Quick Walk Out to Test A Parang

[KaiTheIronHound]

Here we go again with another big knife test. I've kind of been coveting the Condor Tool And Knife parangs for a while now, but have managed to resist as i would have had to buy online, which means no handling the tool first. This was saving me some money at least. However, recently i went to a big outdoor gear expo and found a trader with a Mini Duku Parang by CTK, and i had to have it.

Just like my kukri test from a while ago, the plan is take only the blade and the ferro rod as tools to use, and make a fire. Now for pictures!

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Collecting resin for fire lighting
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[KaiTheIronHound]

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[KaiTheIronHound]

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[KaiTheIronHound]

I hope you enjoyed the usage pictures. All in all i really like this thing. The steel is good, the handle is comfortable, and the sheath is very good quality leather. This test was run the same way as my previous test on the kukri ( http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?8796-Quick-walk-out-to-test-a-kukri ) so i have a fair comparison between the two i think. The parang chops and splits dead wood quite well, takes and holds a nice edge, and carves reasonably if you are used to using such a large blade for smaller tasks like carving feathers/slivers to use as tinder. The kukri out-chops the parang by a significant margin, but is not as good at finer work.

I know lots of folks hate big knives, but in my environment they come in handly as there are often occasions where an axe isn't necessary for processing adequate amounts of firewood, but trails may need to be broken through dense scrub.

My 2 cents is that this one is a bit on the pricey side for what it is, but considering the quality of leather on the sheath i was more than happy to pay an excess. I reckon any of the Condor Tool And Knife parangs would serve just as well as this thing does, and as they have something in pretty much every price range, i'd say go for what looks good to you or what you can afford.

Thanks for reading ladies and gents, any questions please feel free to ask!

[OakAshandThorn]

T^ That looks like something I might be acquiring soon for trail work :). There's about a 2 mile section of trail in part of the Irish Wilderness that is sooooooo overgrown....it's practically a jungle. Most of the time you cannot even see where the trail goes more than 5 ft in front of you. It's so bad you can't even swing a two-handed brush-axe safely.

I like that design - the curve in the blade and the additional weight by the tip of the blade would make it a fantastic chopper. I saw a Bear Grylls version for less money, and the product reviews on it seem to good, so I might bite.

Thanks for showing it :D

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Awesome.. T.Y for sharing.
Regards
David
T^

[ammo]

Great post.
I am a big fan of machetes.
I'm surprised the Kukri out chopped the Parang. Was there a weight difference.

[KaiTheIronHound]

Oak, bear grylls parang has had significant breakage problems in the past, maybe look at the condor eco parang for similar price range. You'll dedfinitely get better steel, 1075 carbon vs gerber mystery pot metal.

[KaiTheIronHound]

Ammo, kukri isnt too much shorter than this one, but she's a centimeter thick at the thickest point of the spine, combine the weight with the forward curve and you have a beast of a chopper.

[ammo]

Just asking your opinion here.
Kukri and Parang. Same steel, size, weight, etc. What advantages would your consider each having other each other?
I can't remember, how I lost my Kukri, but I remember it fondly.
I use a Bolo Machete or Parang, to clear a path or an area around a tree. Think they look a bit more professional, (well less aggressive/threatening) than a Kukri. Though would be interested in acquiring a new one, if I could justify it's use to myself, wouldn't take much though. I'm an easy victim, for a quality tool.

[shepherd]

looks like a handy tool! T^