Can you use the HI swords for camp/trail duty?

[Minnesota]

Can you chop with HI swords? I've never thought about it before, I just though HI made the swords for martial arts or disply. But I look at these swords and they seem built like the khuks HI makes. I imagine you could use a everest katana like you would a busse AK right? Or will chopping damage the swords, how about batoning?

 

[killa_concept]

I'd say that it depends on which we're talking about... I know that several people use their Tarwars for limbing trees, clearing up shrubs, and general light field duty. I'm sure it could stand up to a bit of chopping as well (though I'd personally prefer a kukri for such tasks).... Something like a katana on the other hand, I'd be a bit more careful with... they're well-built and deferentially hardened, but I don't think I would do anything past slicing branches ~1" with one (simply because it's a slicing tool and doesn't have the blade width to do any chopping). As usual, it's just a matter of common sense to figure out what a blade's limitations are...

Of course this is all in reference to my idea of potential usage and limitations - not in reference to what the warranty would suggest.

 

[stickfred]

Minnesota,

From the first attempts of HI making a sword (the Everest Katana, IIRC), to the best of my knowledge, they have always made their swords to be working pieces and not for display. If you use the Search function here at the Forum for both the Archives and here, I'm sure you will find many reviews that will attest to the usability of the various swords that HI provides.

This reminds me of "Uncle" Bill Martino questioning Bura kami about making the HI Dhankuta thicker than Bill was expecting as this would be more of a display khukuri. Bura's response was akin to: The owner may need it to protect himself and his family and it needs to be made so that it can be used for this purpose and not fail. I believe that all the HI products are made, like their khuks, to be used...in all their beauty. Hope this helps.

Rick

 

[b.c.molin]

Hi and Welcome Minnesota.

Having a few examples of HI's swords, there is only one I wouldn't be prepared to use for bush clearing and chopping and that is only due to its collector value.

I am after a Tarwar for use as a 'machete on steroids' to take on the 20 year old Honeysuckle in my slowly overgrowing back yard. One older HI owner has admitted to using his Long Tibetan sword to cut down a pine tree in days gone bye!

 

[Ugly Duck]

I use my Tarwar as a beefed up machete. Then I freak out when it hits a rock & gets a ding.

 

[Karda]

You can use your purchases however you want, as long as you are aware that they are not covered by warranty if you should damage or break them. H.I. swords are meant for light use or display and should never be used as a camp tool. Clearing light brush and such would probably be fine, as long as you are not hitting the ground with it.

 

[warty]

I've used my Tarwar for light brush and grasses and the occasional low , thin tree limb and never had an issue with the edge. It is a real beast and I am no doubt babying mine a bit. I am fairly certain I could lop off your arm with the thing should I need to do so and a branch or the like is not going to be much harder than that to lop. I haven't really tried to do any of this with the other swords though, only the Tarwar.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

I'm sure you'd have no trouble using them like you would a machete.

They aren't warranted for field use, but I did cut down a pine tree with my Tarwar with no adverse effects (to the sword).

 

[Spectre]

There are just a few swords that shouldn't be used this way. The Napoleon especially comes to mind.

 

[kamagong]

I never understood the desire to use a sword for work, even if we are talking about HIs. Knives can be used as both tools and weapons, while swords are designed as weapons. Of course you can do whatever you want with your own things, but it still doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Spectre]

I think the Cherokee Rose also falls into this category. I was afraid to use it on anything.

 

[Wolf_1989]

It's hard for me to imagine my tarwar ever failing.

 

[Abaniko]

It's hard for me to imagine my tarwar ever failing.

Or my Bhutan.

 

[kukulza28]

I never understood the desire to use a sword for work, even if we are talking about HIs. Knives can be used as both tools and weapons, while swords are designed as weapons. Of course you can do whatever you want with your own things, but it still doesn't make sense to me.

People want to use actually their swords

As for actual work blades, in a lot of cultures, traditionally the work blade was also the fighting blade, especially for the less wealthy or those with less access to metals. If you can have fewer blades thanks to low wealth or low iron availability... then you get something that can cover the most bases....

aruval, machetes, kukris, espada anchas, laraw, sundang, bolos, talibon, pinuti, etc.