Received an ASTK today...Few pics with my Zilla ( quick update added)

Jroden5446

Jroden5446

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Dec 20, 2009
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And I'm rather impressed with the ASTK so far, very light and lively and for as rough shape as the handle is in, pretty comfortable. This one was a blem from last week and my first HI of this size ( I have a giant 25 inch Korba). Picked it up from the PO is morning and managed to snap a few pics between downpours today. I have been saving a stunning piece of flamed redwood for a handle this size ( rather wide at the base), can't wait to start this project when I have some time ( any tips about rehandling a HI would be helpful, any hidden surprises?). I was impressed as to how the ASTK performed, I don't know if it's the lighter weight, or the balance point, but it just feels like a different animal than my Busse Zilla

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In hand

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After 20 chops ( pretty hard, old wood, makes a clank noise when you hit it)

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Couple spine shots, (the ASTK spine looks tapered, not sure if that's intentional, or was it a hidden tang that was hammered flat?) you can also see where the wood handle has shrunk and pulled away

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Hi Mate,

Congrats!
Love the wood on the KZ.

How do you feel on the KZ and ASTK?
Other than impressed (obviously) how would you compare it to the Busse?
 
JayGoliath said:
Hi Mate,

Congrats!
Love the wood on the KZ.

How do you feel on the KZ and ASTK?
Other than impressed (obviously) how would you compare it to the Busse?
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It's hard to compare the two, they feel very different in hand, before ( and after) I rehandle the ASTK I am going to do an performance comparison between the two. From limited use today, the HI feels quite a bit lighter ( it's about 10 oz or so lighter) and had a tendency to get stuck ( about 5 or 6 times while chopping) from past experience the Zilla does not.
 
J:

Thanks for the pics and comparisons. You make this comment:

"Couple spine shots, (the ASTK spine looks tapered, not sure if that's intentional, or was it a hidden tang that was hammered flat?)"

I have a recent ASTK very similar to yours, 27 oz with a Satisaal handle instead of Dhar wood. I also have one of the older versions of the ASTK, also about 18", but heavier (37 oz) with a much thicker tang like the tang on your Busse.

The newer, tapered tangs are similar to the tangs on the CAKS (chiruwa-style handles). The somewhat older ASTK thick tang is more an exception for HI. I think the kamis have changed to the standard tapered tang to reduce the overall weight of the ASTK. I'm sure it was intentional.

I have mixed feelings about the change. My 37 oz ASTK with the super-thick tang feels massive in my hand, but very well balanced. The handle is slightly longer (about 1/2"), which helps, but the main difference is that more of the weight is in the tang. I have several HI khukuris of different models and I've found that 37 oz is too heavy for me except for this older-style ASTK. It's a favorite of mine.

On the other hand, I also like the lighter weight of my newer ASTK at 27 oz. It's why I decided to get a second ASTK. Given that the two are the same length, the weight difference is huge. Going from 27 oz to 37 oz is a 36 percent increase. The hand, arm and shoulder can definitely feel the difference.

As far as strength is concerned, I consider the extra thick tang overkill. I like the balance and how it looks, but I certainly wouldn't worry about the strength of the tapered tang, expecially since it is the standard for the super-tough CAKs.

I'm tempted to add a steel buttplate to my lighter ASTK. That would add only a couple ounces but it would be concentrated at the very rear, thus giving the same balance as the heavier ASTK. It's one of those little projects that might never get done, but who knows?

-- Dave
 
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Jroden5446, Thanks for the review mate, the ASTK is on my wish list for this year.
I believe the tapered tang is referred to as 'distal taper' and is intentional.
I've been told that distal taper can improve handling/cutting/thrusting characteristics, balance, weight ratio between tang / blade and strength.
I'm not that technically-minded so you might want to ask someone like Karda what this actually means as far as overall performance is concerned. :D
All I know is that the ASTK is F.A.B !! :cool:
 
Thanks for the info guys. I'm actually glad it's lighter, it's a nice contrast to my 38oz or so Zilla, but with the same lenght, and still has a nice forward balance that chops pretty darn well

Funny aside, when I first chopped with the ASTK , I hit out closer to the tip, after about 2 chops my hand was killing me, nearly dropped it there and then and said forget it! Tried again a bit closer to the recurve, and no pain and started chewing up the wood, technique does count for something huh!
 
Jroden5446 said:
Funny aside, when I first chopped with the ASTK , I hit out closer to the tip, after about 2 chops my hand was killing me, nearly dropped it there and then and said forget it! Tried again a bit closer to the recurve, and no pain and started chewing up the wood, technique does count for something huh!
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Sounds like your sweet spot is about 2-3" away from the tip.
 
Excellent review and I am happy to see my first Busse Zilla. From reading your words about feedback with those full tang knives I can see why many Nepalis like partial and stick tang Kukris. The handle absorbs vibration better on the non-full tang knives making them more comfortable to chop with.
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sweetcostarica said:
Excellent review and I am happy to see my first Busse Zilla. From reading your words about feedback with those full tang knives I can see why many Nepalis like partial and stick tang Kukris. The handle absorb the vibration better on the non-full tang knives making them more comfortable to chop with.
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Thanks! Once I rehandle the ASTK with a denser wood ( this is what I have put aside
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I'm interested to see if it absorbs shock more. The zilla has near no vibration in the handle and I've chopped down some big trees with it, handle material, the spine and tang being the same thickness and blade height may have something to do with that though.
 
The zilla has near no vibration in the handle and I've chopped down some big trees with it...
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That Busse Zilla is full tang and it has very, very little vibration. I guest there a lot more to this vibration thing than I thought. I'll note your observations on the ASTK and look forward to the rehandling. Good Luck :thumbup:.
 
After you rehandled it and if it is not to your liking, I is offering my humble self to be first dibs on ur ASTK :)

Joke aside, please oh please post pics after ur done, that wood looks marvelous :)
 
I have a 42oz ASTK with one of the earlier thick tangs and I would prefer newer model that's about 28-32oz. Here's a couple pictures.

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Cotherion said:
After you rehandled it and if it is not to your liking, I is offering my humble self to be first dibs on ur ASTK :)

Joke aside, please oh please post pics after ur done, that wood looks marvelous :)
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Will do! I may get started on it this weekend, I'll take some pics of the process and the finished result

Dirtbiker said:
I have a 42oz ASTK with one of the earlier thick tangs and I would prefer newer model that's about 28-32oz.
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I think that's what threw me, I was reading the announcement post about the new model ASTK and saw it had a thick tang, I actually really like the smaller/ tapered tang
 
No time like the present! There were a couple of spikes on either side of the tang, they coincided with the ring. Removed them, but let the waistline line profile of the handle

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That is beautiful wood.

Since you're doing all the work to rehandle the ASTK, you might want to consider adding a polished steel buttplate. It will protect the end of the wood in case the knife is ever dropped or bangs up against something, and it would look really good (IMHO). Admittedly it wouldn't be a "pure" ASTK, but neither is flamed redwood.
 
davidf99 said:
Admittedly it wouldn't be a "pure" ASTK, but neither is flamed redwood.
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IIRC a good portion of the early ASTK's were not Chiruwa tang. So I'm not sure there is such a thing as "pure" ASTK other than with regards to the blade profile.
 
Coming along, have a little more shaping to do, then starts the polishing

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I did some leather spaces to help the transition from bolster to wood
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