20" AK for sale on the Forum

Doesn't look like any of the HI ones I've seen. But I'm new here. Maybe they used to look like that?:confused:
 
Very interesting.
I've never seen engraving on any HI blade like the one for sale in the Forum. I seem to recall similar engraving on some non-HI models that were on Ebay, though. Something about the dragon engraving being the mark of ninja assasins or something.:confused: ;) :footinmou
 
Yep!!!!!:D
That's a Shop-1 H.I. with the original scrolled buttcap. Look at that BEAUTIFUL Convex Edge!!!!:D
Damned good price. If I was in the market for an excellent AK I would jump on this like a goose on a june bug!!!!!!:D
 
If you look you can tell there are 2 marks ( in ? Devanagari ) where the hee ee for Himalayan Imports should be.

The real tip off other than the buttcap is there is no "cho creep". as found in shop 2, Birghorka, etc. Cho's are right where they should be.

I recall some earlier knives coming thru with engraving. I think they were special ordered, though some may have been sent with engraving on "speculation" to find out if they would sell.

Incidentally, back during the days on KF, Bill and a guy whose name I can't recall discussed odd names for places.

( Frontiers all over have a tendency to get names oddly be it Nepal, Siberia, or the old west. )

One spot both Bill and this guy had been was a place named ghorapani, which tranlates in English to horsewater. OK, so much for today's linguistics lesson.
 
After reading Yvsa's reply I took a second look,

And what might be the 'hamon'
(& not a reflection)
appears on the edge in the area of the sweet spot.
 
Originally posted by Yvsa
Yep!!!!!:D
That's a Shop-1 H.I. with the original scrolled buttcap. Look at that BEAUTIFUL Convex Edge!!!!:D
Damned good price. If I was in the market for an excellent AK I would jump on this like a goose on a june bug!!!!!!:D

Really? Cool. :) I think Raghorn might have adopted it.
 
I was really sleepy when I posted before, but it's still an original H.I. Shop-1 AK!!!!
I mention the being sleepy because I didn't talk about these buttcaps.
Although very beautiful they were a real PITA for us that hadn't learned to properly hold and use a khuk as the top point was notorious about digging into the palm of the hand when you tied to work with the knife.
It was only after the advent of Shop-2 and BirGhorka that Bill was able to get the buttcaps changed into what we have today.
There was a lot to be said for the old style buttcaps though in that there was seldom a burr around their edge, actually undercut into the handle.
It's real hard for me to tell from the pic whether the handle is horn or that oh so beautiful rosewood we so often got from Shop One.
 
Congrats Raggy! Wished I'd seen it earlier. Good Catch! Always loved those older ones for some reason.:)
 
who did the engraving on those? Is that the work of the kamis, or some specialist in the old shop? somebody in the village?

I suspected non-HI because of the elaborate work. duh.
 
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