First HI Kuk received, tested, and subsequently damaged.

[warty]

Full Tang Full Shmang.

I haven't managed to break any of my handles off yet so I don't worry about the tang anymore.

I love my ASTK (#10) :thumbup:

 

[Karda]

For the most part i agree with your assessment, bladite. But also fracturing like that could be caused by the object being just plain too hard, which will give the blade no choice but to chip out, even if the HT is good. Usually we'd like to see some rolling first. Because javand's blade chipped in such a manner so readily was the reason it was decided that it was probably a brittle sweet spot.

When Auntie uses the term "Field Sharp" it is meant to describe a blade that is axe like sharp and not as sharp as it could be. It is not meant to imply or designate any blades fitness for "field usage". The only ones warranted for field usage are the ones listed.

As for why some of the larger and more robust khukuri and swords are not on the field usage list? It is probably because they are meant more for light usage or conversation pieces. It is also to keep costs down, as these are labor and material intensive pieces and are harder to replace. With the kami situation and resulting stock flux, this has been one of the hardest and leanest years H.I. has faced since the beginning. It has been a great struggle this year with almost everything, we are hoping that we can get the bugs worked out, make things a bit easier and hopefully bring things around for the better in the coming year.

 

[javand]

I definitely want another Tamang, hopefully in a comparable size/weight.

I would love to see a "field ready" model in the same style. The more rugged finish and form of this one *feel* perfect to my limited experience. None of the other styles sing to me the way the Tamang does.

 

[warty]

I hear you brother, look up my review of the Tamang and all you will hear are good things from me about them...

 

[GregS]

But also fracturing like that could be caused by the object being just plain too hard, which will give the blade no choice but to chip out, even if the HT is good.

So it may have been the woods fault? Not a bad heat treat?

 

[Bladite]

Full Tang Full Shmang.

I haven't managed to break any of my handles off yet so I don't worry about the tang anymore.

I love my ASTK (#10) :thumbup:

isn't that a rather ironic statement given that it's followed by a photo of a full tang khukri?

some few rat tails have broken, but that's not my concern so much as rehandling later (i find it easier for full tang), as well as balance.

plus i've got a MEAN chopping arm and i've split a few rat tail handles clean through. fixing them was a pain.


Bladite

 

[Bladite]

For the most part i agree with your assessment, bladite. But also fracturing like that could be caused by the object being just plain too hard, which will give the blade no choice but to chip out, even if the HT is good. Usually we'd like to see some rolling first. Because javand's blade chipped in such a manner so readily was the reason it was decided that it was probably a brittle sweet spot.

When Auntie uses the term "Field Sharp" it is meant to describe a blade that is axe like sharp and not as sharp as it could be. It is not meant to imply or designate any blades fitness for "field usage". The only ones warranted for field usage are the ones listed.

As for why some of the larger and more robust khukuri and swords are not on the field usage list? It is probably because they are meant more for light usage or conversation pieces. It is also to keep costs down, as these are labor and material intensive pieces and are harder to replace. With the kami situation and resulting stock flux, this has been one of the hardest and leanest years H.I. has faced since the beginning. It has been a great struggle this year with almost everything, we are hoping that we can get the bugs worked out, make things a bit easier and hopefully bring things around for the better in the coming year.

i agree it's possible if the object being struck was unusually hard. however, a 2 inch oak branch doesn't really fall into that category in my mind. as HD pointed out, he's had this issue (more than once as i recall), and other knives had no such issue with the exact same wood.

the ONLY [common] wood i would categorically say is too hard, for anything except a axe you don't mind hurting (or a proper saw), are the knots as found in hemlock type trees - they are silicated and throw sparks. unfortunately, this includes Xmas trees, 2x4s (in some cases), and some other common sources. ironwood/etc, yes, but that's not so common in North America, not withstanding protected burls and such.

perhaps the "field sharp" should definitely go into the FAQ as a term. in the one year's posts i search, of DOTD, it was ONLY used on a) knives on the list and b) the few handful of oddballs - a strong enough pattern that it means "field ready" (seriously), just saying it needs to be clarified in the FAQ. i'd search back even further, but the pattern is undeniable.

it's been a pretty lean year for my industry too. hence my lack of buying stuff. unemployment rate, if you count people who gave up, stopped looking, or switch careers, is beyond huge. everything is affected. yucko.


Bladite

 

[Karda]

So it may have been the woods fault? Not a bad heat treat?

It very well may have, but unless i take a whack at what he was chopping, i wouldnt know for sure. Auntie decided to err in favor of the customer this time, which is her prerogative.

a 2 inch oak branch doesn't really fall into that category in my mind.

He clarified that he didnt think it was oak, but possibly 1 yr seasoned and well knotted hickory. Even at 2'' in diameter i would've thought twice about using a tamang on it and probably would have used an AK or CAK just to be on the safe side.

 

[javand]

It very well may have, but unless i take a whack at what he was chopping, i wouldnt know for sure. Auntie decided to err in favor of the customer this time, which is her prerogative.


He clarified that he didnt think it was oak, but possibly 1 yr seasoned and well knotted hickory. Even at 2'' in diameter i would've thought twice about using a tamang on it and probably would have used an AK or CAK just to be on the safe side.

Actually no, I rechecked and it was red oak. Tree identification "ain't my forte" as they say, so I looked it up.


It is nearly a year on the ground though.

 

[monkeybutt]

So it may have been the woods fault? Not a bad heat treat?

If the wood being cut was indeed hickory and not the often substituted pecan the stuff can be pretty tough to cut. Hickory has a pretty high janka hardness rating and the highest impact strength of any wood. The only reason why I know this was that I looked it up after making some FMA type flatsticks out of axe handles a coupla weeks ago. Damn stuff was the hardest wood I've ever cut or drilled, including some various types of ironwood.
Of all the kuks to choose the Tamang would be my least favorite to use on dried/seasoned hickory due to its relatively thin edge profile.

Edit: Just read the above post identifying the wood as red oak. So while still a hardwood, not nearly as hard as true hickory so I dunno in this case. I would still probably choose a thicker and heavier blade for no worries and ease of chopping...or use a portable saw if trekking.

 

[Karda]

Actually no, I rechecked and it was red oak. Tree identification "ain't my forte" as they say, so I looked it up.


It is nearly a year on the ground though.

Could've been a particlarly nasty knot that caused this also, knots are funny creatures that way. You may think they are nothing until they have you in submission. I've hit knots in softer woods with a splitting maul and had to go around them before.

 

[Bladite]

Could've been a particlarly nasty knot that caused this also, knots are funny creatures that way. You may think they are nothing until they have you in submission. I've hit knots in softer woods with a splitting maul and had to go around them before.

i've BENT an axe head as well as subsequently broke the admittedly dry-rotted handle (internal, didn't know) on some hemlock. the company sent me a 100% new axe. i was able to rehaft the old one, and russian hammer and sickle style, mostly work hammer the old axe face mostly true, as well as spent time repolishing it. however, i did buck that log again and again, and won. hemlock is nasty. i completely recommend that people just walk away from it ;>

now, i have a couple production knives that weigh less and are thinner than the tamang in question, that will destroy hemlock, elm, hickory, and oak. heck, for one of them, it's even guaranteed that i can hammer it into the tree and jump up and down on it then hammer it back and forth to cut the tree down, and they're just 1095. i split a hollow log in half by batoning the knife length through the whole deal - i WAS trying hard to see what would happen.

given the example tamang i've had briefly (and comparing its massive nature to the knife above), and given that it's 5160, which is one of the more tough steels, if it couldn't handle the wood, it was most likely the steel's fault (inclusion) or a heat treat issue.

5160 is TOUGH. even a soft heat treat, it would do bad things to almost all wood but NOT break if clean. too thin, too hard, probably rare, but well, there we go - it happens. 5160 is like my dream steel - it's a primary reason why i buy HI knives. it's tough.

i should expect that when the replacement knife comes along, that branch is doomed. i want pictures


Bladite

 

[hollowdweller]

I was referring to the tamang model in general, which are usually thinner spined,lighter with a more acute bevel than most any of the warranted choppers. I don't recommend chopping with "general use" khukuri for a reason, although people do and the khukuri fare well at it. I implore all members to do research and ask questions before jumping in and excitedly buying their khukuri, so that instances such as this will not become a problem.

I hear you but the Bonecutter has an acute bevel too.:thumbup:

I feel like the whole breaking issue has more to do with the new kamis. The thinner edged ones are just harder for them to not get brittle. However properly tempered I don't think they should chip out. You can chop oak with a 20 dollar machete or a thin Cold Steel khuk and not have it chip.

As much as we all like his work I've found that the Sgt K blades are tempered right on the edge of too brittle. That makes his blades some of the best for not rolling and for holding an edge with extended use, but also gives them a higher chance of failure.

Bura blades were always the opposite, right on the edge of too soft. Easy to sharpen but some had a tendency to roll but easy to pound back in line, but you got a good one it was both thin and tough.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

+1 to Bladite and HD.

Looks like heat treat. I've rolled my edge on my Bura CAK more than once, and was able to easily steel it back. From what I read before deciding on HI, this is what they were trying to achieve, is a knife that could be used hard, and the edge was easier to use the Chakma to steel out rolls than to sharpen out chips. Being field repairable was imperative.

Now, it may be due to the kamis being new, or it may be intentional, with them being told people were complaining about edge retention, and they may have been told to make the edges harder. For guys who's primary use of a blade is to get it to shave arm hair, that's great. For the rest of us that make trees pee a little when they see us coming, not so much.

In the end, good on Yangdu for making it right.

 

[GregS]

+1 to Bladite and HD.

Looks like heat treat. I've rolled my edge on my Bura CAK more than once, and was able to easily steel it back. From what I read before deciding on HI, this is what they were trying to achieve, is a knife that could be used hard, and the edge was easier to use the Chakma to steel out rolls than to sharpen out chips. Being field repairable was imperative.

Now, it may be due to the kamis being new, or it may be intentional, with them being told people were complaining about edge retention, and they may have been told to make the edges harder. For guys who's primary use of a blade is to get it to shave arm hair, that's great. For the rest of us that make trees pee a little when they see us coming, not so much.In the end, good on Yangdu for making it right.

There's no reason why one shouldn't expect both a shaving sharp edge and durability in their knives. Those two go hand-in-hand with a good heat treat.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

There's no reason why one shouldn't expect both a shaving sharp edge and durability in their knives. Those two go hand-in-hand with a good heat treat.

To further illustrate my point -- you can get a shaving edge with Busse's INFI steel, I really don't think anyone will say that he doesn't do a proper heat treat. it also outdoes most other knives in how long it will remain sharp in cutting things. Yet, when you chop really hard things, the edges roll, not chip.

So, I contend that an edge that prefers to roll, rather than chip is desireable for a user blade.

 

[hollowdweller]

+1 to Bladite and HD.Now, it may be due to the kamis being new, or it may be intentional, with them being told people were complaining about edge retention, and they may have been told to make the edges harder. For guys who's primary use of a blade is to get it to shave arm hair, that's great. For the rest of us that make trees pee a little when they see us coming, not so much.

In the end, good on Yangdu for making it right.

Yeah also it's a function of more and more people actually using the blades.

I've said this before but a large % age of all blades of all types are not really used. Especially khuks.

 

[GregS]

To further illustrate my point -- you can get a shaving edge with Busse's INFI steel, I really don't think anyone will say that he doesn't do a proper heat treat. it also outdoes most other knives in how long it will remain sharp in cutting things. Yet, when you chop really hard things, the edges roll, not chip.

So, I contend that an edge that prefers to roll, rather than chip is desireable for a user blade.

My good friend has a CAK that rivals Busse's INFI. It's easy to get it shaving sharp, and it holds the edge for a very long time when chopping. Just as long or longer than INFI... That CAK is tough too, I know because we've hit rocks with it (accident), no chips.

 

[Yangdu]

Send the Chipped blade Tamang Knife back to HI and I will send you the replacement for onetime only.

 

[warty]

isn't that a rather ironic statement given that it's followed by a photo of a full tang khukri?

some few rat tails have broken, but that's not my concern so much as rehandling later (i find it easier for full tang), as well as balance.

plus i've got a MEAN chopping arm and i've split a few rat tail handles clean through. fixing them was a pain.


Bladite

I was merely showing the man my ASTK, not saying that a chiruwa was superior, therefore not ironic at all. Splitting the handle isn't breaking the blade. I can rehandle either type of tang with equal aplomb so it makes no difference to me. They are both plenty durable so the point of my post remains, pick the one you like and don't make a big issue of whether or not the one you like is a chiruwa or "hidden" tang.