| Author |
Message |
|
Michael Pearce
Industry Professional
|
 Posted: Fri 18 Mar, 2011 12:21 pm Post subject: CSD Khukuri video |
 |
|
Overall Length: 14 inches
Blade Length: 9 inches
Blade width @ Base: 1-3/4 inches
Blade Maximum Width: 2 inches
Blade Thickness: 3/8 inch
Hilt Overall Length: 5 inches
Center of Gravity: 1 inch from base of blade
Weight: 1lb. 12 oz.
Khukuris are the iconic fighting knife of the Gurkha warriors of Nepal, but they are also used throughout Nepal and Northern India as all-purpose utility knives and weapons. This modern Khukuri features a full-profile tang, ergonomic handle shape, removable G10 scales and a selectively hardened 5160 spring steel blade. The blade is convex-ground to a zero-edge. This knife is provided with a leather belt scabbard.
I wanted to showcase the cutting power and utility of the CSD here, as I did in last week's video for the CSD-Micro. There's a bit of unintentional comedy to it- as the tree that I selected this week was of much, much tougher wood than the tree from last week's video and I have a rough time of it! Still- the knife does work and I think impressively!
See it Here- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1jYVu3ETvc
Michael 'Tinker' Pearce
-------------
Then one night, as my car was going backwards through a cornfield at 90mph, I had an epiphany...
|
|
    |
 |
Jean Thibodeau
|
| Posted: Fri 18 Mar, 2011 1:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Nice again, but " BIGGER NICE "    
You seem a little less winded than last time cutting through some thicker trees.
Some of the less successful cuts seem to be at 90 degrees to the trunks and a 45 degree angle should give a better bite alternating 45 degrees cutting down and 45 degrees cutting up to better chop out wedge shaped chunks of wood I think.
Just watch where your hand holding the the trunk or branch is in relation to your cutting should the blade skip on the surface rather than bite into it. ( I assume you know what you are doing but a couple of times there it was maybe not scary but I was a little concerned. )
Very nice looking Khukuri and I like the way the point recurves up a little aesthetically.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colt Reeves
|
| Posted: Fri 18 Mar, 2011 2:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | | alternating 45 degrees cutting down and 45 degrees cutting up to better chop out wedge shaped chunks of wood I think |
This is called bucking a log. (If you were doing it to a log that is.) It takes advantage of the fact that wood cuts better with the grain. You can take a horribly dull blade and still cut at a 45 degree angle, but only bounce off when you strike at 90.
Speaking of, I have seen people take a massive swing with an axe at 90 degrees and lose control when it bounces off. Kind of scary if you're nearby, half expecting them to lose their grip and send the axe flying at you. Same as practice cutting with a sword: If you aren't doing so well, don't try to overcome with power, figure out what's wrong with your technique.
I'm not trying to lecture here, it is far easier to say how to do it than to actually do it. When I cut up brush I don't look like I know what I'm doing either. It's harder with the small stuff standing up. Branches just move away when you hit 'em.
"Tears are for the craven, prayers are for the clown.
Halters for the silly neck that cannot keep a crown.
As my loss is grievous, so my hope is small.
For Iron, Cold Iron, must be master of men all..."
-Cold Iron, Rudyard Kipling
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael Pearce
Industry Professional
|
| Posted: Fri 18 Mar, 2011 3:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I definitely do need more practice- and as both Colt and my wife Linda noted the ability for the target to move with the blow doesn't help. Did get the chips flying pretty good a few times...
Michael 'Tinker' Pearce
-------------
Then one night, as my car was going backwards through a cornfield at 90mph, I had an epiphany...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ken Speed
|
| Posted: Fri 18 Mar, 2011 5:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
MIke,
I was worried you were going to have your final epiphany when you were chopping with the mini khukuri! 
Both knives seem very nice but you need some work on your chopping technique before you do any more demo videos, I don't mean to sound harsh but you could hurt yourself very badly the way you're doing things. I think Jean mentioned holding the sapling still and cutting at a 45 degree angle, another technique is to bend green wood with one hand, creating torsion in the fibers and then chopping across the fibers at more or less a right angle.
We don't want to lose you or your wonderful tools and weapons!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael Pearce
Industry Professional
|
| Posted: Fri 18 Mar, 2011 8:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I appreciate the concern but it probably wasn't as dangerous as it seems to have looked to you on the video or my wife (who was taking the video) would have freaked out! The angles are apparently somewhat deceptive. Still- I will work on the technique; I really am more used to swords!
Having re-watched the video though a couple of things are apparent; Most of the cuts that aren't done back-hand are at around 45 degrees; again the angles are deceptive. Look at the cut-off ends- they are all 35-45 degrees. Also- when doing the initial cut through the thick portion of the trunk there was no way to put torsion on the trunk; the tree was about 20 feet tall and the top was entangled in other branches.
So- need to work on technique- check! Need to work on videography too but that's going to be a bit slower...
Look on the bright side- if the knives worked that well for me how much better would they work for someone competent? :-)
Michael 'Tinker' Pearce
-------------
Then one night, as my car was going backwards through a cornfield at 90mph, I had an epiphany...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael Pearce
Industry Professional
|
| Posted: Fri 18 Mar, 2011 8:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Jean Thibodeau wrote: | Nice again, but " BIGGER NICE "
Very nice looking Khukuri and I like the way the point recurves up a little aesthetically. |
Thank you! That curve actually serves a function- it brings the point in-line with the large bones of the arm allowing more precise and more intuitive thrusting.
Michael 'Tinker' Pearce
-------------
Then one night, as my car was going backwards through a cornfield at 90mph, I had an epiphany...
|
|
|
|
|
Jean Thibodeau
|
| Posted: Sun 20 Mar, 2011 6:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Michael Pearce wrote: | | Jean Thibodeau wrote: | Nice again, but " BIGGER NICE "
Very nice looking Khukuri and I like the way the point recurves up a little aesthetically. |
Thank you! That curve actually serves a function- it brings the point in-line with the large bones of the arm allowing more precise and more intuitive thrusting. |
OOOOOPS: Missed the opportunity to sound really smart since it's the design reason why I would make a Khukuri with a recurve like this in addition to liking what is looks like.
Sort of like some Yatagans although with those the blades tend to be longer and narrower that a Khukuri with more emphasis on curve/recurve than the traditional Khukuri that seem mostly to have downturned points. ( There might be traditional ones that also have this feature but I don't remember seeing one ).
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is a standard topic