Anyone made a traditional khukuri handle?

[Yvsa]

:
I have been working on a traditional khukuri handle for one of Bura's Sun, Moon and Stars khukuri's. I won't name the wood just yet because I want it to be a surprise for the fellow khukuri knut that ordered it. He wanted Bois 'D Arc and I didn't have a piece large enough and I thought I had some real old Black Walnut that seems to have disapeared in my small workroom somewhere. Anyway I think he is gonna be very pleased with what I do have some of though.

This has been a much larger and more difficult undertaking than I first imagined. I have done some pretty decent wood carving on my Flutes and such, but nothing quite like this.

One reason that possibly made it a tad more difficult is that I wanted a bit more downward slope on the back of the handle to make the already forward curving khukuri more of the old style full curve style. I succeded a bit and I really like the feel of the knife. It exudes pure weapon to me. I may get one someday, but I will have to "justify" it in my mind anyway.

This was my 3rd attempt at making this handle. The first one I got carried away and it wound up a bit small. The 2nd one just didnt "look" right.
I could have already had a more conventional handle already made and sent off. It wouldn't be "right" to me to rehandle one of these blades that Bura made so elegant though. I am really pleased with the way it is turning out ad I am about 75% done with the project as I am rehndleing the chakma and karda too. I am also gonna make an extra heavy duty frog from some 9 - 10 ounce cowhide.

I know that Maddog2020 has done some rehandleing of some khuks but just wondered if anyone has made any traditional type handle except me.

I can just imagine a kami doing in just a few hours what is taking me days to do in my spare time.

Powwow season is coming up though and I need to finish getting my new Southern Straight Dance Regalia finished up. I commissined the Dance Stick to be made today. I am really looking forward to doing this as I have wanted to do this since I was a kid.
A Really nice Straight Dance outfit costs fom $1,500 and up. I was very lucky to pick up quite a bit of the outfit for about 1/2 price. I am like a kid with a new khukuri!!!

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"Know your own bone, gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it again."

'Thoreau'

Khukuri FAQ

 

[Rusty]

Shaping is one thing, but changing the whatchamacallit area of the blade in front of and around the bolster requires a newly soldered together piece of brass to be fitted. Oh well, you'll see what I'm talking about anyway. PS, I thought it was Sanu who did the forward curvings with hot forged symbols on the blade.

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Himalayan Imports Website

Himalayan Imports Khukuri FAQ

 

[MauiRob]

Yvsa,

Sorry, I haven't made any handles yet. However, I would love to see a picture of the handle you are making when it is finished. If you don't have a scanner, maybe a fellow forumite could scan it in and post it for us. I know that others would love to see it after seeing the job you did on that Sirupati (was that the type of khuk you refinished with broken tang). If you ever have any spare time (yeah, right who does?

) maybe you could post how you go about making a wood handle for us amateur woodworkers and Howard could put it in the Khuk. FAQ. Boy, am I pushy today or what???

. Anyway, good luck with the handle!

Rob

 

[Yvsa]

:
My mistake Rusty you are correct it was Sanu.
You know how Indins and names are.

On one of the khukuris I repaired the bolster and original handle wasn't lining up just like I wanted it to.
I very carefully filed a small 1/32" step at the spine and fitted the bolster to it like that. It solved my problem and made for a nice fit and finish.
This one had a cracked horn handle and even though the bolster would sit upon the bottom and top of the blade it just left something to be desired. I had to file the small step on both, but I think it improves the looks greatly.

A kind of interesting note on this one is that the handle between boster and butt cap is about 1/8" to 3/16" longe which is a nice touch.

Rob I will definitely take some pix of this one! The color alone is gonna knock the socks a ya.

I left the area in front of the ring a bit larger than the original and I made a raised and rounded ring just below it and used a wood burner to put in some lines to make it look similar to rope. The area just in front of that is larger than the original and more rounded as well. I personally like the way it "feels." There is a band of 2 grooves where they normally are and I used the wood burner there to put in XXXX's all around the handle.

I kept all the grooves "in line" with the very first one at the top of the little angled ring where the handle changes sizes by using a calipers that I used to use for steel layout.
I am kind of proud of the way it's turning out.

We'll see about a tutorial when the pic gets posted which will be a while probably.

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"Know your own bone, gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it again."

'Thoreau'

Khukuri FAQ

 

[sing]

Yvsa,

Looking forward to seeing it.

And, how about a picture of you in the straight dance outfit?

sing

AKTI #A000356

 

[maddog2020]

Yvsa,

What kind of adhesive/bonding agent were you planning on using between the handle and the steel tapered tang?

I have a couple of ideas, but I haven't tried either of them.

One was to use a two part expoxy - the kind they set anchors in concrete with.....LOL - really, it would be a wicked PIA to remove.

The other idea was the Brownells glass bedding GEL.

One of the most fun parts was peening over the end to secure the diamond and end cap. Yeah, I'm weird .....LOL. You get into a rhythm and get into a zone.

Can't wait to see some pics!




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Ray 'md2020'

 

[Rusty]

I'm wondering if a two step approach might not be the answer: once the horn, bone, antler, or wood is stable re: moisture, do some kind of inner and outer stabiization like I did on the inside of the antler where it got pithy with liquid superglue, to harden and seal real well, then use a somewhat shock tolerant expoxy/silicone for the inner core.

I've also been looking at one of the first batch of imported villagers and thinking that bending the tang tip into an eye instead of peening it, then drilling and pinning ( blind or thru the handle exterior )it in addition to epoxying would permit a strong, 3/4th to 7/8th length tang and a very strong but longer handle to fit western sized hands.

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Himalayan Imports Website

Himalayan Imports Khukuri FAQ

 

I'm in the process of doing up a set of replaceable handles for one of my khuks. So far, I've settled on Arctic curly birch, maple burl, and cocobolo.

I am also toying around with the notion of getting some good black walnut and doing a handle in this also, but with fine checking as one sees with some of the better rifle/shotgun stocks. My hope is this will improve the grip under foul weather conditions.

Harry

 

[Yvsa]

:
Hello QL!
Glad to see you come out of lurking mode.

I have the handle pretty much done on the khukuri itself. It was much more of a challenge than I expected!!
I may get it glued up tomorrow with the 2 ton 30 minute epoxy.
The karda and chakma are also presenting a challenge as te horn that was originally on them is a lot tougher than the wood and I have to make them fit the scabbard. I have an idea though.

One thing I found unusual when taking it apart was that the laha ( HI Epoxy.) was almost clear!! All I had ever seen before was the familiar dark colored laha. This must have been a fresh batch. It also "felt" a bit different, like it was smoother or? Kinda hard to describe.

I don't know how I am gonna justify it, but I may have "to have" one of these beautys myself.

This knife has a certain quality to it that bespeaks weapon more than any other khukuri I have had opportunity to handle!! If I get one it will be like my Hanuman Special and Banspati and won't be used.

PS... Rusty I did just that with the boiled linseed oil. I don't beleive that will be a problem for the epoxy stickng as the handle fits the tang snug enough to swing the knife about as it is. I really feel that peening the tang over alone would be enough to hold the handle. The epoxy will fill whatever voids there are and provide a shock absorber. for heavy use.

Harry that sounds really nice!
Are you going with a traditional style handle or something more contemporary?
Also is each one going to be done in a different material or are you going to laminate the woods you mentioned?

I would be wary of the checking as it could provide a friction point that may be abrasive to your hands.

Rusty gave me the idea on QL's knife to make the area in front of the rings a bit larger as he takes the area behind the rings down a bit to get a better grip I believe it is. You could duplicate that with some tape wrapped around the front part before you take the knife apart if it isn't already to large.
I really like the results of how this makes the handle feel!

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"Know your own bone, gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it again."

'Thoreau'

Khukuri FAQ

[This message has been edited by Yvsa (edited 02-06-2000).]

 

[Stumptown Gary]

Hi Yvsa!!

Yes, I thought it was time I made a more active contribution to the forum, and congratulating Uncle on his safe arrival seemed like a good place to do it.

That sounds like one incredible khuk, I cant wait to see it! I can imagine what you say about the curve shape adapting itself very well to use as a weapon, I have a few mid-19th C. khuks in my collection that were clearly intended to be used primarily as weapons. Somebody made a point a while ago (it might have been you) that a khukuri will teach the owner how it should be used given enough time and practice, and handling this type of blade will prove this to be true.

That clear laha sounds like interesting stuff, I wonder what is in it? I have seen many old village kami-made khuks, but none had the clear laha you mention. Maybe they have started using something more modern? Was it softer like wood working resin or more brittle like dark laha?

BTW, I just finished two great books about the Gukhas, I will post details for those interested in a new thread.

Cheers for now,

QL.

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¥vsa,

You said:

Are you going with a traditional style handle or something more contemporary?
Also is each one going to be done in a different material or are you going to laminate the woods you mentioned?

I'll be going with a traditional style handle. The first one will be in Arctic curly birch, stained with boiled linseed oil. I decided on this approach as I have one Finnish puukko which has this type of handle and I really like the look of it.

The second one will be the cocobolo handle which I will leave as is. It is an oily wood from what I've been told so drying out should not be a problem with it.

The third will be the maple burl. Haven't yet decided how I'll finish this one, but will make up my mind once I've done the first two.

As for the black walnut, the checking would be similar in size to what's on the handle of the 25 inch MamaBura I got last year. I have not had any problems with skin abrasion with the MamaBura yet.

Harry

[This message has been edited by Kozak (edited 02-07-2000).]

 

[Matt Matheny]

I have an incredible piece of myrtle burl that has been sitting in my shop and is dying to be a kuknri handle. All i need is a finished blade to work the handle around...

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"Clear a path for the Kukhri or it will clear one for itself"

 

[Yvsa]

:
QL the laha appeared to be a new batch without any of the additives that make it dark.
It wasn't quite as brittle as the dark laha normally is.

Harry I would love to see pix of the handles when you get them done.
Just thinking about one made from laminates running the length of the handle or in a checkerboard pattern makes me want to try one. That would be some pretty handle if done with the right woods.

I have one of those old Finnish Puukko's too. They used to sell for 3 bucks when I was a kid. I found this one at a flea market for $10.00 and felt lucky at that. It hadn't been ground on and it also has the nickle silver bolster. I took the time to put the original flat grind on mine and it is like a scapel!!

I kinda remember that Mama Bura
khukuri with the checked places down by the bolster. I was curious then how they would be and wondered if they would cause abrasion or just give a better grip.

Matt the Myrtle wood would make one helluva khukuri handle!!
An old school teacher friend of mine made a full gun stock from a piece of it that had the dark colored knots at just the right places. He carved a rose in the larger one nd rosebuds from the smaller ones and had the stem and leaves running down the stock. I have yet to see one as pretty as his.
I bet that Madrone would also make some nice handles too.


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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"Know your own bone, gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it again."

'Thoreau'

Khukuri FAQ

[This message has been edited by Yvsa (edited 02-07-2000).]