- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
This message was sent to me via personal email and I have edited it slightly to protect the identity of the sender who gave permission to post this. I sent my own personal opinion about the scratches but I know some of you experts can offer more ideas than me so if you have a minute help this fellow out.
Uncle Bill
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I received the 15" Sirupati last week. As a result of already receiving a 20" Sirupati, the quality of the 15" was not a surprise. I used it this weekend to harvest bamboo from some local groves.
The local Boy Scout troop that my son and I belong to plans to build a 15 - 20 foot tall drawbridge at next weekend's Camporee. My son, another Scout and I collected bamboo ranging from 10 feet long and 1.5 inches in diameter to 35 feet long and 4" diameter.
The kukri was used mostly to trim the brush off and top the pieces, which it did very easily. I did discover an old one inch rusty wire cable in the midst of one clearing cut and nicked the blade near the tip....probably a nick about the size of a grain of sand...easy enough to see. I used a diamond hone pocket file I keep with me to dress it and then gave it more attention when I got home later. There is still a very slight indentation but not enough to impair use...the supplied karda did a good job of helping dress the edge.
After working through about 30 pieces of bamboo the blade was still VERY sharp.
The scabbard was very tight...I used a metal tapered dowel inserted into it overnight to stretch the leather, then pushed it in a little further the next day. It is loosening up nicely.
The kukri was a pleasure to use. Thanks for providing such a fine piece of equipment.
One question...there are some very light scratches all along the blade from the bamboo that are difficult to remove (maybe actually from dust/dirt on the bamboo canes...I did not "cut" any dirt). Which of your regular forum guys can tell me the best procedure to bring the blade back to the original pristine sheen and shine? I have a buffing wheel and have used the supplied brown and white "rouge" but that has not removed the scratches.
Uncle Bill
--------------------------------------------
I received the 15" Sirupati last week. As a result of already receiving a 20" Sirupati, the quality of the 15" was not a surprise. I used it this weekend to harvest bamboo from some local groves.
The local Boy Scout troop that my son and I belong to plans to build a 15 - 20 foot tall drawbridge at next weekend's Camporee. My son, another Scout and I collected bamboo ranging from 10 feet long and 1.5 inches in diameter to 35 feet long and 4" diameter.
The kukri was used mostly to trim the brush off and top the pieces, which it did very easily. I did discover an old one inch rusty wire cable in the midst of one clearing cut and nicked the blade near the tip....probably a nick about the size of a grain of sand...easy enough to see. I used a diamond hone pocket file I keep with me to dress it and then gave it more attention when I got home later. There is still a very slight indentation but not enough to impair use...the supplied karda did a good job of helping dress the edge.
After working through about 30 pieces of bamboo the blade was still VERY sharp.
The scabbard was very tight...I used a metal tapered dowel inserted into it overnight to stretch the leather, then pushed it in a little further the next day. It is loosening up nicely.
The kukri was a pleasure to use. Thanks for providing such a fine piece of equipment.
One question...there are some very light scratches all along the blade from the bamboo that are difficult to remove (maybe actually from dust/dirt on the bamboo canes...I did not "cut" any dirt). Which of your regular forum guys can tell me the best procedure to bring the blade back to the original pristine sheen and shine? I have a buffing wheel and have used the supplied brown and white "rouge" but that has not removed the scratches.