- Joined
- Nov 15, 2000
- Messages
- 3,708
Yup...moved per request.
I have to apologize ahead of time for this review: it’s been awhile since I read one, and awhile since I had any good chopping time under my belt. However, I had a really good time trying this blade out and if you read on I hope you won’t be disappointed.
The Museum Model arrived in the usual triangular box that raises our blood pressure a few points no matter how many curved pieces of steel live under the bed with the dust bunnies. I was quite surprised by this piece. My first words were “ARGGHHH! Now there be a fine pirate knife!” No seriously, they were. I picked it up and liked the balance of it: not quite as forward heavy as some khuks (nothing near an AK in this department). The POB is only 3.25 inches ahead of the handle ring.
Ok, ok. I told my wife just now as I ran into the kitchen : I need the scale, and a tape measure—these guys will eat me alive if I post a review without specs! So here we go:
(in inches)
Length: 21.25 from tip to pommel point
Blade width at widest:2.25
Spine thickness: 3/8ths
Handle Length: 5 3/8ths
Handle width at widest: 1 3/16ths
Weight: 2lb 10.1oz
First impressions (pre-use):
Uh oh this handle’s gonna be trouble. The smooth metal combined with the fairly large rings—particularly the lower one—made me wonder about catching a steel handle ring in the bottom of my hand on a swing. The smooth metal made me nervous concerning slippage. And the metal concerned me because of shock transference.
The real test: Chopping
SURPRISE! I took a few swings and sailed through some green saplings about 1” dia. And the rings were no problem. Neither was grip retention. Ok, I know you’re thinking what I was too: saplings are fine, now how about heavy dry stuff. Well, here was the real surprise: no ring trouble and no appreciable shock issues (I must qualify that I only chopped hard heavy stuff for about 10 minutes due to a very busy evening of work that needed to get done). I chopped some very dry and hard firewood: I hacked into the end grain and the blade bit deeply and stuck pretty fast. Check out the edge profile pic and you’ll see why. This thing is a darn good chopper but it may bind a bit splitting firewood. YMMV. I have a feeling that it wasn’t designed for this purpose---I’m thinking this was a war blade but that’s just a guess. Next I slammed the tip crossgrain onto the large slabs of wood to inflict maximum vibration damage on myself. The result: no big vibration at all. In fact IMO the vibration falls at about the same level as a chiruwa handled Khuk.
I also slammed the flat of the blade HARD into a 10” block of hardwood about 6 times on each side (cringe). But it passed with flying colors.
Conclusions:
I was pleasantly surprised with this khuk. Fit and finish were outstanding—the metal handle is a thing of beauty, as is the blade. But I’ll let the pics do the talking on that front. Blade hardness seemed very good with the edge loosing very little of its bite even after chewing some hard wood.
I personally would not recommend this as your first choice HEAVY chopper due to handle shape and possible sweat + smooth metal grip issues. However, roughening up the handle steel might help and/or donning a light pair of work gloves.
But if you want a very cool and historically accurate blade (IIRC this was made based on an old museum piece—Yangdu will have to help with its background info..) that will do some fine chopping work while scaring the crap out of your neighbors then this is your blade. Personally, its growing on me more and more all the time. ARRGGHH!!
Edited to add: I have medium sized hands so hopefully that pic will show that even you guys who palm basketballs will have room to move on this handle
I have to apologize ahead of time for this review: it’s been awhile since I read one, and awhile since I had any good chopping time under my belt. However, I had a really good time trying this blade out and if you read on I hope you won’t be disappointed.
The Museum Model arrived in the usual triangular box that raises our blood pressure a few points no matter how many curved pieces of steel live under the bed with the dust bunnies. I was quite surprised by this piece. My first words were “ARGGHHH! Now there be a fine pirate knife!” No seriously, they were. I picked it up and liked the balance of it: not quite as forward heavy as some khuks (nothing near an AK in this department). The POB is only 3.25 inches ahead of the handle ring.
Ok, ok. I told my wife just now as I ran into the kitchen : I need the scale, and a tape measure—these guys will eat me alive if I post a review without specs! So here we go:
(in inches)
Length: 21.25 from tip to pommel point
Blade width at widest:2.25
Spine thickness: 3/8ths
Handle Length: 5 3/8ths
Handle width at widest: 1 3/16ths
Weight: 2lb 10.1oz
First impressions (pre-use):
Uh oh this handle’s gonna be trouble. The smooth metal combined with the fairly large rings—particularly the lower one—made me wonder about catching a steel handle ring in the bottom of my hand on a swing. The smooth metal made me nervous concerning slippage. And the metal concerned me because of shock transference.
The real test: Chopping
SURPRISE! I took a few swings and sailed through some green saplings about 1” dia. And the rings were no problem. Neither was grip retention. Ok, I know you’re thinking what I was too: saplings are fine, now how about heavy dry stuff. Well, here was the real surprise: no ring trouble and no appreciable shock issues (I must qualify that I only chopped hard heavy stuff for about 10 minutes due to a very busy evening of work that needed to get done). I chopped some very dry and hard firewood: I hacked into the end grain and the blade bit deeply and stuck pretty fast. Check out the edge profile pic and you’ll see why. This thing is a darn good chopper but it may bind a bit splitting firewood. YMMV. I have a feeling that it wasn’t designed for this purpose---I’m thinking this was a war blade but that’s just a guess. Next I slammed the tip crossgrain onto the large slabs of wood to inflict maximum vibration damage on myself. The result: no big vibration at all. In fact IMO the vibration falls at about the same level as a chiruwa handled Khuk.
I also slammed the flat of the blade HARD into a 10” block of hardwood about 6 times on each side (cringe). But it passed with flying colors.
Conclusions:
I was pleasantly surprised with this khuk. Fit and finish were outstanding—the metal handle is a thing of beauty, as is the blade. But I’ll let the pics do the talking on that front. Blade hardness seemed very good with the edge loosing very little of its bite even after chewing some hard wood.
I personally would not recommend this as your first choice HEAVY chopper due to handle shape and possible sweat + smooth metal grip issues. However, roughening up the handle steel might help and/or donning a light pair of work gloves.
But if you want a very cool and historically accurate blade (IIRC this was made based on an old museum piece—Yangdu will have to help with its background info..) that will do some fine chopping work while scaring the crap out of your neighbors then this is your blade. Personally, its growing on me more and more all the time. ARRGGHH!!
Edited to add: I have medium sized hands so hopefully that pic will show that even you guys who palm basketballs will have room to move on this handle
