Kathathu

[FPH]

My wife bought me a Kathathu for Christmas. Yes I know it’s not Christmas yet, but I did get to look at it before it was wrapped and put away. Which brings me to this question. Does the design of the knife produce an edge that is not as sharp as other CR knives or does it need to be sharpened?

 

[Hugo]

Kathathu... well you sure are lucky!!

I've only seen the knife/dagger/sword in pictures, but I can't see why the edge would not be as sharp as normal CRK knives. But about sharpening it... well it kind of depends on what you are going to do with the knife? So far I've only bought knives to be used, but in the case of Kathathu... I think it might be a knife I would not use. After all it's a dagger, and well, IMHO it's a bit different from other similar size knives. I mean I could not see my self use it as a camp knife chopping some wood, and it's a bit too large for opening letters too (not really!

)... Well, my point: I would not really use it (playing with it doesn't count

), so I would not care if it's not quite as sharp as other CRK knives.

Hugo.

 

[Chris Reeve Knives]

One of the things that Chris makes sure of with all our knives (barring a miniscule few custom pieces that he has made)is they they are completely capable of cutting. They may not keep looking beautiful (damasucs, decorated etc.) after working and they may not cut as well for extended periods but each knife can be used for the primary function of a knife - cutting!

The Kathathu is sharpened in exactly the same fashion as any of our fixed blades. The blade geometry is such that the edges are as sharp as any of our knives and, giving the specifics of the design, it would perform exceptionally. I would imagine, however, that few people will actually put the knife to the test!

Anne

 

[toothed]

It's good to see postings about the Kathathu again. I bought mine as an investment and would never put it into actual use; however, because of the blade's uniqueness and rarity I can see why other owners would want to take it out of the house once in awhile to remind other knifenuts about what they're missing.

 

[Yvsa]

:
There was a time when double edged knives were used as "camp knives."
One side was tuned for chopping and other heavy work and the other for fine cutting as in meal preparation and the like. However I am of the new school where one knife isn't near as good as two or three or more.

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."

........unknown, to me anyway........

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website

 

[Dennis Wright]

In case anyone's forgotten what they are or any new folks who are wondering what we're talking about:

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Dennis Wright
Wright Knife & Sporting Goods
La Mesa, CA
(Don't click, just call)
1-800-400-1980
wrightknife@ixpres.com
("Have a knife day!")

 

[feverdoc]

the other day a pulmonogy/critical care doc friend of mine pulled me out to his truck outside the hospital and in hushed tones told me he had something special for me to see...he unlocked the door and reached down under the passenger seat and pulled out a kathathu and proudly displayed it as he smiled ear to ear....he handed it to me and said for me to handle it anyway i wanted to as it was a USING knife for him...it felt really good in my hand and i was most impressed....this is the same guy who turned me onto sebenzas in the ICU one day by showing me his daily carry knife (a large sebenza) and then proceeded to open a bunch of medical equipment boxes and packages like they were butter....since then i have picked up several small sebenzas, two large sebenzas, and three fixed blades over the past year....i think i am hooked...feverdoc

 

[FPH]

Thanks for all the comments.

This knife will be part of the collection and will not be used. I have a number of CR folders including the wood inlayed Large Sebenza in Damascus. The Kathathu is noticeably duller than the folders or a SOG Seal knife I have. Yes this is apples and oranges but I don’t have a CR I, II, etc. to compare it with. I will probably pick up a Project II in the future and answer the question that way. Thank Again!

 

[toothed]

Nice picture Dennis. Sometimes I wonder to myself why I spent so much money on a knife/dagger that I would not be carrying. Fortunately, whenever I perform maintenance on my Kathathu--a good excuse to play with it--or see a picture of it, I am happily reminded why it was worth the price.

 

[flash71]

The Kathathu is
Unsheathed Mayhem

Let's hear it from some more Kathathu owners!

flash owns a Kathathu