I decided to take Danny up on his offer to send over one of the Nata's that he wrote about the other day. It arrived in the mail yesterday and all I can say is WOW!!!! This is one beautiful chopper. Sorry I can't provide a photo as I wish all could view this beauty,but I will attempt to give a few descriptive details.
Dimensions:
1-Total length--14 3/4 inches
2-Blade from bolster to tip--7 1/2 inches
3-Thickness measured at spine--1/4 inch
4-Blade Height measured at the tip from spine to edge--2 1/4 inches
5-Blade Height measured from spine to edge at bolster--1 3/4 inches
6-Handle--7 1/4 inches. The handle is round in the bolster area gradually widening and becoming oblong at the butt. The tang is exposed and extends appx. 3 inches into the handle.
The attention to detail is precise and impeccable as one would expect with a high quality Japanese product.The best description I could give to a comparable American product would be a meat cleaver, although I've never seen an American product of this quality for this price.
The edge was hair shaving sharp right out of the box.
The sturdy scabbard is made from appx.1/4 inch hardwood covered with a synthetic
false leather with belt loop for yard or field carry.
Both blade and handle were treated with a clear lacquer which I removed.
The wood appears to be a European Elm and is blond interspersed with slightly darker almost amber specks. The wood really took to 100% Tung oil.
There is a metal ring that fits around the handle at the bolster with two metal pins that appear to extend into the tang but they do not go completely through the handle.
The Nata when held in a reverse back slash position with the spine laying along the edge of the forearm--- fits like it was made to be held in this manner. It is much more comfortable held in this way than a kuk--for me.
My first opportunity to use it was to slice up a head of cabbage. I did not have to chop.Moderately firm push cuts were more than adequate for the job.
This is a chopper blade and will probably exceed all expectations when used as such. It does not have the advantage that a kukri has of being angled so as to slice deeply when being drawn back through a target.
The sides of the blade along the spine were left very sharp but rounded off nice and smooth on the belt grinder using polishing compound. The blade appears to be tempered similiar to our kuks. I used a triangular file to smooth off the edges at the rear where the blade fits into the handle and the file cut well until I approached the edge.There the metal was too hard to be file cut.
The blade edge is single beveled like a sushi knife
My personal opinion is this is a perfect chopper for the kitchen or for yard work on small, less than 1/2 inch softwood. It is just too valuable and well made to be abused-- when one could use their favorite machete or villager for the dirty work.
Could it be a fighting weapon--Definitely. I expect a blow from this Nata would sever a hand and/or slice extremely deep-- especially in an area where the muscle was supported by bone where a chopping type blow would have maximum effect. In the softer body areas like the abdomen the kukri would be a better choice.
Thanks Danny. This is a choice addition to my collection.
Dimensions:
1-Total length--14 3/4 inches
2-Blade from bolster to tip--7 1/2 inches
3-Thickness measured at spine--1/4 inch
4-Blade Height measured at the tip from spine to edge--2 1/4 inches
5-Blade Height measured from spine to edge at bolster--1 3/4 inches
6-Handle--7 1/4 inches. The handle is round in the bolster area gradually widening and becoming oblong at the butt. The tang is exposed and extends appx. 3 inches into the handle.
The attention to detail is precise and impeccable as one would expect with a high quality Japanese product.The best description I could give to a comparable American product would be a meat cleaver, although I've never seen an American product of this quality for this price.
The edge was hair shaving sharp right out of the box.
The sturdy scabbard is made from appx.1/4 inch hardwood covered with a synthetic
false leather with belt loop for yard or field carry.
Both blade and handle were treated with a clear lacquer which I removed.
The wood appears to be a European Elm and is blond interspersed with slightly darker almost amber specks. The wood really took to 100% Tung oil.
There is a metal ring that fits around the handle at the bolster with two metal pins that appear to extend into the tang but they do not go completely through the handle.
The Nata when held in a reverse back slash position with the spine laying along the edge of the forearm--- fits like it was made to be held in this manner. It is much more comfortable held in this way than a kuk--for me.
My first opportunity to use it was to slice up a head of cabbage. I did not have to chop.Moderately firm push cuts were more than adequate for the job.
This is a chopper blade and will probably exceed all expectations when used as such. It does not have the advantage that a kukri has of being angled so as to slice deeply when being drawn back through a target.
The sides of the blade along the spine were left very sharp but rounded off nice and smooth on the belt grinder using polishing compound. The blade appears to be tempered similiar to our kuks. I used a triangular file to smooth off the edges at the rear where the blade fits into the handle and the file cut well until I approached the edge.There the metal was too hard to be file cut.
The blade edge is single beveled like a sushi knife
My personal opinion is this is a perfect chopper for the kitchen or for yard work on small, less than 1/2 inch softwood. It is just too valuable and well made to be abused-- when one could use their favorite machete or villager for the dirty work.
Could it be a fighting weapon--Definitely. I expect a blow from this Nata would sever a hand and/or slice extremely deep-- especially in an area where the muscle was supported by bone where a chopping type blow would have maximum effect. In the softer body areas like the abdomen the kukri would be a better choice.
Thanks Danny. This is a choice addition to my collection.
. 
