chakma question - why is square better then round?

Josh Muller

Josh Muller

Joined
Jun 22, 2003
Messages
3,049
i can understand if its easier to forge, but from a practical perspective, why is this:
chakma-square-end.jpg


better then this:
chakma-round-end.jpg

?

*18" ang khola chakma that i rounded one side of, and polished to near mirror*
 
I reckon it's easier to realign edges with. A square edge makes it easier to reference what part of the chakma is "chakmaing" :) your blade. It's more difficult to tell with a round device.

This is only what I've found. Dunno if it's true or not. I bought a commercially available burnisher for woodworking tools that is round and it's difficult to use because of it's shape for the above reason.

That's my reasoning. Not the kamis :confused: :footinmou
 
You can also put more pressure on a square corner held at an angle to rough realign quicker than a rounded side. Also, be easier to strike sparks from flint with squared edge. Doesn't matter that much as the chakmas tend to be underhardened. On the other hand, a chakma made from a half-round file gives you a flat and a half-round side.
 
If you're using the face of the chakma to burnish, probably doesn't make any difference at all.
 
I feel the rounded is at least as good as the squared, and here's how:

I made a karda for my HI seax out of a straight razor blade, clipped the point to make it have a seax profile. The steel is really hard, and the spine of the razor has a full rounding to it. I gave this part a try as a chakmak, and it does the best job of any chak I've got! The hardness and smoothness seem to combine to make a wonderful chak.

Rounding one edge of the square chaqk is a great idea, so you get to choose geometries.

Keith
 
when theres a big nick in my edge, i have found that if im going at the edge with the corner (kind of like chiseling), it will shove the mushroomed steel forward instead of into the blade edge (realigning it), wich inevitably ends in strips of metal being removed and the ding getting bigger or at least not going away at all.

when i go at it trailing the corner across it ends up doing to much burnishing on the rest of the blade, and not enough on the ding/mushroomed steel. i end up with a severe bur, but i still need to run it across the ding another 50 times before it will start to move....

but, i could be doing it completely wrong :confused:
 
For a big ding, I take a small brass hammer and tap the edge back into realignment. On bigger alignment jobs, I do hammer and anvil, but you want to avoid causing stress fractures in the hardened parts as much as possible.

Keith
 
a very good idea... i dont really like using the square chakma because it feels like im damaging the edge every single time ive ever used it. i'll definitely try the hammer next time
 
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