- Joined
- Jan 25, 2010
- Messages
- 86
Years ago I had a field to clear for a garden, roughly an acre, that had grown up with lots of 2-3" saplings. I was using two blades to clear them, both versions of Cold Steel's All-Terrain Chopper (a modified kukri design) in Carbon V steel with kraton handles: one was 1/8" thick, the other 5/16". Except for weight, edge geometry, and thickness, they were identical.
What I found was that the 1/8" blade was the more aggressive chopper: it could take a bigger 'bite' out of a sapling; but I also discovered I had to work a lot harder with it---even though it was lighter---to make it work. But when I did, it made quicker work of taking down a sapling. I'm sure the thinner edge geometry had a lot to do with it.
The 5/16" blade wasn't as aggressive a chopper, but---even though it was heavier---I found I could work a lot longer with it without my arm and hand getting tired. I could hold it looser in my hand, and let the momentum of the heavier blade do the work. It didn't cut down a sapling as fast as the thinner blade could; but it was the one I ended up using most of the time.
I know, these aren't Busse blades... but it seemed relevant to all the chop talk going on around here...
What I found was that the 1/8" blade was the more aggressive chopper: it could take a bigger 'bite' out of a sapling; but I also discovered I had to work a lot harder with it---even though it was lighter---to make it work. But when I did, it made quicker work of taking down a sapling. I'm sure the thinner edge geometry had a lot to do with it.
The 5/16" blade wasn't as aggressive a chopper, but---even though it was heavier---I found I could work a lot longer with it without my arm and hand getting tired. I could hold it looser in my hand, and let the momentum of the heavier blade do the work. It didn't cut down a sapling as fast as the thinner blade could; but it was the one I ended up using most of the time.
I know, these aren't Busse blades... but it seemed relevant to all the chop talk going on around here...