- Joined
- Oct 25, 2004
- Messages
- 3,178
I first started lurking on this forum a few weeks ago. The reason was that I'd picked up a khukuri-shaped machete from CS for use at work and had been impressed with its cutting and chopping abilities as compared to the G.I. machetes we normally use. My search for the "real deal" eventually led me here.
I spent about another week reading old threads, running searches, etc. I very rarely purchase something without researching it a bit. I paid particular attention to threads detailing what styles of khukuri were good for certain types of work. I haven't learned all that I wanted to just yet but I'm working on that. 100 threads or so to go for this last year, then it's on to the beginning.
My main concern at present (regarding work) is clearing heavy brush, saplings, and the occasional fallen tree. I'm located in the Pacific Northwest, in a heavily wooded old growth forest that may or may not have been logged in the past, depending on which area of the facility I'm working at. I spend about half my time clearing Scotch Broom and pine saplings, both of which enjoy disturbed/poor/sandy soil (found in abundance at shooting ranges) and tend to spread pretty rapidly. Besides these two, I spend a bit of time clearing blackberries (another local pest), a bit more time limbing rhododendrons (a pest for us, but not for the locals), and the remainder of my defoliation activities are geared toward limbing and occasionally sectioning fallen trees that're blocking the back roads. I don't know the names of all the trees out here but there aren't too many hardwoods. I know for a fact that there are a lot of pines, cedars, and alders. We do have access to chainsaws, especially when the trees are over 6" or so in diameter, but they're normally left back in the shop as they're too much of a pain to carry and fuel can be a problem. (Not that sectioning a 2' tree with a maul isn't a problem. For anyone who's done it, you know what I'm talking about.) We tend to use machetes for just about everything besides large trees. Not the best tool, but easier to carry than a chainsaw or an axe and the G.I. blades are pretty sturdy.
Bearing in mind that this is my normal kind of work, that I'm 6'2", 235 lbs., and used to swinging fairly heavy objects, I went ahead an placed an order for a Chiruwa AK. I figure it ought to be right up my alley for this kind of work. That sums up my first purchase.
I was also looking for a decent bowie knife. I'd been leaning toward CS (I've had good luck with their products in the past) but was still undecided. I noticed the HI Bowie while shopping for my AK, but the name was not what grabbed my eye. I cook as a hobby. (Bear with me here.) The knife I use for most of my kitchen cutting is a large meat cleaver I purchased a year ago at the base exchange for a measly $8. Cheap steel, but it took a good edge, felt good in my hand, and I learned to do just about all of my cutting with it. (Very little chopping, ironically.) That HI bowie looked like a meat cleaver with a point. I realized, right then and there, that that was the bowie I'd been looking for. I placed the order with a smile.
I have several questions for the HI afficianados here. First and foremost, did I make a good choice on the AK? Bear in mind, I'm going to thrash this thing. I appreciate a durable tool much more than a pretty one. (My rifle at work is an M16A3. At home, it's a SAR-3. ) That warranty also looks pretty nice. When I'm buying a tool of a new sort, I try to buy a good one -- they tend to save money in the long run. From all I've seen of HI's reputation, they seem to make good tools. If it's half as nice as I think it is I'll be very satisfied. Was it a good choice for this application, though?
Secondly: there are times when I'm clearing nothing but light brush. Especially when I'm at home, I spend the majority of my time chopping nothing heavier than blackberry bushes. The Wal-Mart $6 special can do the job (a bit light and the handle is every bit as bad as the G.I. ones, but it works) but that pot metal it's made out of dings horribly on anything harder than Styrofoam; you're looking at time on the bench grinder after an hour or less of cutting, and if you manage to hit a stone or forgotten barbed wire fence (I do both often) you'll be grinding quite a bit. The CS machete I currently use at work holds up better but honestly, it's too short for my liking when working on prickly vines. I want something at least 20". Longer is better here. Those thorns can and do penetrate leather gloves and when my aim is off with a short machete, I usually wind up bleeding. I was looking at the Kobra style blades for this task. Any thoughts on a better choice?
Next: I'm not expecting to be disappointed in the least by the HI bowie, but are there any special tips I should know about it? I'm planning on using a standard bevel on it rather than a convex grind as I'm much better at sharpening a standard bevel. I can understand that convex is a more desirable way to go on a chopping blade, but I'm not planning on chopping often with my bowie. (I don't chop with the knives I use now, after all.) Would this be a real disadvantage?
Last but not least, and not a question: this is a truly outstanding forum. By simply chasing links, running searches, and grinding through old threads, I've answered most of my questions without even asking them. (I probably could've answered the rest if I kept going.) I've also answered quite a few questions that I hadn't even asked yet -- always a good sign. The knowledge base here is amazing.
I know, I know, I should've asked before making my purchases, not after. I'm sorry. I couldn't wait any longer.
The posts I've read here and elsewhere pretty much convinced me that I won't be disappointed, regardless of what I order. I'd just like to hear a bit of wisdom from some folks with experience. I have a feeling that this won't be my first order.
Now, if I only knew a way to make the wait for my order to arrive a little more tolerable...
I spent about another week reading old threads, running searches, etc. I very rarely purchase something without researching it a bit. I paid particular attention to threads detailing what styles of khukuri were good for certain types of work. I haven't learned all that I wanted to just yet but I'm working on that. 100 threads or so to go for this last year, then it's on to the beginning.
My main concern at present (regarding work) is clearing heavy brush, saplings, and the occasional fallen tree. I'm located in the Pacific Northwest, in a heavily wooded old growth forest that may or may not have been logged in the past, depending on which area of the facility I'm working at. I spend about half my time clearing Scotch Broom and pine saplings, both of which enjoy disturbed/poor/sandy soil (found in abundance at shooting ranges) and tend to spread pretty rapidly. Besides these two, I spend a bit of time clearing blackberries (another local pest), a bit more time limbing rhododendrons (a pest for us, but not for the locals), and the remainder of my defoliation activities are geared toward limbing and occasionally sectioning fallen trees that're blocking the back roads. I don't know the names of all the trees out here but there aren't too many hardwoods. I know for a fact that there are a lot of pines, cedars, and alders. We do have access to chainsaws, especially when the trees are over 6" or so in diameter, but they're normally left back in the shop as they're too much of a pain to carry and fuel can be a problem. (Not that sectioning a 2' tree with a maul isn't a problem. For anyone who's done it, you know what I'm talking about.) We tend to use machetes for just about everything besides large trees. Not the best tool, but easier to carry than a chainsaw or an axe and the G.I. blades are pretty sturdy.
Bearing in mind that this is my normal kind of work, that I'm 6'2", 235 lbs., and used to swinging fairly heavy objects, I went ahead an placed an order for a Chiruwa AK. I figure it ought to be right up my alley for this kind of work. That sums up my first purchase.
I was also looking for a decent bowie knife. I'd been leaning toward CS (I've had good luck with their products in the past) but was still undecided. I noticed the HI Bowie while shopping for my AK, but the name was not what grabbed my eye. I cook as a hobby. (Bear with me here.) The knife I use for most of my kitchen cutting is a large meat cleaver I purchased a year ago at the base exchange for a measly $8. Cheap steel, but it took a good edge, felt good in my hand, and I learned to do just about all of my cutting with it. (Very little chopping, ironically.) That HI bowie looked like a meat cleaver with a point. I realized, right then and there, that that was the bowie I'd been looking for. I placed the order with a smile.
I have several questions for the HI afficianados here. First and foremost, did I make a good choice on the AK? Bear in mind, I'm going to thrash this thing. I appreciate a durable tool much more than a pretty one. (My rifle at work is an M16A3. At home, it's a SAR-3.
) That warranty also looks pretty nice. When I'm buying a tool of a new sort, I try to buy a good one -- they tend to save money in the long run. From all I've seen of HI's reputation, they seem to make good tools. If it's half as nice as I think it is I'll be very satisfied. Was it a good choice for this application, though?Secondly: there are times when I'm clearing nothing but light brush. Especially when I'm at home, I spend the majority of my time chopping nothing heavier than blackberry bushes. The Wal-Mart $6 special can do the job (a bit light and the handle is every bit as bad as the G.I. ones, but it works) but that pot metal it's made out of dings horribly on anything harder than Styrofoam; you're looking at time on the bench grinder after an hour or less of cutting, and if you manage to hit a stone or forgotten barbed wire fence (I do both often) you'll be grinding quite a bit. The CS machete I currently use at work holds up better but honestly, it's too short for my liking when working on prickly vines. I want something at least 20". Longer is better here. Those thorns can and do penetrate leather gloves and when my aim is off with a short machete, I usually wind up bleeding. I was looking at the Kobra style blades for this task. Any thoughts on a better choice?
Next: I'm not expecting to be disappointed in the least by the HI bowie, but are there any special tips I should know about it? I'm planning on using a standard bevel on it rather than a convex grind as I'm much better at sharpening a standard bevel. I can understand that convex is a more desirable way to go on a chopping blade, but I'm not planning on chopping often with my bowie. (I don't chop with the knives I use now, after all.) Would this be a real disadvantage?
Last but not least, and not a question: this is a truly outstanding forum. By simply chasing links, running searches, and grinding through old threads, I've answered most of my questions without even asking them. (I probably could've answered the rest if I kept going.) I've also answered quite a few questions that I hadn't even asked yet -- always a good sign. The knowledge base here is amazing.
I know, I know, I should've asked before making my purchases, not after. I'm sorry. I couldn't wait any longer.
The posts I've read here and elsewhere pretty much convinced me that I won't be disappointed, regardless of what I order. I'd just like to hear a bit of wisdom from some folks with experience. I have a feeling that this won't be my first order.Now, if I only knew a way to make the wait for my order to arrive a little more tolerable...
I last lived in Curtin just outside of Cottage Grove and Eugene, actually worked in Eugene at a place called Sweetland Products, don't know if it's still there. It was a small automatic screw machine business where we made arrow points and had just started branching out into some different jobs from local businesses there, moved back to Oklahoma when the bottom dropped out of everything up there in 1980.
, but a 150-200 grit edge is just fine for a true working edge and actually better in some cases.
