JKM-1, two, three, four

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
3,930
Just got my chandan handled JKM-1 I picked up in a special last week, sweet little knife. Right off the bat I noticed something different, but oddly familiar about this one. Kumar made it with a very short ricasso, and a pronounce "Leukku like" belly/upsweep towards the point. Got a couple of JKMs with long ricassos, and blades shaped more like the kardas that come with khuks, i.e. spine curves gently downward toward tip in a semi-drop point configuration. But, as I handled this knife a bit more, it dawned on me that Kumar made this one almost exactly like the one I carried as an EDC "utility knife" in Afghanistan. That one was made by Sanu.
Either style makes for a great little work knife, but it tickles me to see two of the same model knife, made by the same guy (explained below), but in two different styles.
Top to bottom in attached photo;
- Sanu, horn handled, in Afghanistan is was my utility belt knife, and backup to the khuk strapped on my "battle rattle"
- Kumar, saatisal handle, long ricasso, semi-drop point blade, light and compact, this one's traveled to many medieval events tucked into my boot
- "Whiz kid" Shanker, horn handle, Uncle Bill called this one a blem and plumb ugly, but I love the ugly wee devil 'cause Shanker tempered that blade harder'n a tax collector's heart
- Kumar, chandan handle, compare to Sanu version up top, back to the short ricasso and strong sweep to the point, a return to innocence?

Gotta love them JKMs, simple, honest, knives. If you don't have one of these, or one of the KPH/Sarge knives, to tote as a "companion knife" to your khukuri, then your "team" is most definitely short a player. ;)

Sarge
 
Help me with this - the JKM has always been a maybe/maybe not design for me. In the photos it looks thick and a bit stubby. Strong, I've no doubt, but if I need to whack at something or pry a bit while I'm out in the woods ... I'll likely have a khuk with me. I've wondered if instead you want something with a thinner blade to do things like cleaning/filleting fish ... or something like the Sarge designed specifically for dressing game.

What am I missing, on the utility front? I'm probably just not clear on the intent of the design.
 
Tom the JKM-1 is about as stout and strong as you can make a small blade. It's a great EDC/3 finger knife. I like mine because i can hide it away in my boot and pry with it until the cows come home. However, my JKMs have become trunk dwellers. They stay in there to be used on a whim or given to buddies than need a good tough knife. I have EDC a Sarge/KPH for several months now. Probably the most used knife I own. Stick me out in the woods with good multi-tool, my sarge/KPH, and a sling shot and you can come back and check on me in a few months. I'll be munching on tree rats and lounging like a cat in the sun. It's THAT good of a knife. Kismet really outdid himself designing it.

Jake
 
you're right

just noticed that those look exactly like
big kardas
[I know, I know]
I mean; of the type usually found in the khuk scabbard
Think of the jkm tiny with no pins or buttcap

same

just interesting



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<> Noobee <> Tips <> Baha'i Prayers Links --A--T--H--D
 
Tom, you're right that some of them are a bit on the thick side. Gave one to my dad that could be used, in conjunction with a maul, as a splitting wedge. However, most of them have a thin enough blade to be useful, and if you use a good diamond hone to clean up the bevels, rendering a true scandinavian style grind, they cut very efficiently.

Here's a couple of pics comparing the JKM-1 with the KPH/Sarge. Top to bottom and left to right;
- KPH/Sarge by Bura
- JKM-1 by Kumar
- KPH/Sarge by yours truly

Sarge
 
Fair enough - and thanks for the pictures comparing the JKM with the Sarge knives ... I'm leaning towards the latter. For a JKM to really "sing" for me, I'd want a slight distal taper, a blade which was a bit less broad from spine to cutting edge, and a slightly curved handle to give the effect of a semi-drop point. Of course, doing all that would make it quite a different knife... I'll keep my eyes peeled for a DOTD Sarge, with a hump in the handle.

I really like the Scandinavian grind though - agree that it's very efficient. I spent time tuning up the bevels on a cheap wood handled Mora knife for my son, finally polishing it with the hone I use on my straight razor. It made a helluva user knife out of a really cheap initial purchase.
 
Sarge, check it out:

s19al.jpg


I really like JKM's. Chandan, purpleheart, antler & horn.

Also a Sarge, for good measure. :D And a 10" BDC.

s23ib.jpg


Closeup of the woods.

Have since ground a minor false edge on the Kesar horn one, like a Swamp Rat "penetrator" point. They're also great 'cult' knives.

Oh, yeah. What did Kismet used to say? "Ixnay on Ult-Kay!"

Miss seeing him here.

Thought you'd enjoy these pix, taken sometime last year. That tile-topped table was swept out to sea by Hurricane Dennis. But then, it was PUT in my yard by Hurricane Ivan, so I came out about even.


Mike
Ad Astra
 
Very nice.

Interestingly enough, this last wind storm which knocked down many trees in the area also deposited a tile table on the neighbors truck......



just kidding


munk
 
Great pics Mike, thanks for posting 'em :thumbup:
Good to know there's other JKM fans out there, heck maybe we ought to start a, shush, never mind, Kis might be listening. ;)

Sarge
 
You'll probably be surprised to learn I don't have a JKM.
Someday I'll have to get one.
HI has so many neat knives, some tucked into corners you don't notice for a couple years, and when you do, it's like; "AHH HAA."




munk
 
Jeez o pete, Mike....wanna take the photos at my wedding:)

Jake
 
Steely_Gunz said:
Jeez o pete, Mike....wanna take the photos at my wedding:)

Jake
Click to expand...

Absolutely. And that was with a junky low-res camera.

Hmm, should send you some links.

How's the sharking these days, Jake? One less fin in the water... :D :foot:

Nothing left but picked-over bones and floating bits when I get in.


Mike

Nasty, going to grind a finger choil too... again, something Swamp Rat does. Nice knives over there, just not khukuris.
 
Had to take advantage of the long ricasso...notice how short it is on Sarge's older model?
 
Nasty said:
Had to take advantage of the long ricasso...notice how short it is on Sarge's older model?
Click to expand...

Really nice work, that longish ricasso lent itself quite well to a finger choil, and are those filed in serrations I see in the thumbrest area? Sheath's a piece of work too, clean and simple. Me likey mucho :D

Sarge
 
Hey Nasty,

Could you tell me what you used to grind the choil? I have a JKM and a couple of KK's that have really long ricasso's, and I have no idea why sometimes the kami's give you a really long usable edge with a short ricasso, and sometimes one long enough to put two fingers in. (?) Too my mind it's just a waste of space.

I don't want to ruin the temper of the blade by getting it too hot, but I also don't want to take days to cut out a choil like that. So what would you recommend?

I would love to get one of mine looking like that. The polish on that is incredible.

Thanks for any info.

Norm
 
The choil was done on the small wheel of Dan's Grizzley...just walked it right in. My Delta doesn't have the right size wheel on it, but it was a 60 second job. Quench a couple of times in water to reduce heat.

The grooves were done with small jeweler's files by Ferrous...with the soft back, it's a five minute job and ony requires attention to neatness.

The polish I did on my buffer with green and white compounds...a couple of minutes work with sewn 8" wheels. I use the same wheels with a black and green for sharpening now since my visit to Bark River.

The sheath I made with Dan's guidance...it turned out very well and I learned a lot from that single session. I've made a couple others since and they continue to improve.

Thanks for the positive comments...

BTW...this is the knife I made from a flat raw blank of steel during my Bark visit:
(BRB - gotta upload it)
nastybark24rf.jpg
 
In my other internet life, I play about on the WoodenBoat forum. They had a discussion not long ago about rigging knives. Must be solid, able to be batoned through thick ropes, good for prying etc. when stuff gets wrecked in the mid-Atlantic, etc. etc. They've evolved into 3-4" broad knives with thick spines.

Lots in common with a JKM, as I reflect on it. Except that a rigging knife usually has a sheep's foot shape instead of an upswept tip, to minimize the chance of stabbing yourself on a rolling boat ... and originally to minimize the damage done when fo'csle hands got into knife fights with each other. Myerchin is the current gold-standard in rigging knives; you can see one of their top-of-the-line offerings by clicking http://www.myerchin.com/Resources/A20075large.

So I wonder if a JKM, with the tip modified to a sheep's foot shape, might actually make a great rigging knife, and at easily only a third the price of anything of equivalent value. Anyone know if they're differentially hardened? Or if various of the blueing/etc. blade treatments will reliably help slow rusting in a saltwater environment?
 
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