Another Kumar Kobra comes and goes. Take a look at the balance.

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

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Mar 5, 1999
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Here is the latest Kumar Kobra to arrive. Balanced as you can see atop a tomato plant stake. On its way to a new home today. 20 inches and 18oz. Another worn out file put to good use.

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Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html


[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 06 November 1999).]

[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 06 November 1999).]
 
Ohhhhh my. Ya, that's a GOOD one. Damn.

Is that made out of one BIG file? If that's what he's doing, I'd be willing to pay shipping all the way back there for a 28" overall file he can make a 25" blade out of, mebbe 30" overall. But much later, let's see how "the project" pans out.

Bill, I'd pay any amount of cash to see the look on Kumar's face when he sees that prototype!

Jim
 
One big file, Jim, as far as I can tell. I would like to see him make one because I can't tell exactly how he does it by just looks. Parts of the file hatchmarks show up on some parts of the blade and not on others. He is not pounding them out 100%. I wonder if he uses some method I don't know about.

All the kamis are going to be giving the prototype a good once over, you can bet on that. What they will do with it remains to be seen.

Pala said to tell "Giant Jim" hello!

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Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
 
:
Yup.That'll do.
Kumar is approaching what I was talking about way back when I said to raise the tip a tad.
Maybe it was the perspective I was seeing,but this one is close.
When I get the other ones I have ordered I may have to think about one of these.Man.That is beautiful!!!!

Jim can you see what I mean about the tip just slightly coming up?



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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

If you mix milk of magnesia with vodka and orange juice do you get a phillips screwdriver?

Khukuri FAQ


 
Don't answer on the forum, but if the project involves a kobra blade on a khanjarli's hilt, you know me and the Indin. Nuff said.
 
Yvsa, not exactly. I can see the spine out towards the tip is "flat" versus continuing to curve downwards towards the tip. Other than that, the curves aren't very different from the "Chaimpurioid" blade on my piece. Other than the "extremely slender for a Khukuri" profile and weight, the Kumar piece isn't all THAT great a departure?

Or...am I missing something?

Jim
 
I don't know a lot about khukuris (though I'm learning more every day) but it's clear that this design is a fighter, not an implement. It is quite frankly a departure from tradition, and a valid one, originating as it does in the very center and home of the khukuri. As such I have a few notions about the design...some of which agree with other posts, particularly Yvsa's. The bend of the blade should be a bit less. I think this is the 'raised point' that Yvsa is talking about. In order to facilitate cut and thrust, the point should nevertheless be on the centerline of the blade. And a sharpened false edge (only a few inches) would make for a better penetrator ( I realize how non-traditional a feature this would be, though, and would completely understand the kami's unwillingness to implement it.) I'd also like to see a heavier solid buttplate on these (and the Gelbu's, too.) Balance point looks about perfect. It's a darned nice way to salvage an old file, isn't it?

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[This message has been edited by gunhou (edited 06 November 1999).]
 
Gunhou:

Take a khukuri in hand and *thrust*, and the point will angle down. That's why those familiar with knives and thrusting want to raise the point a smidgeon.

Now take a khukuri in hand and *punch*, wrist in line with forearm. Look how the point stays up and in line with wrist and arm and goes exactly where you want to land the punch.

Personally, I like the point higher as on the Sirupatis and Chainpuris, as opposed to the 18th Century, the forward curving, etc.

Oddly enough, the only pure weapon of the HI bunch is the very one with the tip dropped the furthest, the 18th Century. Go figure.

And as far as a raised tip being only good for fighting, you aren't thinking light vegetation, ala machete. Or bamboo maybe.

( Who am I trying to fool? That 17" 14 oz Chainpuri shown in the "Rusty's toys" thread, or the 20" Chainpuri, and the 12" Sirupati are all "sinfully" quick, and I you know what I love, don't you? )

[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited 06 November 1999).]
 
Rusty: You are right...my thinking about the in-line point is a relic of the Styer's bowie knife technique and its bias towards a 'sabre-grip'. If you hold the kuk in a 'punch' grip, it works just like you said. My error was in trying to apply a technique natural to the Western weapon, on one which came out of a completely different tradition. Mea culpa!
 
Gunhou - don't sweat it - just because I figured something out doesn't mean I'm not overlooking something even more self-evident and obvious. I *think* I picked up on the above where the more knowlegeable guys didn't just because I didn't know any better.
 
With a khanjarli handle of course.

But I'd still take one with any kind of handle.
 
Bill, a thought: once we stretch this bad boy to 30" overall, we'll need to switch to 5160M ("M" for "Mercedes"
smile.gif
). Reason 1 is lack of a file that long, #2 is strength issues.

It will take a major "shift in thinking" from general kami style to make something that long, thin and light, to a "pure fighter" that can't chop wood. My personal Chaimpuri-oid is as close as I've seen 'em come so far short of this Kumar Kobra but I can assure you, mine is still a fine woodsman's tool with no problems whatsoever.

A 30" Kumar Kobra isn't going to be any such thing. That's OK, so long as we keep it out of Cliff's hands (
biggrin.gif
) because such a critter would be highly desirable. My concern is that even Kumar may not be ready to make that "mental leap". The current Kobra suggests otherwise, thank God(s).

Jim
 
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