New 15" Pen Knife review

eswartz

eswartz

Joined
Jun 29, 2005
Messages
753
Well, I got the 15" village Pen knife with Walnut handle yesterday (well, two days, now). I am feeling the pressure of my first review of a new item. Not being proficient in testing knifes, I will settle on pictures and impressions to be the review.

The first thing I noticed on taking the knife out of the package was how much heavier it was than a standard village Pen knife. It is 21oz and my two 12" village pen knives seem very light compared to this one (10oz and 11oz). Also the knife is very front heavy, it seems weighted kinda like my baby ganga ram. The center of balance is about 4" forward of the bolster.

I couldn't do any chopping, but I took it out and whacked it into a stump a few times to get a feel for it. It bit good. Lot of steel out at the end.

I soaked the handle in mineral oil overnight, just 'cuz I wanted to.

All photos are shot quickly in between other activities.


This first photo is the 15" Pen with my two 12" village pens for comparison.

DSC04784sm.jpg



This one is a 16.5" WWII with the 15" Pen. Both with walnut handles.

DSC04787sm.jpg



The third picture is me holding the knife in my left hand. Hard to hold the knife in the right hand and take a photo with the left hand... This handle seems very good for gripping with the ring between the pinky and ring finger. Not enough space to move the grip down on the handle. It is much better than the two shorter ones as far as handle length is concerned. I bought the Karam handled one above because it was longer than the normally offered Pen knives as late. But I have seem pictures of older Pen knives with nice long handles.

DSC04790sm.jpg



I put a Foxy Folly (17") in the mix. The Foxy Folly while heavier (24oz) and longer, seems lighter somehow and more balanced as I think the metal is not concentrated out at the end like the Pen.

DSC04793sm.jpg



Spine width comparision with a 12" Village Pen. The knife is much thicker than the standard Pen knife. I think I measured the spine to be a little more than 3/8" compared to a 1/4" for the standard.

DSC04795sm.jpg



All in all a nice addition. I don't think the blade on this particular Pen has enough belly to flip pancakes while camping. I would have liked the belly to be more pronounced to give it that definitive Pen knife look.

Eric
 
I've joked a couple of times in the past that we already had a 15" PK - the 15" BGRS. Not entirely accurate, but I believe that it's a good comparison.

I'll admit that my 12" PK doesn't really get used anymore; the 15" BGRS was almost as portable and a lot more potent. I can't help but think that a 15" PK is a very good idea and the next logical step in the design's evolution.
 
Old timers, remember the old villagers that Uncle used to sell, before Birgorkha started making them? This reminds me of the ones that Uncle used to call pugs or bulldogs or something of that sort. Maybe my memory is going though.
 
Our kamis being who they are, longer usually means thicker. The original PK is already REEELY at the edge (sorry) of usefullness from a food-prep point of view. I've prepared entire meals with a PK, just to see if I could. It works, but I wound up chasing a lot of vegetable pieces, especially carrots. Worked well for the meat (beef for stew, dismembering chickens, etc). Note that this didn't prevent me from buying 3 of these over the years.

I'm guessing that the 15" version takes it completely out of the kitchen and into the 'chopper' category. Not necessarily a bad thing, but makes it more specialized than the original was meant to be.
 
That handle looks really beautiful.:eek: I think its a pretty knife, but I'm fixated on your FF right now.:thumbup: FF's have fixated me for a while now. Mine is on the way, and I'm very excited. Its an 18" version with a chandan handle made by Bura.
 
I'd like to see that design, but with a more smooth curved spine rather than the angle. Still it looks like a good chopper.

Speaking of the Ganga Rams, one thing I would like to see is if you look at the big Ganga's compared to the say 15 and 17 and 18" models, the bigger ones have less of a bend and a blunter tip. I wish the smaller ones were more like this.:thumbup:
 
First one of anything new: good stuff and review appreciated.

Pretty khuk. Mineral oil bath= good.


Ad Astra
 
I just received a 15" villager pen knife with neem handle in the mail. What an impressive Khukuri it is!! I think is took over as my favorite. I haven't tried it on wood yet but I will when the snow stops.
 
Yup, looks like a keeper all right. Outstanding photos Eric, the side by side comparisons are useful indeed. Yes, it looks sort of like this one, and kind of like that one, but anybody who owns a Pen Knife would recognize it instantly.

Sarge
 
Add one more to my list of things to get :D this one looks like it would make a good working khuk;build camp;make shelter etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top