Hi All,
I got the knife in the Post about an hour ago and have done a realistic evaluation.
First off, I don't do distruction testing, I can't afford it. All the "testing I do falls within the parameters of normal use on the farm. So I did cut some bailing wire, some small (6d) nails and some 3-wire (10ga.) Romex, along with some other stuff.
The results were satisfing. There was no more edge dinging than I had expected from a good blade made from 5160.
The handle was one of the most comfortable I have experienced from HI. After I grind that d--n ring off, I think I'm really going to like using this knife.
This fellow knows how to heat treat, in fact his work on the Karda and Chakma was better than average.
Need for improvement areas were mostly cosmetic: The butcap hole was a little sloppy and his solder joint on the bolster could have been tighter, however I couldn't have done any better myself. I have seen better form HI. The handle patch looked good, and if he had smoothed it out better and polished it, it wouldn't have been so noticable.
The only thing that bothered me was that, like the blades from India, he didn't sharpen the inside curve just fore the Cho. I can do it myself, but I'd rather have it come sharp. His blade execution, save for the above point was some of the best I've seen from HI. Most of the grind linesd were stright and even as was the thickness' in various points along the blade, being balanced to both sides of the centerline. His hammer work was outstanding, and his polish work was very good.
If these guys would only learn to do their grinding and polishing before they halfted the blades....wow!
I believe this guy will make a great addition to the workforce at Birgorkha.
Dan
[This message has been edited by Dan K (edited 06-27-2000).]
I got the knife in the Post about an hour ago and have done a realistic evaluation.
First off, I don't do distruction testing, I can't afford it. All the "testing I do falls within the parameters of normal use on the farm. So I did cut some bailing wire, some small (6d) nails and some 3-wire (10ga.) Romex, along with some other stuff.
The results were satisfing. There was no more edge dinging than I had expected from a good blade made from 5160.
The handle was one of the most comfortable I have experienced from HI. After I grind that d--n ring off, I think I'm really going to like using this knife.
This fellow knows how to heat treat, in fact his work on the Karda and Chakma was better than average.
Need for improvement areas were mostly cosmetic: The butcap hole was a little sloppy and his solder joint on the bolster could have been tighter, however I couldn't have done any better myself. I have seen better form HI. The handle patch looked good, and if he had smoothed it out better and polished it, it wouldn't have been so noticable.
The only thing that bothered me was that, like the blades from India, he didn't sharpen the inside curve just fore the Cho. I can do it myself, but I'd rather have it come sharp. His blade execution, save for the above point was some of the best I've seen from HI. Most of the grind linesd were stright and even as was the thickness' in various points along the blade, being balanced to both sides of the centerline. His hammer work was outstanding, and his polish work was very good.
If these guys would only learn to do their grinding and polishing before they halfted the blades....wow!
I believe this guy will make a great addition to the workforce at Birgorkha.
Dan
[This message has been edited by Dan K (edited 06-27-2000).]
