Blade failure on 8mm thick Condor Heavy Duty Kukri!

FortyTwoBlades said:
Stock removal.
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Ok, but that doesn't tell me where the steel comes from...was there so much carbon added that the steel itself was brittle before stock removal; and was the steel originally forged or was it cast in such a shape before the stock removal?
 
They're made from German-sourced 1075. All steel is cast initially as part of a steel mill's manufacturing process, but is then also technically forged during the process of rendering it into bar or sheet stock. In the case of the thick Condor pieces, I believe that they're cut from bar stock and the blades heated and given a roll-taper (when tapering is used) before heat treatment, but I'd have to inquire about that.

But if you mean "did they cast it in the shape of a kukri and then grind it?" then the answer is no.
 
Another potential reason for the start of a crack is that the Kukri shape means any misaligned hit will induce a large "torque" twist behind the impact zone, because the impact point on the blade is so far below the rest of the blade. This is probably what caused the intial crack to develop. In effect, the varying pitch of the curved edge does not distribute a misaligned impact throughout the edge, but will instead concentrate the twisting effort in one area.

If I were to use a Kurkri continuously while tired, I would expect misaligned hits would be more likely to cause this initial crack than on a straighter design like a regular flared or straight machete.

If the edge is thick, then the misaligned impact on the edge is that much greater through faster deceleration in wood from less sharpness, yet the thicker edge is also less "flexible" to absorb the twisting without cracking.

Gaston
 
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jdk1 said:
If I was pinned down and had to recommend a khuk, the CS Gurkha is my main khuk. But, HI has a new kami making some khukuri at 17.5" and 21-23 oz., with beautifully curved handles and blades. I'd love to get a hold of one of those and they probably have all you could ever ask for in a big blade.
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Who and what model?

Zero
 
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