Options questions.

[Crusty_Otter]

Okay, so I know my next two khukuri will be an MK-1, mostly using the default options, and a Mutiny. I'm leaning toward a 14" Mutiny but might go with the default 15.5", I'm not sure yet. The options for the Mutiny are mostly where I need advice:

First off, is the dark brown, chocolate micarta still an option? If so, do I configure the order with black micarta (for the price option), then request chocolate in the order notes or do I send in the order with black micarta then email someone to request the chocolate?

Next, the acid wash finish: the "in hand" pics of the Regent Long Knife show a much darker, mostly uniform finish then the rest of the pics that show a lighter blade. Is that the acid wash as I'd receive it or is it a natural patina? Is it possible to request an overall patina like that or just the hamon line and then let the patina develop naturally?

For the MK-1: I was surprised that the default grind is Performance, I expected the heavy chopper to default to Standard grind. Considering I'd be more likely to use this one closer to the ground (and possibly rocks), would I lose much cutting performance by going with a Standard grind to protect the edge? I'd most likely also be carrying my 7" Mini, so finer cutting or carving would be covered. Would the acid wash be out of place on an otherwise historical build?

As much as I really want to order both now, I'll most likely order the MK-1 first and wait on the Mutiny until I'm more sure which options I want there.

Thanks,
Jack

 

[bigeard09]

Before you make your choices give it some thought on what you want to use them for , display , light / medium bushcraft use , martial arts , heavy chopping use ?

 

[Crusty_Otter]

Before you make your choices give it some thought on what you want to use them for , display , light / medium bushcraft use , martial arts , heavy chopping use ?

Definitely. The Mutiny and MK-1, along with my Ek Chirra and Mini should cover just about everything I'd likely need them for. On my purely want list, a 16" Sirupate and a Salyani. I really don't need either of those but I'd sure like to have them - someday.

 

[Kailash Blades]

Chocolate brown is still doable- if you select one of the camo options and place it as an order note we can sort it out without the need for additional invoicing.
The RLK photos are a bad example of an acid wash- this was performed by me in australia (high contrast hamon with activity at transitional line), with some being later photos (duller, flatter dark grey) that show years of patina. and isn't as representative of what the guys are producing as pictures on our social media. Searching facebook for Kailash blades acid wash will get you. Here's a good example as an alternative:

https://www.reddit.com/r/knives/comments/jxqs6f/one_of_our_best_hamons_to_date_this_time_on_a

The acid wash would be non historical- but it's your knife and you can do whatever you'd like with it.
The performance grind is standard as it's our highest performing chopper per inch. It's found favour with martial artists and those who want optimal outdoors performance vs somethign like the dui chirra which is a bit less efficient so also leans towards being a little tougher. A standard grind is well suited to an mk1 though. The loss of performance will not be as noticeable in soft wood but you will likely pick up on reduced depth of penetration in hardwoods as well as a reduced efficiency in cutting thin, flexible brush.
Take care,
Andrew and the team at Kailash

 

[Crusty_Otter]

Thanks Andrew, that's everything I needed to know and helps immensely. As I said, I'm still debating the blade length for a Mutiny, so that's on hold until I learn more from my other khukuri. You've helped me sort the other options, so ordering will be much easier when the time comes. With regard to the acid wash, I may do that with the Mutiny as I've always wanted a nice blade with a hamon line. I kind of assumed the finish on the RLK was natural patina but thought I'd ask just in case. It's very encouraging though, knowing all my khukuri (khukuris?) will eventually get that beautiful, dark patina. It's something else to look forward to.

With regard to the Mk-1... I just placed my order!
I went with all of the default options, except for changing the military dap to brown and adding a brown western leather sheath for carry and use. I'm looking forward to trying it out using it hard and learning all I can from it. As you said in my other thread, it should help me decide what I want from future orders.

Thanks for your advice, and especially for your patience will all my questions,
Jack

 

[Kailash Blades]

Great to hear! And thanks for the order
If you're aiming for a patina it's usually a good idea to start with an acid wash (you can even do a rough one at home) just to get some black oxides down over the clean steel. This way in use it is harder for red oxides to develop- these are the enemy of a patina s they typically require abrasives to clean off, which removes all your nice dark tint and coating. You can also help avoid red oxides by wiping the blade down after use and not leaving it out overnight to get dewy. If you're cleaning it try to just use soapy water and a cloth rather than a scouring pad. When using the knife to chop the wood will clean off the blade where it contacts so often you'll get a silver edge portion leading into grey upper. In time though you'll get something deep and beautiful!

 

[Crusty_Otter]

Great to hear! And thanks for the order
If you're aiming for a patina it's usually a good idea to start with an acid wash (you can even do a rough one at home) just to get some black oxides down over the clean steel. This way in use it is harder for red oxides to develop- these are the enemy of a patina s they typically require abrasives to clean off, which removes all your nice dark tint and coating. Yo u can also help avoid red oxides by wiping the blade down after use and not leaving it out overnight to get dewy. If you're cleaning it try to just use soapy water and a cloth rather than a scouring pad. When using the knife to chop the wood will clean off the blade where it contacts so often you'll get a silver edge portion leading into grey upper. In time though you'll get something deep and beautiful!

That's a great idea regarding the acid wash, I may try that on the Ek Chirra and/or the Mini to see how it looks. I'm not a big fan of forced patina where it's uneven and splotchy, but a dark, fairly even patina gives a blade character as well as corrosion protection.

I generally prefer high carbon steel over stainless and I'm a sucker for high speed tool steels. I try to keep all my blades clean and dry with a protective layer (oil or a preservative) to prevent corrosion. Encouraging a patina to form will be a new experiment for me but it should give nice results.
Jack