Karda Suggestion for Small Khuks

Triquetra

Triquetra

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
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I wanted to pose a question or suggestion for opinions and hopefully so that Miss Yangdu can ponder it. There is a thread going on about the value of the “small” Khuks. My 12” AK’s are my favorite for light hiking and camping but I really think that the karda’s and chakma’s that come with them are cute but worthless. I usually redo the sheath and take the attachments off all together. They’re almost miniatures that would be better off coming with the Bilton or the little letter opener as a novelty. The 12” khuks are great and very utilitarian for me but they have some limitations that could be filled in with a good size karda. The kardas that came with my 15” AK’s and 18” WWII are almost perfect for a small user and I think that if these sized ones came with the 12” AK that it would make a perfect and useful combination. I really consider the 12”’rs as users not novelties and would love to have a useful backup karda and chakma. While I am on the subject or making suggestions, a larger karda and chakma would also go great with and be more practical with my 15” Siru. I know that a lot of people make their own but I would like to buy a ready to go set without redoing the sheath or having to make my own. The miniature ones seem like a waste of time, material, and labor unless you need to clean your fingernails. Just food for thought. What do you all think?
 
Well I think that's a great idea too coz I had posted something similar before.

A little bigger karda at minimal extra cost but better selling price......both win situation. :)
 
Astrodada said:
Well I think that's a great idea too coz I had posted something similar before.

A little bigger karda at minimal extra cost but better selling price......both win situation. :)
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I thought that it might not be a new idea but I just couldn't remember seeing another post. I also wouldn't mind being able to buy replacements or spares either for those of use who aren't able to make our own.
 
cucharadedragon said:
I thought that it might not be a new idea but I just couldn't remember seeing another post. I also wouldn't mind being able to buy replacements or spares either for those of use who aren't able to make our own.
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cucharadedragon the size of the karda and chakmak are conducive to the khukuri size and is pretty well locked in. Over the years we have gotten larger kardas on the 15" and over khukuris.
The 12" models aren't much larger than a good sized karda anyway so the best thing is to carry a Sarge or other small knife along to replace the worthless karda and chakmaks on the 12 inchers.:thumbup: :D

If you email Miss Yangdu I'll almost bet that you can buy some larger kardas and chakmaks to replace the ones that are too small for a very fair price, shipping may be more than the karda and chakmak she sends you.;)
Somehow the little kardas and such reproduce and there are more of them than there are khukuris to go with them.;)
I think that Miss Yangdu also has a few extra frogs to replace ones lost or damaged or such.
 
These were similar to my thoughts when ordering Red Flower's knife from HI.

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14" khuk, 7" accessories. HI's kamis and sarkis can do it, and do it well.

More about this knife at http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334527 .
 
Great rig there Howard....



The way things are running at H.I. now....pretty much if you ask for it, you will get it. Yangdu seems quite willing to commit to one-off special request orders. I say pick out the khukuri you want and go for it.

Think of the alternate when we ask the kamis to provide 6-7" karda/chakma sets with all 15" and under khukuris. The scabbards will all be larger and the overall rig heavier. I think we'd see a lot more complaints about having to lug around such a heavy set, just to only ever use the 12" khukuri. Is there really a need for a large chakma?
 
Daniel Koster said:
Is there really a need for a large chakma?
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In my opinion the chakma can be smaller and still be useful. When I ordered Red Flower's knife I was trying to keep the Specs as simple as possible, so I asked for both the same size. I remember all the communication problems Bill used to have.

Yangdu seems to be making great strides in terms of communications between HI customers and Birgorkha. Perhaps because she is a native speaker? Maybe just her raw talent in communications.
 
I did something similar...bought a few large karda and chakma from Bill, then replaced from the top down...kind of like hand-me-downs. You only really need one large set to start redistributing them. All of my khukuri now have better matches except for the special ones (carved or shaped to match a particular blade).
 
I prefer larger kardas and chakmaks too, but one thing to be aware of (and something that I don't see frequently mentioned) is that if they're too long, they might interfere with drawing the khukuri itself. One of the problems with replacing them with Moras as I sometimes do is that I'm forced to either draw the khukuri with a two or three finger grip (potentially dangerous) or I wind up coming out with both khuk and karda together - not as dangerous, but kind of embarrassing.

If the handles on the karda and chakmak have a lot of curve to them, you can stick them in their pockets with the handles angled outwards away from each other and it makes things easier.

Come to think of it, this may just be because my hands are large and not very dextrous. Others may not have a problem with it.
 
Dave Rishar said:
If the handles on the karda and chakmak have a lot of curve to them, you can stick them in their pockets with the handles angled outwards away from each other and it makes things easier.
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I often do this very same thing in order to make the khuk easier to draw.
Another thing I do is put the karda at the bottom side of the scabbard and the chakmak at the top.
This keeps the sharp edge of the karda from getting dulled by the blade of the chakmak.
 
dang....I just jam 'em in there...y'all got me beat. :eek:
 
The size of the karda hasn't been much of a problem for me, but as they get shorter\smaller, I wish the blades were thinned out more. Okay, I admit it it, I don't really use the kardas and chakmas much anyways . . . . walks away, hanging head in shame.
 
I ordered a bunch of old Kardas and chakmas from AC a while ago, and some of them clean up into useful tools. Some are really beautiful in there own right, too. Note it even has a little cho.
 

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I've often wondered why bother with the chakmak as a separate tool anyway. Why not just harden the entire karda and use its BACK edge as a burnisher? Would that would make the karda perhaps more likely to break or to be too brittle?

I've always thought that, since you've got the big khuk for heavy duty chopping, there's a lot less need for toughness in the very much smaller karda blade. Or would it then be too difficult to sharpen the karda (especially since you can't use the chakmak on it!)?

--- Russ
 
Bri in Chi said:
I ordered a bunch of old Kardas and chakmas from AC a while ago, and some of them clean up into useful tools. Some are really beautiful in there own right, too. Note it even has a little cho.
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Good stuff Bri, just ordered a dozen of those yesterday. Figured some will be pretty good, and others not so good, so having a dozen to pick through and cull made sense.

Sarge

p.s. : working on a karda and chakma for one of my little khuks, kept the original handles intact for sentimental reasons, but the new blades are a marked improvement over the ones they replaced, I'll post pics when done
 
Russ raises an interesting question. Are the Kardas differentially hardened? They seem too small to do the teapot routine. (This has probably been answered befire, but searching "karda" is fruitless -- too mant hits.)
 
Correct - as are most Kagas Katnes and Biltons. Just kinda impractical with the smaller knives.

The proper use for the chakma would be for it to be hardened to 60 or so and be used to burnish the blade (realign it). It needs to be harder than the edge. I haven't taken one down to the Rockwell tester...maybe I should.


And, I'm dying to say this.....if you want a karda, I know somebody who makes 'em....;) :D :p
 
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