Had this over the weekend to play with and see what i thought
When i go the knife i did a quick check and found a ripple had been put in the edge where it had been twisted or pryed against like you do when splitting etc
a few measurements showed the edge was very thin
8mm thick O1 with a 55mm primary flat bevel of 7deg to 1mm thick and a 2mm , 28deg secondary
over all length is 18"
so i was carefull on use not to lean on the edge to much which did hamper normal use
First off a few quick dimentional comparisons to my Kukri this one Ive had for 10yrs ish
weights SW = 837gms Kukri = 723gms
point weight (not sure what this shows but seemed like a good idea sort of demos point of balance ) weight taken resting the part of the blade marked on next pic with a blue triangle while holding the handle hand open ruffly level
Both approx 380gms
sheath weights SW= 434 gms Kukri= 347gms (includingthe 2 extra blades)
point of balance as marked in picture below
Ok had it out Proper at the weekend helping the local Bushcraft School build a round house frame out of sycamore and tried it at a variety of tasks
the knife is as it came to me and dosnt seem to have been sharpened much from new just had a few swiped of micro bevel put on by previous users i did run the edge quickly on my polisher which does turn a razor edge into something far more lethal but theat was in antempt to get more contrast on teh edge to photo the ripple .
Had to knock up a few pegs to set up a parachute shelter these are 2ft long and debarked at the top so you can see em
selected a nice long sycamore shoot at about 3" base Diameter this came down fairly easily in a few swipes the thin geometry and sharp edge cutting very deep to about half way BUT it sticks taking a bit of effort to wiggle it out the Kukri wont cut quite as deep but is a lot easier to retrieve due to thicker and convex grind.
where the SW PII does excel is snedding the branches and knobbles of the fallen tree as it cuts then almost without drag so long strokes will clear what ever length you can reach the weight and the thin grind sailing thru and lopping the top off at 1 dia hardly felt as if it was there the Kukri also does well at this but you feel the impacts more on the hand holding the butt as it hits the bigger branches as GF SFA for this work is choked up to the head so loses its advantage on swing length this makes it even harder as you have to power thru with your arm and be more accurate with the much smaller cutting width so making it individual cutting ops for each branch if on bigger trees with proper branches it will fall back behind the axe and Kukri again due to sticking
Chopping the felled tree into lengths and pointing up was fairly simple again if you can cut thru in one go you barely notice the cut in either hand but if you dont it sticks
on debarking i didnt use the edge at 90 deg as i would normally as i was worried about the edge deforming (actually i prefer as sharpened spine for this )
Also squared some of the tops chopping onto a block where again it sailed thru clean
Peg poles
Jamie (instructor and big guy) cleaning up some of the roof poles for the round house
This swipe will take of the 3 knobbles further down clean and close
Jamie a big 6fter did notice the weight in use after a while using it but really liked the knife over all
a bit of fire wood gathering found a dead tree in the rhododendrons and the SWPII showed its Parangness by clearing it back to get to the brush with consummate ease sailing thru branches with little resistance even stuff the Kukri would bounce off and take a couple of strikes due to being to springy etc . That said the high weight shows and you wouldnt want to do it for long same goes for the Kukri these arent jungle trail tools but will do a good job for short bursts
The tree was dead and the outer rotting and again the SWPII easily bites deeply but sticks especially in the wet starting to rot wood i was also careful not to twist the blade to ping out the chip like I do with the Kukri.
It was still relatively easy to bring down these 2 trees approx 7" dia in a confined area
I didnt fancy chopping up to length though so used a bow saw
Oks reading break an atmospheric piccy from the campfire that evening -5deg
and heres the Round house frame finished
better
sunday morning after a lot of star jumps getting out of the hammock and a brew i got home and cleaned the blade off
and tryed a few cutting swipes at plastic bottles filled with water that the Cutting comp guys seem to like
first time ive tryed itirate:
started wit ha 2ltr coke bottle
and to be honest didnt feel it bottom stayed where it was anthe top just slopped of lazy like
next a 3ltr milk same again
Next up a small medcine bottle lot thicker plastic and a lot lighter so harder to get thro before you knock it off
both bits flew of and you could see deformation where the blade hit first but again one swipe 2 bits
shows its follow through cutting potential ................ mmmmm maybe but it was fun
so conclusions
Over all very nice but for me i would like a thicker and variable edge geomatry along its length. This will add more weight which it already has a little to much of and reduce its cutting penatration but hopfully make retrival easier and the edge more durable
the profile shape is good and works very well and the large fwd double finger scallop gives a good grip for delicate controlled work useing the first few inches of blade
I find the handle shape a little odd but thats just getting used to it.
I dont like the individual finger bumps as they dont fit my finger size and dig in in some grips the large swelled pommel is great and as the handle and hand get very slippery in use due to drying out on surface bark dust and lichens its essental to stop the blade slipping out
Fit and finish is good generally the blade still shows the scratch patterns from grinding but these are left fine enough and consitant enough to add to the look. there is a slight bend to the right from HT in the blade but unless your looking for it you wont see it
ther are a few scratches appeared on this side of the blade going up at 45deg I think this must have been from cleaning downthe branches of the trees as they match the direction of cut there must have been some grit in some of the knots etc probably from dragging then out of the stand to the build site they are very shallow but show up as the yare new and shiny
The handle is well put together with no large glue gaps and a good choice of materials the taper tang adds a touch of understated class ( I like taper tangs ) as well as removing weight and moving the balance fwds ( I dont know if its also drilled to lighten further )
I also like the sheath tho was suprised it was so heavy compared to the Kukri one as i want to do this style for it as its a lot thinner and i dont use the extra 2 knives etc i didnt try it on a belt as i would never wear one but it does slide into the rucksack well
all in all i like it and my observations on grind and hanlde fit are presonnel opinions for what i would use it for and would think could be changed for customers to their prefs as required like options etc
thanks for letting me have a go
When i go the knife i did a quick check and found a ripple had been put in the edge where it had been twisted or pryed against like you do when splitting etc
a few measurements showed the edge was very thin
8mm thick O1 with a 55mm primary flat bevel of 7deg to 1mm thick and a 2mm , 28deg secondary
over all length is 18"
so i was carefull on use not to lean on the edge to much which did hamper normal use
First off a few quick dimentional comparisons to my Kukri this one Ive had for 10yrs ish
weights SW = 837gms Kukri = 723gms
point weight (not sure what this shows but seemed like a good idea sort of demos point of balance ) weight taken resting the part of the blade marked on next pic with a blue triangle while holding the handle hand open ruffly level
Both approx 380gms
sheath weights SW= 434 gms Kukri= 347gms (includingthe 2 extra blades)
point of balance as marked in picture below
Ok had it out Proper at the weekend helping the local Bushcraft School build a round house frame out of sycamore and tried it at a variety of tasks
the knife is as it came to me and dosnt seem to have been sharpened much from new just had a few swiped of micro bevel put on by previous users i did run the edge quickly on my polisher which does turn a razor edge into something far more lethal but theat was in antempt to get more contrast on teh edge to photo the ripple .
Had to knock up a few pegs to set up a parachute shelter these are 2ft long and debarked at the top so you can see em
selected a nice long sycamore shoot at about 3" base Diameter this came down fairly easily in a few swipes the thin geometry and sharp edge cutting very deep to about half way BUT it sticks taking a bit of effort to wiggle it out the Kukri wont cut quite as deep but is a lot easier to retrieve due to thicker and convex grind.
where the SW PII does excel is snedding the branches and knobbles of the fallen tree as it cuts then almost without drag so long strokes will clear what ever length you can reach the weight and the thin grind sailing thru and lopping the top off at 1 dia hardly felt as if it was there the Kukri also does well at this but you feel the impacts more on the hand holding the butt as it hits the bigger branches as GF SFA for this work is choked up to the head so loses its advantage on swing length this makes it even harder as you have to power thru with your arm and be more accurate with the much smaller cutting width so making it individual cutting ops for each branch if on bigger trees with proper branches it will fall back behind the axe and Kukri again due to sticking
Chopping the felled tree into lengths and pointing up was fairly simple again if you can cut thru in one go you barely notice the cut in either hand but if you dont it sticks
on debarking i didnt use the edge at 90 deg as i would normally as i was worried about the edge deforming (actually i prefer as sharpened spine for this )
Also squared some of the tops chopping onto a block where again it sailed thru clean
Peg poles
Jamie (instructor and big guy) cleaning up some of the roof poles for the round house
This swipe will take of the 3 knobbles further down clean and close
Jamie a big 6fter did notice the weight in use after a while using it but really liked the knife over all
a bit of fire wood gathering found a dead tree in the rhododendrons and the SWPII showed its Parangness by clearing it back to get to the brush with consummate ease sailing thru branches with little resistance even stuff the Kukri would bounce off and take a couple of strikes due to being to springy etc . That said the high weight shows and you wouldnt want to do it for long same goes for the Kukri these arent jungle trail tools but will do a good job for short bursts
The tree was dead and the outer rotting and again the SWPII easily bites deeply but sticks especially in the wet starting to rot wood i was also careful not to twist the blade to ping out the chip like I do with the Kukri.
It was still relatively easy to bring down these 2 trees approx 7" dia in a confined area
I didnt fancy chopping up to length though so used a bow saw
Oks reading break an atmospheric piccy from the campfire that evening -5deg
and heres the Round house frame finished
better
sunday morning after a lot of star jumps
getting out of the hammock and a brew i got home and cleaned the blade off and tryed a few cutting swipes at plastic bottles filled with water that the Cutting comp guys seem to like
first time ive tryed it
irate:started wit ha 2ltr coke bottle
and to be honest didnt feel it
bottom stayed where it was anthe top just slopped of lazy like
next a 3ltr milk same again
Next up a small medcine bottle lot thicker plastic and a lot lighter so harder to get thro before you knock it off
both bits flew of and you could see deformation where the blade hit first but again one swipe 2 bits
shows its follow through cutting potential ................ mmmmm maybe but it was fun
so conclusions
Over all very nice but for me i would like a thicker and variable edge geomatry along its length. This will add more weight which it already has a little to much of and reduce its cutting penatration but hopfully make retrival easier and the edge more durable
the profile shape is good and works very well and the large fwd double finger scallop gives a good grip for delicate controlled work useing the first few inches of blade
I find the handle shape a little odd but thats just getting used to it.
I dont like the individual finger bumps as they dont fit my finger size and dig in in some grips the large swelled pommel is great and as the handle and hand get very slippery in use due to drying out on surface bark dust and lichens its essental to stop the blade slipping out
Fit and finish is good generally the blade still shows the scratch patterns from grinding but these are left fine enough and consitant enough to add to the look. there is a slight bend to the right from HT in the blade but unless your looking for it you wont see it
ther are a few scratches appeared on this side of the blade going up at 45deg I think this must have been from cleaning downthe branches of the trees as they match the direction of cut there must have been some grit in some of the knots etc probably from dragging then out of the stand to the build site they are very shallow but show up as the yare new and shiny
The handle is well put together with no large glue gaps and a good choice of materials the taper tang adds a touch of understated class ( I like taper tangs ) as well as removing weight and moving the balance fwds ( I dont know if its also drilled to lighten further )
I also like the sheath tho was suprised it was so heavy compared to the Kukri one as i want to do this style for it as its a lot thinner and i dont use the extra 2 knives etc i didnt try it on a belt
as i would never wear one but it does slide into the rucksack well
all in all i like it and my observations on grind and hanlde fit are presonnel opinions for what i would use it for and would think could be changed for customers to their prefs as required like options etc
thanks for letting me have a go
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