First HI Kuk received, tested, and subsequently damaged.

javand

javand

Joined
Oct 17, 2010
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:eek:


Bought a Tamang off the DotD recently, my first Kuk. It's incredible, I love the feel in hand, love the style. There was a little inconsistency to the profile near the tip, but nothing I cant work out.


I decided to take it out to the yard and clear some limbs and such that I've been meaning to get to, and my craptastic machete hasn't been "cutting" it. Pardon the pun.

It made short work of some pine saplings, small soft stuff about 6-8" diameter, but when I took it to work on the limbs of a fallen tree I thought was oak, even though it was only maybe 2-3" stuff, I knocked some pretty good chips out of the belly.

Now I'm pretty sure it wasn't oak at all, but hickory, and it was pretty knotty inside the wood.

I know that I'm likely supposed to be using a burlier blade for this kind of stuff, so I'm not faulting the kuk, just want to know if there's any tips to working these chips out and if there's anything I need to be aware of during the process?


Any reason I can't take it to the mouse-pad and sandpaper, and give it a slightly thicker convex edge?

Which kuk around the same size would be more suited to these types of chores?


I'm in love regardless, although I'm guessing I might need to relegate this one more toward camp chores.


Thanks!
 
Any reason I can't take it to the mouse-pad and sandpaper, and give it a slightly thicker convex edge?
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That's what I would do. Though about what size are the chips, and did you do any touchup on the edge before starting? In my experience, HI has started putting a much sharper edge on than they used to, starting maybe a year ago. But I think some of the guys doing the sharpening are a little too enthusiastic, and I've seen wire edges on every blade I've gotten during about that time period, ranging from just a 2" spot, to the entire thing having a wire edge. Nothing that couldn't be knocked off in a minute or two with sandpaper, though. So you might have had a wire edge, and actually only damaged that. It's also possible than the overzealous sharpening softened a very tiny, thin layer, much like what can happen with the mirror polished ones.

Actually, hm. If they grind the final edge only on one side, it'd have a wire edge, but it would also be a tiny bit softer on that side, but not the other. So the khukuri actually would be "self-sharpening," sort of like a rat's tooth. Maybe that's the trick to some of the old "magic" khukuris that were supposed to never need sharpening.
 
I've done this so many times it's not funny. Just keep using it, and eventually it will go away. Unless you're heavily relying on it, one small chip won't affect performance much.
 
I've dinged both my 18" WWII and my 15" AK (before my wife claimed it) by not seeing big old nails in a big old fence post. Both sanded out pretty well on sharpening. Neither are pretty but I trust them both. Nice score on the tamang, by the way.

Frank
 
How big are the chips?

I chipped a Bonecutter beyond repair on some oak and it was tempered too brittle.

I've chipped others slightly and they were repairable.

What do the chips look like?

By the way I took the replacement khuk immediatly upon getting it to the same tree w/o problems.
 
Well it got two small crescent's knocked out of it in the "sweet spot" area. They're both right beside each other, with only a small piece of metal separating them. One is 3/8" wide by a solid 1mm deep, and the other is about 1/4" wide, same depth.

Another strike in the same area would likely connect them, leaving a solid 5/8" long section missing.

IMG_1846.JPG


IMG_1847.JPG


IMG_1848.JPG



It did have a shaving edge on it when I pulled it out of the box. In fact, even the non-chipped areas I used to chop with will take hair off still.
 
That's bigger than I've had happen to any of mine. Are you going to send it back or sand them out and see what happens?

Frank
 
I would contact Yangdu and see what she says about it. Those chips are pretty big, might possibly be a bit brittle as hollowdweller was saying in his post. Auntie is the best at customer service, and she will take very good care of you. Give her a shout :thumbup:
 
pugs75 said:
I would contact Yangdu and see what she says about it. Those chips are pretty big, might possibly be a bit brittle as hollowdweller was saying in his post. Auntie is the best at customer service, and she will take very good care of you. Give her a shout :thumbup:
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Just Be aware........
It will be up to her discretion wether or not to replace this piece as the Tamangs are not warranted for chopping wood. They are a "general use" khukri and not warranted for "field" usage.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=653192
 
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pugs75 said:
I would contact Yangdu and see what she says about it. Those chips are pretty big, might possibly be a bit brittle as hollowdweller was saying in his post. Auntie is the best at customer service, and she will take very good care of you. Give her a shout :thumbup:
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I'll do that. I don't have many choppers, and definitely nothing this size, so I'm not sure what's to be expected damage wise, but considering the abuse I put my smaller blades through, I was kind of surprised to see chips that big.

If Yangdu says it's normal I'll just try to work them out with the sandpaper.

Thanks guys!
 
Wow, those are big chips compared to what I would expect! As you say, though, the Tamang blade geometry puts it last on the list of kuks for this kind of job (after the AK, Bonecutter/GRS, and sooo many other heavy-duty choppers). The more axe-like the edge (convex, I guess), the better the chopping, and a thin, wide bevel is great for a weapon or light vegetation that a machete would normally handle.

The same issue bothers me a bit on my AK Bowie and on the old-stile, wide-bevel Bonecutters. They are just too razor-like for serious tree chopping given the RC hardness HI offers of close to 60 RC. Competitors' kuks have a much softer sweet spot, in my limited experience, of around 56 RC, making the chakma useful for fixing rolled edge as opposed to chips; there are pluses and minuses to both approaches, IMO.

So sorry for that "failure," I hate to see that happen on one of my favorite models. I must wonder if it was very cold at the time, or if there was something other than wood that was impacted?
 
alexs said:
Wow, those are big chips compared to what I would expect! As you say, though, the Tamang blade geometry puts it last on the list of kuks for this kind of job (after the AK, Bonecutter/GRS, and sooo many other heavy-duty choppers). The more axe-like the edge (convex, I guess), the better the chopping, and a thin, wide bevel is great for a weapon or light vegetation that a machete would normally handle.

The same issue bothers me a bit on my AK Bowie and on the old-stile, wide-bevel Bonecutters. They are just too razor-like for serious tree chopping given the RC hardness HI offers of close to 60 RC. Competitors' kuks have a much softer sweet spot, in my limited experience, of around 56 RC, making the chakma useful for fixing rolled edge as opposed to chips; there are pluses and minuses to both approaches, IMO.

So sorry for that "failure," I hate to see that happen on one of my favorite models. I must wonder if it was very cold at the time, or if there was something other than wood that was impacted?
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No, it's starting to cool down here but it was sunny and quite warm today. The wood I was whacking on is the broken off top of a tree from the crazy snow storms we had last year, so it does have some season to it, admittedly it felt very hard, as hardwoods do. I went out and checked it though, it's literally a 2" diameter branch off the trunk. I was trying to clean all the branches off of it to make it easier to get at the trunk with the chainsaw. Definitely no metal or anything in there.


As I said, I'm willing to accept the "un-intended use" consequence if it's felt the result was typical of abuse.

What kuk in the same size/weight range would be more ideally suited for a trail chopper? Anything heavier is out of the question, I'm a committed ultra-lighter that would never be able to justify anything like this if it weren't for my obsession with blades. ;)
 
I can't see your pics because I'm blocked for photobucket but if they are the size you say the tempering is probably off.

When I get home I'll see if I can view them.
 
What is the length & weight on the tamang? The 15" AK (I think mine is about 23oz) is a good chopper and not too ungainly on the belt for an afternoon. A siru or BAS would be a little lighter but still chop pretty well. If you're going to be hiking for miles/days you might even look at a 12" AK. My 12"/ 13oz siru will open up a little hole in the top of a coconut (big enough for a straw and spoon) in six hits if my aim is good. Never had a chip on the little guy and it'll still slice paper. Hand size makes a difference, too. If you've got really big mits the little 12 inchers may not work for you.

Frank
 
His tamang is the larger model...17 3/4'' 21 ounces

Some woods, especially hardwoods, when given time to season can be like trying to chop thru hardened steel. There is a large log laying across the Finger Lakes trail that my friends and i came across, we think it was elm. I tested the log by giving it a cursory swing and it made the khukuri ring like a bell without leaving so much as a mark on the wood. No damage to the 15" ASTK i was using, but i decided that it was best to leave that log where it lay.

If you can find any of the "field use" khukuri usable....that would be your best bet.
 
SilverFoxKnows said:
What is the length & weight on the tamang? The 15" AK (I think mine is about 23oz) is a good chopper and not too ungainly on the belt for an afternoon. A siru or BAS would be a little lighter but still chop pretty well. If you're going to be hiking for miles/days you might even look at a 12" AK. My 12"/ 13oz siru will open up a little hole in the top of a coconut (big enough for a straw and spoon) in six hits if my aim is good. Never had a chip on the little guy and it'll still slice paper. Hand size makes a difference, too. If you've got really big mits the little 12 inchers may not work for you.

Frank
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17 3/4'' 21 ounce Tamang Knife by Vim


Which makes it the single heaviest piece of gear in my entire kit. :eek: Yeah I'm mostly into distance hiking, my base weight is around 6lbs.


Sizing seems great on this to me, I've got medium sized hands, pretty average, I'm 5'10" and about 155lbs, so not a giant by any means.

I normally just carry my Bark River Bravo Necker-2, which is the ultimate go-to UL fixed blade IMHO(2.75oz with G-10 scales), but many of my buddies just carry razor blades. =D



Obviously I'm cheating on my UL philosophy by considering a Kuk as a piece of my trail gear, but I justify it by not putting it in my pack. ;)
 
I'd contact Yangdu about it, but those don't look like terrible chips given the style of blade you were using.

I'd convex the blade and let time and use work them out. They aren't going to cause any performance loss.

Great looking khuk though:)
 
Oh, it's one of the big guys. Maybe a WWII (my first and still favorite). I've been chopping away with mine for 8 years now. Anything bigger and my girly arms can't keep up. I heard ultra-light and I thought small. If Javand's idea of ultra-light is a foot and a half/ pound and a half of steel then he's in much better shape than I am. :foot:

Javand, if you can hang with the weight look at the AK or WWII.

Frank
 
Ouch, those are some big chips. The Tamang bites deep, but like everyone has mentioned, isn't best suited as a chopper. I like my 12" AK for a light portable wood-eating blade.
 
Karda said:
Just Be aware........
It will be up to her discretion wether or not to replace this piece as the Tamangs are not warranted for chopping wood. They are a "general use" khukri and not warranted for "field" usage.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=653192
Click to expand...


What is the "general use" a knife like this would see if not "field use?" I understand it not being warranted to split logs, but simple chopping is considered abuse? Please clarify, thanks! :D
 
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