VIBRATION

Now here's some information I know everybody is dying to hear. In 1957 I wrote a program for an IBM 650 which would calulate the natural torsional vibration frequencies (I could graph the nodes from this info) for an engine and whatever it might be driving. The computer cut the work from 40 hours to four. But I don't think this would work for khukuris.

However, if we can get the numbers I'll send them to the kamis who are sure to incorporate them into their manufacturing process.

Uncle Bill
 
Cliff.
I don't know if this will be of interest to you concerning the CS TM.
I have a 2nd Carbon V that I bought back in '92.I thought I had used and abused this knife horribley. I took it as well as my CS LTC to Arkansas to put up a Sweatlodge on some friends land there.This is Very Rocky country.
I felt that thier youngest son who talked a good story on knife use and care would take care of the TM as we went to cut the saplings for the Lodge. I reminded him to be careful and not hit any rocks. I can say that if you want any knife tested well beyond any normal service send it to me.I know who can do this. <vbeg>

I couldn't be angry at the boy,after all I let him use the blade. It came back with several nicks in the blade from hitting rocks.I have no idea how he managed to dull the blade as he did.It was still reasonably sharp about two inches from the guard,but the rest was horrible.This all in the course of about two hours.
I used a file and several stones to get the edge halfway decent on it,but it never just "looked" right.

I recently fixed it. I took a 1"x 8"
about 4' long I had and with spray adhesive glued a section of
"Floor Sanding Paper" to it.I then trimmed the edges and Viola,I had a super sized coarse 100 grit hone.
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This paper comes in a continuous roll several feet long. I usully buy it in 8 foot lengths in the two grits ( 80 & 100 ) it comes in.It is extremely heavy and tough.The Grits in both don't look as rough as they say they are and wear down fairly rapidly on metal,but can be used kinda like a finer grit when you get things like you want them. I mentioned the paper and its properties for those of you who may be able to find it. I think it would be great for use on the Village Kuhkuris.
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After much use with this homemade "stone" I got it looking "right" again.The finish on the TM is like a finish put on with a belt sander as I am sure you know. This blended everything back in well and restored the "convex" edge to new appearance. I finished it up with a couple of coarse stones and a little emory cloth.I then reblued the blade with cold blue.I done that on the previous one I had bought for my son who was in the military.I liked it so well I done mine when I got it.
After rebluing the blade I finished the edge with a fine India stone.
I used it last weekend for putting up a new Sweatlodge. It performed like new.I did cut some used carpet with it as well as some small willow saplings. It was used to trim small branches and to cut poly rope and plastic. A couple of swipes across the fine India and some Flitz used with a soft cloth brought it back.

When I finally get a Kuhkuri I will keep it undr watchful eye when we go down there !! :-)
One of these days I might just get him one of the VKs.He is a good young man.

>>>>-------> Yvsa.
 
Thanks for that story, Yvsa. I got a good laugh out of it. Kids can always do it!

And, interesting fix.

Uncle Bill
 
Bill - My imagination tells me that the driving frequency of Cliff doing a khukuri test on a tree with his 20" AK is about 5 Hz. I wonder what your program would say about that?

Yvsa - The young lad would make a fine owner for a village khukuri. The khukuri would be eternally grateful that it wasn’t being used to dig potatoes out of the rocky Nepalese soil.
 
Howard, the program would probably print out the following message:

Let the kamis do the frequency calculations!

And, you're right. Get the kid a village khukuri and turn him loose.

Uncle Bill
 
Goat, what you say about swords makes a lot of sense and I did not know that. I think that the way the khukuri's are made they automatically provide "dampening". I say dampening, not balancing, because it would be very hard to harmonically balance any knife or sword. The only reason I say this is because the vibrations we talk about are forced not naturally occuring due to an imbalance such as a car wheel for example, which can be balanced to reduce or eliminate the vibrations. If someone came up with a way to harmonically balance a knife or sword I would like to see it and the calculations. I have a feeling this is more dampening than balancing. But I could be wrong. Goat, if you know any more on this I would be interested in hearing about what is done with the swords.
 
Cobalt,

I'm rather new to this stuff myself. Here's a link to get you started:

http://swordforum.com/discussions/messages/29050.html

------------------
No, I was never lost. But I was mighty bewildered one time for three days.

--- Daniel Boone

 
Yvsa, thanks for the info. I do the same thing to make stones for friends. With a little money you can make a very cheap, very large stones. The bigger the stone the easier it it to use. When most people have trouble its because they are trying to sharpen a big knife on a little stone. With a little wood and some sandpaper you can get a 12" stone (miniumum) and they will be surprised at what just a few strokes along this will do.

I just received my Trailmaster from CS, its the Carbon V one so it has the regular V grind. I am curious as to why the stainless ones are convex. I would guess they need the extra strength. The fit and finish is much higher than what I have seen from Ontario and it feels much more solid.

Back to khukuris, I will be running it against some other knives including a few khukuris. Should be interesting.

As for harmonic balance and mapping out nodes. Some of the physics labs do look at waves and vibration in pieces of metals. I am pretty sure it would get interesting if I brought in my Ang Khola.

-Cliff




[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 21 May 1999).]
 
Did the Recon Scout come with it, Cliff. The Trailmaster is a very nice well made knife.
 
Yes, it is a nice looking knife - ATAK sized. It should be interesting to see how it performs as well.

-Cliff
 
Cliff, the more I think about it the more I think a map of the 20 inch AK might be very interesting.

Uncle Bill
 
Cliff, I tried the suggestion of taking a stronger grip and it has worked. I used to do Iaido, and have completely forgotten how to grip a knife tightly.

I was throwing my khukuris recently. I got pretty good at it fairly quickly. The khukuri really isn't a good throwing knife. The back is too soft, so if it accidently hits something hard, it'll leave a nasty scar. Yeah I know it's not what a khukuri is for. I have that nasty scar to remind me.

------------------
No, I was never lost. But I was mighty bewildered one time for three days.

--- Daniel Boone

 
Goat, I received email from a fellow yesterday asking me for throwing techniques which would enable him to throw a khukuri "around a corner". He reasoned that because it was shaped like a boomerang it would perform like one. I wrote back and told him I was unfamiliar with the technique he wanted.

Uncle Bill
 
I brought back two boomerangs from Australia. The only thing a khukuri and a boomerang have in common is that they bent forwards. The boomerang is light and shaped like a propeller (sort of). When thrown, it catches the wind and flys in a circle around you.

Khukuris can't do this as they are not light enough and are shaped differently. But they can be thrown like any other knife or hatchet.

------------------
No, I was never lost. But I was mighty bewildered one time for three days.

--- Daniel Boone

 
Hi Goat:

As a kid, I used a boomerang with poor success. I could not make it fly where I wanted it to go--same problem I had with airplanes sometimes.

Interestingly, because of its shape you can "bounce" a khukuri and make it change directions in a throw. I can't do this but a Bando fellow I know can ricochet a khukuri off the ground, going under a fence, and hit a target on the other side -- sometimes.

Uncle Bill
 
Tallwingedgoat, are you throwing it so that it rotates? How far of a distance can you get decent hits with?

The grip thing is fairly important, a khukuri does not feel like a bowie and if you use simliar grips with both you will be missing out on the abilities of one of them.

Bill :

a Bando fellow I know can ricochet a khukuri off the ground, going under a fence, and hit a target on the other side -- sometimes
Click to expand...

Being the simple person that I am, I would have just taken my 20" AK and heaved it so it went through the fence instead of trying to get fancy and going around it.

-Cliff
 
Cliff, I am a very firm believer in the right tool for the right job. If I were going to get into the knife throwing racket I would use throwing knifes, not khukuris.

The Bando people may know who I am talking about but this fellow I mentioned got surprisingly good at throwing a khukuri under controlled conditions. I think he did this just to see if he could and did not develop the skill as a practical extension of khukuri use.

I like your idea -- just throw it through the fence and be done with it.

Uncle Bill
 
Cliff,

One rotation works best right now. That would be about 15' for my 16 incher and a foot less for my 15 incher. I'm not throwing very hard and holding the khukuri by the butt.

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No, I was never lost. But I was mighty bewildered one time for three days.

--- Daniel Boone

 
Goat, do you want me to ask the kamis to make a throwing khukuri for you? It would look like two khukuris whose handles had been cut off and then the two welded together. It would double your chances of making it "stick" and you would not have to worry about damaging a handle.

Uncle Bill
 
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