hollowdweller said:
Foxy Folly is real close to the orig specs right?
Original specs? You mean original original by Foxjaw? I wasn't around back then, and I know a lot of you guys were, but the originals were this exact length but approached 50 oz. Massive blades. I was able to track one down and get it from Spiral in the UK in 2004. The shipping just about killed me for a blade that heavy (49 oz. for this one.) I am good for about 3 chops with it. It is very beautiful and well made with a horn handle, and according to Spiral was 1 of about 15 made in the original batch. Mine is by Kumar.
When Yvsa brought the idea back in August '04, the Kamis came up with several variants before they got what we had all decided on, which was 17" and 24 oz. First they came up with a prototype pair in 2/05 by Sher that were the right length at 17" but were too heavy at 32 and 34 oz. Dan and Yvsa each got one of those and did respective reviews that month. The second try was in early April '05, when two came by Bura this time, that were each about 21.5" and about 28-29 oz., nicely balanced (by Bura), but were still considered to be too heavy and of course too long. ArchAngel and I got those. I was able to talk Dan out of his Sher prototype #1 later on.
After those weight misses, Yvsa or someone sent them 24 oz. in weights, and they then came up with a whole slew that were the size of this one offered today, 21" and just 24 oz. by Bura. Purely fighters so designated same. The first run of 10 of these came 6/5/05 and were offered by Yangdu. The blades are too thin IMO for heavy chopping, and based on the waves in my 17" 24 oz. by Bura must be a puredee beyotch to make. I did not get one because I had one just like it that was 4 oz. heavier as mentioned above. Reviews were very good, and they were considered to be very graceful fighters. Steve Ferguson, Nasty and several others reported favorably on them.
Insert: on 7/19/05 Yvsa posted pics of four 17" and 24 oz. models made with brass furniture and habaki bolsters. Two in white satisal, and two in Chandan. These were "non-traditional" but were well received and well made, as witnessed by an extreme test that Dave Rishar did on one of the Chandan models with excellent results. One or two more of these brass fitted / habaki ones came in on DOTD about this time, at least one as a blem with karam wood. On 8/10/05 Dan posted a review of one of these 4 in white satisal with brass/habaki, and it had a significantly longer handle than his 17" 34 oz. Sher prototype (I would say about an inch), and was much more comfortable. I believe that all future "to spec" knives had the shorter handle.
Finally, they came up with a bunch for the prepaid group buy ($150) that were to spec, that were 17" and 24 oz. The first two from that run were by Bura again, and were posted for sale by Dan Koster in a late night thread on 8/11/05. These were followed by 22 more on 9/6/05, all Chandan as far as I can recall (the pics are gone now) and then 17 more on 10/10/05. (I was kind of sick when I saw the great handle materials being offered in this run, not only Chandan, but Walnut, Neem, Rhododendren, and Kapur!, but I had mine already.) Some really pretty ones. This filled out the last of the regular prepaid order.
Somewhere in there, and Dan lists them as coming _before_ the final versions, but there were at least one or two at 17" and about 26-27 oz. I can't find any thread connected to them, so can only assume a couple of them must have come in on the daily deals. If I had to guess though, I would say they came _after_ as I was watching for this model pretty closely prior to the big 9/6 shipment. (I apologize for editing this post yet again, but I am an anal SOB.)
After much trial and error it has become kind of evident that 17" and 28 oz. or so would have probably been ideal.
On 1/17/05 Yangdu announced that future FF's would have a slightly slimmer handle and be about 28 oz., based on her observations of making the knife while in Nepal. I would love to get one of those in something other than chandan, but have only seen one or two regular FF's offered since her post, and don't think any of them came in at the new weight.
My favorite is one of the prototypes by Sher, that is 17" and 34 oz. It is just perfectly made and balances like a dream, but is probably a few oz. too heavy. Yvsa has its mate, but I believe his is a few oz. lighter, and IMO that would make it the most "perfect" Foxes Folly that has been made.
FYI, I also have one blade, that was not marked as a FF, that looks to be a variant by Sher. It is 16" and a fat 30 oz., horn handle, and looks to me to be an exact replica of the kukri being held by the round Gurkha soldier on the HI web site at left of sceen. You can click on the HI link at the top of the page to see it. He is holding it edge up. I call it a "fireplug" FF because although it appears to be indentical to a normal FF, it is 1" shorter and feels indestructible at close to 2 pounds.
Norm
P.S. From another thread, here's Dan's take on the flow:
First Foxy Folly was 22" and 3+ lbs. (15 original - nlm)
Next was the 17" and ~2 lbs. (2; -nlm)
Next was the 21" and 28 oz. (2; -nlm)
Next was the 21" and 21-25 oz. (24 oz. 10 on 6-5-5; -nlm)
Next was the 17" and 26 oz (? Unable to find. DOTD? Before final version, or after? -nlm)
Last was the 17" and 24 oz (4 brass/habaki 7-19-05; 2 chandan to spec on 8-11-05; 22 more chandan 9-5-05; final 17, mixed woods to fill out prepaid order on 10/10/05. - nlm)
___________________
Yangdu announces slimmer handle and weight change to 28 oz. on 1/17/06. Haven't seen any of these as of this date.
