- Joined
- Nov 21, 2005
- Messages
- 3,972
I can give a little insight from the perspective of a competitor who is new to the cutting competitions, and has never practiced to compete. I was ask to fill in the last available space at the recent Branson Hammer-In cut. Kyle Royer was kind enough to let me use his knife, which he was also sharing with his father that day. Both had competed before, but I gathered neither had done a lot of preparation. In other words, some experience, but not serious cutting competition participants.
I am sure Kyle learned several things about his knife design that day and he and his father both were successful at some of the rotations. Both handled the 2x4 cut well. So, the knife was made to perform. Being unfamiliar with proper technique, I was not so successful. I pounded my way through the board from a narrow opening. That tells me that technique rates high, as one would suspect. Make a wide start in the 2x4 so you can get to the wood to remove it, don't come straight down on the can to slice it...a slight angle is needed, if your angle is too flat on the rope cut, you may cut the rope, but you will pull down the thread it is tied to, a correct angle is needed on the straw cut, etc.
Jimmy Chin picked up Jerry Fisk's cutter after the dust had settled, and said, "Too light." For Jimmy, who is smaller in stature, he felt he needed more heft to a cutting knife. This told me that you are not only designing a knife that can compete in these cuts, but you are also designing it to fit the competitor. Each maker that competes will have different personal needs, besides the type of steel, heat treatment, grind, handle contour, etc.
It might have been a little embarrasing for me, but I was sure glad to be ask to compete and have already done some 'homework' and plan to begin doing some practicing in case that next competition sneaks up on me. It taught me a lot.
So, I would agree with Roger's assessment of the situation he presented...the competitor would probably finish near last with the better designed knife.
- Joe
I am sure Kyle learned several things about his knife design that day and he and his father both were successful at some of the rotations. Both handled the 2x4 cut well. So, the knife was made to perform. Being unfamiliar with proper technique, I was not so successful. I pounded my way through the board from a narrow opening. That tells me that technique rates high, as one would suspect. Make a wide start in the 2x4 so you can get to the wood to remove it, don't come straight down on the can to slice it...a slight angle is needed, if your angle is too flat on the rope cut, you may cut the rope, but you will pull down the thread it is tied to, a correct angle is needed on the straw cut, etc.
Jimmy Chin picked up Jerry Fisk's cutter after the dust had settled, and said, "Too light." For Jimmy, who is smaller in stature, he felt he needed more heft to a cutting knife. This told me that you are not only designing a knife that can compete in these cuts, but you are also designing it to fit the competitor. Each maker that competes will have different personal needs, besides the type of steel, heat treatment, grind, handle contour, etc.
It might have been a little embarrasing for me, but I was sure glad to be ask to compete and have already done some 'homework' and plan to begin doing some practicing in case that next competition sneaks up on me. It taught me a lot.
So, I would agree with Roger's assessment of the situation he presented...the competitor would probably finish near last with the better designed knife.
- Joe
And with the same knife, an experienced competitor readily cut a bundle of 4. And so it was with all the "events". You could have given me a forged light saber and that alone would not have had any immediate impact on my performance.
