parsha Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 Hi Folks, Working on a very small version of a parang made from a piece of truck leaf spring. I am thinking of a 3.5 inch cutting edge and a long ricasso which I am thinking will give good forward weight to such a small blade . Aiming for OAL of 9 inches. Need advice about how to shape the tang give it a good downward curve or keep it straight at an angle where the ricasso ends at the handle. Also looking for suggestions about overall design. I am thinking a peened wooden handle should be nice . Right now it is at 8 inches OAL and will be drawing out the tang a little more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsha Posted October 4, 2021 Author Share Posted October 4, 2021 And drawing out the tang is completed. Now to make the profile a bit less curvy...... or not .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles dP Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 No ideas but watching... "The way we win matters" (Ender Wiggins) Orson Scott Card Nos, qui libertate donati sumus, nes cimus quid constet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Middleton Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 1 hour ago, Charles dP said: No ideas but watching... x2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Craft Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 (edited) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parang_(knife) His Parang is more the style of the second one! Like the machete, the parang is frequently used in the jungle as well as being a tool for making housing, furniture, and tools. The parang has been noted in John "Lofty" Wiseman's SAS Survival Handbook[3] for this use. Wiseman points out that by grinding three different angles in three separate regions along the Parang blade—a narrow angle at the tip for skinning and fine cutting work; a wide, chopping blade angle along the bow in the blade for ax work, and an all-purpose hunting/survival knife angle along the edge nearest the handle for general purpose work—the parang becomes a very useful, and compact all-purpose tool in the bush. Parang are recorded being used in attacks against the British and Japanese. They are typically carried as weapons by gang members and robbers in Malaysia, Singapore, India, and Sri Lanka, due to these countries having strict gun laws. Parangs were used by Chinese forces against the Japanese in the Jesselton Revolt during the Japanese occupation of British Borneo.[4][5] The only reason I had an idea of what he was talking about I remember an episode of FIF. At least I think that is where the Parang jumped into my vocabulary!! As to a pocket parang! I am not sure what he means there! Edited October 5, 2021 by C Craft C Craft Customs ~~~ With every custom knife I build I try to accomplish three things. I want that knife to look so good you just have to pick it up, feel so good in your hand you can't wait to try it, and once you use it, you never want to put it down ! If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner! ~~~ C Craft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsha Posted October 5, 2021 Author Share Posted October 5, 2021 Even I am not sure if I should call it "pocket parang" What I am looking to make is something similar to Greber pack axe in weight and size but shaped like a parang . Normally I haven't seen a parang less than 7 inches long blade. Basically a small size tool but with more chopping power than a normal 3.5 inch blade bushcraft or edc knife. Let's see how it goes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsha Posted October 16, 2021 Author Share Posted October 16, 2021 Made a slight change and straightened the tang . Basically moved the hump in the tang a bit more closer to the blade than before. Also widened the blade portion a little. Will be doing an edge quench in water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 Can't help with the shape, but I strongly recommend against a water quench on truck spring. It can be done, carefully, with lots of quick interrupted dips of the edge, but that steel is probably something like 5160 and that really prefers a slower quench. Even when just edge-quenching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsha Posted October 16, 2021 Author Share Posted October 16, 2021 (edited) Sure Alan. Will take that advice and quench in vegetable oil instead. As it is I have already forged the edge almost to final thickness. I have seen several khukri making videos in which the kami carefully pours a stream of hot water on the edge to harden but I guess they have perfected the method by years of practice . So oil is the way to go for me Edited October 16, 2021 by parsha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 Practice indeed! Better safe than sorry, I usually say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerhard Gerber Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 I'm not a parang expert, I've seen the Condor Village parang, and my one attempt at making one turned out a bit beefy. I can see that design, similar to the one example above, scale down to knife size successfully. Forget about it ever chopping, make a knife that just looks like a parang. If you'll excuse me, at this stage your design looks like it's trying to stay a chopper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsha Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 Do I call this a good heat treat? Blew off pretty much all of the scale on the edge after rubbing it with a scotch brite pad. Tested with a file and the file skates off without biting at all. On to the tempering light straw/ dark straw at the edge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Looks like it hardened! As for temper, light straw for slicing, dark for chopping. Make sure there is no oil or fingerprints on the edge, that will throw the colors way off. As in, you can see full blue and it may still be too hard to file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerrod Miller Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 22 minutes ago, Alan Longmire said: Make sure there is no oil or fingerprints on the edge, that will throw the colors way off. As in, you can see full blue and it may still be too hard to file. Which is why using temper colors is a bad idea. Thermometers and ovens are cheap. You all knew I would have to chime in and say it. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 16 minutes ago, Jerrod Miller said: You all knew I would have to chime in and say it. Yes indeed I did! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsha Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 Unfortunately I don't have access to a temperature controlled oven now. A good long soak in warm soap water followed by brushing with scotch brite wheel on an angle grinder should get rid of all the oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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