A Bevy of Balances - A Few Pictures

Svashtar

Svashtar

Joined
Dec 28, 2003
Messages
4,793
It's the weekend so I thought I'd post a few more pics and some history on an older model.

In mid-February 2006, in a long personal email with Munk, I commented on the 12" and 13" Balances which were occasionally being sold at the time, and suggested that the model cried out for a heavier version in the 17"-18" range.

Munk spoke to Aunt Yangdu about it, and she was open to the idea. Great minds think alike, and just over a week later Dick Singer (SOGGUY) started the following thread:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=390647&highlight=balance

He was thinking along the same lines, but about a 15" version, however as soon as he heard about the 17-18" suggestion Dick was all over it. On 2/24/06 Munk announced that both the 18" Balance and new Munk Chunk were in the works.

Just 3 months later in May 2006 Dick had the first 18" delivered to him, and the frenzy was on! :D This was also accompanied by an influx of Balances in a 14" size in both wood and horn, 90% of them by Sgt. Khadka, who started out almost exclusively with smaller knives by the way.

This is a superb (full tang!! :eek:) kukri, that chops like a demon but isn't overly heavy (never over 2 lbs.), and we had a lot of interest in them for a while. Dick willed me that very first production 18", one in Hill Walnut, and it is shown here with a few others.

That pretty white 2 lb. antler Balance is one of my top 6 HI's, and I don't ever intend to part with it, or the #1 Dick gave me. The Villager style 14" in satin at the top is probably the sharpest out of the box of all of them, but all of them are "field sharp."

Here's the bunch, listed from the top down:

1) 14" 14.5 oz. by Sgt. Khadka - Satin horn

2) 13" 13 oz. by Sher - Polished horn

3) 14" 15 oz. by Sgt. Khadka - Rosewood (white metal fittings)

4) 18" 28 oz. by Kumar - Polished horn

5) 18.25" 28 oz. by Kumar - Stripy chandan

6) 18" 30 oz. by Kumar - Polished antler

7) 18" 27 oz. by Kumar - Hill walnut (1st 18" made this style)


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The 4 big blades:

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18" Handle closeups:

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The 3 "small guys" in descending order x size:

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And a closeup of 3 interesting cho variants for this model:

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If I could change one thing about the 18" version it would simply be to customize it (ala the Malla) with the 3 hole cho as on the 14" wood by Sgt. Khadka. That may have been suggested, but considering the distance and the language barrier that's a nit, and the cows foot kaudi looks fine. The kami's did a great job the first time out, with just the most rudimentary specs given to them (that is, take the 13" and make it bigger! :))

Thanks for looking!

Best Regards,

Norm
 

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Here you go again Norm. Stirring up a hornet's nest with all these pictures. Now everybody's gonna want a Balance khuk!! Of course that's all kidding. I'm not kidding in thanking you for the time and effort to share with us. It's very much appreciated. You've got a beautiful group there and its always interesting to see the models of yesteryear. While locating the Point Of Balance on my khuks I was surprised to find that I had a few that would balance. Off the top of my head, a 25" Kobra by Sanu and a 15" File Khukuri by Bura. Anyway, thanks again and now get to bed so you can be ready to study tomorrow.

Rick
 
The 15" File is a thin, light whip of a khuk that Bura made out of an old file kinda like the Kobra. The 18th Century model looks like an M43 with the blade hatching put on by the kamis in the forging process. It is around 18", two pounds and is a little forward heavy. To me what a Balance khuk is is one that will balance at the POB (handle to tip) and side to side. There is a picture that I've seen of Pala showing a khukuri that is balanced on one finger. That is what I consider a Balance khuk. If I've got this muddled up somehow, I gladly await all corrections.

Rick
 
Some real beauties Norm. Thanks for sharing your collection with those of us who found HI later in life:). The activity level on the forum has increased a lot lately and it's due to posts like this. I was thinking the blade had a real Malla look. I have a Murali WWII that kind of shares this profile. Thanks again and take care.
 
Do these balance? Can you show us a picture of one balanced, so we can see they live up to the name?
 
Man, I was just telling myself that I need to be happy with the couple of khukuris that I have, and stop making myself miserable by wanting more that I can't afford. Then you have to go and post pics like that. And to make it worse, even if money were no issue for me, I STILL wouldn't be able to get one since they're no longer being made. :(

Seriously though, those are some beautiful pieces. I tend to like the smaller khukuris anyway, and the 14" with the satin horn handle by Sgt. Khadka looks to be right up my alley. Thanks for sharing!
 
You're making me miss Kumar's work badly. Those larger ones have got to be some of the best potential all-arounder's I've seen. Good chopping and weapon qualities. Now I want one.
 
stickfred said:
The 15" File is a thin, light whip of a khuk that Bura made out of an old file kinda like the Kobra. The 18th Century model looks like an M43 with the blade hatching put on by the kamis in the forging process. It is around 18", two pounds and is a little forward heavy. To me what a Balance khuk is is one that will balance at the POB (handle to tip) and side to side. There is a picture that I've seen of Pala showing a khukuri that is balanced on one finger. That is what I consider a Balance khuk. If I've got this muddled up somehow, I gladly await all corrections.

Rick
Click to expand...

That was called the "Reti" kukri Rick, one made from a file with a very thin profile. I snagged one 5 or 6 years ago by Bura, but it was one of the first ones I later sold. The one I did get was hard to track down as I don't think that many were made. The thing was very sharp for sure!

The 18th Century is an interesting kukri. I was able to get a copy from Yvsa years ago. A lot of work went into the cross-hatching on the blade. I heard something once about blade failures with that process? but have never had any problems with mine.

Norm
 
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Howard Wallace said:
Do these balance? Can you show us a picture of one balanced, so we can see they live up to the name?
Click to expand...

Howard, these all balance at the exact middle of the knife. On the 13" models that is about 3/4" in front of the cho; on the 14" models that's about 1.75 - 2" in front of the cho, and on the 18" models about 2.5" in front.

However, I can't find that this is particularly unique; I grabbed an 18" 31 oz. BGRS and it balances in the exact same spot, so would expect the same from say an AK. The only knives that balance more to the rear leaving more blade out front (about 40-45% of the length out from the pommel) are those with Chiruwa tangs, which is to be expected. I'm sure a Samsher or Dui Chirra would balance way more in the other direction, past the 50% mark from the handle.

Norm
 
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