A Khukuri for the 3rd Millennium

Howard Wallace

Howard Wallace

.
Moderator
Joined
Feb 23, 1999
Messages
4,849
Cobalt’s description of the little tools that came with his khukuri got me thinking. We don’t have much use for buttonhooks these days.

What should the khukuri of the future look like?

I believe that the traditional blade and handle shapes are the way to go. They have been arrived at by many centuries of field experience, and I doubt they will be improved by radical changes. The materials that the khukuri is made of, and the carry system and accoutrements, are I believe, fair game. These things change with the centuries. After all, the kami’s didn’t always have automobile springs to make their khukuris. And pencils are a fairly recent invention that some innovative kami decided to include in the sheath.

Here’s what I think.

Carry system

I don’t think it is necessary to enclose the entire blade with a sheath. (Not with the new stainless blade materials you guys are about to suggest.) The carry system should envelop the point of the blade and the cutting edge. The rest of the blade is exposed to the elements. The blade is secured in the carry system with a “thumb break” strap similar to the retention devices on many modern pistol holsters. Draw is out the open side of the carry system, similar to the draw on Jim March’s Outsider sheath. A shoulder strap enables the blade to be carried slung over the head and shoulder. The shoulder strap can be removed for carry in a pack or automobile.

Accoutrements

The carry system has provisions for attaching a Leatherman type tool, a small led flashlight similar to a Photonlight, and a pressurized pen. The folding tool would include small blade, diamond sharpener, steel for steeling the khukuri, awl, and the usual assortment of screwdrivers, etc. The pen would write upside down, under water, etc., like the Fisher space pen.

Materials

I think the time has come for a stainless blade. Is it possible to find a stainless steel with the excellent edge holding, ease of steeling and resharpening, and resistance to breaking that we are enjoying with the 5160?

What do you think? Did I miss something important? What materials would be good for the blade and handle?

We had better hurry up. The third millennium will be starting any time now!
 
Want to have some fun? I'll send these specs to the kamis and try to get somebody to video tape their reactions. We could probably make more money selling that video than we do khukuris.

Bill
 
Is the world ready for a TALONITE KHUKURI!?

BWAAAahahahaha!

Bill, if you haven't followed the Talonite project, it's a bizarre Cobolt-alloy (no iron content!) knife blade material that offers edgeholding beyond anything describable. It's also about $100 a pound.

And god(s) help any poor Kami that tried to heat it soft enough to pound into shape...not really possible unless you've got a LOT more heat than they've ever seen. It's a "grind-only" proposition.

Jim March
 
Based on what Bill has said about the cranky kamis (
smile.gif
), I'd say maybe changing the buttonhook to something else is about the best compromise we would get out of them.
Updating it to the "3rd Millenium" is gonna be an aftermarket deal...maybe a spin off division of HI...
"3rd Millenium Industries, a division of HI,Inc"
Although, I would pay to see the sheath kamis play with Kydex the first time
 
Bill, I think you’re wrong about the kamis. If we give them a photonlight, they’ll love it and figure out how to put it into the sheath, probably right next to the buttonhook.

As a matter of fact, Bill, I’ll make you a little wager. I’ll send you a photonlight to give to your grouchiest kami. If he doesn’t love it and think it’s a good idea to have one in the sheath, I’m out a photonlight. If he thinks it’s a good idea he still keeps it and you owe me one of those carved chackmas Cobalt thinks are so impressive. Are you game?

If you give him the photonlight some dark evening when he’s been working late in the shop, and let him find his way home with it, the next morning would be a good time to give him the rest of the ideas.

But DC is right, forging Tallonite and and some of the other innovations may be beyond them for the moment. We might be surprised to see how amenable they would be to a change they thought was for the better. It is easy to confuse wisdom, and the perspective of centuries, for grouchiness and intractability.

 
Jim, are you trying to give the Kamis a heart attack. Talonite cannot be worked without the use of a power hammer, it will take them 5 years to forge one blade and they may even incarnate the god Hanuman to come after you.
 
One think I've almost decided for sure is I want to be present when I make this proposal and I want to have my video camera rolling. It'll be a blast if I can escape alive.

Bill
 
Hey COBALT, I thought you were still in deep kimchee with the monkey god for screwing up his name?

------------------
JP
 
Well, John, me and Hanuman had a discussion about that. He tried to get tough with me and I said; "well, you got a choice son, I can either carve your monkey head into a chicken head and choke you(thereby the term, choking the chicken) or you can chill and have a life in luxury with the occasional admiration and petting(thereby the term, spanking the monkey)" .


You will never guess what he said;

"Ok, your the boss and I'm no monkeys uncle".
 
Cobalt, is there a really, really, really good exorcist in your area?

------------------
Russ S
 
Cobalt I heard of bonding with your khukuri but talking to it? Those last comments you made did it.

You have convinced me to get my own Hanuman khukuri.

Will
 
It didn't work Cobalt! Hanuman may have hidden my Ghost Dance shirt but he didn't hide it well enough! Time for Hanuman and Coyote to have it out!!!

------------------
Russ S
 
Will, he talked to me, not the other way around.

Bill, that's what my wife always says(applause).

Rusty, they have already tried exorcism and it just gave me gas. Also, your puny coyote has no chance against !!!!HANUMAN!!!!!(violent earthshaking follows). I get goose bumps everytime I write this name.
 
I'd call it a mudslide rather than an earthquake, Bill, but it don't smell like mud to me.

------------------
Russ S
 
COBALT, I think you get goose bumps everytime you think about spanking that monkey.

------------------
JP
 
Don't make me say the word, John, you don't want me to wake !!HIM!!(thunder clap). Don't make him angry, you wouldn't like him when he is angry. Were's my viagra
 
"And a little blue pill shall make him whole again" so sayeth Lord Pfizer.

------------------
JP
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top