preliminary Modification of villager Chiruwa AK

[gravertom]

Hello all,

I got this Chiruwa AK a little while back. When I ordered it, I thought it would be my favorite. At first, I loved the look, but the handle was way too thick for my hobbit like hands.

I have begun reshaping the handle, taking the front half down to the diameter of the back half of the handle, leaving the central ring the same as it was for now. I tried to creat a bit of a downward curve. I hope you can see a little in the pic below.

Now that it fits my hand, it is indeed my favorite. More agile than my 20" sirupati, more heft than the 15" siru. They are headed for the for sale board in a few minutes!

I like wood better!

Villagers rule!

Tom

ps anybody know why when I combine more than one photo into one file and then export it from corel draw that it turns black and white?

T

 

[raghorn]

ps anybody know why when I combine more than one photo into one file and then export it from corel draw that it turns black and white?

I think it has something to do with wrinkling the fabric of the space-time continuum.

 

[Yvsa]

I have begun reshaping the handle, taking the front half down to the diameter of the back half of the handle, leaving the central ring the same as it was for now.

I tried to creat a bit of a downward curve.
Now that it fits my hand, it is indeed my favorite.
Villagers rule!

Tom

I see it Tom. That's kinda the same thing I did too my Foxy Folly but don't think I got quite as much curve as you have. Just a little bit of curve greatly improves the grip and a little bit more vastly improves the grip!!!! Those old timers really knew something the modern day kamis just don't get.
Indeed!!!! The Villagers Do Rule!!!!

 

[JR42]

Very nice! Did you have much trouble slimming down the tang? I'm considering doing this to a recent chiruwa AK villager purchase.

Jeremy

 

[gravertom]

Thanks for the comments!

Not much trouble with the tang. An agressive nicholson file did the trick.

Tom

 

[hollowdweller]

I did the same thing with my villager Ganga Ram except I removed the flush rings and reduced the size of the main raised ring too. I have good sized hands, not huge, but good sized and I still think the slimmed down handles make a big difference. Not so much cutting something in one swipe, but when you are chopping something big the thinner handle cramps you up way less.

 

[ddean]

Looks nicer too.

BTW, I see you used a blade stretcher on it;
Do you use a pull or push type?

re B&W pic export,
could be any # of things
but most likely an export setting
check export bit depth & saturation settings if those are available.
Also check conditional confirmation settings if available.

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[Yvsa]

There's a trick too use when taking the center ring down in size too keep it from chipping out. Use your file and get the top of the ring down to bare wood and then put as much liquid super glue on it as it will soak up and if it's like the ones I've done it will soak up a lot.
The super glue strengthens the wood so that the ring can be taken down safely without chipping out.
To replace the small grooves on each side of the ring I use a hacksaw blade that I've ground the set of the teeth off of, makes it thinner but still allows it too cut shallow grooves in wood, or metal.

 

[ferguson]

Nice work Tom. Fun, eh?

Steve

 

[gravertom]

Thanks again all, some good tips!

yes, it is a lot of fun. Sort of ocupational therapy, or something like that.

I'll check my corel draw settings too. I am a real amateyr at that, but it is a fascinating tool, in its own right.

Blade stretcher only works in cyberspace!

Will post more later. These projects go in little steps, then some long pauses sometimes. very busy with engraving as the holidays come up, and the potential move too.

Tom