I don't know how you can make that determination from a photo. This is what I am looking for someone to explain to me.

That particular grind has a very thin bevel to the edge. You get it buried in something and apply the right amount of pressure and torque the blade, and wa la.

Not to mention, again, the 15 strikes with that thin edge.

I can only imagine how hard he was striking with that very light knife, the momentum the blade had to get it to even penetrate the branch to any degree. It is apparent that if he had to strike 15 times and probably half way thru if lucky, something wasn't going as he inexplicably thought it would. Perhaps he just swung it harder and harder until it chipped.