Another satisfied customer...

Joined
Mar 20, 2007
Messages
82
:thumbup:

I was never into big knives and never understood why use a big knife for chopping instead of a hatchet/etc... Well, that's changed, this thing is fun to use!

I just received my 16.5" CAK today. It was Uncle Bill's Birthday gift #4 from9/23. My PayPal went through on 9/23 and the blade was here today on 9/26 - STELLAR service IMO. Thanks Yangdu and everyone else affiliated with HI.

This thing is awesome. I've been using it today for all kinds of clearing/chopping and messing around. It came to me quite sharp and doesn't seem to have been affected by a day of hacking through all kinds of wood, both green and seasoned. I'll try to get some pics up soon, but I'm not sure when I'll get around to it.

Thanks again to Himalayan Imports and their great staff.

-Sean
 
Oh, oh. Another person infected with HIKV (Himalayan Imports Khukri Virus). There is no cure, and your paycheck is doomed.:D:D

Sounds like business as usual for Yangdu and HI. We only wish that every company we dealt with had the same customer service as HI.


Bill
 
You're not kidding, I'm already thinking about a Kobra model or something lighter for more brush-type work - lol.

-Sean
 
Yep, your doomed.:D:D:D:D
Happy collecting. I started with one. I now have 18 or so HI products (Mostly khuks, and mostly bought on DOTD's) Some folks have many more than I, but that just means that they are either more in debt than me, or they can afford more than I can.:eek:

Bill
 
SeanC, so you are the one that got the Uncle Bill Birthday Special CAK right before me! Luckily Yangdu had another one and it arrived in the mail today, there was a note left in my mailbox and I have to wait until Monday to pick it up! Oh the agony of suspense! I also got the #3 Special Kobra. I can't wait to see these knives! Have fun with yours!
 
knifes101, you grabbed that Kobra before I could get to it, so I picked another one from an older DOTD :)

SeanC, welcome to the wonderful world of khukuris!!!
 
Knifes101,

Sorry man, glad there was another one available for you though - I too am now considering one of the Kobras down the line, please post a review when you get it. I'm hoping to post a review of my new CAK soon(with pics of course).


Bill, yeah, the DOTDs are definitely the way to go, excellent blades at a very fair price. I'm very happy with my first Kukuri.


sta94, thank you.



-Sean
 
Sta94,

Sorry for sharking the Kobra on you. Did you get another Kobra or something else?

I must wait until tomorrow......
 
The CAKs are chopping monsters, it's hard not to go looking for work to do with them, eh?

Knives101: don't apologize for sharking, it's part of the HI experience. ;)
 
Cpl, you're not kidding about looking for stuff to chop whether you need to or not - lol.


After having used it a bit now, I've come to notice one major downside of the CAK(or for that matter any khukuri) for me. Where the pommel flares out towards the spine really digs into the base area of my palm. I plan on remedying this tomorrow. I'll rough it down on the belt sander at work and finish it at home by hand. I wish I didn't have to, but at least I didn't pay much for it, so I don't feel so guilty. These are definitely the best deals in a large chopper.

-Sean
 
EVERY khuk I own has been "customized" to fit my hand. Some have had the pommel reduced, as yours, some have had the complete handle sanded down to enable a better grip. That's part of owning a khuk, I think. The handles with a curve in them seem to need less "customizing" to me.

Bill
 
Welcome to the new folks, as I haven't said hi yet.

You're not the first to be smitten by a Chiruwa Ang Khola from Uncle Bill. Yangdu helps a bit more these days, and makes sure you won't be the last. A fitting birthday tribute. :D

As far as re-shaping the flared pommel, the kamis are getting better about making US-sized handles, so I've only found the need to reshape one handle - on a 15" AK. Make sure you use it a few times. There is lots of functional experience in the shape, and khuks tell you how to use them best.

That said, modifications are popular. The tang is generally soft, and I found an 8" flat file did an admirable job on both the steel and horn. I rounded off the top horn just a bit, and left the bottom horn in it's native state. Another popular mod is smoothing out the center ring, but I've not found that necessary. Take off little bits, go chop for a bit, then take off some more until you find the optimum configuration.

Another handle improvement idea (stolen from Yvsa): The edge of the butt cap often has a rough burr, and shrinkage of the handle material can leave a rough transition between the handle and butt cap. You can cut a small groove between the two with a needle file, then round the edge of the butt cap to permanently eliminate the burr.

General horn handle care - it's made of the same material as fingernails, so fingernail care products work well. A light coat of vaseline, fingernail product, or hooflex (horse hoof care products) keeps the horn in good condition. Fingernail polishing boards from the drug store can polish out rough spots and scratches from the modification process, if you don't have access to very fine sandpapers or buffing compounds.

Finally, read the Safety thread. If you're doing major handle work, taping the edge or securing it with a cardboard sleeve is highly advisable!
 
Tohatchi,

Yeah, I thnk I'll just take a bit off at a time, rounding it over rather than just taking it off. Good idea about the scale to pommel transition as well, thanks.

-Sean
 
Sta94,

Sorry for sharking the Kobra on you. Did you get another Kobra or something else?

I must wait until tomorrow......

Hi knives101, as cpl punishment noted, no need to apolgize at all, this whole sharking business is the name of the game, makes DOTDs a lot more fun that way! I've grabbed stuff from underneath other fellow's noses in similar sales in the past, so no worries. :) And yes, I did grab another Kobra from an earlier DOTD that had not moved, am waiting for this and a few other khukuris I ordered at the same time. All's well! :thumbup: Do share pics of your Kobra, it does look exceptionally well-made.
 
Welcome and congrats on your new CAK. My first HI kuk was a Bura made M-43 woith horn handles I picked up from Yangdu when I was homeless. Now I have quite a few more. They are indeed addictive.
 
Don't worry about having something sharked away from you. What this means is someone else was meant to have it and when the khukuri you are meant to have appears, you will have the money for it.

If this sounds hinky to you, wait and see. You will understand in time.
 
Thank you for the kind words
 
Back
Top