- Joined
- Dec 3, 2000
- Messages
- 3,002
My lovely wife picked me up a BRKT Golok for Christmas, and I just got out and used it for an hour or so today.
First thing is that I'd like to state how much it amazes me the things that occur to you when using a knife that you can miss all day while reading about it and just handling it in front of the TV
For example....I thought the Golok was odd in it's not having a point. Got no idea what I'd do with a point, but I've always had them, and therefore wanted one. Then I started stumbling through snow, ice, and willow saplings with the Golok in my hand....ah.....lack of tip makes it harder to stab myself when doing these things. Now I like the lack of a tip.
I'm currently nursing a shoulder injury I acquired in Judo about a month ago. (Seems like forever
) it occurred to me while using the Golok that it was MUCH easier on my shoulder than my khuks. It's light enough to be pretty easy handling, but long enough to make VERY quick work of two inch or less saplings. You know..the stuff you'd use to make a fire hastily in an emergency as opposed to hacking down the nearest Red Oak...
It occurred to me that a sometimes an emergency use tool carried where injuries and cold weather emergencies have been known to occur this is a very good thing. At least for me. The Golok transferred little shock for it's size and I was able to continue swinging it, sore shoulder and all.
It also occurred to me that a saw could be nicer for cleaning out the back forty in that it doesn't leave little two foot tall Punji stakes sticking up all over the place. But..considering this is the same battlefield where I've been known to go rounds with snowmachiners trespassing I made an exception and continued my mission. Maybe one of the sapling will get a trespasser through the scrotum
But...I digress....
The Golok carries so easily you could almost forget you have it on you while walking a trail. it rides fairly high, tight, and parallel to my leg, much nicer when sitting also ie: in a canoe. Haven't tried it with a pack on yet, but at worst I'll move it up and strap it to my pack.
As far as cutting, it handles the one and two inch stuff fantastically. Does well enough on three and four inch stuff, then it seems falls on it's a$$ quickly after that. The convex edge blade gave very few problems with binding and remained j-u-u-u-ust barely sharp enough to shave after a good hour of use. The "sweet spot" becomes very clear after just a couple of strikes. About four and a half inches from the tip of the blade. Someone more skillful than I am could perhaps move up more if they were so inclined, but since it was amateur hour,and I HATE missing I decided I was comfortable there.
Bottom line is that this is a very versatile and capable blade that can chop way out of proportion to its size. It's long enough to clear brush and grass, as well as give some forgiveness for missed cuts, but still short enough to carry handily. It also balances and handles beautifully. Handle was very comfortable, although it did roll once or twice if I got careless. (shoulder was really hurting and my grip was suffering)
I hit a chunk of ice once, and a rock once, no edge damage from the ice, and very, very minor blade damage from the rock. I still have no idea how well the Golok chops cinder blocks or truck doors....Sorry, there's other folks to handle that department...
Lest I paint a picture that's too rosey colored....
It's a pain in the a$$ to resheath using the factory sheath.
I'm wondering if my specimen is really A-2 I've got a couple of Bark River Highlanders in A-2 that have performed daily kitchen duty for a year and a half or so with no rust problems at all, but this blade really wanted to discolor by the time I was done. I'm wondering if this blade is a different steel. It seems to behave ALOT like my uncoated Becker (0170-6C) Just an idiosyncracy I noted. I could be full of it too.
Final note...I think this is my new "go to" boondockin' knife. More formidable than my BK 5, but better mannered than my 18 inch Ang Khola Khuk. Only time will tell, I reckon.
Hope that helps some of y'all out. Seems there's been a few "Bark River" and "Golok" threads lately, so I figured I'd post it here.
Off to take some Advil, Darvocet, and lay around for awhile...
First thing is that I'd like to state how much it amazes me the things that occur to you when using a knife that you can miss all day while reading about it and just handling it in front of the TV
For example....I thought the Golok was odd in it's not having a point. Got no idea what I'd do with a point, but I've always had them, and therefore wanted one. Then I started stumbling through snow, ice, and willow saplings with the Golok in my hand....ah.....lack of tip makes it harder to stab myself when doing these things. Now I like the lack of a tip.
I'm currently nursing a shoulder injury I acquired in Judo about a month ago. (Seems like forever
) it occurred to me while using the Golok that it was MUCH easier on my shoulder than my khuks. It's light enough to be pretty easy handling, but long enough to make VERY quick work of two inch or less saplings. You know..the stuff you'd use to make a fire hastily in an emergency as opposed to hacking down the nearest Red Oak... It occurred to me that a sometimes an emergency use tool carried where injuries and cold weather emergencies have been known to occur this is a very good thing. At least for me. The Golok transferred little shock for it's size and I was able to continue swinging it, sore shoulder and all.It also occurred to me that a saw could be nicer for cleaning out the back forty in that it doesn't leave little two foot tall Punji stakes sticking up all over the place. But..considering this is the same battlefield where I've been known to go rounds with snowmachiners trespassing I made an exception and continued my mission. Maybe one of the sapling will get a trespasser through the scrotum
But...I digress....
The Golok carries so easily you could almost forget you have it on you while walking a trail. it rides fairly high, tight, and parallel to my leg, much nicer when sitting also ie: in a canoe. Haven't tried it with a pack on yet, but at worst I'll move it up and strap it to my pack.As far as cutting, it handles the one and two inch stuff fantastically. Does well enough on three and four inch stuff, then it seems falls on it's a$$ quickly after that. The convex edge blade gave very few problems with binding and remained j-u-u-u-ust barely sharp enough to shave after a good hour of use. The "sweet spot" becomes very clear after just a couple of strikes. About four and a half inches from the tip of the blade. Someone more skillful than I am could perhaps move up more if they were so inclined, but since it was amateur hour,and I HATE missing I decided I was comfortable there.
Bottom line is that this is a very versatile and capable blade that can chop way out of proportion to its size. It's long enough to clear brush and grass, as well as give some forgiveness for missed cuts, but still short enough to carry handily. It also balances and handles beautifully. Handle was very comfortable, although it did roll once or twice if I got careless. (shoulder was really hurting and my grip was suffering)
I hit a chunk of ice once, and a rock once, no edge damage from the ice, and very, very minor blade damage from the rock. I still have no idea how well the Golok chops cinder blocks or truck doors....Sorry, there's other folks to handle that department...
Lest I paint a picture that's too rosey colored....
It's a pain in the a$$ to resheath using the factory sheath.
I'm wondering if my specimen is really A-2 I've got a couple of Bark River Highlanders in A-2 that have performed daily kitchen duty for a year and a half or so with no rust problems at all, but this blade really wanted to discolor by the time I was done. I'm wondering if this blade is a different steel. It seems to behave ALOT like my uncoated Becker (0170-6C) Just an idiosyncracy I noted. I could be full of it too.
Final note...I think this is my new "go to" boondockin' knife. More formidable than my BK 5, but better mannered than my 18 inch Ang Khola Khuk. Only time will tell, I reckon.
Hope that helps some of y'all out. Seems there's been a few "Bark River" and "Golok" threads lately, so I figured I'd post it here.
Off to take some Advil, Darvocet, and lay around for awhile...
Thankfully, I'm not much of a steel snob, and get along with the 0170 stuff jus' fine an' dandy!
