Passaround 3

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Howard Wallace

Howard Wallace

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Groundrules for the pass-around
  1. Must have 100+ posts in the HI forums to be eligible.
  2. Must agree to post a report in this thread. Report should describe condition of knife as received, what you did with/to it, your thoughts on the knife, and condition as sent out. We are going to put years of wear on these knives in weeks.
  3. Must be in the US (Otherwise we will get heavy shipping costs, delays, and may lose knives in customs.
  4. You agree to send the knife off to the next person on the list within one week of receipt. Knife is to be shipped in sheath. securely and safely packaged. You need to get the address of the next person on the list yourself. Use PM or e-mail if possible.
  5. No complaints if moderators rearrange the list order. We might do this to spread the knives around, to get particular feedback more quickly, or for other reasons. Moderators may flex other rules also. Work with us.
  6. If you meet the qualifications and are interested, post in this thread to get added to the list.
  7. Try not to trash the knives. No tossing them into fires, using them for throwing practice, battoning through rocks, etc. We want the next reviewer to have a chance to use and review them as knives also. Normal wear and tear for a hard-use knife is encouraged though,
  8. If you would like the reviewers to address a particular aspect of the knife post your requests here where the reviewers can see them.
  9. If you would like to discuss the ethics of kamis drawing inspiration from western designs please go over to the discussion thread at http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...nspired-passarounds-–-discussion-thread to do so. This passaround thread is not the place for that discussion.

Passaround list
(To be filled as participants join)

1.) Berkley

2.) kamagong

3.) wildmanh

4.) bric

5.) VTguy17

6.) deltablade

7.) Badasp118
 
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There is nothing new under the surya.
The Blackjack Trailguide is itself based on the Randall Model 8 trout & bird, one of my all-time favorite knives. So much so, in fact, that I had my own stock removal user version made up several years ago by a now-deceased East Texas knifemaker .
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I'm excited to see the kamis taking on this classic design, which I think would find a ready market. I'd like to be included in the passaround.
With temperatures here remaining well above 100 for more than two months now, I don't anticipate giving the knife any heavy outdoor use , but would be happy to compare the HI version with my two and write up my observations before sending it on if that would be useful.
Berk
 
Just received the HI fish & game knife today, and first impression is very good in terms of construction, ergonomics and aesthetics. The execution has a hand-made character that would not be present in a factory knife - there is excess laha around the buttcap and on the tang nut. OTOH, how many factory knives use laha? :cool:
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There are white metal and brass spacers between guard and grip, which by the way is a beautiful piece of what looks like rosewood that the pictures don't show off very well.
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It is definitely a HI product - both longer and beefier than the Randall. Weight is 6 ounces (171 grams).
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It also has the HI convex edge. As received the edge cleanly cuts a sheet of typing paper, but tears newsprint except in the first inch from the point. My wife and I will be using the knife in the kitchen this weekend. (Dorothy reports that it seems plenty sharp for slicing bacon). In addition to slicing meat I may try to cut a chicken into pieces to test edge strength. Any suggestions or requests for other tasks?
 
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After you get a feel for how it came, perhaps you can touch up the edge a bit and tell us how it responds to a bit of sharpening. Also, any comments about the false edge on the back? Is the Randall sharpened there? What are your thoughts about sharpened vs. unsharpened on the back edge?
 
The Randall and Blackjack versions are sharpened along the false edge (which would seem to mean it is no longer false:confused:). I like that, and had the copy I had made done the same way. I had a devil of a time getting the knife maker to do it, because he was afraid of Texas knife laws, under which it can be considered a dagger when the top edge is sharpened. That's something to consider - maybe it's best for users to sharpen the false edge or not themselves. In any case, I know my own sharpening skills are so poor that I'm going to leave that part of the test to someone else.
[Edited to add:]The reason the Randall is sharpened on the false edge is that the primary edge is a thinner grind which is unsuitable for heavy use, although it will take a very fine edge. The sharpened false edge is slightly convexed, and useful for heavier tasks. The HI's convex primary edge makes that redundant.
 
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Removed the fancy tassel, and starting to develop a patina:
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Still using the as-received edge, it easily cuts very thin slices:
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Lovely knife! Berkley, I'm enjoying your pictures.

Can I get on the list?
 
The postman just delivered the HI Bird and Trout knife. Here are my first impressions -

This is a light, little knife. I'm used to the kamis making the blades much more substantial. I like it, and I'm glad someone finally told them that not every knife has to be build like a prybar. Another pleasant surprise is that it actually came sharp.

The sheath is bad. Really bad. I thought that the rigs for the Kumar Karda and the JKM-1 were terrible, but this one takes the cake. The leather is really thin and cheap looking. It feels like the knife would go right through it if you were to fall on it or re-sheath the knife wrong.

I shot a couple of pictures to give others an idea of the knife's size.

Kumar Karda, Bird and Trout Knife, Blackjack Model 125
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Spine shot of Bird and Trout Knife, Kumar Karda
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I'll share more thoughts after I use the knife some.
 
Christian, thanks for the comparison shots. Am looking forward to your write up. Next weekend some friends and I are going camping and I'll be making Dutch Oven Chili for dinner. If it gets here in time, I'll use it to cut up the peppers and onions.

If it's okay with everyone, I'll try to make a new sheath for it while it's over here for it's visit/review. 8-10oz Saddle Skirting should do the trick. ;)
 
That's a nice looking knife.
I sharpened the false edge of my Kerambit C(I think). It was easy to sharpen and it took a nice edge. All I've used it for is food prep. It cuts grilled pork chops like nobody's business.
If y'all keep using that one for food prep, it'll end up with a nice patina.
 
The HI Bird and Trout knife (BATK) is now boxed up and ready to mail tomorrow. I guess now is as good a time as any to share my thoughts.

When I first received it I was underwhelmed. I thought it the typical non-khukuri HI knife, a bit crude despite efforts to polish it up. It had the makings of a solid user though, so I sharpened it up with some sandpaper in order to maintain the convex grind.

During the past few days I used the BATK around the kitchen. It was used to peel a peach, slice up a mango, cut up some carne asada, and clean a milkfish. The BATK struggled with the fruits due to its wide and stiff blade. It zipped right through the beef and fish, though I had some trouble when I tried to use it to take off the fish's head. The blade was too short for me to get much leverage when I tried to chop through the spine, so I used a rubber mallet for some added oomph. The BATK remained sharp throughout, but I discovered that I left a slight burr behind when I sharpened it. Maybe later users can improve on my sharpening job.

After using it the BATK has grown on me. It's a neat knife and would make a great little beater. The BATK is strong and sharp, I wouldn't hesitate to use it for tough jobs. The only major weakness it has is the sheath. Because the BATK is a fixed blade, a good sheath is essential to maximize its utility as well as for safety purposes. Before it goes into regular production I hope Yangdu has a talk with BirGorkha to improve the rig.

Here is a picture of the BATK, along with a couple of pictures of the sheath.

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Here is the BATK sheath, with a Blackjack 125 sheath of similar design.

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Heber is next on the list, so hopefully he can put it through its paces during this weekend's camping trip.

- Christian
 
The knife arrived this morning. I was on my way into town to do some shopping, just came back for lunch and will be heading out in a few minutes. So no chance to play with it yet. Will definantly be making a new sheath for this one. The knife looks really nice! More after I have time to play with it.
 
I'd like to try this one if an exception could be made to the 100+ posts rule. I'm carving some walking sticks and it'd be nice to see how an HI blade edge holds up compared to the Buck and the Butz I'm using.
 
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