Had opportunity comparing pen knives by Bura and Kuma side by side:
Spec-wise almost exact duplicates, both 12 3/8in oal and just under 11oz. Both blades identical 1.19in at narrowest to 1.99in at widest. The only obvious difference is Kumars has more significant angle at shoulder of spine.
Wont compare finish as Kumars has been my user for about 6 months and Buras is an unpolished villager. I enjoy admiring the mirror polish and intricate art pieces too, but there is an enduring beauty about a tool well crafted for honest work. That is one aspect which slightly surprised and pleased me holding Bura's pen knife. He was royal kami to the King, yet this blade has a simple unpretentious village finish overlying subtly engineered detail.
The Bura's spine is slightly wider than my Kumar pen yet both weigh almost identical.
Blade tapers from spine to beginning of bevel:
in front of cho: Bura 0.30in to 0.17, Kumar 0.21 to 0.19
shoulder to belly: Bura 0.26 to 0.13, Kuma 0.20 to 0.16
near tip: Bura 0.18 to 0.13, Kumar 0.18 to 0.17
On close examination the Bura's taper from spine to bevel appears faintly concave (like extremely shallow fullers) to get the weight and balance where he wanted. To be fair I checked the Kumars with a straight edge and lo and behold, found the same detail though barely perceptible. Here you can see the bevel down to cutting edge, Bura's on left, Kumar's on right:
When held horizontally both feel comparable and the balance points are very close. When held with spine vertical ('cocked') the Kumar is noticeably more tip-heavy as if anxious to pull the blade forward wanting to chop. The Bura feels more neutral in this position, quite lively and dynamic like a dancing cobra poised to strike, until you direct its motion. Once the Buras tip moves a couple inches forward you feel the energy shift and accelerate blade toward the target.
Pen knife is my all time favorite HI blade style. For me pen blade geometry is ideal all purpose use, and 12in big enough for bushcraft while still realistic size to belt-carry for hiking, etc. Here's the Kumar in sheath I scrounged together:
Since these pen knives are so similar in size and weight the only real difference is the kami and it was interesting experiencing the craft and energy of each blade. It was a true joy handling these pieces from two masters!
Spec-wise almost exact duplicates, both 12 3/8in oal and just under 11oz. Both blades identical 1.19in at narrowest to 1.99in at widest. The only obvious difference is Kumars has more significant angle at shoulder of spine.
Wont compare finish as Kumars has been my user for about 6 months and Buras is an unpolished villager. I enjoy admiring the mirror polish and intricate art pieces too, but there is an enduring beauty about a tool well crafted for honest work. That is one aspect which slightly surprised and pleased me holding Bura's pen knife. He was royal kami to the King, yet this blade has a simple unpretentious village finish overlying subtly engineered detail.
The Bura's spine is slightly wider than my Kumar pen yet both weigh almost identical.
Blade tapers from spine to beginning of bevel:
in front of cho: Bura 0.30in to 0.17, Kumar 0.21 to 0.19
shoulder to belly: Bura 0.26 to 0.13, Kuma 0.20 to 0.16
near tip: Bura 0.18 to 0.13, Kumar 0.18 to 0.17
On close examination the Bura's taper from spine to bevel appears faintly concave (like extremely shallow fullers) to get the weight and balance where he wanted. To be fair I checked the Kumars with a straight edge and lo and behold, found the same detail though barely perceptible. Here you can see the bevel down to cutting edge, Bura's on left, Kumar's on right:
When held horizontally both feel comparable and the balance points are very close. When held with spine vertical ('cocked') the Kumar is noticeably more tip-heavy as if anxious to pull the blade forward wanting to chop. The Bura feels more neutral in this position, quite lively and dynamic like a dancing cobra poised to strike, until you direct its motion. Once the Buras tip moves a couple inches forward you feel the energy shift and accelerate blade toward the target.
Pen knife is my all time favorite HI blade style. For me pen blade geometry is ideal all purpose use, and 12in big enough for bushcraft while still realistic size to belt-carry for hiking, etc. Here's the Kumar in sheath I scrounged together:
Since these pen knives are so similar in size and weight the only real difference is the kami and it was interesting experiencing the craft and energy of each blade. It was a true joy handling these pieces from two masters!
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