BirGorkha Everest Katana prototype is here. Pix, specs and evaluation

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

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Mar 5, 1999
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Here's the first prototype BirGorkha Everest Katana which will go to Jim March next week.

Specs:

length 35 inches overall -- blade 25, handle 10
blade width -- 1.25
blade thickness -- 3/16
weight -- about 2.75 pounds
balance point -- about 4 or 5 inches forward of tsuba

Knowing very little about katanas here's how I'd rate this sword.

If it was a production model I'd reject it for the following reasons.

There is a slight wave in the grind of the edge -- maybe 20 thousandths, but visible to the naked eye.

Kumar did not listen to me or else forgot what I told him and hardened the blade the way they do a khukuri -- hard (I'd guess almost 60Rc) in the chopping area but in my opinion too soft toward the tsuba and tip.

The bulge near the tip was ground off by an apprentice who thought it was a mistake.

As a prototype I'd rate the sword at about 85% perfect which merits a continuation of the project. Plus factors are very good fit and finish. Hardness is excellent except it is not hardened the entire length of the blade. The handle, not what I'd guess most people want, is well done and is there to stay with two steel rivets. The blade is straight and true and shows no hammer marks.

It feels good in the hand and looks good to the eye. The pommel disc is too big. I asked them to grind it down even with the handle but they did not. Future models will be done without this disc, only a buttcap.

Although they made a very good scabbard for this sword the sarkis forgot what I told them about the frogs. I told them to make two small frogs for horizontal carry and even held the sword at my side to demonstrate the method of carry. They nodded and said, "Oh yes, we understand perfectly," and then they put on a standard frog. If I'd stayed in Nepal until this prototype was finished it would have been perfect. When the cat's away the mouse forgets everything.

I have emailed the above comments to Gelbu who will get the info to Bura and Kumar. Next prototype should be considerably improved. And, we'll keep pecking away at it until it meets HI standards and if it never gets there then we won't offer it but at least we tried.

I'm sure Jim March will have more cogent comments and suggestions which I will add to the list for Bura and Kumar. And, comments and suggestions from all those who know a lot more about swords than me will be much appreciated.

Of some interest to me at least was the fact that this blade was not marked with HI logo nor did Kumar put his mark on it. Prototype.

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Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ

[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 03-11-2000).]
 
Uncle, it seems to me a good starting for the project. I guessed the handle was a carved one, the style can be variable and more entertaining. BTW did Kumar think he could draw the blade out of the scabbard with frog tied to his belt?



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\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/
 
:
DAYUM!!!!
When I ever get what I think is the absolute perfect H.I. Khukuri for myself I will have to save for one of these when it becomes perfected!!
I believe that both are possible, but only from H.I.
redface.gif




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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

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

'Thoreau'

Khukuri FAQ
 
Hi All,
Me thinks there may be a real problem with the different stages of the heat treat, on a consistant basis.
Dan
 

I think it's pretty hardcore. I like the hanldle and I defenitly want one once it gets perfected. I've trained with the katana a little, but I've never really liked the traditional style. This might just be the sword for me.

- D
 
They...ground...the...battle...bulge...off.

Sigh.

OK, on a more serious note: we know the pommel disk has to go.

As to all these funky grips...Bill, why can't they do the standard Khukuri mid-grip rings, staggered forward/reverse up the entire length, spaced about 1" apart? I mean...that's be easier, it would look better, etc.

I'll make the frog we need myself. No problem.

The single biggest problem is that the blade needs to come STRAIGHT out of the grip at the base, not start at an upwards angle! It's not gonna handle right in this configuration.

Errr...and it needs a thicker Tsuba (guard ring between blade and grip).

Even with those comments, this is still a good start and will find a valued home at some point. We CAN get there...
smile.gif


Jim
 
Thanks all for comments.

Dan, I was worried about the heat treat and still am -- reason I was playing with the transmission oil.

Our solution at this stage is to put two fans into one forge so the entire length can be heated at once. If they do this I am reasonably confident the hardening process using the slow water quench will give us what we want and repeatability should be good. But, we'll wait and see.

Satoshi, Kumar has nothing to do with the scabbards. The wrong frog was the fault of the sarkis and Gelbu. I received email from Gelbu apologizing for this mistake. He said, "I remember you holding the sword at your side and showing us how to make the frogs and then in our hurry we forgot. We will not make this mistake again." I hope not!

Jim, I'll wait until you get this sword in your hands before I send your comments over as I'm sure you will have more and better qualified things to say once you have played with this sword hands on. And, the kamis have asked for your picture. I told them you weighed 130 KG and they didn't believe me. I am big by Nepali standards. 130 KG is unbelieveable.

Finally, I don't think we will see any marking on the blade until we are satisfied this sword is up to HI quality standards.

------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Uncle Bill,
Nice to see the first prototype. How is the tang configuration, is it a full tang or a stick tang. Also, I was wondering about the heat treatment. I assume the blade was forged straight and quenched. There seems to be too much curvature near the tip (Kissaki). The blade and handle should have a graceful to it. The disks on the pommel should also go. Not bad though for the first attempt Uncle!
 
Hi BA and thanks for comments. It needs some tune up for sure. I should be getting number 2 in soon and I'll send it to you for suggestions. We need all the help we can get on this project since none of us have any experience with katanas. I can see khukuri leaking into this project and that is good in one way but bad in another.

The tang is full length tapered. I do like the handle security with the two steel pins thru. Did I tell everybody that the kamis make their own pins from spring steel? No commercial aluminum rivets or pins at BirGorkha!

------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
I'm no katana expert and can't offer much on the blade itself. The Sheath is what gets me as some folk in various katana disciplines will wear this differently (edge up, edge down)and the drawing and sheathing of the sword is an issue.

The pommel, a secondary skullcrusher point would make it more combative. How wide is the pommel?


[This message has been edited by Smoke (edited 03-12-2000).]
 
Smoke, they knew about the need for a frog that does edge-up horizontal carry.

They forgot. Oh well. That's easy to change. I can do a "horizontal frog" myself.

The blade needs to be a single continuous curve. The grip can be dead straight, or it can follow the curve of the blade...but if it's straight as seen here, the blade needs to start "straight up out" out of the grip.

Here, it starts bent.

Bill, does Gelbu have a printer? If so, I can do some drawings using the "Nepalese perspective system" Pala showed me and that Bura and the rest might directly understand. It might help.

Jim
 
I wonder if they could make a wood sccabbard without the leather and brass tip, that might go a long way to make it look more traditional.

Also, does the shop have access to some wrought iron? Brass just doesn't look right on a katana.
 
Jim, Gelbu does have a printer and I think the sketch or sketches would help. Send them and I'll email them over.

We can make the tsuba out of steel of whatever thickness the experts deem correct. It is actually easier than the brass. Does anybody think there should be some engraving on the tsuba?

If the experts feel the scabbard should be wood only this can be done with no problem.

Many thanks for all the help everybody!

------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Okay a couple of things. First the guard or tsuba, I got rather interested in this particuliar "all function" tsuba after reading about it at

http://www.trifox.com/aux/kenshinkan/suitability.html

It has a great article on the design of the katana and the functionality of it's parts.

Here are some pictures from the site:

<img src = "http://www.trifox.com/aux/kenshinkan/img/tsuba.gif"><img src = "http://www.trifox.com/aux/kenshinkan/img/udenuki_ana.gif">

I think iron is the way to go because that's how they were commonly made.

Now about the sccabbard, this is really important. Many sword practioners practice Iai, or sword drawing. It's very important the sccabard not split and the blade cut through the crack. Leather covering would make this hard to see if a failure occured.

The katana is worn through a sash. So a frog isn't neccessary. Just a kurikata, or a oval knob that prevents the sword from falling trough the sash. Theyre are ususally made of buffalo horn, the hole is optional. <img src = "http://www.japanese-swords.com/images/fittings/Horn32.jpg">

I should mention the katana is carried edge up and the kurikata is on the side of the sccabbard that's not in contact with the body when worn.




[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 03-13-2000).]
 
I don't want to put too many pictures into one post, so here we go again.

Regarding the wood handle, have a look at Don Fogg's wesite, he has taken the non-traditional handled Japanese style blades to an art form. http://dfoggknives.com/

Notice the following tantos, all wood handles, and some with fire blued iron fittings. <img src = "http://dfoggknives.com/images/OsurakuTantoIll4.jpg">

<img src = "http://dfoggknives.com/MacadamiaTanto.htm">




[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 03-13-2000).]
 
Continued. . .


I've also included a Don Fogg no-frills katana. I rather like the no nonesense approach.

<img src = "http://dfoggknives.com/images/katana3.jpg">
You can read about it here: http://dfoggknives.com/katana.html



[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 03-13-2000).]
 
Should be fine. Though it might be a waste of good steel. Mild steel would be enough. A nice dark patinization would be good, maybe blue it in the fire.
 
OK. Our second prototype will probably have the brass but we can get the steel on production models.

I view this Everest Katana as probably being the ugly duckling of katanas but if the kamis do as well with it as the khukuris it should be a very tough sword that will never have a handle problem.

------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
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