Foxy Folly leftovers - List is now open

Hi guys! :D I got my final Foxys Folly yesterday. My 17 1/2 inch, 24 oz FF is made by Sher. The blade and scabbard are awesome! My findings are the same as Yvsa's as far as the handle goes. It was *FAT* and had no sexy shape to it like my 21 9/16", 28 oz Bura made FF. It was sort of blocky looking and made the khuk hard to move around well in the air. I spent 6 hours today trying my hand at making the handle the same sexy shape as the one I got by Bura. There was a lot of wood to remove and reshape. I was scared to death that I would screw up one of the final FF's and hate myself for messing with it. It needed the fix though. I ended up being very happy with the results. It looks and feels darn near exactly like my long one now, as far as the handle shape goes. Now this khuk feels as it should. Light and fast. The wood. Kapur seems to be a type of spruce. It works very easily and smells like the evergreen forests up here. A pleasing smell to work with.
It is now soaking up some linseed oil. It is a good looking wood with a nice grain and some reddish and greenish veins in it that give real standout figure.
I will take some pictures comparing the three stages of FF I have and see what you all think of my handle efforts. Once it stops raining, that is. The hard part for me was keeping the grooves and the large ring properly placed and in proportion with the handle when I was done. A hacksaw blade was used to trace the grooves when they started to dissapear. I had to do this often, but that kept me on track in the end, and helped me keep the perspective and shape while shaping. I have a greater respect for what it takes to make a nice shaped handle now. That is for sure! :eek:
I do agree that to be a chopper it could be a few oz. heavier, but I like it the way it is. I have so many choppers that a light one is nice sometimes. All I have to do is swing my 52 oz. FF to remember just what heavy is! :eek:
All in all, I feel that the three FF I have managed to aquire cover the whole range of weight and length. I love them all!!
 
Just saw the follow ups on this thread. To me, the ideal FF would be 18" and 28 oz. If I couldn't have that, then 17" and 26-27 oz. would be great, so I agree with Munk.

Like Munk's, my 17" 24 oz. was made by Bura, and has a smaller handle, so it looks like most of the later ones were made by Sher. (?) I recently got one of the 17" 34 oz. prototypes made by Sher from Dan. The handle is quite a bit larger on the Sher one, and is just great work all around. Because of the handle and weight I like this Sher one very much. If I could change one thing it would be just to make it about 28 oz. even.

Dave, I see now what you mean. I had forgotten that you had one of the ones made with a habaki bolster. The workmanship on my FF from the first batch is excellent, it's just harder to keep such a thin blade straight with no wave to it.

Norm
 
28 oz would be optimum for chopping, but the design was an experiment to have a more readily carryable khuk that chopped like one much heavier. I think we might have pulled it off at 26 oz.
26.5 oz?



munk
 
munk said:
28 oz would be optimum for chopping, but the design was an experiment to have a more readily carryable khuk that chopped like one much heavier. I think we might have pulled it off at 26 oz.
26.5 oz?



munk
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right, that was the experiment, and I had momentarily forgotten that. I agree that would have made it a bit more versatile perhaps. Hindsight is 20/20 though, and we got very close and I am very happy with the result.

As I don't think Yvsa will be wanting to drive any more special orders anytime soon, I consider myself lucky to have been able to get one of these at all. At the final weight it still chops extremely well IMO.

Thanks,

Norm
 
It's a nice khuk. It's funny at that range of weight, how only a few ounces can change everything. Even a 26 ounce khuk will carry a little easier than a 28.


munk
 
The reason the Foxy Folly is 24 ounces is because most everyone wanted a much lighter khuk.:rolleyes: :p

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=313398&highlight=Foxy+Folly

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=311003&highlight=Foxy+Folly

In the official sign up thread we had the specs at 24 to 28 ounces.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312268&page=1

Methinks we got what we ordered although it may not be what some wanted. I think that the kamis did one helluva job finally and that we ought to be thanking Miss Yangdu for putting up with all the misfits that came in from the kamis that didn't meet the specs.
Dan said he would tell Miss Yangdu to tell the kamis that it would be alright if any further examples of the FF came in heavier than the 24 ounces.
Perhaps some heavier ones will come through from time to time and everyone can get the weight they think is best for them.
To me it proves that the BirGhorka kamis can do anything that the other khukuri manufacturers can do and do it better. The 17" 24 ounce Foxy Folly compares right up there with many antique khukuris that are light, fast, and deadly.

I do have to admit that I'm very fortunate to have two. A heavier one at 31 ounces and then the 24 ounce model. Just can't get any better than that.
I'm looking forward to getting my surgeries done and then my cardioversion that will get my heart to beating right again so I will have the breath and hopefully less pain so I can get out and test them for myself.
 
Yvsa said:
I'm looking forward to getting my surgeries done and then my cardioversion that will get my heart to beating right again so I will have the breath and hopefully less pain so I can get out and test them for myself.
Click to expand...

Didn't know that you had cardiovascular problems, Yvsa. :grumpy: How long have you had atrial fibrillation, and do you have an enlarged atrium? Hope all goes well with the cardioversion; it would be great getting some field reports from you and maybe even a movie or two. ;) :)
 
The Foxy Folly was not only as slender as 'historical' British khuks, but done better. Much better. The depth of those fullers in a blade that thin was nothing short of spectacular to these eyes. No hammer marks, looking as if poured.

Our Kamis are, as Bill always said, the best in Nepal.


munk
 
Anyone who wants a heavier Folly can either buy/trade for one of the prototype boat anchor models (if their owners would ever give them up -- doubtful) or epoxy some fishing weights to the blade wherever apropriate for the balance desired. ;) :p

My 21" 21oz FFF was made by Bura (I think all FFF were), and my FF was by Sher, and also has the BEEFY handle: Much bigger in diameter than the handle on the longer sword.

Taking down the FF handle to match the sword's is on my long-term project list. Also, for long-term preservation, I'm wondering if boiled linseed or Tru-Oil would make a better treatment and what either would do to the Chandan's appearance. :confused:
 
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