- Joined
- Jul 27, 2010
- Messages
- 130
First off, I'd like to emphasize my early statements and thank Aunty Yangdu and all the wonderful craftsmen at Himalayan Imports. This was an extraordinarily great purchase and I really could not be any happier. The knife has an amazing sense of character and really has a life of it's own, which is quite important to me in all honesty. I love the weight, the balance of the blade, and the quality handle. I finally got around to getting a project together for this knife, and decided to catalog it to share my experience with you all.
Here is, "My day with an H.I. Farm Knife":
Out of the mail, I sanded it lightly and gave it a loving bath in some warm mineral oil + vitamin A and E solution. It shines like a diamond and has a wonderful glow.
I went over the fence into the brush out back, I had been scoping out a branch that looked absolutely perfect, it was only a matter of tracking it back down. Finally I'd found it...
I took my first chop and it was remarkable, I practically fell in love. The knife not only had a great amount of weight to give a clean break, but without any additional sharpening upon receiving the blade, this thing went in deep and purposeful. This branch had no idea it was about to be easily hacked off.
Trimming off the additional branches was as easy as making passive swipes, I didn't think I could continue to be impressed, but as I often am, I was proven wrong. I couldn't stop grinning when I saw 2" branches coming off like they were pieces of straw.
I cut a notch in the branch where I wanted to cut it down to size at, lined up my focus and let it fly down. Just two strikes and I had it! (Did I mention the Kami did an amazing job already?)
So I was making my way back to my usual rest stop for some water and a bit of recreation after cutting the branch, I thought to myself, "This thing is incredible, it's got a great sense of balance and it practically flies." So I neglected my Ka-Bar and decided to give this thing a toss. Wow, 8 feet back and this thing dug itself in like I tossed it into some grass. A third of the blade was buried into that tree, and it was almost as much of a workout pulling it free as it was cutting down that branch and walking back. (Yes, that's my devilishly pleased grin)
While trekking back to the house we stumbled upon some amazingly ripe prickly pears, and being the pear fan I am, I had to snag some. Even after throwing and chopping down a very sturdy branch, this incredible knife just glided through the base of the pears. I collected all but 4 of these quality fruits (I like to leave some for my animal brothers, especially the deer) and went back on my way.
After showering and a change of clothes was made, I set about shaving down the branch and giving some initial shape to it. It was such easy work, I could barely stand it.
My ever vigilante guard, Marley, decided the deer coming up to his fence were just too close, so he decided to leave his duty of observing me to tend to these matters of Animal Diplomacy. After an agreed mutual retreat he promptly returned to the deck and watched me closely, in assurance that if I made mistakes he would provide me with first aid.
Unfortunately the time had come to put away the Farm Knife, but it remained close by to share in the good fortune of it's hard and prosperous work. I'm very thankful for it's upstanding service! Now was the time for rasping and filing for it's final shaping.
(Taking a small round file to the holes for an overall better appearance.)
Sharing the love of my mineral oil and stool, here we have the leg getting it's first bath of mineral oil.
The Farm Knife has made it's triumphant return to the process by helping me make notches in the branch to guide in where I will cut down the shape of the leg to be inserted into the leg-hole of my dummy. After cutting came a lot of sanding and a bath in Linseed oil, to be followed by another bath of Mineral Oil + Vitamin A and E solution.
And finally, we have reached the end and I couldn't have done it without the assistance of my incredible new Farm Knife and the great people at Himalayan Imports. Thank you all so much, I really do love this blade and I plan to give it many more projects in the future to keep it strong, healthy, and happy.
(Surprise Director's Cut alternate angle!)
My homemade Wooden Dummy is now once again complete with it's new, excellent leg. Next up is making it's peg from a dowel, maybe I'll chop it down to size with the Farm Knife.
I hope you all enjoyed the experience I've shared, I certainly enjoyed getting to have it. I can't stress enough how much I really enjoy this knife. I know a lot of you folks out there have expressed some interest, but have some reservations, I hope this gave you a push in the right direction of writing the Farm Knife down on your list of must buy items. If not, I certainly hope someone comes along and can better detail the greatness of this blade. (I kind of feel like a PR rep with all this fanboy gushing I'm doing)
With all of that said, I really can't wait to get a hold of my next H.I. product. I'm thinking one of those Ang Kholas might be a great next purchase, but I'll have to wait and see.
- El Sitherino
Here is, "My day with an H.I. Farm Knife":
Out of the mail, I sanded it lightly and gave it a loving bath in some warm mineral oil + vitamin A and E solution. It shines like a diamond and has a wonderful glow.
I went over the fence into the brush out back, I had been scoping out a branch that looked absolutely perfect, it was only a matter of tracking it back down. Finally I'd found it...
I took my first chop and it was remarkable, I practically fell in love. The knife not only had a great amount of weight to give a clean break, but without any additional sharpening upon receiving the blade, this thing went in deep and purposeful. This branch had no idea it was about to be easily hacked off.
Trimming off the additional branches was as easy as making passive swipes, I didn't think I could continue to be impressed, but as I often am, I was proven wrong. I couldn't stop grinning when I saw 2" branches coming off like they were pieces of straw.
I cut a notch in the branch where I wanted to cut it down to size at, lined up my focus and let it fly down. Just two strikes and I had it! (Did I mention the Kami did an amazing job already?)
So I was making my way back to my usual rest stop for some water and a bit of recreation after cutting the branch, I thought to myself, "This thing is incredible, it's got a great sense of balance and it practically flies." So I neglected my Ka-Bar and decided to give this thing a toss. Wow, 8 feet back and this thing dug itself in like I tossed it into some grass. A third of the blade was buried into that tree, and it was almost as much of a workout pulling it free as it was cutting down that branch and walking back. (Yes, that's my devilishly pleased grin)
While trekking back to the house we stumbled upon some amazingly ripe prickly pears, and being the pear fan I am, I had to snag some. Even after throwing and chopping down a very sturdy branch, this incredible knife just glided through the base of the pears. I collected all but 4 of these quality fruits (I like to leave some for my animal brothers, especially the deer) and went back on my way.
After showering and a change of clothes was made, I set about shaving down the branch and giving some initial shape to it. It was such easy work, I could barely stand it.
My ever vigilante guard, Marley, decided the deer coming up to his fence were just too close, so he decided to leave his duty of observing me to tend to these matters of Animal Diplomacy. After an agreed mutual retreat he promptly returned to the deck and watched me closely, in assurance that if I made mistakes he would provide me with first aid.
Unfortunately the time had come to put away the Farm Knife, but it remained close by to share in the good fortune of it's hard and prosperous work. I'm very thankful for it's upstanding service! Now was the time for rasping and filing for it's final shaping.
(Taking a small round file to the holes for an overall better appearance.)
Sharing the love of my mineral oil and stool, here we have the leg getting it's first bath of mineral oil.
The Farm Knife has made it's triumphant return to the process by helping me make notches in the branch to guide in where I will cut down the shape of the leg to be inserted into the leg-hole of my dummy. After cutting came a lot of sanding and a bath in Linseed oil, to be followed by another bath of Mineral Oil + Vitamin A and E solution.
And finally, we have reached the end and I couldn't have done it without the assistance of my incredible new Farm Knife and the great people at Himalayan Imports. Thank you all so much, I really do love this blade and I plan to give it many more projects in the future to keep it strong, healthy, and happy.
(Surprise Director's Cut alternate angle!)
My homemade Wooden Dummy is now once again complete with it's new, excellent leg. Next up is making it's peg from a dowel, maybe I'll chop it down to size with the Farm Knife.
I hope you all enjoyed the experience I've shared, I certainly enjoyed getting to have it. I can't stress enough how much I really enjoy this knife. I know a lot of you folks out there have expressed some interest, but have some reservations, I hope this gave you a push in the right direction of writing the Farm Knife down on your list of must buy items. If not, I certainly hope someone comes along and can better detail the greatness of this blade. (I kind of feel like a PR rep with all this fanboy gushing I'm doing)
With all of that said, I really can't wait to get a hold of my next H.I. product. I'm thinking one of those Ang Kholas might be a great next purchase, but I'll have to wait and see.
- El Sitherino
I used to love eating them when they were fresh.