Well, I bent the Chiruwa Ak

J

jfox95307

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2008
Messages
295
I got my chiruwa AK today. It had the crescent moon and Himalayan initials that I believe signifies Bura as the Kami. I took it out to the field and chopped a small tree and some 1" thick nut trees and it did fine. Then I decided to test it like so many of you guys suggest. I smacked it against a stump a couple times and it bent right at the bolster and cracked the bolster. I just smacked it sideways like I've read in some of the threads here. I don't think I even smacked it that hard. I guess I'm just an unlucky one.
I read through over two years of threads before making my decision to buy a Chiruwa AK and did not see one instance of one breaking or bending.
Oh well.....
 
Wow. You don't hear about that happening very often. Contact Yangdu, I'm sure she'll take care of things.
 
Smacked the stump with the side of the blade? Personally I'd think chopping trees is "testing" hitting stumps with the flat of the blade is "abuse". Cracking the bolster doesn''t surprise me, but I doubt you ever break the blade itself.
 
Well... That's what I read in some of the old threads. Also putting the tip in a vise and putting your weight on it was also suggested, but I didn't even go that far. Surely that would have bent it. I was only doing what I've read in the testing threads. I definitely wasn't trying to break it or "abuse" it. I liked the knife and had plans to sharpen and etch it as well. I surely did not want to send it back. If you are suggesting I "abused" it intentionally then you are way off base.
 
jfox95307 said:
Well... That's what I read in some of the old threads. Also putting the tip in a vise and putting your weight on it was also suggested, but I didn't even go that far. Surely that would have bent it. I was only doing what I've read in the testing threads. I definitely wasn't trying to break it or "abuse" it. I liked the knife and had plans to sharpen and etch it as well. I surely did not want to send it back. If you are suggesting I "abused" it intentionally then you are way off base.
Click to expand...
nevermind....thanks
 
Just for my sake I am listing some links to testing threads.

This one written by Uncle Bill Himself says to do just what I did.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334614
The page I got this from is stickied here.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3195617#post3195617
It says.."Do as much as you have time for.
At minimum, the percussion tests to all 4 sides of the blade."
And this one specifically says to what it on a stump.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=333571
There are many more, but I'm sure you get the point. I did not "abuse" the blade, I did what was reccomended by Bill himself.

Joe
 
nevermind ....thanks
jfox95307 said:
Just for my sake I am listing some links to testing threads.

This one written by Uncle Bill Himself says to do just what I did.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334614
The page I got this from is stickied here.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3195617#post3195617
It says.."Do as much as you have time for.
At minimum, the percussion tests to all 4 sides of the blade."
There are many more, but I'm sure you get the point. I did not "abuse" the blade, I did what was reccomended by Bill himself.

Joe
Click to expand...
 
I edited my last post to include the link that specifically says to whack the blade sideways on a stump. This link is stickied on the noob thread. It therefore must be considered required reading.

joe
 
"Here are compatible & equally necessary approaches to testing;
plus related threads re toughness:"

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334614
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335960
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=333571
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335118
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330836
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=332864
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=305353

Do as much as you have time for.
At minimum, the percussion tests to all 4 sides of the blade."

The phrase "compatible and equally necessary approaches to testing" should be enough for anyone..

I'm not getting upset here, but the testing links spell this out very clearly with no ambiguity at all.

I don't know why the links aren't working in this post.

I think I've fixed them
 
nevermind...thanks

jfox95307 said:
"Here are compatible & equally necessary approaches to testing;
plus related threads re toughness:"

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=334614
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=335960
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=333571
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=335118
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=330836
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=332864
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=305353

Do as much as you have time for.
At minimum, the percussion tests to all 4 sides of the blade."

The phrase "compatible and equally necessary approaches to testing" should be enough for anyone..

I'm not getting upset here, but the testing links spell this out very clearly with no ambiguity at all.
Click to expand...
 
jfox95307 said:
I edited my last post to include the link that specifically says to whack the blade sideways on a stump. This link is stickied on the noob thread. It therefore must be considered required reading.

joe
Click to expand...

Nope, not abuse, just good common sense.:thumbup:
If you don't test your khukuri fully then it could fail you in the field when you really needed it and then what? :rolleyes: :p
I'm also one of the old timers here and even when I got my Kothimoda I took it out back and wailed the hell out of it!:thumbup: :D
I whacked it sideways and then whacked the spine as hard as I could several times. Then I put the blade between two close growing together trees and leaned on the handle to make sure it didn't bend like JFox's did.
And I tested everyone of my khuks that way and never had a failure by bending one, chipping a good section out of the edge was another story....:grumpy: :(
I was testing one of my full sized Ganga Rams by chopping and twisting on a large piece of Blackjack Oak and chipped out a piece of the blade about 1/4" wide and a little over 1-1/2" wide. I figured it was hardened way too hard and since there was plenty of blade left I ground out the chip and reshaped the blade and resharpened and then I re-tested it, passed with flying colors!!!!:thumbup: :D
 
Thanks Yvsa,
I feel a little better.
I would never had done it if it had not been specifically recommended.
No hard feelings at all.
I just am disappointed that I don't get to play with my new toy this weekend. (the wifes gone to mexico);)
 
Joe,
Yvsa speaks the truth.
Don't let the "abuse" screamers get you riled.
Those who know, know.
And ultimately Yangdu's opinion is the only one that matters, and I have no doubt she will do right by you.
But yeah, it sucks to have to send back something you just got...
 
I'm just curious if the blade flexed and the bolster cracked or the blade bent and stayed that way.

I could see a blade cracking if defective, but bending just seems to defy the laws of physics to me.

A picture of the damage helps.
 
Bent and stayed that way.
I don't have the means to take any pics at the moment, but it definitely took quite a set.
 
I know from experience that testing is necessary. A very unusual failure, and one that I'm sure Yangdu will make right. She's the best.
Steve
 
I don't have a user khukuri that I haven't tested first by whacking as hard as I could against some immovable object before subjecting it to heavy chopping, That's absolutely what Uncle Bill told us to do. I can't imagine what caused the type of failure you experienced, but I have no doubt that Yangdu will set things right as soon as she's aware of the situation.
 
jfox,
One thing to consider... Say you didn't do the requested testing and you were out in the deep woods camping and decided to chop up some wood for the family fire and the blade failed and cut off your foot or worse. Testing in this manner helps us know in the beginning under more controlled circumstances if there is an unknown defect. Remember we're talking about used truck springs...not some super alloy of the future. There may be some instances that the kamis do everything right but the steel still fails. You did the right thing testing and kudos to you for reading the stickies in the first place. Yangdu is great about standing behind her khukuries. Welcome to the forum and to HI.
DanR
 
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