Khukuri maintenance; field tip

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
3,930
Over here in Afghanistan there's no such thing as WalMart or Lowe's.
I've made a discovery of sorts that others may find useful in field expedient khukri maintenance. ChapStik, yup, ChapStik. I packed plenty of the stuff for the youngsters, having served in arid regions before, I know how everything dries up, cracks, and bleeds, until they get acclimated.
Well, as it turns out, the primary ingredients in most ChapStiks, Lip Balm, etc., is petrolatum and beeswax. Works well on blades and horn handles, fairly non-toxic, and a single tube will last a month in the field. Added bonus, easy to carry, no worries of a mess in your rucksack. Even more good news, smear a good coat on your blade before cutting green/resinous woods, and sap comes right off when you're done. If someone else has already "discovered"/mentioned ChapStik as an alternative to other methods, my hat's off to 'em. If not, then I'm happy to share what I've learned out of necessity.

Sarge
 
Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Good to hear your still out there even over there.
 
Sarge,
Nice tip, heckuva field! ;) Howdy and best wishes from the home front.
Cold ale and hot steaks waiting for the troops; come home safe and soon.
Berk
 
Sarge, there's a growing group of your fans here in Warsaw. Every story you tell us is transmitted further to some of my friends interested in what's happening in Afghanistan. You're our best source!:) Keep doing your great job and take care!
 
One learns something new every day at the Cantina!

Thanks. :D

Give 'em hell, Sarge!

Semp --
 
Very good tip from the field.

Isn't the computer age a beaut. with nothing bit snail mail just think how long it would have taken for that information to get to all on the forum.
Forum by snail mail. Now, that is a chilling thought. That means it would only take Uncle Bill about two weeks or so to get rid of three blems.

That is sure enough a good thing for me to know with these Loblolly Pines and Cedars around here .

Take good care Sarge. Catch you when you and your guys get back.:)
 
Good tip on the chapstick!! Wonder if you melted it and soaked it into leather or wood if it would help stop cracking? Keep reading those labels.

Similar product is Alberto VO5 (petrolatum/lanolin)--I used a thick coat all over my JKM-1 when a I made a quickie sheath. Kept epoxy off the knife and also helped when I pulled the knife out the first time after the leather shrunk. Stops rust too, but it's a little greasy.
 
percentage of lanolin content of VO5?
Click to expand...

I don't know, and they don't tell you. It's second or third ingredient on the list, petrolatum is first. Ingredients are on the box, which I threw away. No alcohol or solvents which is good as those might eventually dry out horn.
 
Great getting info from the field in Afghanistan. Hang in, Sarge!

Your Pen is on the way -- rust and all.
 
When I first tried to tan my own deer-skin..(just amazing, you wouldn't believe it!).. I ended up with what...for lack of a better term...would be called "deer cardboard." I could hold one corner and have the entire skin stay parallel to the floor.

I tried various resources, and attempted to use "Goop"...the lanolin-based degreaser used by mechanics and those of us who can find grease in a perfect vacuum in space. There is Orange Stuff, another product of the same basic content.

Worked a charm. The skin is supple, nice-colored, and a testament to my ability to survive in the wilderness...as long as I can go naked.

The same lanolin content may work on blades and sheaths. dunno. Whattya think?


Kis
:rolleyes:
 
"Lanolin-based degreaser"

Interesting. How long has the hide stayed supple? No deterioration? Have to look at the labels sometime. If there's not a bunch of soap, detergents or alcohols mixed in (likely to be there, since it's made to "wash" hands, right) maybe another good lanolin source for those of us without sheep. It's somwhat comforting to know the VO5 stuff is made for hair since the horn is similar to hair...well maybe not, considering what some, especially women, do to their hair.
 
I can't remember if I re-applied anything to the hide. If I did, it was only one time, long ago. But it is over 7 years, and it is used as cover for an old reading chair, and gets a lot of use. It's not exposed to weather, just a lot of butt pounding on a daily basis.

I have factory tanned deerskin...and there is no comparison between what I did, and the factory. Theirs is soft, supple, even thickness throughout and a much lighter shade.

(but I bet they never made deer cardboard!)


Kis
:rolleyes:
 
Re: "growing group of fans in Warsaw"
Just picked up on this one while going through this thread again.
Sharri, I truly appreciate your support and the support of all the good folks in the Cantina. However, I find it fairly unimaginable that a crusty, middle aged, guy, with a bad hair cut and way too many miles on the odometer, could have such a thing as fans. Let's just call them friends, and please say hello to my friends in Warsaw for me:)

Sarge
 
Kismet,
Seven years sounds pretty good to me.

Funny how the same few ingredients seem to appear: lanolin, or beeswax shows up in in all these things.

How many different commercial products could one immitate at home from a jar of vasoline, a beewswax candle, and some lanolin?

Maybe it's time for a new "Household Cyclopedia"...

Maybe even "in reverse"-- What to buy if you want beeswax or lanolin, etc.:rolleyes:
 
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