Khukuri and tomahawk

Joined
Feb 15, 2001
Messages
340
Well, today I finished up clearing out the trail around my parents' pond. I brought along my 18" sirupati and a tomahawk just to have some comparison. And that poor tomahawk just looks sick.

I hadn't given the sirupati any heavy work to do yet, so today was its first big test. I pulled out the ceramics and got it somewhere between shaving and d**n-that's-sharp! sharp. I put a hair-pulling edge on the hawk; it just won't hold a fine edge so I don't bother.

The sirupati takes out 2-3" young pines with two hits, three if my mechanics are off. Sweetgums take about twice the work. The hawk requires more blows and because of its extreme head-heavy balance, wears out my arm much faster. It also had a bad tendency to turn in my hand. It stuck more than the khukuri.

The most impressive thing about the sirupati was that there's just nothing it couldn't do. The axe was useless for anything but cutting dense wood. 1/2"-1" saplings required three or four shots from the hawk b/c they just bent out of the way. The sirupati nipped 'em clean, one shot. Vines parted like spiderwebs. The only thing the hawk could do the sirupati couldn't was I can bury the lower point in a tree to help climb or use it as a log hook.

The whole time the knife was teaching me how to use it. "You give a little draw at the end of the chop and it seats in, gets an extra quarter inch." "Backhand left-right shots are best for little stuff." etc., etc.

A great way to spend an afternoon: A khukuri and I having a long conversation and listening to the fish hit waterbugs.

Life is very, very good here.

 
Hey Doc,

Try this on those 2" and 3" trees. Grab it high with your left hand and bend it. Then touch your sharp knife to the base where the wood is under tension. It just takes one light tap to cut it, and it's fun.
 
HW- I'm sure she'll have all sorts of new things to teach me over the next little while.
smile.gif


[This message has been edited by DocPat2511 (edited 04-28-2001).]
 
Doc,

I love those conversations. I fing the khukuri to be particularly vocal too. An observation you might find interesting is- holding the knife in a relaxed manner with just enough compression to direct and control the blade until full compression at contact, retards lactic acid buildup in the muscles of the forearm, wrist and hand, and makes most of the work of raising the blade fall to the larger muscles of the biceps. This goes a long way towards delaying fatigue, and conserves energy for power and accuracy.

My 20" sirupati is my favorite all-around work blade.

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"To Know and to Act are One"



[This message has been edited by Finn (edited 04-28-2001).]
 
Thanks for the tip, Finn. I also found myself taking your advice about the grip - letting the index finger rest loosely and the thumb fold over the 2nd finger. It gives a nice, sharp spin into the target and doesn't require so much forearm tension to control the knife. The little things can make such a difference, can't they?
 
You are very welcome Doc, and so right- the little things DO make such a difference. Sometimes they gang up and become a big thing, which can be good and bad.

------------------
"To Know and to Act are One"
 
Uncle,

I haven't heard from either one of those cats. Looking forward to an evening of high entertainment though.



------------------
"To Know and to Act are One"
 
That would be the "cat's meow" Uncle.



------------------
"To Know and to Act are One"
 
:
Finn what's going on this weekend. I figured we could drive down Saturday morning fairly early and come back Sunday evening sometime if that's alright with you.
You can answer in the post Uncle Bill put up for me to post in. I will definitely be watching for it.
And if I don't see it I will give you a call tomorrow afternoon or evening.
smile.gif


I have several 'hawk's and none of them hold a candle to a khukuri.
Even the one made from a double bit axe with a spike on the rear.
And my next favorite which is a double bit style and thinner is no better.
Khuk's Rule!!!!

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Yvsa-G@WebTV.net

"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.
 
Yvsa,
Told you K'S were better!!LOL!Tsk,Tsk,
you never listen to your adopted bro, always
have to learn the hard way!Yesss! K's rule!
JIM
 
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