Grind suggestions for kukris... Kailash Blades...

[T.M.A.]

Looking to place an order with Kailash Blades soon! I'm so EXCITED!!

Only thing I'm stuck on is the grinds -Can't decide if I want to go with PERFORMANCE, STANDARD or HEAVY DUTY -So I figured I would post here and get some experience from ya'll users and abusers!!

I have this crazy thought to go heavy duty on everything, but then I'm thinking that might not necessarily be the greatest idea.

Please let me know your experience!

Thank you!

-T

 

[43Tinman]

Sometimes options can leave one confused. I only have performance, I think I wanted something for lighter and faster applications. I have not used my kailash Khukuris extensively on hard wood but more on branches and everyday tasks. No problem whatsoever. I was a heavyduty guy many years ago, heavy bulky backpacks in Cordura 3000 (joking) ans same with jackets, boots etc. It was really rarely called for, it just makes one slow and tend not to be able to carry it (unless traveling by vehicle), thus leaving it behind. Nowdays I think I better found the balance, sometimes heavyduty, sometimes ultralight.

My balance is performance grind with micarta handles, thats how it will work for me. If I would order again I think that would be the same setup.

If you are thinking of going heavy duty with it most of the time, I think thats the grind you want (heavy duty may be called for). If you think of using it to a bit of everything, go with standard. Personally, I think performance works just fine for me as a general tool, but it wont be as strong.

 

[T.M.A.]

Sometimes options can leave one confused. I only have performance, I think I wanted something for lighter and faster applications. I have not used my kailash Khukuris extensively on hard wood but more on branches and everyday tasks. No problem whatsoever. I was a heavyduty guy many years ago, heavy bulky backpacks in Cordura 3000 (joking) ans same with jackets, boots etc. It was really rarely called for, it just makes one slow and tend not to be able to carry it (unless traveling by vehicle), thus leaving it behind. Nowdays I think I better found the balance, sometimes heavyduty, sometimes ultralight.

My balance is performance grind with micarta handles, thats how it will work for me. If I would order again I think that would be the same setup.

If you are thinking of going heavy duty with it most of the time, I think thats the grind you want (heavy duty may be called for). If you think of using it to a bit of everything, go with standard. Personally, I think performance works just fine for me as a general tool, but it wont be as strong.

Yeah, I can totally relate to that story! That need to go heavy-duty with everything at the beginning. Not always necessary -And sometimes gets in the way!

Thanks for the input!

I'm getting 4 different blades, so I'm wondering right now if certain grinds might optimize certain blades, but I'm probably just overthinking it. Never had custom blades made for me before, and it's hard when you can't see them in front of you!

I'm thinking of going standard on all of them. I figure that would be a good starting point. Then, if I need something heavier or lighter grind-wise, I could just order another one down the road... I like to know that I can abuse my blades a bit if i have to; route around in the ground a bit, hack at stuff, pry, crack nuts, chop wire...

Tempting to go heavy duty on a big ol' Panawal, though. Wouldn't that be a tool!


-T

 

[43Tinman]

Yeah, I can totally relate to that story! That need to go heavy-duty with everything at the beginning. Not always necessary -And sometimes gets in the way!

Thanks for the input!

I'm getting 4 different blades, so I'm wondering right now if certain grinds might optimize certain blades, but I'm probably just overthinking it. Never had custom blades made for me before, and it's hard when you can't see them in front of you!

I'm thinking of going standard on all of them. I figure that would be a good starting point. Then, if I need something heavier or lighter grind-wise, I could just order another one down the road... I like to know that I can abuse my blades a bit if i have to; route around in the ground a bit, hack at stuff, pry, crack nuts, chop wire...

Tempting to go heavy duty on a big ol' Panawal, though. Wouldn't that be a tool!


-T

4 blades, wow you are reallly going all in. If its hard to imagine how things would look they have a lot of pics of different setups so perhaps that will guide you? And I dont want to spoil anything, but if you are hesitant on how you want the options. Why not just order 2 Khukuris to begin with? Lets say the big ol Panawal with heavy duty grind and something medium or lightweight with standard grind? If you havent, throw them a message of what you intend using the blades for and they can suggest what they think will work the best.

 

[T.M.A.]

4 blades, wow you are reallly going all in. If its hard to imagine how things would look they have a lot of pics of different setups so perhaps that will guide you? And I dont want to spoil anything, but if you are hesitant on how you want the options. Why not just order 2 Khukuris to begin with? Lets say the big ol Panawal with heavy duty grind and something medium or lightweight with standard grind? If you havent, throw them a message of what you intend using the blades for and they can suggest what they think will work the best.

Well, Tinman, you see... I am struggling with... an addiction... Ahaha!

I actually connected with them and got everything squared away shortly after I posted this thread!

I'll let you know how things turn out!

Appreciate the input!


-T

 

[Noremac258]

I'd probably go standard for the overall balance of the edge. Too thin and it rolls, too thick and it doesn't cut. I don't own a Kukri... yet, but when I do I'll probably go with standard.

 

[T.M.A.]

I'd probably go standard for the overall balance of the edge. Too thin and it rolls, too thick and it doesn't cut. I don't own a Kukri... yet, but when I do I'll probably go with standard.

I really do think that is the safest bet -But from what I understand, the same grind can act differently on different blades because they're not all the same thickness to begin with... So yeah... hard to see when they're not in your hands!

My hope is that I will like them so much that I'll just buy several of each!

Ha!

I'm leaning towards two in performance and two in standard...

 

[David Mary]

I'm thinking of going standard on all of them. I figure that would be a good starting point. Then, if I need something heavier or lighter grind-wise, I could just order another one down the road.

Resharpening from obtuse to fine takes more work than from fine to obtuse. If it were me, I would ask for performance grinds on everything, and the ones that seem to need more robustness, just resharpen them more obtuse.

 

[T.M.A.]

Resharpening from obtuse to fine takes more work than from fine to obtuse. If it were me, I would ask for performance grinds on everything, and the ones that seem to need more robustness, just resharpen them more obtuse.

That is an interesting point -Somewhat counterintuitive, but I see what you're saying...

You would be losing metal in a different way though, correct? If you were taking a thicker edge down to a thinner edge, the blade would still be the same width, but I think if you were taking an edge that was already thin and making it thicker, then some of the width of the blade would likely be lost, correct?

-T

 

[David Mary]

I don't know for sure what the difference between Kailash's grinds is, but I assumed that the knives are identical in stock thickness, with the only difference being the actual amount of material removed for the bevel and edge grinds. In such a case, the amount of material removed from the profile to go from, let's say, a 15° edge to a 25° per side edge is very minimal, and I would even say negligible with regard to the life expectancy of the knife. But the difference that would make to the edge's durability is an order of magnitude.

And besides, that is material you would have to remove anyway as soon as a performance edge chips in a task it was not suited for. Even if you don't chip it, you'll have to sharpen eventually anyway...

So lose ~1 mm from a blade profile, or buy a whole new knife just because you want a more robust edge. One of these two options seems more extreme to me than the other.

Of course, if you just want to support their work and buy lots of blades, then there is nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[T.M.A.]

I don't know for sure what the difference between Kailash's grinds is, but I assumed that the knives are identical in stock thickness, with the only difference being the actual amount of material removed for the bevel and edge grinds. In such a case, the amount of material removed from the profile to go from, let's say, a 15° edge to a 25° per side edge is very minimal, and I would even say negligible with regard to the life expectancy of the knife. But the difference that would make to the edge's durability is an order of magnitude.

And besides, that is material you would have to remove anyway as soon as a performance edge chips in a task it was not suited for. Even if you don't chip it, you'll have to sharpen eventually anyway...

So lose ~1 mm from a blade profile, or buy a whole new knife just because you want a more robust edge. One of these two options seems more extreme to me than the other.

Of course, if you just want to support their work and buy lots of blades, then there is nothing wrong with that at all.

Man, you are actually starting to make a lot of sense, here...

I'm suddenly feeling myself change my mind...

Ha!

Gonna have to give this some thought!

Good thing I haven't ordered my blades yet!

Thanks for the different perspective!!

-T

 

[Kailash Blades]

Great to see some varied perspectives getting thrown around guys
It's on our to do list to update the information we have on our different grind levels as it seems to be a common point of confusion and is a really important part of the overall blade.
I tend to advise people to avoid heavy duty grinds unless they know they need them. Often they are overkill and if they're helpful 5% of the time they can make things a bit more sluggish 95% of the time.
My advice is to have a realistic think about the work you're most likely going to be doing and what the roughest task included in that is. Then you pick the lightest grind which can handle that. Most of the time, this is a performance or standard grind but is occasionally heavy duty for rough use survival blades that might run into metal cutting/digging/big game butchering.

I don't know for sure what the difference between Kailash's grinds is, but I assumed that the knives are identical in stock thickness, with the only difference being the actual amount of material removed for the bevel and edge grinds. In such a case, the amount of material removed from the profile to go from, let's say, a 15° edge to a 25° per side edge is very minimal, and I would even say negligible with regard to the life expectancy of the knife. But the difference that would make to the edge's durability is an order of magnitude.

David is absolutely on the money here