Kevin Colwell Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 (edited) Hello Everyone, I have managed to complete a working kukri to use in trimming some of the small stuff in my new back yard (partially forested). Besides, I wanted one of these to take camping. If you can believe it, I sold the other kukri I made. It is not as "finished" as it could be, but I like it a lot for a real workhorse. It chops and slices like a fiend. Also, you can't tell it, but the whole darn thing is one big weld. I only had 1.25" x.25" 1095 on stock, and I wanted a wider blade. So, I had to weld two bars together to get enough mass. The weld is visible on the spine, but it is invisible everywhere else! For me, getting two pieces of 11" long stock to weld perfectly was a big accomplishment. blade: 12" (around curve and all), 10.5" from point to guard. 3/16" @ elbow 1/16" @ point 1.7" wide at widest 1095 from Admiral Steel Rosewood, brass, and leather. this was fun to make, I forged closer to final product on this than on the last kuk, I have learned to use the edges of the anvil to work bevels down more (or I should say, I am beginning to learn this skill and I played with it on this knife). comments welcome. Thanks for looking. Kevin Edited August 16, 2009 by Kevin (The Professor) please visit my website http://www.professorsforge.com/ “Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.” E. V. Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat B Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Looks good Kevin, Tho might I ask why you decided on the rounded tip? Gnáthamh na hoibre an t-eólas (Knowledge comes through practice) Iron is full of impurities that weaken it; through the forging fire, it becomes steel and is transformed into a razor-sharp sword. Human beings develop in the same fashion. - Morihei Ueshiba my site: http://lfcforgeworks.webs.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Colwell Posted August 16, 2009 Author Share Posted August 16, 2009 Thanks Pat. Its not totally rounded, it is stabbed into my deck for support. I couldn't get the thing to balance at a photogenic angle, so I jammed it into a board. It is somewhat rounded to pull the point down to centerline, though. I plan to use almost solely for chopping limbs and small firewood when camping. kc please visit my website http://www.professorsforge.com/ “Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.” E. V. Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat B Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I see, hmm well now you have me itching to make one. Gnáthamh na hoibre an t-eólas (Knowledge comes through practice) Iron is full of impurities that weaken it; through the forging fire, it becomes steel and is transformed into a razor-sharp sword. Human beings develop in the same fashion. - Morihei Ueshiba my site: http://lfcforgeworks.webs.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Good job Kevin. Looks like your forging skills are really coming along. Cheers! Dave. -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jipp Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 good job kevin. i for see a sam mai in the near future thanks for sharing.. chris. i could complain but who would listen. chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Colwell Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 (edited) jipp, Yep, my actual plans are a sanmai pukko and then a seax or two with back/edge billets. I have some cable and 1095 bars, enough cable welded to do the pukko with 1095 core/edge. Then, if all goes well, cable back and 1095 edge seaxes. trying to build a little on each lesson. you know how it is. thanks for looking. Besides, I want a seax of said construction, and the electrician who is wiring my shop requested a cable blade in payment. Good deal for both of us, really. kc Edited August 17, 2009 by Kevin (The Professor) please visit my website http://www.professorsforge.com/ “Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.” E. V. Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Colwell Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 Dave, Learning to forge closer to shape and upgrading to a 1 hp grinder and getting a new shop... All have made the process even more fun than before. Less tedium, more time shaping with hammer and hand tools. The only problem is I think my ability to see mistakes grows faster than my ability to avoid them... still love it. kc please visit my website http://www.professorsforge.com/ “Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.” E. V. Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 The only problem is I think my ability to see mistakes grows faster than my ability to avoid them... But those abilities are two sides of the same coin, my friend. . . --Dave -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 yes yes, tis the never ending curse. but so much fun at the same time. i like the blade you have here .. and shows your skills are coming along really quickly. there is only a little that i would do to it .. mainly for continuity .. its just that the handle seems a little big to me .. (yeah yeah .. ive said that before i know) but when it comes to the finger notches especially .. i find that comfort comes from allowing the fingers to really wrap around. and the only other thing is i would grind a little out of the curve of the blade .. allowing more of the swoop to come through .. rather than such a straight blade that has a curve in it. but then again .. you know how you want to use it and what feels best .. so these are just observations from this chair im sitting in right now. .. i think it looks really great and it makes me smile whenever i think of how everyone progresses so well around here. gives me hope i guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Colwell Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 (edited) Ahh, Dee, you have a good eye for design. It does look like the head for a hockey stick from Hell. I will think about the grinding and swooping. I think that may also address the ealier comment about rounding the point off too much. But, you are absolutely correct about the handle. That was the particular "mistake" I was thinking of when I typed earlier post. it was an experiment to try that shape with finger notches. I am thinking of filing the large one down and making two small ones. (but its not too big for my hand, its almost too small if you can believe it 6'2" 235lb. I am probably just about two of your size, but less than half of your craftsmanship ) Now that I have tried it, I decided that I like the swoop on either end of the handle to seat the hand with a single palm swell in the middle. Finger notches are not as good for me, at least these aren't. thanks for the comments. The little time you guys take when "sitting around" has helped me immensely in learning and improving (I hope.). It at least keeps me at it. thanks, Kevin Edited August 17, 2009 by Kevin (The Professor) please visit my website http://www.professorsforge.com/ “Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.” E. V. Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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