what's the proper way to split or cut heavy branches with a khuk?

[cognitivefun]

Subject says it all...I am curious as to the method you prefer, youse who are experienced in this matter, so I can learn from youse.

Thanks!

 

[Steely_Gunz]

Well anytime I cut anything large whether it is still on the tree or on the ground, I use the method that Yvsa talks about where you actually cut away from yourself. It feels a little unnatural because you want to swing in a 45 degree arch from your shoulder to your center, but this can be a bad news if something goes wrong while swinging a khuk. After a while, though, it feels like second nature. You can chop all day, and it's much safer for you.

Jake

 

[hollowdweller]

Here's what I do.

Assuming the log is not lying on the ground:

First I cut down from the top. I cut 45 degrees on the right then 45 on the left.

Depending on how wide your log is you want to make your cut fairly wide at the top so when you get down to the bottom you have room to cut still.

As you get down in the notch you will cut each side and then sometimes you have to cut under your first stroke to move the wood chip out. To cut the part that's attached at the bottom.

Anyway after I have got maybe half or 60% down I shift angles and do another notch leaning over the log. This is where the khukuri really excells, cause if your log is off the ground and you lean over the log the bend in the khuk will actually allow you to chop somewhat underneath the log.

Then if I can climb over the log I cut another notch on the other side. by this time the remaining attached wood should be mainly in the middle, and by removing wood from each side, some of the bottom and of course the top you should have room to come straight down from the top and sever the remaining wood.

I should mention I never really wail away on it but just let the weight of the khuk do the chopping. That way if you miss or glance there is less chance of it slipping from your grip. Also easier on the tendons.

I never use khukuris to split wood so someone else will have to address that.:thumbup:

 

[munk]

Hmm. If the branch or tree is thick enough, I'll cut down but at an angle. I don't worry about overpenetration initially but only towards the end. I worry about a 'hop and a skip' and try to keep the strokes in such a way that any bounce does not head my way, or to a bystander.

I cut segments out. I see a plan. If it's a tree I'll do the classic deep on one side then shallow on the other to drop it. I usually end up with a beaver-bit looking tree.

Naturally, if it's large limb that won't come down with a few swipes of a 20" AK, I plan for the drop and make sure I'm not in the way. With a felled tree I leave support branches until the end, so I can comfortably reach and chop the other branches.

It's important not to waste strength and safety by hitting too hard. There is only so much the blade can do anyway.


munk

 

[jmings]

Your khukuri will tell you when you're doing it right. Some like to take little bites and some like to take a bigger bite, but control and safety are the main concerns.

Oh, and don't hit a piece of wood when the other end is anywhere near your crotch. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[hollowdweller]

I cut segments out. I see a plan. I usually end up with a beaver-bit looking tree.

munk

Yeah that's the way mine look too. if it's a horizontal branch across a trail the wood will be gone on top and both sides and then the last thing cut is the very bottom.

If I have time next week or so I'll take some pixx. There's a big tree laying across the path in the woods I need to cut out so maybe I'll have Ms HD come and do some pix of the technique.

 

[Daniel Koster]

here's what I do (works in cutting competitions too):

All cuts are made as close to 45 degrees as possible. 45 is a magic number.......too steep, won't get enough penetration...too shallow, too much penetration which mean more friction, splintering, and possibly a glanced blow. Too close to 90 degrees and your blade will "bounce" instead of cut.

Method 1: Cutting all the way through one side

Start by making two cuts that are roughly the same width apart as the piece of wood is wide. (again, 45 degrees is what we're aiming for) It will seem counter-intuitive at first to cut that far apart, and the cutting will go slow. But then a big piece "pops out" and suddenly you're halfway through the wood. By the time you're halfway, you should have a "valley" that is as wide as the remaining width yet to cut. (again, 45 degrees...) Repeat until you split it through.


Method 2: Cutting halfway through each side

Same technique as above, but you start with a width that is a little more than half the width of the wood you want to cut. When you get halfway, flip it over and repeat. You'll find that if you go just a little over half on one side, the next side will go much faster.

 

[Kismet]

Splitting:

Secure bottom of piece of wood on ground, or secure place.

Rest khukuri in center of wood round. Hold khuk handle with left hand.

Smack khukuri spine with second piece of wood. When khukuri spine descends below top of wood, smack the part that sticks out the front, while exerting pressure with your left hand on the handle.

Continue smacking until wood round splits.


Read the safety thread.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Start by making two cuts that are roughly the same width apart as the piece of wood is wide.

If you stagger at all this will prevent a cut from being finished, unless the chip depth is high so you can completely the cut through the end wood without a chip removal cut. In general start with the maximum width you can clear a chip, this gives you room to progress if you stair-step, and the extra width doesn't slow you down if you don't need it.

Cutting limbs is fairly hard on a blade, much more so than felling. You also can't cut them off on an angle, assuming you intend to carry the wood anyway. You clip them off straight to the trunk, if you can't do this cleanly then you do an angle cut to start the notch and then under cut it straight. You may need to do that more than once on a large branch.

Work from the side facing the roots, hits on the other side can cause the branch to tear/break off. Start off slow and light, it is better to do it in four cuts safely than to do it in one cut and end up with the blade resting in your leg.

-Cliff

 

[Dave Rishar]

All good stuff.

I try to use a bladed stance (strong side forward) regardless of what kind of cutting I'm doing. On downward blows, I can flex my leading knee a bit, dropping some of my body weight behind the swing. Besides giving me some more power without a loss of control, it changes the dynamics of the work drastically: the potential energy of the raised khukuri and my body do the chopping, and my knee (rather than my arm) does most of the work in replenishing this energy from swing to swing.

I try to keep my swings well clear of my body. Assuming that my right side is forward and my stance is fairly bladed, a swing from right to left is almost impossible to hit myself with. Coming back from left to right, the swing is backhanded and is probably the safest swing one can make. I used to keep my free hand behind me for balance but managed to hit it once like that (I have no idea how) so these days, I keep it against my chest.

The most important thing, safety wise, is to swing in such a way that the khukuri cannot come back at you, either from overpenetrating the target or taking a bad bounce. (I've caught a bounce and while it healed well, it left a mark on me both figuratively and literally.) The terrain that you're on, the angle and condition of the wood, and the amount of force that you're using all play a part in the best way to cut.

In general, force is inversely proportional to control. If it's a tough angle, use an absolute minimum of force or figure out another way to approach it. Hard swings from tough angles with body parts in the vicinity are a recipe for disaster.

Also, make sure that no one is nearby. Getting hit in the face by someone else's woodchips is annoying; getting hit in the face by an errant khukuri is far worse.