Lofty Wiseman's parang

hiwa

hiwa

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Jun 7, 2009
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I've spent this afternoon watching Lofty Wiseman's videos. I bought the SAS Survival Manual many years ago , and it's one of my favorite books. Of course, being a knife nut, I readily admire the parang he uses. I've searched to see if it is available somewhere , but to no avail . Does anyone have any info on this blade , and opinions on it ? I think it would make a great bush chopper, as it's forward heavy looking , has a HD handle , and what appears to be a pretty decent sheath. Yet another blade has my undivided attention :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMLI6BhFV2c
 
Thanks Pitdog. What a nice knife , but (cough,cough) $300 bucks !! A tad out of my budget. I'm surprised that they used a 440 or 420 on the original; that would put me off as well.

I feel kinda sorry for the U.K. folks. I would have to move ( or be arrested ) cos I ain't going around with no knife.

Most fellas here recommend the BK-9 for a good chopper. It's on my radar.


Thanks.
 
hiwa said:
Thanks Pitdog. What a nice knife , but (cough,cough) $300 bucks !! A tad out of my budget. I'm surprised that they used a 440 or 420 on the original; that would put me off as well.

I feel kinda sorry for the U.K. folks. I would have to move ( or be arrested ) cos I ain't going around with no knife.

Most fellas here recommend the BK-9 for a good chopper. It's on my radar.


Thanks.
Click to expand...

You could always send a pic of one to John (JK Knives) and ask him to give ya a quote, I think it would be a fair bit cheaper than the one I posted.
I actually had a visitor to my house last year that served with Lofty, it was quite cool asking him about stuff although obviously there was lots he couldn't tell me about !!!:(
 
I bet you could commission a similar design for less money, but I might be wrong. One of the Maker sub-forums has a tag line of "My design or yours" or something similar. There is also a machete build off going on right now in the WS&S sub-forum that you should check out!
 
I really like it, too, but as hiwa said, $300 is a bit steep for a chopper like that.

If Condor made one with that design in carbon, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat.

hiwa: just to add to what you've already heard, the BK-9 really is a truly outstanding knife.
 
I have the video that Lofty did years ago in VHS and the parang he used then is different than the one he has in that video link you posted. If you are wanting something like that check with a custom maker and see about having one made up for ya.



I am in the process of making up a curved knife like his for me, but with some changes.
I thought I had what I wanted. Then one day over at the Bushcraft USA forum there was a guy who posted a link to another guy that has a curved parang style knife and I liked some of the features of it too lol. so I went back and redrew up what I wanted for mine and now I think I have it. I even drew the pattern out in card board and then cut it out.

Drawing out a knife pattern on card board and then cutting it out. really gives me a thought on how I might like the real thing in steel.

I would say try drawing what you might like on some card board too and then cut it out and hold that pattern in your hand. It is not the same as holding a real steel knife in your hand but it might just give you a thought as to what you might like to have made by a custom maker.

The Curved Parang knife that I am going to make for me I have done three card board patterns in. the shape is the same in all of them but the blade width is in different widths. after making up a several of them I now have the pattern I want for sure to make up a real knife with. When I get it done and do some cutting a testing of it I will post pics and comentary on it.


BBryan
 
dawsonbob said:
I really like it, too, but as hiwa said, $300 is a bit steep for a chopper like that.

If Condor made one with that design in carbon, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat.

hiwa: just to add to what you've already heard, the BK-9 really is a truly outstanding knife.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm going to get the BK-9 , no matter what. My supplier will have it in at the end of the month , for a really good price up here. I may also inquire into a custom one , preferably in 1095 with micarta grips.
 
sicily02 said:
I have the video that Lofty did years ago in VHS and the parang he used then is different than the one he has in that video link you posted. If you are wanting something like that check with a custom maker and see about having one made up for ya.



I am in the process of making up a curved knife like his for me, but with some changes.
I thought I had what I wanted. Then one day over at the Bushcraft USA forum there was a guy who posted a link to another guy that has a curved parang style knife and I liked some of the features of it too lol. so I went back and redrew up what I wanted for mine and now I think I have it. I even drew the pattern out in card board and then cut it out.

Drawing out a knife pattern on card board and then cutting it out. really gives me a thought on how I might like the real thing in steel.

I would say try drawing what you might like on some card board too and then cut it out and hold that pattern in your hand. It is not the same as holding a real steel knife in your hand but it might just give you a thought as to what you might like to have made by a custom maker.

The Curved Parang knife that I am going to make for me I have done three card board patterns in. the shape is the same in all of them but the blade width is in different widths. after making up a several of them I now have the pattern I want for sure to make up a real knife with. When I get it done and do some cutting a testing of it I will post pics and comentary on it.


BBryan
Click to expand...

Definately looking forward to seeing that unit !! The card-board template idea is a good one :thumbup:
 
hiwa said:
Yeah, I'm going to get the BK-9 , no matter what. My supplier will have it in at the end of the month , for a really good price up here. I may also inquire into a custom one , preferably in 1095 with micarta grips.
Click to expand...

Good on the BK-9: it's a great blade. As far as customs, we have some great makers here (might be kinda hard to choose one:D).
 
Hi Hiwa, thanks, I got the idea for that when I had a fellow contact me about having a big curved knife made for him. As he was telling me what he wanted and all I was like WHAT lol. I then told him just draw it out the pattern on card board and then send that peace to me and well he did.

I was not into curved knives, But once I started on his I was like well maybe this is going to be fun to do and so I started thinking about the parang style curved knife for me. I thought about that parang that lofty had in his first video and then adding some design features that I wanted.

Well this is what I came up with for myself.

IMG_0607.jpg


Anyways that is my thoughts on the deal. Make yourself a pattern and then hold that pattern it will give you a idea on what the reall thing in steel would be like.

Good luck with your search, If I can be of assistance just let me know I will sure try to help ya if I can.

Bryan
 
I saw it a went crazy a few months back, I did a thread on both RAt Cutlery and Becker Knife &Tool asking them to make a U.S Version but never heard anything about it. I wish someone would, I would buy it!

RickJ
 
The 420 series isn't necessarily bad for choppers--as long as it's 420HC. I have a number of Condor machetes in 420HC and they take a great edge and hold it. ;):thumbup:

CIMG8355.jpg


CIMG8360.jpg
 
I had one of those Lofty parangs a few years ago and found it to be way heavier than necessary. My David Farmer golok/parang cuts much better and weighs much less...
be safe...
Ted
 
sorry I got distracted and forgot to add, the grip for my hand with long fingers felt real short and blockey with a tendency to produce hot spots.
 
About a kilo of 44A on a small handle. I believe that design was from a student not drawn up by John Wiseman, rather Ivan Williams.
 
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