Big tree in the way

H

hollowdweller

Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
13,182
This tree came down, took out one of the power posts to the barn. Almost hit the old outhouse. So I decided to use the Foxy' Folly to cut it.
number1.jpg


number2.jpg


First I stood on one side and worked the top and the opposite side down. Then I switched sides till I had got both sides and top carved out.

loghalf.jpg


Next, and this sounds weird, but I turned my back on the log, standing uphill and chopped under the log at 45's till I had that carved out. I now it seems strange but chopping this part in this position it is much easier on my shoulders and seemingly I have greater accuracy. The khuk curve helps.:thumbup:
log3.jpg


And finally, success! The outer part of the log was starting to go, so it wasn't punky, but was much easier to chop than the middle which was still dry and cured.

log5.jpg
 
How long did it take you Hollow? And how many more times are you going to cut it in two with the Foxy Folly?
Just guessing the tree looks to be about 10"-12" in diameter, good guess? ;) And last but not least did the Foxy Folly sing to you while chopping the old dead tree in two?

Oh, and by the way, great pix as usual!!!! :D
 
munk said:
Hollow, was the tree green, or dead and dry? Still looks wet.
munk
Click to expand...


[QUOTE ME]The outer part of the log was starting to go, so it wasn't punky, but was much easier to chop than the middle which was still dry and cured.
[/QUOTE]

Munk,

Look at the last pic at the cut part. You can see the outside is starting to soften up and then the 6" in the middle is hard and dry. I think it died this summer and has been standing till 2 days ago. I couldn't "tear it up" on the outside part but it was softer than that lighter colored core you see. It wasn't (except for the center) as hard as that other pine in the Khukuri Cutting Techniques thread, and it definately wasn't as hard as that oak in the BFF thread, but it took more time cause it was a lot larger in diameter. Here's a picture maybe you can see the chop marks better.
circle.jpg

Yvsa,

You're pretty spot on, about 12". I don't know, maybe five or ten minutes:confused: I'm probably gonna cut out and stack the crown with the khuk, maybe cut the other part on the other side of the path. I'll probably chain saw the main trunk cause I'd like to do a bunch of 2' sections cause that's like 20' from my party bonfire circle and I'm having a party in Feb. Cutting that many sections that size with the khuk would probably be time consuming. Though I may try it just for fun:thumbup:
I'll post pics if I do!
 
Yeah, I saw those marks- the different consistancy of the wood and wondered.

We really should distinguish between a khuk that can cut green, partially green, or hard and seasoned. There's a lot of tools that don't do well on hard and seasoned. (and sappy)


munk
 
HD?

I don't mean to upset you, but rumor has it the Ents have become aware of your activities.

Be careful.

Be very careful.




Baroooom boom boom
 
munk said:
Yeah, I saw those marks- the different consistancy of the wood and wondered.

We really should distinguish between a khuk that can cut green, partially green, or hard and seasoned. There's a lot of tools that don't do well on hard and seasoned. (and sappy)


munk
Click to expand...

This khuk can cut it all:thumbup: That oak that I cut with it was almost the hardest stuff I had ever cut with anything.

I think most stuff that can cut green stuff can cut hard stuff. Unless it's improperly tempered. It's just slower going. The heavier khukuris will cut the thicker stuff quicker than the lighter ones, but they are often harder to carry where you need to use them. Also harder to manuver at odd angles.
 
Kismet said:
HD?

I don't mean to upset you, but rumor has it the Ents have become aware of your activities.

Be careful.

Be very careful.

Baroooom boom boom
Click to expand...


Kismet,

It was a dead one. I "catch and release" the live ones.;)
 
hollowdweller said:
You can see the outside is starting to soften up and then the 6" in the middle is hard and dry.

I think it died this summer and has been standing till 2 days ago.

I couldn't "tear it up" on the outside part but it was softer than that lighter colored core you see.
Click to expand...

Hollow that tree appears to be some sort of Oak, is it?
You said you thought it died this summer. Would the sap wood start to go soft standing like that in such a short amount of time?
Usually dead standing timber in this part of the country is harder than an old skinflint's ass and is damned difficult to chop, actually it is even damned hard on chain saws, even with a new chain and kept well oiled!!!! :mad:
A lot of the old Blackjack Oak we have here will throw sparks and burnish to a burn if the chain is very old at all and especially on standing well seasoned dead timber.:eek:
It is damned nigh impossible to chop!!!!
 
Yvsa,

It's a Virginia Pine. Kind of a trash tree around here. They are shallow rooted and die pretty easy. They also decay fairly rapidly.

In the other thread that was the same type pine, but it had been brought down by snow green and then dried hanging and was nearly as hard as an oak.

Strangely one of the toughest things besides those pine blowdowns that cured was this american elm that died standing. Fell on my fence. It's a softwood and all the bark was gone on it, which usually means some decay had set in but my god it was slow going!

I broke a GB Mini off on dried chestnut oak. It's probably the toughest here.

To me and oak with a little moisture is easier to chop than one of those cured hanging pines. How and were it went down and dried out has a lot to do with how tough it is.

I would bet stuff stays harder after it dies down your way cause your area is drier most likely?
 
You know Hollow, the lightness of the FF may work to it's advantage. It does not build up the same collision energy as a heavier khuk. I call it collision, but we could call it momentum, speed and weight.

munk
 
munk said:
You know Hollow, the lightness of the FF may work to it's advantage. It does not build up the same collision energy as a heavier khuk. I call it collision, but we could call it momentum, speed and weight.
munk
Click to expand...

Maybe due to the weight distribution you can actually swing it harder upside down and at weird angles????


I don't know. I have a 17" 23oz BGRS that is also a great chopper and to me the BGRS FEELS like it would chop better. You know you can feel the weight down at the front. It feels heavier overall too even though they are the same weight:confused:

I think it may have something to do with the overall shape. The thinness of the blade at the spine doesn't bind up, down in the cut as much and the fact that the curve, in the FF blade is closer to the cho and then the blade kind of comes straight out.

My most favorite khuks, the Bonecutters have this similar shape but no fullers. Maybe I'll try to do a side by side pic. Maybe something in that overall shape. The bonecutters trump the FF because they have a blunter thicker tip that is useful for chopping. The FF has more of a fighter tip you would run someone thru with.

I kind of wondered whether the spine to edge width of the blade would be an impediment in manuvering the blade but it doesn't seem to be.

I think if the blade was heavier it wouldn't hurt the cutting. I think there's something in the design. Oh yeah and I'm out of sandpaper and this has all been done with the factory edge which isn't that sharp! I can't wait to see what it does with a shaving edge!

If I get time I'll do some more testing. I gotta replace the power pole today. I got the hole dug but need to go get a 16' 4x4 and some concrete.
 
Where you one of those who wanted the weight at 24 ounces; I can't recall?

I was thinking heavier khuks have greater impact energy and this takes a toll on user, khuk, and material being chopped.

ANyway, I'm glad you like yours and everything is well.
Mine does 'sing' as it chops. It rings. I like that. You know, if we could get enough of these khuks together, we could play them like chimes?



munk
 
munk said:
Where you one of those who wanted the weight at 24 ounces; I can't recall?

I was thinking heavier khuks have greater impact energy and this takes a toll on user, khuk, and material being chopped.

ANyway, I'm glad you like yours and everything is well.
Mine does 'sing' as it chops. It rings. I like that. You know, if we could get enough of these khuks together, we could play them like chimes?



munk
Click to expand...

I didn't really have a preference on the weight. I think sometimes it is hard to figure out what sort of weight is right for the design, without having a variety to test.

I have an 18" BGRS Villager that is like 28 oz? or something like that, and it is not as comfortable for sustained cutting as my 17" 23 oz.

On the other hand I have that 16oz bonecutter that is, I can't recall, but like maybe 25 to 28 oz? and it feels great.

Overall for some strange reason a shorter, slightly heavier khuk seems to like me better than a longer heavier khuk. I would have liked to try one of the 15" 25 oz ones that came out recently, although I think the handle is a little short on the 15.

I think the same thing applies on hatchets for me. For instance the 12" one that is around 1 lb cuts better than the 14" 15oz even though the leverage with the longer one should be better.

nessmukians.jpg


Mine rings on hard wood. I was worried at first because of the thinness. The ringing to me almost sounded like over hardening and I was afraid of chipping but so far so good:thumbup:
 
Man if you lived closer I'd bring mine over and help you chop tha bugger up. I haven't been able to do the extensive chopping you have, but mine seems to hold the edge well. I've done 2x4's and some small pine limbs in the back. They didn't get bigger than 4" though. I did chop at a piece of oak in the shop, but it wasn't a log, but a board. No edge damage though. I love this knife.
 
aproy1101 said:
Man if you lived closer I'd bring mine over and help you chop tha bugger up. I haven't been able to do the extensive chopping you have, but mine seems to hold the edge well. I've done 2x4's and some small pine limbs in the back. They didn't get bigger than 4" though. I did chop at a piece of oak in the shop, but it wasn't a log, but a board. No edge damage though. I love this knife.
Click to expand...

We'd hang! It's fun to go to the khukuri khonvention where everybody is chopping! At this years Nasty had a suburban "campfire" using the stuff we had chopped the year before. Both times I've brought a truckload of wood to cut.

I didn't get to chop any more today. Went out to get a new handle for my post hole diggers. I didn't find one at the Flea Mkt, but I did get the power pole, cement and found a virtually new condition Sears electric butter churn for 45 bucks:thumbup: I have always just shook cream in a jar to make butter. This will be much better.
 
My love of flea markets comes from my mother. Garage sales too for that matter. Mornings with her hunting garage sales started at the same time hunting started with dad. Fun stuff. Can't make the convention. Its a shame because I'm dying to meet you guys.
 
Mine rings on hard wood. I was worried at first because of the thinness. The ringing to me almost sounded like over hardening and I was afraid of chipping but so far so good:thumbup:[/QUOTE]

REPLY :
You know I have a hammer that rings . I should say it sings cause its a good sound . Its been my theory up till now that as long as the sound rang true that it was a good thing . Kinda like the metal was in harmony with what it was doing .What do you guys think ?

B:T:W: Hollowdweller , at least the tree is on a slope so you can move the chunks where you want (as long as its downhill ! L:O:L) . Thats an awesome job on the surface of your Khuukuri . Is that what etching does ?
 
Kevin the grey said:
Thats an awesome job on the surface of your Khuukuri . Is that what etching does ?
Click to expand...

Kev,

Not sure what you are referring to. Never etched. This is a Foxy Folly and has fullers (hollowed out areas" forged into the blade to lighten it up. Is that what you are seeing??:thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top