Old/New YCS comparison - Part 1

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
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In the rush to get everybody their YCS in order and on time....there was a shipping oopsie....:D

I got 2 YCS's instead of the chitlangi and kerambit I was expecting...:o

(Note for Bill - no harm done, got it worked out with John)


So, naturally, being of a curious mind...I decided to do a little side-by-side comparison. :p


Bring on the pics!


(1st pic - New sandalwood, purpleheart and old YCS)
 
Now, all three with their kardas.

Notice anything yet?

(old, purpleheart, sandalwood)
 
Yes.....you are indeed a smart boy.....!:eek:


The old YCS is 17.5" and the new ones are 18.5".....!

(old, purpleheart, sandalwood)
 
What's that you say? The kardas are different too?

Spot on....! :cool:


all 4 new kardas are made of sandalwood.

(large kardas pictured - old, purpleheart(sandalwood karda), sandalwood)
 
Also, despite the larger karda blades....the balance is much improved. Check out a comparison between the 2 larger kardas of the Old and New (sandalwood) design.


(old - balance in front of the handle, new - balance right at the first finger)
 
Nice stuff, Dan.
I think you got the order a little off on your first pic. Can't wait to get mine. Those fullers are wondeful.
 
Back to the fullsize YCS blades:


Take a look at the variation in the handle.

- Ring placement is more toward the end (look at the line in the table)
- Smaller habaki bolster
- Swell at the end of the handle is larger
- Different inlays
- Wider overall
- And of course, the pins in the tang


(new on left, old on right)
 
So, being so radically different is because of the different tastes of the individual kami, right?



(have a looksie - new on left, old on right)
 
Both made by Kumar. ;)

Notice the cho creep? (or lessening thereof)


Overall, the new YCS is a bit heavier....the blade has more belly and is an inch longer. The fullers are wider and deeper, though, so you don't really feel the weight. It balances well.

Also, the handle is thicker and has more swell near the buttplate. I usually go with the "rings between the third and fourth fingers" grip....but this one is forcing the pinky grip.


It still feels quite "alive" in the hand, though. And the kardas.....they make it worth every penny!
 
the first round is over - you'll have to wait until round two.



I was worried about the run, partly because of the kardas. I didn't really care about the non-pointy awl....sorry, Yvsa/others....I knew I'd be able to regrind it once I got one home. Instead, I put all my energies into getting them to make the kardas closer to the "improved" version - based on all the YCS pictures I could get ahold of dating all the way back to the first ones on this forum (to those who didn't know - there have been several versions....corrections, etc.)


To sum up the notes/drawings I sent over:

- Longer kardas with wide bevel.
- Slightly thinner/tapering blade
- Better balance
- Handle material covers the "guard" - have grown tired of my old one cutting my fingers. (see old YCS overall pics above)
- Handle long enough to easily "three-finger" grip it, and perhaps four if you can.
- Less radical recurve
- Overall....making them more usable.


For me - that's what sets the YCS apart from everything else. Two fully functional and beautiful matching kardas. There is no other like it. You can have your cake and eat it too. :D



(note: I did not redesign Yvsa's kardas....I merely specified/combined the best features of the ones the kamis had already made....I figured that was the best way to get them to do what we wanted....have them copy things that had already been done before)
 
The last little treat I should mention.....the leather smells like veggie-tanned leather and it is so soft and supple. Just wonderful. Don't know where they got it, but it's definitely not your typical black leather scabbard.
 
Dan, what do the new 18-1/2" YCSs weigh? You've almost talked me into getting one.;) :D
 
not sure about the weight, Yvsa. I've been meaning to get a postal scale that goes up to 10 lbs....just too $$$.

It feels slightly heavier, but it doesn't feel and more forward heavy than the old one. Make sense?
 
Daniel Koster said:
not sure about the weight, Yvsa. I've been meaning to get a postal scale that goes up to 10 lbs....just too $$$.

It feels slightly heavier, but it doesn't feel and more forward heavy than the old one. Make sense?
Click to expand...
Dan you can get an inexpensive postal scale at Office Depot for < than?/around 15 bux.:p ;)
The only difference between mine and Uncle Bill's is the age; and I'm sure the amount we paid for 'em.;)

Yep, makes sense but if anyone has one and a postal scale I would still like to know the weight of their's; knowing that they are gonna vary a little.:)
 
Dan, once again your pictures speak volumns. They convey a lot of what my ill-worded clumsy review could not depict. It would have helped if my cam would have worked. I wish the guys could see first hand how these new YCS's perform. I didn't even take the time to measure my Kumar YCS, but you're right. it is 18.5" long. It sure doesn't feel like a 18.5" khuk, at least one that i would consider a chopper. I was always a no-frills kind of guy when it came to my khuks. that's why i love the WWII, kobra, and m43 so much. They're just honest looking. But after i experienced first hand what a propperly fullered blade could do functionally, i'm sold on fullers in certain situations. I love this khukuri.

Jake
 
Jake - I couldn't agree more.

At first, I had avoided the YCS - figuring it to be too fancy to ever use. Boy was I wrong! I think that's why the Plain YCS runs were so well-received. Put's it smack in the bonafide user category.

After much debate, I finally realized that if I was going to have such a good-looking, well-functioning blade, I would want the full deal - all the fixins, inlays, etc.

And it has certainly paid off. I get more comments, raised eyebrows, compliments, purchase offers, etc. on this one than any other.

It's worth a heckuvalot more than the $225 we paid on this last run. Can't believe Bill agreed to do it at that price. Sure, relative to other khukuris.....it's expensive. But anybody here own a sebenza or a busse or a damascus knife? You get a lot more bang for the buck on the YCS. ;)

I think it would not be a stretch to say that this is the best run the YCS has ever had? Fancy wood, standard bolster, usable kardas, chiruwa, 18.5" blade, larger belly....the only thing holding this back is the awl; and if you have a small hand, the handle might not be comfy.


I'm pleased as pie with this run. :cool:


...still remember when I unwrapped it....have only had that feeling a few times = the ironwood kerambit, the first Pen Knife and both the YCS.
 
Great pix & info. I totally appreciate now the fact I missed the boat on this one. Congrats to all who got'em. I was afraid the knife was too pretty to use. But it's pretty & performs... Still, I don't think it would be my choice for fish-chopping at sea. I'd lose it. Have scratched-up others for that.

Some Khuks are art, all are usable art! :D

A second run is coming? For sure?

AA
 
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