Killa Zilla II gets Bolt ons

[azwelke]

Hi everyone, I love my Killa Zilla II :thumbup: It out chops everything I have, with the factory profile. I had very little issue with the handle, except for the cut out at the rear talon hole. I wasn't able to get back on power chops.
Also I wanted some thicker handles like more traditional Kukris.

So I made some Bolt ons so I could clean under them and, I used solid 1/4" stainless steel hardware. I figuered thats good for heavy abuse.

Still need to sink the nuts at this point

Rough shaped at 80 grit

Things are looking up

Ok, so I have it roughed in and I tested it out on some medium chops. The wood handles are so thick and so dense(being desert ironwood) that the vibration in the tang is almost fully absorbed. I never really worried about vibration or even paid attention to it, but I can definately feel the difference. I can get farther back and chop comfortably and without the vibration it seems effortless. Like the beast woke up:thumbup:

Also there's one little secret about the KZII...why it's .300" thick and so much lighter than the Test Team. It looks like it was shot with a .50 cal about 5 times, under the handle, and it wasn't even phased.

More pics to come
Thanks for looking,
Al

 

[azwelke]

Shaped a little more and sanded to 150 grit, just to get a look.

 

[tbdoc4kids]

Cool! How did you cut out the hexes?

 

[azwelke]

Thanks, I chisel sharpened a screw driver, and narrowed to proper width. About 3 blisters and 2hours later, presto like magic.

 

[resinguy]

So there are holes in the tang?

That's interesting. When he was asked about about the idea of lightening up and improving the balance on big knives by adding holes to the tang, Jerry replied that it was a bad idea on big choppers, as it caused too much vibration to the users hand.

Do have a pic of the holes?

 

[Gundog JYD#138]

Looks great man!!!

 

[azwelke]

Thanks GunDog,
Resin here is a pic If there was vibration from the holes, its gone now.

 

[Last Visible Canary]

So there are holes in the tang?

That's interesting. When he was asked about about the idea of lightening up and improving the balance on big knives by adding holes to the tang, Jerry replied that it was a bad idea on big choppers, as it caused too much vibration to the users hand.

Do have a pic of the holes?

I remember him saying that about skeletonized tangs like the skeleton warden:
(from hogcult)

Did he mention the vibrations specifically regarding drilled holes?

 

[oge14]

that is a very cool mod on the grip's, thank's for the pic's.

 

[mymindisamob]

Those look great. And that comes from a guy who doesn't like wood handles. Good job!

 

[elof_alv]

Al, that looks great!:thumbup:
Will you be changing your offer to include wooden slabs and hybrid kydex/leather???

 

[Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.]

Beautiful work! I love seeing your mods

 

[elof_alv]

I believe that round holes reduce vibrations... Something about even distribution and no resonance caused by different shape/width of material around...

 

[Last Visible Canary]

Is the wood stabalized?

 

[azwelke]

It's Arizona desert Ironwood. It's naturally stable. No artificial flavoring
You could stabilize it, but its not needed. And it changes the look.
I get it from a very reputable business, now in Tucson. He has all the permits to sell it, and he knows his Ironwood. Most of the pieces he sells are clean too. Thats hard to find in Ironwood.

Is the wood stabalized?

 

[mamun1024]

Nice!!! :thumbup:

 

[azwelke]

Thank You all for the kind feedback
Al

Nice!!! :thumbup:

Beautiful work! I love seeing your mods

Al, that looks great!:thumbup:
Will you be changing your offer to include wooden slabs and hybrid kydex/leather???

Those look great. And that comes from a guy who doesn't like wood handles. Good job!

that is a very cool mod on the grip's, thank's for the pic's.

 

[resinguy]

I remember him saying that about skeletonized tangs like the skeleton warden:
(from hogcult)

Did he mention the vibrations specifically regarding drilled holes?

You are correct.

Found his answer: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...other-thread-got-closed?p=8857036#post8857036

It is clear from the context that Jerry was referring to the milled out tang, as found on the SLUT.

Holes, then, are apparently OK on the tang of some choppers. (But you can't get your knife modded to add holes. So it goes.)

 

[Last Visible Canary]

Thats awesome. I'd be curious to see the stats on it compared to stone, micarta and g10. It looks like an awesome mod.

 

[kookery]

Cool! How did you cut out the hexes?

Thanks, I chisel sharpened a screw driver, and narrowed to proper width. About 3 blisters and 2hours later, presto like magic.

There are tools for that:

https://www.google.com/search?q=hex+broach