Choppin

[RoyalM]

Well I managed to get into the workshop and have some fun with a few blades yesterday.
Apologies for the pics, it was kind of spur of the moment to do this and only had my cell camera.
From left to right:

Ham-Hands, Barkie Bowie, CGFBM, FFBM, NMFBM.

The plan was to chop some wood and cardboard tubes. 2x4''s and 2'' and 4'' diameter cardboard tubes. Decided to chop the wood first and then the tubes. All blades were sharpened by me except the Barkie which didn't need it as it came ready to rock.

Here's some blade fodder.

got bored doing a normal chop thread so I dreamed up a situation or two.

So the situation is i'm on a building site, the framework collapses around me trapping me and it's 5 minutes before happy hour at my local. I got to get out fast, time to chop my way clear.

The wood was pretty rough and tough grained, this was no finished bit of timber for decent carpentry.

Decided to chop the wood first and then the tubes. All blades were sharpened by me except the Barkie which didn't need it as it came ready to rock.

HamHands at 30 chops, 35 more and I was through.

Barkie Bowie at 30 chops, 42 more and I was through.

CGFBM 26 chops and through.
(Pic was crap so I binned it)
FFBM 24 chops and through.

NMFBM 24 chops and through.

No blade damage or bluntening at this point. EXCEPT TO THE NMFBM!!!!! Look above.

It had some 'flea bites' maybe 3 along the sweetspot and forward curve. None more than 0.5mm deep or 2mm long. Am I sure they are chips? I ran my finger nail on either side of them and it didn't catch so there was no roll or fold there was metal missing. I have not significantly reprofiled or sharpened this blade just slightly touched the edge up. I'll need to do a decent resharpen and see if it happens again.

 

[RoyalM]

So round two, 2'' diameter cardboard tubes. Time for some workshop samurai shit. My thought were i'm being attacked by a crackhead with spindly arms which knife would delimb the perp easiest and ensure my safety and that of my beers?

The perp:

HamHands went through with little problem, look at the cut. Clean and sharp (unlike the pic)

BarkieBowie went through a little rougher but my angle of attack was flatter so....

CGFBM was very clean, a close second to HamHands. That's the adrenalin flowing that's giving me the shakes.

FFBM cleanish cut, rough as hell pic. Adrenalin in full flow!!!

NMFBM cut the best like a sabre despite the nicks.

and on to round three..........

 

[RoyalM]

Round 3. So i've hacked my way out of a construction site and delimbed the skinny crackhead who was after my beers but what now? Well some mallninjas thinks i'm trouble after seeing my path of destruction and decides he's going to teach me a lesson. No way that's happening, I decide on immediate decapitation as the only route to surefire glory.

Got my Barkie to the first one, almost got his head off in one go, just like the Kurgen:

Got HamHands out for the 2nd and took his head in one:

CGFBM for the 3rd, and no problems at all:

FFBM for a bit of prybar fun, straight through despite the added beef:

NMFBM was my ace in the hole, by the power of GraySkull!!!!!:

 

[RoyalM]

The aftermath, here's a pic of the trash and the blades:

Here's some targets for next week:

...........like hell i'm no Jarvis.

So what does this afternoon of chopping prove? Absolutely nothing! Except I enjoyed myself and forgot all about Blade for a couple of hours.

 

[Revolverrodger]

Great fun
I love those real life tests.

 

[Tree Herder V]

Looks like fun! Thanks for the pics and the story! :thumbup:

 

[steelnut]

Hell Yeah:thumbup:

 

[book'em]

Fuzzy pictures or not, still a great story, thanks for posting.

 

[silverdragon33]

that was quite entertaining. thanks

 

[giant1]

Well I would be worried if I was a crack head or mall ninja in your neck of the woods

That was a fun read thanks.

 

[moonwilson]

"By the power of Grayskull!" Lolz. I'm gonna yell that right before I chop anything, from now on. That's too funny. Good stuff, RoyalM!

 

[Elen]

That was good :thumbup: That thing with the NMFBM edge will probably be fixed just by sharpening the blade - that has worked before for many knives, from the cheapest to the most expensive, if the factory edge seems oddly weak or quick to lose its sharpness. Probably caused by some kind of heat treat / grinding issue. If that doesn't do it, do report back

 

[barrabas74]

Great pics. Jay Neilson makes the hamhands if I am not mistaken. I love that knife. Great pictures and looks like you had alot of fun.

 

[RoyalM]

My thoughts exactly Elen, nothing a little time with a mousepad and some wet and dry won't fix.

Spot on barrabas it's a Neilson alright. I won it in a raffle and it was his last blade befroe he became a mastersmith. It's a really great knife to use.