The 15

H

hollowdweller

Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
13,182
I went on a 2 hour hike last night. Left at 8:15 and got back at 10:15.

I attempted to use an old road we used to use that cuts off of the power line right of way back in the woods and it was grown up all to hell.:eek:

I hardly ever take a gun with me hiking because there's not much chance of encountering any 2 or 4 legged things that would be problems, but I do always take a khukuri.

Lately I have got a lot of my paths pretty well clear so I kind of scaled down and have been taking the 15" BGRS since it is so light and compact.

Well I got into this road and it has all these trees say 3 and 4" down on it and all these pines grown up with branches.

So I break the 15 out and I had forgot what a nice edge I had got on this one. I was cutting 4" stuff by making 2 cuts. One on one side and then one on the other. It's light and short enough to swing in the pines so I could cut the branches off, and when I made it thru the thicket and into a thicket of blackberry briars I put on the gloves and used it like a machete to forge the way till I hit my ridge and the woods where I already had cleared:thumbup:

These are such neat little blades:thumbup: Perfect for this type stuff.

My only complaint on these 15" ers is that the ring is a little sharp and in the wrong place and either the handle needs to be a bit longer, or even better the butt needs to be flared wider so your hand doesn't drift back and encounter the sharp edge of the butt plate, however overall a great blade.

:thumbup: :thumbup:
 
So, you had a good time but have one complaint.

I have a complaint; I have the flu! I can't go on any hikes. I just move between bed and the sofa.

Wish I were with you.



munk
 
Yea well I have strep and have had to work through it. So I wish I was you and could hit a couch and get some sleep.

Last week I bought a 15" BSI by Sgt. Khadka from Steve. Lemme tell you that thing has this feel to it. It kinda just feels perfect in my hand. I was putting it away in my closet and just had to draw it one last time. I almost got carried away and chopped up my clothes with it. I also have a 15" villager BGRS. It has that same short handle/misplaced ring problem and I plan to just sand the thing off, but its a sweet blade, and I wouldn't trade those two 15's for any of the others I have. Next time I hit the woods I'm bringing my FF and that 15" Sgt. Its a winner.
 
HD

Was the BGRS a villager with horn or wood? I noticed on my GR villager the pommel tends to be a little rough but I sanded the handle down pretty well before using. Haven't used the horn WWII villager yet but seems like the pommel is a little rough too. Still, gotta love the abuse they'll take.

Steve
 
15" against 4" in 2 swings !!?? I gotta get myself one of those BGRS...and put a nice edge on it...

er...munk...I don't have a flu bit I cannot go on hike...where I live.

Wish I were with you.
 
Munk, hope you get better!


It's really been beautiful out in the woods last 2 nights. Clear and cold with moonlight and some residual snow.

I think I could sand the handle and round the butt a bit and it would improve, but I have put most of my effort into really evening out and polishing the edge.

The 15 won't really cut super thick trees even compared to a 17, but near perfect for the kind of stuff I was doing.

Here's a pic I took a while back. This is about the max diam for the 15 IMO.

You can chop thicker but you start busting your knuckles when you get deep into the cut cause the blade is not long enough.

bigtree.jpg


bigtreecut.jpg
 
15" is probably the best all-around size....portability/obtrusiveness being a factor. Handles can be a little small.

My most-used is a 15" BAS... but for the size, prefer the 15" AK.



Ad Astra
 
I think size wise I'd prefer 16.5" is the best size for me overall.

Now Ad...i know you have the 25".........:o
 
Astrodada said:
I think size wise I'd prefer 16.5" is the best size for me overall.

Now Ad...i know you have the 25".........:o
Click to expand...

My 16" Bonecutter is near perfect size. It's as heavy as your typical HI 17" though.
 
I have found that my 16'' BGRS villager to be my best all around blade, the thing just chops and chops. Taken apart some good size trees with it and then cut fire wood. :thumbup:
 
Another great review, HD. Echo your comments on the ring and pommel on the the 15" BGRS. Did some filing on mine. The 15 inchers are definitely useful in their own right. :thumbup:

Bob
 
Big Bob said:
Another great review, HD. Echo your comments on the ring and pommel on the the 15" BGRS. Did some filing on mine. The 15 inchers are definitely useful in their own right. :thumbup:

Bob
Click to expand...


Thanks Bob!:thumbup: :D
 
Fortunately my medicine for the back helps with the cough, Rob, thanks for asking.


15" is too darn small for serious work, and I prefer at least the 16.5" khuks. But 15" is also where the leverage is starting optimize. Gotta like it.




munk
 
munk said:
15" is too darn small for serious work, munk
Click to expand...

I guess it depends how you define "serious" work:rolleyes:

How do you define it?:D Pics or ST...;)

Seriously I have a number of 18 inch or above and 2 lb or above khuks here and they hardly ever get used, where the say 15 to 17, pound and a quarter to pound and a half ones are used pretty much weekly, often several times a week. I cut up that whole big pine with that 17" 23 oz FF.

I could see if I was bucking a huge dry oak or something breaking out a huge khuk, but earnestly on something like that I'd probably grab my chainsaw or an axe. So for my "serious" stuff the big boys aren't needed.
 
The 15"s take tiny bites out of things. Thats OK with me. They are not long enough nor usually heavy enough to really take full advantage of the khuk design. You can feel this, and it is empirically noted if you compare the chopping of a 18" to a 15". The 16.5 Chiruwa does better than the 15 AK, all things being equal like weight.

I'm not a engineer. I'm not sure how one even measures this. A small person for whom the 15" is the right size, or a very large person for whom it is not, should conceivably cut about the same amount of wood with it, though the small person might be less tired. (hollowdweller is not a small person)

There are lots of fans of 15" khuks. Some folks really swear by them. I don't contend their pleasure is false, or the blade useless, just the opposite; I'm pleased to see people have choice.

I think my shirt sleeve length is 34", if that means any thing.


munk
 
I'd say the choice size in Nepal-18 inch is perfect but hey that's just my two cents :D
 
Thanks for the pix HD. Very nice. That trail almost draws me into my monitor. Guess I like larger khuks, starting out around 16". The 16.5" Chiruwa AK feels real good. I've also got a non-HI that is 15.5", and I wouldn't mind carrying that either.

Hope you ditch the flu munk and hike up to those caves. Pix maybe? Incidently, I have a 34" sleeve as well. When I was younger I used to joke that I was a perfect cube because my pants were 34 x 34 as well. Don't have that problem anymore. Guess which measurement has increased.
 
The 15in AK, and actually, a couple of 15in BASs work for me as carry, work, and acceptably-sized tools.

No one khuk can do it all, but were there to be only one to be used for camping and sportsman work, I'd pick the 15in AK. Currently I have a great Sher 21oz, 15in AK.

If I were cutting trees I'd use a saw, or a chainsaw, since I could drive to the sites.

But I use these tools for everyday utility.

As a daily, walk-about, carry khuk, the 12in AK villager Bill M. got me is hands-down, my favorite.

To each his own, for his or her own function.
 
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