shortwinger
Gold Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2010
- Messages
- 1,085
This weekend me, my son-in-law Brandon and his brother Afton got out and put some kukris to work. I had two things that had to be done. One, some autumn olive trees have begun to take over a bank just outside my yard and block my view. So they had to go. Then, I am making some new hanging perches for the birds of prey and I needed six straight 8 foot trees of about 4-6 inch diameter.
The olive trees are like a weed and grow very fast. Not only are they pretty tough, they are also springy and diffucult to chop because they give. We brought out one of the Tracker knives I got from Nepal and my HI Bonecutter. The Tracker has a nine inch blade while the Bonecutter is a standard size. Both did a great job biting deeply into the olive tree. I doubted that the Tracker could hold a candle to the Bonecutter but was very impressed and shocked with how well it did. I would say that they went toe to toe for about 30 minutes. We switched back and forth with the two and it was really a tie. Even Brandon was impressed with the Tracker and he has a very nice CAK.
Later we went out to chop the bigger trees. We had the Tracker, Bonecutter, CS Gurkha kukri and a desert version of a Standard Jungle. Certainly this is where the rubber meets the road. We were cutting maple and hickory, the hickory being by far the harder wood with a core that feels like you are cutting through rock.
On the way to the area where we were going to cut, a downed tree about (6 or 7 inch diameter) blocked our path and the Bonecutter made quick work of it. We found some suitable trees and got to work. Brandon had the Tracker, his brother had the Jungle and I started with the Bonecutter. Brandon got the first tree down quicky with the Tracker and I cut it to size just as fast with the Bonecutter. The jungle started to show what people on the forum talk about when people ask for advice on which model they should buy. Nothing anyone can say could teach this lesson like a few hours in the woods!
About a third of the way through a hickory, the jungle began to show why it is not considered a heavy chopper. First it doesn't bite as deeply because it doesn't have the same belly weight. Being shorter, it is further handicaped and it also transmits more vibration. Lastly, because you have to swing harder, you get tired faster, your hands hurt within minutes and you roll the kukri when you strike much more. Once the Bonecutter got into the same tree the difference became crystal clear. Even though this is hard wood, the Bonecutter took deep bites and blew big chunks out with each chop. Once the tree was down I was again supprised when the Tracker made equally short work of the tree.
It was a fun workout and as always, great to get out with the kukris. The all did well but the experience highlights that the kukri is a tool and each type has its own niche. The jungle would excel as a hiking/light camp knife while the Bonecutter and Tracker certainly proved themselves as the big boys on the block. All the blades left the woods with no damage at all to the blades after over an hour of hard chopping. Sorry their are no pics but we were too busy working!
The olive trees are like a weed and grow very fast. Not only are they pretty tough, they are also springy and diffucult to chop because they give. We brought out one of the Tracker knives I got from Nepal and my HI Bonecutter. The Tracker has a nine inch blade while the Bonecutter is a standard size. Both did a great job biting deeply into the olive tree. I doubted that the Tracker could hold a candle to the Bonecutter but was very impressed and shocked with how well it did. I would say that they went toe to toe for about 30 minutes. We switched back and forth with the two and it was really a tie. Even Brandon was impressed with the Tracker and he has a very nice CAK.
Later we went out to chop the bigger trees. We had the Tracker, Bonecutter, CS Gurkha kukri and a desert version of a Standard Jungle. Certainly this is where the rubber meets the road. We were cutting maple and hickory, the hickory being by far the harder wood with a core that feels like you are cutting through rock.
On the way to the area where we were going to cut, a downed tree about (6 or 7 inch diameter) blocked our path and the Bonecutter made quick work of it. We found some suitable trees and got to work. Brandon had the Tracker, his brother had the Jungle and I started with the Bonecutter. Brandon got the first tree down quicky with the Tracker and I cut it to size just as fast with the Bonecutter. The jungle started to show what people on the forum talk about when people ask for advice on which model they should buy. Nothing anyone can say could teach this lesson like a few hours in the woods!
About a third of the way through a hickory, the jungle began to show why it is not considered a heavy chopper. First it doesn't bite as deeply because it doesn't have the same belly weight. Being shorter, it is further handicaped and it also transmits more vibration. Lastly, because you have to swing harder, you get tired faster, your hands hurt within minutes and you roll the kukri when you strike much more. Once the Bonecutter got into the same tree the difference became crystal clear. Even though this is hard wood, the Bonecutter took deep bites and blew big chunks out with each chop. Once the tree was down I was again supprised when the Tracker made equally short work of the tree.
It was a fun workout and as always, great to get out with the kukris. The all did well but the experience highlights that the kukri is a tool and each type has its own niche. The jungle would excel as a hiking/light camp knife while the Bonecutter and Tracker certainly proved themselves as the big boys on the block. All the blades left the woods with no damage at all to the blades after over an hour of hard chopping. Sorry their are no pics but we were too busy working!
