New to Swamp Rat -couple questions...

BryFry

BryFry

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Hey, I'm new to Swamp Rat knives. I have a Waki on the way ...WHOO HOO! and if anyone can help me out I have a few questions:

-what can anyone tell me about the qualities of SR-101 steel, as far as edge retension and corrosion resistence?

-How much does the Waki weigh?

-Why does an AK-47 sword cost twice as much as a Waki?

-Can anyone recomend a sheath maker that makes a good across the back, draw over the shoulder scabbard for the Waki?

Thanks in advance! :)
 
SR-101 as far as edge retention and toughness is top notch! Not very corrosion resistant though. Any satin knives should be oiled (and used) regularly.

Welcome to the sickness.:foot:


ETA: I don't have answers to the Waki questions.
 
The AK-47 demands a higher price for a number of reasons. The Busse family companies are ranked as follows:

1) Busse
2) Swamp Rat Knife Works
3) Scrap Yard Knives

Busse is the "top" company and the oldest of the 3. They primarily use INFI steel which is considered to be the best overall blade steel the Busse family companies have to offer in a med-large sized blade. The creation of the Swamp Rat and Scrap Yard companies was to provide the excellent performance that Busse is able to get out of steels without the uber-high price tag that comes with most blades made out of INFI. The AK is made of INFI and they aren't as readily available as the Rodent Wakis. Swamp Rat's SR-101 is considered to be almost up there with INFI, but with less corrosion resistance. It has been argued that for most users, the differences between INFI and SR-101 in toughness and edge retention are negligible.

The Waki weighs 1.8 lbs IIRC.

The sheath maker that I chose to deal with was David Brown of Buy Brown Holsters (www.buybrownholsters.com). I don't know if he does what you're looking for, but there's a good chance he does and he has excellent customer service. I highly, highly recommend contacting him.

BTW, the business model that the 3 companies work with offers models usually once and then they move on. Usually they don't repeat the same model twice. So the chances of Busse making more AKs in the future is minimal and that drives up the price somewhat. It seems likely that the Rodent Waki will be in a similar situation in a year or so. The AKs were sold retail for $600 and they now sell on the secondary market for upwards of $800+. I wouldn't be surprised if the Wakis are selling for $600+ in a year.
 
Looking for a back or shoulder sheath for you waki,,I bought 2 from,,Martin Swinkels (m.c.c.swinkels@chello.nl ),,you can see his work posted below,look at "new pants for waki"
Or,, theres others out there,

http://www.chuddybearleather.com/waki_sheaths
or
http://www.armoralleather.com/

or Buy Browns has a nice open spine sheath,,,The list goes on and on theres a lot of great sheath makers out there.Take your time and check them all out,,You bought a hell of a blade ,get a top of the line sheath to complement the Waki.Good luck with your sheath
 
Thanks for all the info guys!

Can't wait to try out my new waki!!! :D
 
Back sheaths are not the glory hollywood makes them out to be. There is a reason there are almost no historical accounts(I've only seen a few SE Asian ones with SHORT swords) While the AK and Waki can be drawn from behind the back as they are pretty short, it's still not a great carry style.

Mine will either hang on the belt or dundee carry. It's from armoralleather

AK_Overall2.jpg
 
Well I guess to each his own. I hate having a blade that long hanging on my hip.

I bought the waki because it is a higher quality version of a waki/machete that I've been using for over a decade now, and I ALWAYS carry it across my back. It's very natural and comfortable to me. And keeps it out of the way of any other gear that I have on my belt.

Its length is perfect for an over the shoulder draw, at least with my arm length.

Try it, you may just find that you like it! :D
 
LOL, I've tried it and it does not work well for me. I can manage waki length blades, but anything longer is physically impossible to draw over the shoulder. Try it with a sword with a 30" blade and see what happens. If it works for you and you've been using it then you are good to go.
 
Yeah, definitely not going to work with a long blade!
I once tried to explain that to a guy after both watching Braveheart, and he just didn't seem to get it.

A few years later I bought a claymore in the William Wallace style, and when the same guy came over to visit I asked him to please demonstrate this technique ...lol! ...it was quite humorous to see him try it! :D

-That is a beautiful AK and sheath by the way!

...I haven't decided if I want to go with leather or kydex yet. I like the look of leather, but I'm not sure how it would hold up to moisture and full on rain?
 
Thanks for the compliment, but Dwayne did all the work on the sheath and Ban did the mods on the AK. They do great work. If you are going to be getting the rig wet then kydex is the only way to go. Buy Brown does some really cool stuff with kydex though. You should check it out.
 
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