Oh Golly.... What A Weekend...!!

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
20,978
It's been one of those crazy weekends again...:D

I set out on what I thought would be a nice day to test my new choppers.

Here's a pic:

25" AK
22" GRS
20" AK
18" YCS (just for comparison)


foursome.jpg



Unsheathed:

foursome3.jpg



Let's start with a "...Draw!" test.

(the following links are .wmv videos - they will play in Windows Media Player. You may have to have the latest

version/codec/etc. I'm only going to leave these up for a few days because it will surely tear up my bandwith.)


First, the 25" AK:

http://www.pendentive.biz/blades/25AKdraw.WMV
(614 Kb)

Then the 22" GRS:

http://www.pendentive.biz/blades/22GRSdraw.WMV
(425 Kb)

Then the 20" AK:

http://www.pendentive.biz/blades/20AKdraw.WMV
(441 Kb)

Last, the YCS:

http://www.pendentive.biz/blades/YCSdraw.WMV
(441 Kb)

At first they seem to be about the same speed. Now go back and watch the 25" AK again. Noticeably slower, but still

not a bad draw time.



Is this review getting too serious? Enjoy this "blooper reel" then... :eek:

http://www.pendentive.biz/blades/YCSoops.WMV
(645 Kb)



Next:

The stamina test! :eek:
 
try again - or right-click and select "Save-As"

In fact, for anybody who wants to see this more than once, you'll want to save your own copy. I can't leave them up for more than a few days.

Dan
 
I had to copy the link and paste em' into the open URL in Windows Media Player.

That's some fancy drawin'. I think the first one is the fastest and smoothest though.

Umm.. nice table. :)
 
For this test I held each of the khuks at arm's length with the blade fully extended for at least one minute before filming.

25" AK stamina test (1,543 Kb)

22" GRS stamina test (1,716 Kb)

20" AK stamina test (1,905 Kb)

YCS stamina test (1,559 Kb)


First time around you might think, "Ok....I don't get it". Well, watch just the tip of the blade, from the start to the end of the video. ;)

I did start with the 25" AK, so maybe that's why I was still a bit wobbly by the time I got to the YCS. Still, though, it's the height of the blade that matters. Much easier to hold the YCS at arm's length (duh...) but still, the 25" AK wasn't that much worse.

Dan


Next:

Out to the woods! ;)
 
Originally posted by BruiseLeee
Umm.. nice table.
Click to expand...
That's a bonified project table. Been beat to death, but it's still standing. Lasted all the way through Art School (like the long exacto knife cuts on it?) :D :p
 
First, each project should have its own box, and here's this one's:

box.jpg



All four khuks inside as well as a tripod for the camera.


Well....it turns out I don't have as many pics/videos of this test as I thought I had. :confused: Must've been having

too much fun...:D



The purpose of this test is "trail-cleaning".


Fallen Tree Test:

branchtest.jpg




One easy lop with the 25" AK:

25" AK Tree Cut (2,094 Kb)





Time for another Blooper... :rolleyes:

I had struck the base of the larger branch of this dying tree just for fun with the GRS. Didn't go in very far so I thought nothing of it and began to clear the smaller branches overhead. Just for kicks, I decided to swing the 25" AK over my head at it and...

Well, you'll see...:D

25" AK Blooper (2,487 Kb)

...What an brute the 25" AK is!!!



Now, ahem, continuing the testing... :rolleyes:


That same trunk attacked by the GRS:

22" GRS Limb Cut (1,763 Kb)


Now by the 25" AK:

25" AK Limb Cut (1,936 Kb)

The chop actually landed a little higher than the one made by the GRS and didn't take advantage much of the previous cut. I'm sure it loosened it a little bit and helped somewhat. Still, that 25 AK is like swinging a bulldozer! :eek:


I estimated it to be about 4.5" in diameter. Not bad!



I found a nice way to conserve energy while using the 25" AK - which, btw, I used only one-handed in order to make a fair comparison. On the swing prep (when bringing it back after a chop) I rest the khuk on my hand to lessen the strain on the wrist - which takes the brunt of slowing the blade down.


25AKswing.jpg




Oh yeah...one other thing I found useful:


swipe.jpg


(I'll let you make up your own caption...)



Next:

You are not going to believe what I did to my GRS...!!
 
I turned my attention to a part of a path that need some overhead clearing. It was covered by branches that were 1" to 1.5" in diameter. Bubble gum for khuks...:D





Here's a pic of the path:


path.jpg










And of the tree trunk after cleaning a dozen or so branches:



treetrunk.jpg





I remember thinking to myself "My....what a delight!" when I reached down to "swipe" my GRS across my shirt (like the last pic in the previous test), and...

























Oops! Time for lunch. I'll post the pic when I get back.

:p :p :p :p :p :p

(ahhh....revenge doth taste so sweet)
 
Fun Thread, Pen!

I'm thinking you want to lose some inches on the belly? Tried to get Hog to help me out but.....:D
 
but not the right one yet!





Ok...


Pic as promised:

GRSbyBura.jpg




:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
 
GRS = Ganga Ram SAW :eek:

Well...it seems as though I found yet another use for a khuk!

Check out the kerf left behind on this tree as I used the GRS as a saw to cut into it:

kerf.jpg
 
Apparently, while I was clearing the branches off of this tree, I was knocking little pieces of the blade out here and there without noticing...

After using the 25" AK all morning, the GRS felt sooooo good in my hands. Soooo fast. Sooooo easy to use...

Must've had my head in the clouds. :confused:

:footinmou
 
Pen-- great thread. Sorry to see your GRS in that condition. Do you think you will be able to regrind the blade, or is this indicative of a brittle blade? Was it possible that you hit some inclusions in the wood such as a grown-over fence? I damaged a blade on a stump a while back and couldn't figure out why until I inspected the stump and found a nail in it.
--Josh
 
Bill has said he'll set this straight when he gets back. I'm not sure what he'll want me to do with this blade.

Here's my guess as to why it chipped:

The final grind on this one was a bit hollow/flat (not convex) and I think it was too brittle. These were trees out in the open. Unless the tree is some sort of X-Men (Wolverine-style) mutation :rolleyes: ... there was no other metal/hard surface around. I didn't miss a single shot either. Just lopped branches one by one until the path was clear. I was swinging pretty hard, though, so while I'm still a bit shocked, I'm not all that surprised. Kinda like "Wha....?!? Oh.... Wow....!?!!"
 
Just think of it as the serrated edge khuk:rolleyes: Maybe it will slice tomatoes and bread.

Really though, too bad for your toy:(
 
This knife has been 11 months in the making. It probably should have only taken 2 weekends, but I kept screwing it up, changing it and just putting it off. I finally finished it this weekend. It is literally the sharpest knife I have ever owned (more on that later :D . Kinda makes me feel all tingly inside, because I made it (well, part of it anyway...Mother Nature was involved too...:p )

I started with a moose antler, some brass stock and a blade blank.

I wanted something more than just the 'ole bolster and handle, so I came up with this mess:

kitoparts.jpg




Which then, a few months and a heckuvalotta pain later became this:


glue-up.jpg



sideshot.jpg





Wasn't pleased with the shape of the handle, so some more grinding on the stinky moose handle and a few finishes later:



reprofiled.jpg






More refinishing - failed attempt at a mirror polish - see the scratches on the blade?

angleshot.jpg

(the green is a reflection from a tree)



Well, I knew I didn't want a mirror-finish either and so I set about redoing it this weekend:


latest1.jpg



spine.jpg




Still not fully satisfied...

So, I'll probably follow this one up with a handrubbed finished and a coat of spray-on satin polyurethane.

Someday I'll get it right...

Dan
 
Entertaining thread as always Pen, thanks.
Sorry to see that your GRS gave up it's edge.
Hope no one was hit by the shrapnel.
Regards,
Greg
 
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