What's happened to the "review" threads?

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
20,978
Used to be....if you got a new khukuri, you gave it a workout and posted the results here.

The deals have picked back up again, and because of such, it sure would be nice to see some reviews - more than the typical "Got it! Looks great! Thanks!"

Whaddya say, guys?

Summertime is upon us....good khuk weather. :D
 
Most likely it's laziness.

Maybe it's fear of the general population.

"I'm not comfortable with you having that."
"That's a big knife."
"It looks like something you'd see in a police museum."
"It's not very sharp."

Comments on my JKM-1 from other folk. :grumpy:
 
True, but Bill used to say during some of his specials: "I'll let you have it for this price if you test it and post a review for us." (paraphrase)



Reviews are good because they should pick up any possible decline in material- or improvement. But only if they're tested hard. There was a test regime on the HI Web site, I don't even know if it's there anymore, but it was WAY over the top; remember putting all your weight on the blade when the end was stuck in a concrete crack and bending it to ground level?


We'll never get standardized tests, and I'm not sure I'd want them all the same, but a few suggestions as to test procedure might be good. Keep in mind we're not all Cliff Stamps, but you and other engineer types might come up with a few ideas.

Hollowdweller and I both test the edge in Hard Wood. That seems to be the clinch for some blades. Some of you are probably so strong I'm not sure what is fair- when I say I swing the blade hard as I can into the wood and check the edge- what does that mean to one of you martial artists who can bench 500 pounds?

Yvsa used to perform a cut and dig- at the end of his stroke he twist the blade to scrape out the wood. That's gotta be tough on a edge.

I think this is a good idea, Pen, and no matter what each of us do, any work out and conversation about the blades is bound to be a good thing. With more reviews we might have identified the horn handle cracking earlier.

edit- oh- some of us used to test for Rockwell, as did Bill, but many don't have the tools to do that. Hollow is interested in how long a sweet spot is, and what tempering the entire blade length has. I just 'feel' the sweet spot with a stone, as it passes slickly over the hardened area, and wants to dig or engage softer areas.


munk
 
No need for abusive testing....just want to hear more about other people's experiences with their new khukuris.

Even if you're an ole duffer, long-time collector, etc....if your recent purchase is of a style that you've never had before, I think (:D:eek::D) you're obligated to let us know how it performs for you.

I appreciate all kinds of testing...hard wood, 2x4s, brush work, trail clearing, etc. Even the ocassional melon test....:D

I think if we had more reviews being posted, we'd help out the new guys a little better (instead of sending them ravaging through the archives).


So, who's had a new khukuri purchase lately?


I have....and I'll be posting the test results tomorrow! :p
 
I'm going on a fairly light camping trip the 8th through the 11th of June. However, i'll post a review of how my Pen Knife and AK bowie handled the chores. The game plan is to bring both, but leave the AKB in the jeep unless an emergency pops up and I need it for cutting myself out of my jeep, bear attack, to look cool, etc;) I'm thinking the Pen Knife for making camp and food prep and a bilton along with a SAK champ for the trails will be fine. At any rate, i'll post a review.


~Jake
 
Well the backyard is turning into a jungle and my wife has been asking when something is going to be done about that. Looks like it's time to break-in my 16.5" WWII.

Lots of green, some trash trees and some oak limbs (~6in diameter) that needs to be sectioned and dragged to the curb. What would have been a toilsome Saturday of yardwork has been transmogrified into a "scientific" khukuri experiment. Thanks, HI! :)

(Actually, phrasing it that way really does make it more palatable...)
 
My father, my wife, and I Took 10 fifth grade girl scouts camping last weekend. Got to split a bunch of wood and make alot of kindling with my WWII. Got it stuck in logs a couple times, but I was splitting some 8 inch Diameter pieces. I was swinging it as hard as I could swing it and I can swing it pretty hard. My father was certain I was going to break something. Took several swings to split some of them. Also cut down some small green trees to make some walking sticks. My wife bought each one of the girl scouts their own pocket knife....small whittler/jack knifes. El-cheapos you know....we are both school teachers. They stripped the bark off their walking stiks and carved their initials into them. I got some looks carrying my kuk through camp, but no-one said anything...they just stared. I have only held two kuks, A WWII and A BAS. The BAS will probably never be used because Dad says it's to pretty to scratch up. I cannot imagine a knife performing any better than this one. The edge remained extremely sharp and I cannot tell it degraded at all. The wood was seasoned oak and it was rather stringy. I pried alot with the blade to split the pieces. Flawless.
I can't wait until archery season draws near. My shooting lanes will never have looked so good.

Otto
 
Pen, I would love nothing more. This is one more reason I hate the Army, as my khuks have to reside in PA while I reside in the barracks of FT Gordon GA. :grumpy: :mad: :( . Next year I hope to do more reviews to make up for lost time. :D
 
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