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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Museum Model
- Thread starter Yangdu
- Start date
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- Dec 28, 2003
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There was a typo with number 6. It weighs in at a hefty 44.5 oz.
Eric.
Doh!
But how does it handle?BTW, my .02¢: I think it's far more likely that you got #1 or #2 or #5 by mistake than that the weight was miswritten by a full pound... They do look quite a lot alike.
I just hope you didn't get mine, as I really liked #1!
I'll let you know if mine shows up and is 28 oz. 
Norm
(Yangdu, the plan worked thanks! Best $20 I ever spent! This 28 ouncer is _awesome!_ :thumbup:
)
eswartz
Basic Member
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- Jun 29, 2005
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Doh!
BTW, my .02¢: I think it's far more likely that you got #1 or #2 or #5 than that the weight was miswritten by a full pound...
Norm
It had the #6 lablel And the specs stuck in the frog were the same as stated.
I think Yangdu saw 2lbs 8oz on her scale.
(My scale says 2 - 12.5)But she did send me a free 8" YCS Karda for being such a good customer. :thumbup: ( I guess I spend a lot
)
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It had the #6 lablel And the specs stuck in the frog were the same as stated.
I think Yangdu saw 2lbs 8oz on her scale.
But she did send me a free Karda.
Hey! No fair! I wanna free karda!
I'll be interested to see if the 26 and 36 oz. ones came in at the stated weight. I'm sure they did.
I always measure and weigh mine when they come in and should save the energy, because not once have my measurements ever deviated from those stated on the DOTD.
I hope it works out OK for you Eric as is.
Norm
Just because you live closer...
eswartz
Basic Member
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- Jun 29, 2005
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Sorry guys,
All I've had time for tonight is open and weigh and post.
I'm not a complainer. I take 'em as they come and find the silver lining.
I just thought I'd let you know since there was some interest in the weights.
But I do think it is fairly balanced and I think the back ring does seem to rub sometimes.
Eric.
All I've had time for tonight is open and weigh and post.
I'm not a complainer. I take 'em as they come and find the silver lining.
I just thought I'd let you know since there was some interest in the weights.
But I do think it is fairly balanced and I think the back ring does seem to rub sometimes.
Eric.
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2004
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- 3,178
#4 weighed in at 48 ounces on my scale. PoB is almost exactly 3" forward of the bolster. The bevel shows a nice convex shape. It's reasonably sharp. The scabbard is a nice fit.
I'd assumed that the handle was cast onto the tang but this doesn't seem to be the case. Instead, it seems that it's attached in the usual way. The top and bottom plates are brazed to the handle and the bolster is brazed to the top plate; a keeper is on the bottom with the tang peened over it. I can't see this handle failing without a lot of effort. There is black material visible between the bolster and blade (presumably laha) and also the bolster and the guard, the latter of which has a pitted, bubbled appearance. I'm not sure if it's burnt laha or leftover flux from the brazing process. The bottom plate contacts my wrist uncomfortably on hard swings but this style of handle is known for that. The space between the plates is wide enough to accomodate my hand with some room to spare, something that I was concerned about.
As for what it's made out of...I don't know. I have an HI with a "white metal" handle that looks and feels completely different from this. The tang of a Norvell-Sharpley razor will lightly scribe it with some effort.
I've got to head off to work here in a few minutes and I'm anticipating some excitement over the next few days so I won't have the time to do a detailed writeup until the weekend. I'll see if I can't pull a quick etch and such while I'm at it.
PoB is almost exactly 3" forward of the bolster. The bevel shows a nice convex shape. It's reasonably sharp. The scabbard is a nice fit.I'd assumed that the handle was cast onto the tang but this doesn't seem to be the case. Instead, it seems that it's attached in the usual way. The top and bottom plates are brazed to the handle and the bolster is brazed to the top plate; a keeper is on the bottom with the tang peened over it. I can't see this handle failing without a lot of effort. There is black material visible between the bolster and blade (presumably laha) and also the bolster and the guard, the latter of which has a pitted, bubbled appearance. I'm not sure if it's burnt laha or leftover flux from the brazing process. The bottom plate contacts my wrist uncomfortably on hard swings but this style of handle is known for that. The space between the plates is wide enough to accomodate my hand with some room to spare, something that I was concerned about.
As for what it's made out of...I don't know. I have an HI with a "white metal" handle that looks and feels completely different from this. The tang of a Norvell-Sharpley razor will lightly scribe it with some effort.
I've got to head off to work here in a few minutes and I'm anticipating some excitement over the next few days so I won't have the time to do a detailed writeup until the weekend. I'll see if I can't pull a quick etch and such while I'm at it.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2005
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Thanks Dave. I was wondering about the handle construction.
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2004
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Here's the hardened area:
Some preliminary chopping and examination revealed a few interesting things:
- It hits hard. (And at 48 ounces, it ought to.) Because the PoB is 2-3" behind where it is on most other khukuris, the extra weight doesn't drag on the wrist as much.
- The bottom guard only cranks my wrist if I'm swinging at something and not connecting. Contact with a firm surface checks the blade and prevents it from rotating far enough to strike me with the guard.
- Transmitted shock is minimal. I was not expecting this. I would like to hear other owners report on this.
- The heat treat seems to be fine in the hardened area. I experienced no waves, ripples, or chips, despite coming in at odd angles. I didn't make any hits outside of the hardened zone so I can't report on that.
- The Nicholsen tells me that the edge is a bit softer than file-hard (say, 57-58 Rc or thereabouts...almost identical in feel to a Frosts Mora, actually); the file just barely starts to grab under its own weight and still skates noticeably with a load applied. The spine is softer but quite a bit harder than what I've come to expect. I performed a few more tests nearer the tip and the bolster and found them to be about the same.
- The steel etched (and smelled) different, more like a Khadka than an HI. It was slightly more difficult to etch than last year's models seemed to be but was not hard; the hamon "popped" on the second etch/polish cycle. Instead of the mild HI steel odor or the sulpherous smell that some others have while etching, the MM has a decidedly sharp (almost uncomfortably so) metallic odor to it, especially when I hit it with the Windex to neutralize the etchant. I'm guessing that the steel has changed.
- The etchant didn't exactly attack the guard but it left marks like hard water stains that are exceedingly difficult to polish off.
Some preliminary chopping and examination revealed a few interesting things:
- It hits hard. (And at 48 ounces, it ought to.) Because the PoB is 2-3" behind where it is on most other khukuris, the extra weight doesn't drag on the wrist as much.
- The bottom guard only cranks my wrist if I'm swinging at something and not connecting. Contact with a firm surface checks the blade and prevents it from rotating far enough to strike me with the guard.
- Transmitted shock is minimal. I was not expecting this. I would like to hear other owners report on this.
- The heat treat seems to be fine in the hardened area. I experienced no waves, ripples, or chips, despite coming in at odd angles. I didn't make any hits outside of the hardened zone so I can't report on that.
- The Nicholsen tells me that the edge is a bit softer than file-hard (say, 57-58 Rc or thereabouts...almost identical in feel to a Frosts Mora, actually); the file just barely starts to grab under its own weight and still skates noticeably with a load applied. The spine is softer but quite a bit harder than what I've come to expect. I performed a few more tests nearer the tip and the bolster and found them to be about the same.
- The steel etched (and smelled) different, more like a Khadka than an HI. It was slightly more difficult to etch than last year's models seemed to be but was not hard; the hamon "popped" on the second etch/polish cycle. Instead of the mild HI steel odor or the sulpherous smell that some others have while etching, the MM has a decidedly sharp (almost uncomfortably so) metallic odor to it, especially when I hit it with the Windex to neutralize the etchant. I'm guessing that the steel has changed.
- The etchant didn't exactly attack the guard but it left marks like hard water stains that are exceedingly difficult to polish off.
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- Dec 28, 2003
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- 4,793
Mine #1 was listed at 20.5" and 42 oz., and I have it at 21" and 44 oz. with a nice curve to the spine. My handle experience while chopping is the same as Daves, with the rear ring contacting my wrist when swinging it through the air, but not when I hit something. Scabbard fit is perfect, due to someone taking the time to glue up the mouth of the scabbard with a bit of fitted leather. The front ring is straight, and the back turned out a bit so that when holding the knife the finger side has a bit more room than the knuckle side. It would look perfect rotated 90 degrees so that the top and bottom rings would be tilted in towards the hand on the underside of the handle.
Anyway, it's a nit, hard to describe, and totally cosmetic. I think the handle is aluminium, but I could be wrong. I know brazing aluminium can be a real PITA, but that's what it looks like. Very strong construction.
All in all a nice addition to the HI line.
Norm
Anyway, it's a nit, hard to describe, and totally cosmetic. I think the handle is aluminium, but I could be wrong. I know brazing aluminium can be a real PITA, but that's what it looks like. Very strong construction.
All in all a nice addition to the HI line.
Norm
eswartz
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- Jun 29, 2005
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I don't think they are aluminum since a magnet sticks hard to any portion of the handle, outer ring, etc. I don't think it is reacting to the tang.
Eric.
- Joined
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You're absolutely right Eric, and Mike confirmed the same thing on his. I shouldn't have assumed such before I held one, but even when I got mine wasn't sure. That's what magnets are for I guess...
Norm