Few blade questions. mora, machete, kukuri

[Rich.H]

Ok first things first, i've had a trusty clipper now for a number of years and never had any issues, however the new 2010 model does look like a possible replacement. This left me with a chance learning project of making a custom handle on my old clipper.

However i'm not sure with their short tang if it would be viable to try and make a wooden handle and the knife still function as well as it does now, anyone offer advice please?

#2 Had a web-tex british army machete http://www.web-tex.co.uk/knives-and-holsters/web-tex-machete-in-sheath/prod_1268.html for awhile now yesterday finally got round to repairing the damaged blade and getting it upto knife sharp standard. Originally I got it as I liked how it was slightly shorter than your average machete, and still had a good heft of weight. Although so far i've never fully used it out in the field, so can anyone offer any opinions on the pro's and con's of this blade?

#3 Last night I once again found myself wandering around looking at kukuri's online, now I know they tend to get alot of hype. However I also know that certain things are only good in certain climates, hense why generally if your dealing with our native hardwood trees you want an axe. But can anyone tell me if they have had personal experience of a kukuri here in the uk, does it perform well, could I feasably take one for short trips and let it function as a small axe/large knife. Will it leave me wanting for an axe? Found what seemed to be the most reliable source of good quality blades here https://torablades.com/shop/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=45 Although again if anyone has experience of dealing with these folks and the quality of blade help would be appreciated. They just seemed to be somewhat cheap for what is hyped to be the "ultimate" knife.

Sorry if the post is abit of an essay it just seemed to make sense rather than make 3 separate ones.

 

[Ratbag]

I believe short tangs can still make good rehandling projects. Perhaps you need to be a bit meticulous with your degreasing and glueing process. Or you could pin it as well, to be doubly sure.

The main shortcoming (ha ha) of the shorty webtex machete, other than its short length making it less useful is, IMO, that the steel is too soft to hold a decent edge. I know that machetes don't tend to be hardened to the same degree as knives, in order to avoid the edge chipping or the blade breaking, but I think these machetes are too soft.

Kukris can be great, combining aspects of machete and hatchet. You perhaps wouldn't want to chop down a big tree with one, but they're excellent for cutting saplings and brush. And most splitting / batoning is fine too.

I have had good advice and service from Tora in the past (no connection etc) and Simon is a good guy to deal with. Give them a try.

HTH

Rat

 

[born2roam]

Hi mate,

Can't help you with the other questions but I have a 'SurvivAll Kukri' from Bearclaw and it is great.

In wintertime we tested it to replace a large knife/small axe in Sweden to chop down some decent sized sprucetrees and through the ice (a foot or so?). Like a beaut!!

Splitting, batoning. An awesome tool with an ergonomical handle on it. I had another kukri with the traditional handle that I disliked (to put in friendly), only because of the shape of the handle.

I still would use my parang in the jungle and prefer my axe but I am definitely giving the kukri some more practice time since it works great, not to keen on it's looks in general but heck... you can't winn'em all.

Grtz Johan

 

[John Fenna]

If you chose good handle materials (such as well seasoned oak) and a tough bolster (brass, or buffalo horn for example) then you can turn out a good knife from a short tanged blade.I prefer the Rebate method as this way you can get an exact fit if tang to blade, which helps avoid "pivot-ing" problems.
I have done afew short tang rehandling jobs like this and have yet to have one fail...but then I dont to Mach battoning with knives!

 

[JohnC]

I like my khukri, it's heavy, but can be a very versatile tool, and capable of quite fine work as well as as heavy chopping

 

[Front Room Woodlander]

I have two kukris. I have used them for making feather sticks up to splitting deer into pieces. I really cannot fault them. Once you adapt to the tool you are using and adapt the tool to the job for which you want to use it you are laughing!

 

[BushcraftBaird112]

I used to have one of those web-tex machetes. Unfortunately, one day while chopping a branch off of a log, the tang shattered in the handle. It didn't seem to be very well made and had a poor grind. I'm not exactly what kind of steel it was made of either. I have a Martindale golok and I prefer it much more.

 

[BOD]

I do not know how you will use the web-tex and can only answer for actual jungle use


A military parang/golok is meant for use in the jungle. Most soldiers, most of the time, patrol trails and as a rule will try an avoid a lot of hacking and slashing especially on exercises (and on active duty) to avoid making noise. They will walk around obstacles moving slowly.

They have weapons in their hands usually, not parangs, except sometimes eg. if the squad is cross graining and the lead man is trail cutting . They are not moving fast and if the vegeation is dense the point man is replaced every so often and a fresh blade and arm is at work.

In a safe area the goloks/parangs come out to build camp furniture and that sort of blade is a good chopper of GREEN wood. It can also split dry wood for fire. The softer steel enables you to get a decent edge back fast.

The webtex style is a chopper not an optimum style for TRAIL work and the natives do not use that pattern on trails relying on lighter longer and curved styles like a South American machete or an Iban duku. You see Malays, a coastal farming people with parangs of that style but not deep jungle people.

What are you looking for - a chopper? If so look at an axe or khukri as well

If you want a knife for the trail, unless you go in with a squad of friends with parangs, get a machete since you will be doing most or all of the cutting.