Proper Chakma Use?

[Dave Rishar]

Another brush clearing evolution today. Halfway through or so I took a break to check the edge; I'd spent a solid ten minutes or so smashing up some very old (nearly wooden) blackberry vines that were unbelievably thick. I found an area of the edge just past the sweet spot that must've taken a pretty hard hit...a good half inch of edge was turned out quite a bit. This wasn't the edge rolling over, a lot of metal had moved. I couldn't bear down on it hard enough with the chakma to straighten it. Then I got an idea.

I gave it a good tap -- well, more of a whack -- with the side of the chakma. Half of it was straightened out! A few more taps got the rest in line. It wasn't perfect but I could smooth the rest out by just stroking it with the chakma and using a good amount of pressure. That wasn't perfect either but it was good enough to continue working. It didn't happen again. I don't remember any ground or tree strikes but I suppose it could've happened. I'm doing this cutting in some pretty rough terrain.

Is this proper use for a chakma? I'm thinking that "proper" use is doing whatever has to be done to get the edge back in place and the khuk back in action but I'm wondering if there is a "correct" method to use.

 

[Roadrunner]

I think your definition of 'proper' is best. Ordinarily I only stroke the chakma against the edge, but in a case like that I don't see anything wrong with getting a bit more aggressive. Some suggest using a hammer to straighten a bent edge, I've done it and it works. The chakma just makes a really little hammer.

 

[Yvsa]

Is this proper use for a chakma? I'm thinking that "proper" use is doing whatever has to be done to get the edge back in place and the khuk back in action but I'm wondering if there is a "correct" method to use.

Sounds like you did good too me.
Correct use is whatever it takes to restore the edge. Whacking the edge with the chakmak is the same as tapping it with a hammer.

 

[Nasty]

Chakmas are more likely to break than a hammer though...

 

[Yvsa]

Chakmas are more likely to break than a hammer though...

I hadn't thought of that Uwinv but you are exactly right, for properly hardened chakmaks.
But sadly there's not too many of those in today's khukuri rigs whether HI's or another manufacturer's.

 

[Thomas Linton]

I have a similar problem with an old khuk. Any chance the bent area will simply break out if I try to realign it with a hammer?

Tom

 

[Yvsa]

I have a similar problem with an old khuk. Any chance the bent area will simply break out if I try to realign it with a hammer?

Tom

Tom it depends a lot on where the ding is located. If it's in the sweet spot there is a good chance that tapping it will break it out, but if it's ahead of or behind the sweet spot it will probably be alright as those areas are softer.

 

[Dave Rishar]

FWIW, my big ding was just past the sweet spot -- I can't see how it could've been hardened, given how hard I hit it.

Thanks all for the advice. This Kobra has been simply destroying the local blackberries. I'm going to take some pics soon and I'll post a few when I get the chance. (And figure out how to.) As much as that ding scared me today I'm glad that it happened; it's nice to see a piece of equipment sustain a frightening (to me) amount of damage and return to operation with a minimum of repair effort. All it did was show me that these things are even tougher than I thought...I would've never even considered trying to fix that dent (I will no longer call it a ding, dings aren't that big) in the field unless I'd known the history of the tool. (And its maker.) As of right now, not only am I amazed; so are my room mate and landlady. When she saw the trail I'd blazed the other weekend, she asked me if I'd used a chainsaw. I took great pleasure in telling her that I'd done it with a knife in less than an hour. Funny thing is, she knew what a khuk was...UB may have another customer.

Anyhow, any time I'm feeling down or looking to get a little exercise, the Kobra and I head out and make another trail. I figure that by winter's end the blackberries will be mostly gone and the landlady can handle the trampled-down bramble mess and chopped-up destruction that I've left. I'll try to talk her into cutting me a break on rent of course but I'm going to do it regardless...the Kobra stays quiet for a few days after one of these massacres but starts asking for more eventually. By Sunday...well...it's time to wail on the blackberries again. And those scraggly trees down in the briars? What if she wants those gone? Well, I've got two AK's that're always rearing to go. What can I say? When I'm not complaining about my bad karma I'm bragging about my good fortune; I wouldn't have it any other way. Such is life.

 

[Nasty]

I'm glad to hear all is going well, but it is worth noting that the Kobras are not covered the same as other HI Khukris as they are weapon designs and not field tool designs. If you intend to continue doing this sort of work you might consider selecting a Sirupati instead...

 

[Dave Rishar]

I'm glad to hear all is going well, but it is worth noting that the Kobras are not covered the same as other HI Khukris as they are weapon designs and not field tool designs. If you intend to continue doing this sort of work you might consider selecting a Sirupati instead...

But it works so well...

I'll have to look into the Sirupati.