A couple of very special YCS.

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

Joined
Mar 5, 1999
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For what reason I'm not sure but Sher made two Chiruwa style YCS models and sent them and I'm glad he did because I like offering top flight stuff like this.

The big khukuri is 18 inches and weighs just over two pounds. Chiurwa style handle. Brass mounted. The blade is about as close to perfect as you can get doing the work by hand rather than a CNC. Brass inlay rather than copper and brass alternate but very well done. Beautiful finish. You've heard me say that Sher and Kumar make the best handles of any kamis in the shop and probably in all of Nepal. These brothers come from a kami clan that believes handles are almost as important as the blade itself and it shows. Great work on the chiruwa handle by Sher. Fit is perfect and it feels fine in the hand. Inlay has no filler and is sharp and crisp. I "think" this is sandal wood but am not sure. However, I'm sure it is not saatisal. Beautiful dark dense grain with red hue. I'm very pleased to be able to offer this knife that I know is going to make somebody very happy.

The larger karda is 9 inches and weighs 6 ounces and is probably worth $75 or so alone. Chiruwa style handle -- same wood as big brother, same excellent execution and inlay. Great knife all by itself.

The smaller karda is 8 inches and weighs about four ounces. Same fine quality, inlay and execution but saatisal handle.

The awl is 7.5 inches and has a sharp point. It has the same wood for handle as big blade. Fine effort.

Scabbard is by village sarki and very well done but in old style leather. No complaints.

I have two available at $225 each and these are UBBBs (Uncle Bill Best Buys).

There's going to be two very happy nephews coming up.
 

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Definitely impressive! This is comparable to lots of the older khuks that show up in pictures on this forum. Definitely master-level.
 
Uncle Bill, I'll take one of these beautiful YCSs. I am in India right now and I don't have access to my regular email. Let me know here in the forum and I can send paypal. I'll be back home on 10/13 and you can send it on Friday or so. Let me know!

Scot from Richardson, TX
(presently being stuffed with food by in-laws in Hyderabad, India)
 
All gone. OK, Scot. It may be waiting for you when you get back. Eat all the food but don't drink the water.
 
Paypal sent. Dang the net is amazing. Thanks Uncle Bill!!

Guzzling bottled water by the gallon here, the weather is still unseasonably hot they say. MIL feeds me every time she sees me standing still. I saw a few khuks at one of the mueseums, but the arms display was mostly the various types of swords and sabres. The Khuks were suspicious too, seemed way too good (i.e. magic stone finish blade a la HI). Did see some beautiful dagger handles or scabbards made of jade or inlaid with gems. Also handles made of clear rock crystal. No arguments about types of tangs there, you could see the whole thing :D
 
A Sher Chiruwa YCS with ultra beefy kardas? Excellent!

I thought that this model was retired, but apparently someone forgot to tell Sher. That is good! I'm glad he's knockin them khuks out at a furious rate.

That Sher YCS is at least as good (the extra blades and awl are better) as the Sanu YCS I have. Eyes on the Royal Kami position, indeed!

Good snags to those who got this wonderful khuk. It'll be hard to move up the khuk ladder much further, since you're gettig such a top notch knife.

Keith
 
Originally posted by mPisi .......the arms display was mostly the various types of swords and sabres.
Click to expand...
Anything there similar to the HI Tarwar?

A recent thread noted that the HI style may be Nepalese.

I would expect the HI Tarwar (HIT) grip originated in Nepal,

? but what about the blade shape ?

The HIT blade reminds me of some traditional Chinese dao.
 
Blades so wonderful when they strike wood the tree dies from beauty.



munk
 
My heart litterally skipped a couple of beats when I saw the pics Uncle Bill posted!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: That YCS is drop dead gorgeous!! And chiruwa style handle!! Wish I could have had them..
 
Originally posted by Eric C ........Wish I could have had them.
Click to expand...
I envision one on each hip
handles pointing forward
in a cross-draw fashion.

10-gallon hat, jeans,
Leather vest over red plaid shirt,
and handlebar mustache to complete the picture.

Kid Kukri

:D
 
ddean:

Unfortunately the museum (Salarjung Musuem in Hyderabad) does not allow photography, or I would have some exhibits for the forum. The museum originated as one man's private collection, mostly art from around the world. Some things were from the Tippu (Tippoo) Sultan's collection, sent back to Hyderabad after he was conquered by the British and Nizam of Hyderabad's armies. The most impressive to me was the manuscripts, many beautifully illustrated and illuminated pieces, some over 1,000 years old.

You can see some small pictures, including a jade fruit knife, at Museum Collection Page

To the best of my recollection there may have been a blade that looked like the HI Tarwar, and definitely some handles that looked like it, but no sword with the two in combination. Most had the classic tulwar type handle, usually pretty small in size. The displays usually had the swords partially in the scabbards so the blade type was not totally clear.

The arms collection had four khukuris. One looked like a village model, almost a BGRS. That one looked the most authentic with worn handle and unpolished blade. One was a dead ringer for a HI M43 blade, on a small rough wood handle, typically khuk style. The other two were crosses between WWII and AKs, blades with a sudden angle (not curved as in M43), and just the suggestion of the AK-type fullers. These past 3 were all mirror polished blades on rougher handles. They didn't have any info shown for alot of stuff in the arms room, so these may have been recent pieces. I think the original collector kept accumulating through the 1940s.

There were no katars in the arms collection, but there were two decorated ones in the collection of jade and precious stones. I've never seen a real one in person so I don't know the size it should be, these seemed pretty small, almost toys. Perhaps 5-6" blade IIRC.
 
sandalwood is quite aromatic, almost flowery. It woudl be a interestinf thinng indeed to have a sandalwaood handle, you'd sweat and the khuk would keep smelling better and better!

I have a sandalwood scabbard for a Javanese tombak that smells wonderful...
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So, what does Yvsa have to say about the latest version? Closer to the original wood model? You out there, man?

Keith
 
Bill - very nice YCS. Once I get a few more paychecks under my belt and my bro gets at least 1 or 2 himself, I'll take one. Sorry I had to miss on this one. Tell 'em to keep those beauties coming...
 
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