Question for our resident Machax expert (That means you Bladite)

DerekH

DerekH

Handsome According to my Mother
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So, looking at what Siegle has done, it renewed my interest in a Becker-like kukri kind of knife. With the exception of the Reinhardt, the closest thing that is similar that will be available any time soon is the Machax. However, after having seen one in person, I was surprised at how "small" it is overall. While I see many examples of how well it works, how does it stack up to a traditional kukri? As someone that was instrumental in getting the Bonecutter made, I know you have a lot of experience with the more heavy duty end of the kukri spectrum as well. Does the machax lack the power of a larger kukri like knife since it is so much smaller and lighter?

Continuing on in that vein, way back when I had cobbled together a design for a Becker like knife I would like to have made, and it was a kukri like object. Given your experience, and your vast knowledge of those types of items, would you consider it a worthwhile endeavor to get it made? Below is the pic of it for reference.

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Is there anything that you, with your massive collection of kukris and experience, would change? Specs were supposed to be around 17 inches long overall, about one pound and twelve ounces or so, made of 1085 or something similar. Quarter inch thick. I love the Becker handle design, and have yet to find anything even as remotely comfortable as it, hence the design.
 
That looks like the brute and machax got wasted on some moonshine, made sweet sweet love and 9 months later the bruchax was born. and this demon spawn would grow to rid the world of over grown limbs and other shrubbery sacrificed in the name of the Becker forum.
 
I suggest you have several hundred made, and give them out to the beckerheads, and the others that visit here. Require us to use them and report back. We will do the testing for you. My address is...

It does look good, weight would be towards the tip, the grind also helps that. I like the angle of the handle, it's a great transition from the spine. It's got more spine curve than say, the Ka-Bar Kukri. That curve helps to avoid elbow pain.
The re-curve looks good as well, those always cut well. Where does the spine taper, how far from the tip? And what's the edge grind like, the BK2, or is it hollow ground?
 
clich said:
that looks like the brute and machax got wasted on some moonshine, made sweet sweet love and 9 months later the bruchax was born. And this demon spawn would grow to rid the world of over grown limbs and other shrubbery sacrificed in the name of the becker forum.
Click to expand...

LMAO. Good post. :D
 
Does the machax lack the power of a larger kukri like knife since it is so much smaller and lighter?
Click to expand...

Derek, the fact that the Machax is so much smaller and lighter than most kukris, is the reason it works so well. I have a 15.5" CAK by Sgt. Khadka and I wouldn't want to be hauling that around any time soon. The Machax chops way beyond what you would expect from something that size, with that weight. The other thing the lighter weight allows is the ability to carve things, close up to the handle, like drills for friction fire, as well as a smaller fixed blade can.

CAKwithMachax.jpg


You mentioned that you seen one in person. Did you actually try it out?

I'm also looking forward to Bladite's reply.

Doc
 
gunna have to wait until i get home, but i'll ponder it...
 
Doc, he used one of the new Machax Proto's at Ethan's Place a couple of times. We've had them since Blade and Ethan's got a couple of users (course he does) we get to play with. None of us want to ruin our sterile protos'. :D

Moose
 
That looks like a sweet knife.

If you don't end up making one mind if I steal the design? Looks like it'd be a perfect khuk.
 
i tried a longer reply today, but fat fingered it and lost everything. didn't feel like trying again...

thoughts, where was i?

o the original best machax imho (and Ethan's) is the black coated phosphate bronze generation from Blackjack Cincinnati era. imho :) though i do lean towards the hard-chrome models because they had convex out of the box.

o like bonecutters, the high edge grind, and convexing seems to lend an unreal slicing ability, and couple that with chopping badassness, and it's good.

o a VERY sharp thin edge can stick like a mother honey badger if there's not enough cheek following it (the convexing again), imho. some of the big choppers like the old RTAK stick REAL good. wedge in nice, and stay. still, once you pass the spine, if you're going to get a stick, well, you are. suck it up :>

o i like a bit of mass and forward weight on my khuks. you don't need a .25 or or .75 thick edge to manage that (though it's purty), functionally, the new .2 thick Machaxes have that forward balance, yet are not too clumsy.

o at the same time, .2 to .25 thick at the spine should be plenty for most folx. if you are bending or even deflecting your knife, stop, and think about what you're doing. it's probably stupid. just what is going to happen when that lets go? HI khuks have gotten thicker and thicker over the years to combat stupid users TRYING to break them. by making them user proof, they have perhaps suggested that thicker knives are better. while i love my sharpened fubar just as much as anyone, a thin knife can SLICE and CUT just fine, and with good technique, chop well.

o yet, a stock cut khurki shaped object out of something like .188 just doesn't *FEEL* right. i really can't explain that. not enough mass i think. the KaBar khukri manages to fix that a bit, much like a foxy folly or other full leafy khuks by being ... fat and leafy. phat! so, in one way one is making it up by width, not thickness and growth of spine. also, fullers tend to be sexay, and possibly even functional. one will have to see the HI FAQS on khuks, esp the engineering analysis of sweet spots and bends. that's outstanding for the designer type.

o too much dog-leg bend can lead to more deflections and bad strikes - not unlike with an axe. it just happens, so you have to be aware of it.

o too much weight over the sweet spot and also lead to deflections it seems or at least encourage them. on the plus side, that momentum is lovely when chopping as it requires less wrist and a simple bit of gross acceleration, much like an axe.

o a slightly blunter tip is a good thing on choppers. detune it yourself, or let nature take its course. if it comes that way, even better. HI khuks have slightly softer noses on purpose. rocks and stuff hapen.

o weight - balance - etc. a LARGE well balanced khukri, esp a full tang by Sgt Khadka has a few noticeable traits. one of which is a tapered tang. gets some weight forward without to many tricks... like false edges and swedges and stuff. they're fine on many knives, but not on choppers, imho. rounded sure, square great. just keep them off. makes the batoning difficult. lose weight or change balance other ways. also, while imho you can never have enough forward weight in that one special spot, elsewhere you can taper. costs more money though to do.

o khukris ... power. well, here's the thing, there's about 9000 kinds of khukris. even the common models that i prefer, like the GRS, C/AK, Bonecutter, Samshers, Super CAK, Sirupati, YCS, and Foxy Follies, yes, even Gelbus and Sirupatis... most of them are overbuilt chopping tanks. some of the lighter models, like the LIGHT foxies, and Sirus, as well as say, the newer sherpa and farm knives chop quite well, it's just more of a finesse thing. esp with final wrist speed. accuracy becomes more important, though naturally, it's always important.

mmm, that's about it for now. i have to be awake more or less in six hours.
 
Thanks for the input everyone. Bladite, thanks for chiming in.
 
Kinda similar, although I think Stuart's stuff is far better than anything I could sketch up. Really big fan of those curves, and that super huge parang he did. Wish more of his stuff was floating around the internets. I think Moose would really like the parang. Will try to find a link for it.
 
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Here it is:

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That thing right there gets my motor goin if you catch my drift. Sexy frickin knife. Wish he posted up more stuff around here.
 
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