Chakma (or is it karda)

C

Cutler

Joined
Feb 13, 2000
Messages
74
My wife gave me a WWII for my birthday last weekend. Very nice knife, GREAT wife!

The problem that I've found, or improvement that I'd like to make, is that my chakma is soft. (I've been dying to say that
smile.gif
) I would like to case-harden it to improve it's ability as a field sharpener and to make it into a flint striker.
This requires heat that would destroy the horn handle. What kind of adhesive is used on these things? I'm hoping that it's an epoxy that will release with relatively low heat.
Alternately, are chakmas available in component form so I could make my modifications and then glue the "blade" to the handle?

Thanks in advance.
 
The handles are attached with a primitive form of "hot melt" adhesive, made from tree sap and other "stuff." Placing that handle in boiling water (best use an old pot) will soften the adhesive so that the handle can be pulled off. Use appropriate precautions, ie, gloves or hot pads, and pliers. The adhesive has a rather nasty odor when hot, so you will probably want to do this in a well ventilated area. A good epoxy can be used to re-attach the handle.

Let us know how the hardened chakma works for you.

Regards,

--Mike L.

------------------
Real men ride Moto Guzzis!
 
Good advice, Mike. For your pleasure, the name of the glue is "Laha." And I too think that some of our smaller impliments are a bit on the soft side. I just haven't gotten to that aspect of "improving" our product (though I will eventually), as I usually just opt for a modern sharpener. But thanks for your input - something to discuss with Lalit when I'm in Nepal.

------------------
Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
Okay, I tried several times to harden the blade of the chakma to no avail. If it had been truly made of spring steel, a simple quenching in cold water should have made it plenty hard. I couldn't get it hard with three doses of Kasenit and a quench! It makes me worry about the karda...

I gave up and made a new blade out of a piece of a file. Well two blades actually, the first one warped in the quench then cracked. (I must have lost track of the moon phase
smile.gif
) The new blade is quite hard and throws a good spark from a flint. I can feel it cut into the blade of the Khuk when burnishing. NOW it's a field sharpener and flint striker.

By the way, if anybody tries this, don't put a warm blade(from grinding) into the handle to check the fit. That laha grabs it and you end up making another batch of chakma soup.
smile.gif
Don't forget to temper the tang!

Please tell Lalit that my chakma is harder than his chakma.
 
Cutler,

According to a recent survey of 500 Khukuris, 91% indicated that how you use it was more important than how hard it is. Hardness was more important to 4% while 5% had no opinion.
smile.gif


------------------
Blackdog
ffca0608.gif.orig.gif
 
You all are very funny (and innovative). First of all, I learned that I have been mispronouncing the Chakma, which is really a Chakmak.

Second, I figured out why the Chakmaks seem softer than they should be - because some of them are not forged from the same springs that the khukuris are. TB did say that the chakmaks are super tempered, but I guess some slip through the cracks. But don't worry - I have a new Chakmak design that we worked out which will quell all worries about the chakmak. For those of you who have the "old style" we'll be selling new sets of improved chakmaks and kardas . . . so stay tuned!

------------------
Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top