A Khukuri for Pop...

T

Town Sergeant

Joined
May 15, 2001
Messages
140
Well, I just finished a "project Khukuri" for my Pop. Like Cuttin' Craig, I'm new to this Khuk-knut thing
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and want to share the experience with my loved ones.
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I plan on driving out and giving it to him later today.

The Knife - a "Genuine Officers Khukri" that cost me less than $20.00...read "production Indian made with real funky zone hardening, a mediocre sheath, and two terrible kardas"...
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What I Did - unlike some of the true artists around these parts (Yvsa, Walosi, Terry...just to name a few!) I am not an artist in metal/wood/leather. However, I enjoy taking my time and doing what I am capable of the best that I can, and this project did come out rather well. Polished and cold blued all three blades, did filework on the spine of the khukuri, mirror polished all of the brass, tightened up the scabbard fit as best I could, dyed and polished the scabbard leather, treated the handles with Ballistol...just some simple stuff, but enough to completely transform a rather dull factory product into something special.

Pop - this will be a combination belated Memorial Day / early Fathers Day present for him. Pop was the first person to tell me about "the Ghurkas" when I was a boy. He was a Forward Artillery Observer (RTO) who saw a lot of combat in WWII, who always spoke with great respect about the Ghurkas, British Commandos, and Canadian paras (a squad of which saved his obeservation post during a fierce firefight near the Elbe River)...Pop was a country boy who had never left the hills...graduated from High School 6 months after Pearl Harbor, went in the Army and stayed the duration. Worked construction until he retired...at 77 he walks a couple miles every morning, tends his garden, and does odd jobs for people. Taught me how to hunt and fish, make a deadfall trap, and play the Lester Flatt G run on a Martin Guitar...

Yeah, I think Pop is a Khukuri kind of guy...
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That's about the limit of my craftsmanship too, but it's surprising how good you can make stuff look with just a bit of work.
Interesting info on your Dad too. He should get a real kick out of your present.

Jeff & Miss K.
 
TS:

"Craftsmanship" is nothing more than doing something you like in return for the sense of accomplishment it brings. It can be brought to high levels depending on practice and personal talents, but when the sense of making something, or improving something with your own hands hits you, you are a craftsman, whatever the level.

IMHO you are to be commended as a loving, dutiful son. The very idea of a son giving his father a Khukuri is heartwarming, and SHOULD SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE TO SONS EVERYWHERE. Sorry, just thought that should be emphasized. Heheheh
 
I ain't psychic but there maybe something to the voices whispering in my ear. I have however, scared the hell out of some, but then preachers leave themselves wide open to have the hell scared out of 'em now and again.

Either that or the government is doing secret experiments and has modifed my hearing aids to run subliminal suggestions thru them.

edit: One Monday a guy walked into the Tribal Hall once and instantly without thinking my gut SCREAMED Heart Attack to me. Almost said " Take care, we're the right age to drop dead of a heart attack with no notice" but I was too afraid of making a fool out of my self. He had the heart attack that Friday ( but survived ). When I found out about it I went white as a sheet.

[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited 06-10-2001).]
 
>>>The very idea of a son giving his father a Khukuri is heartwarming, and SHOULD SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE TO SONS EVERYWHERE<<<<

Wal,


Uhmm... I couldn't help but notice your post (not that you were screaming or anything). Not one to read between the lines, were you trying to say something??? You know that if I were to get you a kuk for FD, Uncle would have to send the receipt along with just to prove to Mom that you didn't in fact go nuts and buy another one. I don't think the Bank Vault door in your basement stronghold would be a match against her... and since I didn't get her one for MD, she'd feel left out and unappreciated. I couldn't do something like that to her...
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And of course, there is the flute purchase, a very possible guitar purchase... and... oh yeah, the puppies will need food too this week. Maybe my older bro is a lurker here and will get your hint... not that you were hinting or anything
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Alan

 
Forgetting that Pop often spends Sunday afternoons squiring various "lady friends"
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to any one of a number of after-church hotspots, I was unable to deliver the PPK (Pop's Project Khukuri) yesterday as initially planned.

Better luck today. The look on his face when he opened the red cloth wrapped bundle and saw the khukuri was priceless.
A slow grin spread over his weathered face and he said: "This is what those Indian troops carried...those Ghurkas." I explained about the construction of the scabbard, the kardas, etc. He seemed very impressed with the karda concept, as he had told me in the past that as a combat soldier he had often carried one or two other knives in addition to a field knife...a fighter (which is still around) and a pocket knife of some sort I believe. He thought that the Khukuri/karda was a well thought-out package that would eliminate the need for a soldier to have to carry several different blades in different locations on his person. He commented that the scabbard itself would make quite an improvised weapon, making me think of some knife fighting techniques that do indeed employ such a move...
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All in all a delightful visit, one that I thought I would share with y'all...
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[This message has been edited by Town Sergeant (edited 06-11-2001).]
 
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