- Joined
- Mar 8, 1999
- Messages
- 8,911
Still sorting out intangibles ( right-brain issues ) on this one.
Got it laying between a Bura 18" WW2 and a Bura 18" Sirupati. Comparing it with the Hanuman Special. Typical Bura quality and feel.
Initial Appraisal: Yangdu stated the reason it was a blem was a superglue repairable crack. I filled it with regular superglue, wiped ( smeared ) the excess above the handle off, and took a cloth lightly dampened with acetone ( superglue remover ) and wiped the smear off. Doing this left a slight dip in the crack that was filled, but didn't hurt the repair. I could have wiped it off with a dry cloth and sanded and buffed it back to smooth and shiney, but that would have been far more work and wouldn't have made the repair significantly stronger.
The blade does have the typical non-convex thin edge, but was sharp on arrival. Two strokes on each side with a large EZ-Lap diamond steel brought ti to a toothy and sharp edge though not hair popping. If I were to be using it to chop wood, I'd take the edge back maybe 1/16th to an 1/8th inch and convex it. For now, by my bedside at night, it's fine.
The horn handle has shrunk away from the edges of the buttcap, so the cap needs to be filed down so it's even with the horn.( It is typical that the laha fill prevents the sealed bolster at the front from drying and shrinking like the unsealed butt end of the horn. It's like sealing the ends of a walnut gunstock blank to prevent overfast drying and cracking. Maybe the kamis could do this before putting the buttcap on, will have to see what Uncle has to say about sealants available in Nepal. ) At this point it's now been stabilized and a few filestrokes with a file will even it up to stay.
Chakma and Karda appear fine, and Karda is nicely beveled to a sharp edge.
All in all, nothing unexpected and the basic good solid work is there. I hope to grab maybe two more like it for just in case something should happen to this one.
There's just nothing that feels like a 16.5" WW2, or gives you the confidence having one by your side does. When Sarge went overseas, my former 16.5" went to him and eventually one of his knuckleheads. I've missed having it with me ever since. To me it's still the one I want to grab when I don't know what the use will be. The best of the best for facing the unknown. ( Did I mention I'm biased toward this model? )
Got it laying between a Bura 18" WW2 and a Bura 18" Sirupati. Comparing it with the Hanuman Special. Typical Bura quality and feel.
Initial Appraisal: Yangdu stated the reason it was a blem was a superglue repairable crack. I filled it with regular superglue, wiped ( smeared ) the excess above the handle off, and took a cloth lightly dampened with acetone ( superglue remover ) and wiped the smear off. Doing this left a slight dip in the crack that was filled, but didn't hurt the repair. I could have wiped it off with a dry cloth and sanded and buffed it back to smooth and shiney, but that would have been far more work and wouldn't have made the repair significantly stronger.
The blade does have the typical non-convex thin edge, but was sharp on arrival. Two strokes on each side with a large EZ-Lap diamond steel brought ti to a toothy and sharp edge though not hair popping. If I were to be using it to chop wood, I'd take the edge back maybe 1/16th to an 1/8th inch and convex it. For now, by my bedside at night, it's fine.
The horn handle has shrunk away from the edges of the buttcap, so the cap needs to be filed down so it's even with the horn.( It is typical that the laha fill prevents the sealed bolster at the front from drying and shrinking like the unsealed butt end of the horn. It's like sealing the ends of a walnut gunstock blank to prevent overfast drying and cracking. Maybe the kamis could do this before putting the buttcap on, will have to see what Uncle has to say about sealants available in Nepal. ) At this point it's now been stabilized and a few filestrokes with a file will even it up to stay.
Chakma and Karda appear fine, and Karda is nicely beveled to a sharp edge.
All in all, nothing unexpected and the basic good solid work is there. I hope to grab maybe two more like it for just in case something should happen to this one.
There's just nothing that feels like a 16.5" WW2, or gives you the confidence having one by your side does. When Sarge went overseas, my former 16.5" went to him and eventually one of his knuckleheads. I've missed having it with me ever since. To me it's still the one I want to grab when I don't know what the use will be. The best of the best for facing the unknown. ( Did I mention I'm biased toward this model? )
