flyswatter

Will- Yeah, I think Keating conveys the idea of what makes a big knife "better," I just think he could've used better terms for it. It is a lever technically, but turned around backwards-and that's not how you usually think of a lever.

I dunno about having the moment of inertia close to the handle, though. Seems to depend on the purpose. A lot of Bowies seem to have their balance point right in front of the guard, daggers have it behind the guard, and choppers (like khukuris) way out from the hilt. I'm sure a dagger tip hits terminal velocity quick, but doesn't carry much inertia so can't cut anything like a khukuri. Some get cutting power from speed, some from more weight behind the strike. And utility choppers usually have some help from gravity (like an axe) so that you don't have to use too much wrist or arm strength to get the blade moving, even when it's head-heavy.

I remember my Dad teaching me the Zen of driving nails- "You don't have to push the nail in, just aim and let the hammer fall." Nat'ral philosopher, my Dad
smile.gif
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[This message has been edited by DocPat2511 (edited 03-18-2001).]
 
Yes, Mas Oyama killed all those bulls empty-handed. I have an account of one of his bullfights here somewhere -- that particular bull had very large thick horns, and Oyama said he was going to try to break one of the horns with a karate chop -- it was over four inches (10cm) in diameter. It took him several tries to break it ... and of course the bull was trying to kill him at the time.... I think it would have been easier with a khukuri.



------------------
-Cougar :{)
Use of Weapons
 
DocPat2511, I think we are on the same wavelength. With a moment of inertia closer to the handle or within the handle the knife will be require less force to accelerate it and reach terminal velocity faster. The same applies to the khukuri. When I said “optimal”, I meant it in with regard to speed (Keatings comments). He talking about relatively soft an easy to cut targets.

I use my khukuri’s for wood chopping (usually 6”-10” soft and soft-hard woods) mainly and favor the heavier ones. For example an ideal weight for a 22” Ang Khola is around 3.75 LB for me. I try to use gravity as much as I can. When possible I only chop a ½ V into wood for clearance with downward angling blows. After a while the Mega Salyan 5.65 LB becomes manageable.

Will
 
Rus,
I was taught to work, close , so a BAS or WW2 work easily for me! but do like 18"! A note on MAS O., due to pounding on MAK,deformed knucks, etc., was told MAS had tbl. holding a cup of coffee in latter yrs.!
Glad my Sens. talked some sense in me at an early age!I was young, immortal, and STUPID, but thankfully listened!We busted heads "NOT BRICKS"!Glad I wised up!
jim
 
.458 for rabbits and .300 WM for flies vs Oyama killing bulls empty handed.

I think people were made of sterner stuff than today.

Will

[This message has been edited by Will Kwan (edited 03-20-2001).]
 
Oyama did the "hand conditioning" when he was young and stupid, and spent the rest of his life telling people not to do that. It wasn't an accidental side effect of breaking bricks; it was deliberate ... he smashed the first two knuckles of his hands with a hammer to make them heal up into one big knuckle ... I could go on; it's pretty gory. Don't be afraid to break a brick; that won't do you any harm if you do it right.

Even deliberate hand conditioning is not necessarily injurious if it's done right and not taken to an extreme, but it's unnecessary and I do not recommend it to anyone; I propagandize against it at every opportunity on the martial arts forums (and so do most of us). It just serves no purpose ... it's something young guys do thinking it makes them look tough ... wear a black leather jacket or something instead, something you can take off when you don't want to look tough any more.


------------------
-Cougar :{)
Use of Weapons
 
How coincidental. I was just remembering this yesterday. Guess it will follow-in with
this thread.
Back in about '93, I was taking care of a patient. The man was caucasian, late 40's or early 50's, medium height, thin lanky build, nothing unusual about him. In fact he looked very much like any other factory worker that lived in that town. As part of the routine assessment I checked his circulation by palpating the peripheral pulses. The left
wrist pulse was normal. Upon grasping his right hand I did a double-take. The right hand was an honest 1 1/2 times the size of the left! Looked again, much closer. Then looked at his left hand for comparison. The only difference between the two was in the SKIN of the right hand. It was THICK, maybe as much as a 1/4" thick in places (No exaggeration here gentlemen). Also the fingernails were discolored a yellowish tint and enlarged. The best way to discribe this would be if you took a football and let some of the air out of it. Then felt the very ends of the football, where all the seams are joined.
Then it hit me. This man was a practitioner
of Chinese 'IronHand' training. Often I had
previously read on this subject(many sources
of info on this were BS). Had even thrusted into coarse sand for a period of several months, years before. Got to were I could
thrust in up to my wrist(almost) without too much problem. But never did my hands look like this! Apparently in real IronHand training the hand IS not only conditioned but
also soaked in solutions (made of various and
slightly toxic substances) to achieve this
effect on the skin. Guess this protects the
bones from becoming deformed during the
training? But then your hand looks totally narly!
Anyway this guy was REAL low key about answering questions related to the subject.
But gheez, I mean, you really don't know who
your up against, often until it's too late.

 
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