before, and thus had no frame of reference to fully understand the term "scary sharp". I've sharpened the BAS now, and it takes the hair off my arm effortlessly. And I can sharpen it better than this.

If you can get it sharper than that then you will be close to or have what I call a FBSS = Full Body Shiver Sharp.
Not too many can approach this degree of sharp right off the bat, good on you.

For a trial run, I cut through a section of pressure treated 4X4. I'd say that on average, it bites about 3/16" deep across the grain. After cutting through, the blade was still sharp enough to shave, though it needed a slight touch-up with a strop to bring it back to where it was.

Only 3/16" deep? Were you cutting on the 2" side or the 4" side?
Even a Bas should go much deeper than that!!!!
However some experience with your khukuri will improve your chopping ability.
A good way to get extra depth is to snap your wrist just before the point of impact.

 

[BruiseLeee]

When customs opens your box they reseal it again with some fancy "opened by customs" tape. I think the US customs has some fancy graphic on the tape whereas the Canadian is rather plain.

On most of my stuff I've had to pay duty

I think they're out to get me cuz I didn't vote Liberal.

 

[Rust]

Originally posted by Yvsa

(snipped)

Rust you ain't seen nothin' yet!!!!
The BAS is a little Khukuri, but it will gradually build up your arm so you can handle one that actually is a Monster.
Dayumed nice ain't they?

Oh, I can handle bigger than this - my blacksmithing experience may be meager, but I have coal in my blood.

That can't be healthy.

And yes, they are nice.

If you can get it sharper than that then you will be close to or have what I call a FBSS = Full Body Shiver Sharp.
Not too many can approach this degree of sharp right off the bat, good on you.

I have some practice in sharpening - as a matter of fact, I was surprised to find that I've developed many of the same tricks you have, when I read your sharpening FAQ.

Only 3/16" deep? Were you cutting on the 2" side or the 4" side?
Even a Bas should go much deeper than that!!!!
However some experience with your khukuri will improve your chopping ability.
A good way to get extra depth is to snap your wrist just before the point of impact.

Well, y'see, the trouble is that a 4X4 doesn't -have- a 2" side. The 3/16" depth was from a strike against a 4" wide surface. But yes, I expect I'll be able to cut deeper with experience. What sort of depth should I expect?

 

[Will Kwan]

Like Bruiselee said, if it had been opened the package would have been sealed again with yellow tape that saids Canada Customs on it. I guess the price must been low enough to avoid unwanted interested.

Well, I was expecting you to complete the chop with one blow.

Will

 

[Rust]

Originally posted by Will Kwan
Well, I was expecting you to complete the chop with one blow.

Hah! Alright then, buy me an HI katana, and I'll see what I can do.

 

[Yvsa]

Originally posted by Rust

Well, y'see, the trouble is that a 4X4 doesn't -have- a 2" side. The 3/16" depth was from a strike against a 4" wide surface. But yes, I expect I'll be able to cut deeper with experience. What sort of depth should I expect?

Dayum!!!! I saw 4X4 and read 2X4!!!!LMRRAO.

Well I'm not quite as macho as Will and expect you to go through it with one chop, but you should have made it at least 1/4 way.

And since I don't have an H.I.BAS, mine's a simple village model, I really don't know how much one could expect from a good solid blow on the side of a 4X4 as I've never tried that.
However my 3# GRS probably would have gone 3/16" just by dropping the blade on one from about 18" high.

Try practiceing a wrist snap right at contact or just before and see how much of an improvement you get.
The wrist snap does add a lot of power to the chopping stroke.

 

[Rust]

Okay, I just solved the mystery as to why this BAS wasn't penetrating very far.

*ahem*

The revised measurement is closer to 3/8", not 3/16". Looking at a ruler, I can now see that my mental image of an inch was way the hell and gone off.

 

[SkagSig40]

Uncle Bill, Does customs pay you for the dammage they cause you? I can't beleve they would rip off a whole handle! That's BULLSHI#!!

 

[Yvsa]

Originally posted by Rust
Okay, I just solved the mystery as to why this BAS wasn't penetrating very far.

*ahem*

The revised measurement is closer to 3/8", not 3/16". Looking at a ruler, I can now see that my mental image of an inch was way the hell and gone off.

Rust that sounds much more reasonable than the 3/16 inch.
I've had that same problem quite often since I retired around 5 years ago.
When I was always in the shop an inch was an easy guess. Only when the measurement got up around 8" and over did I start loseing my self measurement gradient's.

 

[Bill Martino]

I feel much better after reading this thread. I'm not the only one who can translate 3/16 to 3/8 and vice versa and I'm not the only one who can see 4x4 and register the old faithful 2x4. Welcome to the club!!!!