- Joined
- Aug 6, 2002
- Messages
- 746
This is the result of 20-30 minutes of messing around with my new 15" AK:
The wood is construction-grade 2x4 lumber remnants ie. 'firewood'. Make that was 2x4!
This is my first khukuri, and a number of things struck me as I was using this tool for the first time:
1. Safety-wise, I had to treat it like a very sharp hatchet: I had to pay attention to where my follow through would put the knife, as it often easily cuts through and past targets I thought would have stopped the blade's progress. No problems were encountered because I paid attention to where the blade could go, even if it glanced off the target. SAFETY FIRST!
2. I had a pie-eating grin on my face.
It wouldnt come off for a day or so. It comes back when I pick up the knife and use it, or even just look at it.
3. Excellent chopper. It's ability to hack through wood far exceeds what one would expect in a knife this size. Large chunks of wood flew off, even with short chopping motions. This thing mauls wood way better than a large bowie, and is more precise than a small axe. The foreground pieces only took a few minutes to chop in half. I split a few in the pic only after cleaving them twain.
4. It is better than a hatchet because a miss too close will split the wood with the part of the blade closer to your hand. A hatchet will rap the handle and damage it, or even send it somewhere dangerous if the handle bounces off the target. To my mind this also makes it safer than a hatchet.
5. The AK is also a very precise tool for it's size. Splitting fine kindling was a breeze, using the narrow part of the blade. The inertia of the heavy blade gives good follow-through, allowing short, slower, more precise strokes. This seems safer than a hatchet in this respect.
6. The sheath is of very high quality as well and fits the khukuri, karda and chakma like a glove.
7. The horn handle never got slippery, even when my hands started to sweat. Are the wood handles like this too? The handle was more comfortable than Kraton and didn't leave my hand feeling raw after half an hour.
8. The blade wasn't prone to sticking in the lumber.
9. I feel like I am shaking hands with Sher when I pick it up. That is a nice feeling. My thanks and respect go out to him for a wonderful tool.
10. The more I use it, the happier I get.
See #2 and #9 above.
11. I have spent a fair bit of time just looking at it and admiring it over the past 2 days.
12. My crabapple tree should thank me for my restraint.
This is the perfect all-purpose wilderness and backpacking tool for me. I will rely on it to provide fire and shelter. It will work better for my needs than a large bowie, hatchet or small axe.
Thanks to everyone for your good advice. This is the nicest knife I have ever owned.
Kis, you were right.
The wood is construction-grade 2x4 lumber remnants ie. 'firewood'. Make that was 2x4!
This is my first khukuri, and a number of things struck me as I was using this tool for the first time:
1. Safety-wise, I had to treat it like a very sharp hatchet: I had to pay attention to where my follow through would put the knife, as it often easily cuts through and past targets I thought would have stopped the blade's progress. No problems were encountered because I paid attention to where the blade could go, even if it glanced off the target. SAFETY FIRST!
2. I had a pie-eating grin on my face.
It wouldnt come off for a day or so. It comes back when I pick up the knife and use it, or even just look at it.3. Excellent chopper. It's ability to hack through wood far exceeds what one would expect in a knife this size. Large chunks of wood flew off, even with short chopping motions. This thing mauls wood way better than a large bowie, and is more precise than a small axe. The foreground pieces only took a few minutes to chop in half. I split a few in the pic only after cleaving them twain.
4. It is better than a hatchet because a miss too close will split the wood with the part of the blade closer to your hand. A hatchet will rap the handle and damage it, or even send it somewhere dangerous if the handle bounces off the target. To my mind this also makes it safer than a hatchet.
5. The AK is also a very precise tool for it's size. Splitting fine kindling was a breeze, using the narrow part of the blade. The inertia of the heavy blade gives good follow-through, allowing short, slower, more precise strokes. This seems safer than a hatchet in this respect.
6. The sheath is of very high quality as well and fits the khukuri, karda and chakma like a glove.
7. The horn handle never got slippery, even when my hands started to sweat. Are the wood handles like this too? The handle was more comfortable than Kraton and didn't leave my hand feeling raw after half an hour.
8. The blade wasn't prone to sticking in the lumber.
9. I feel like I am shaking hands with Sher when I pick it up. That is a nice feeling. My thanks and respect go out to him for a wonderful tool.
10. The more I use it, the happier I get.
See #2 and #9 above.11. I have spent a fair bit of time just looking at it and admiring it over the past 2 days.
12. My crabapple tree should thank me for my restraint.
This is the perfect all-purpose wilderness and backpacking tool for me. I will rely on it to provide fire and shelter. It will work better for my needs than a large bowie, hatchet or small axe.
Thanks to everyone for your good advice. This is the nicest knife I have ever owned.
Kis, you were right.
I will fix that.
