bizzare grip

John Powell

John Powell

Joined
Mar 9, 1999
Messages
1,440
Here's an old northern Indian khukuri blade that has been attached to a rather fanciful southern Indian (Mysore or maybe Madras) grip. Probably from around 1750-1790.

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JP
 
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It may be bizzare, but that Is Beautiful!!!
I sure wouldn't mind having one like that in my collection!!!
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>>>>---Yvsa-G@WebTV.net---->®

"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.
 
Hmm.. with this "bizzare" handle attached, the Khukuri looks much more than a Celt-Iberian Falcata than any other Khuk I've seen.

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This picture of a nice (although rather expensive - around 890 US$) reproduction of a Falcata is from the website of JT PÄLIKKÖ, a swordmaker from Finland.
Now, wouldn't that be a nice special project for HI (just kidding)
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--[------ anton



[This message has been edited by Anton Irmen (edited 02-06-2001).]
 
Thanks Anton, that looks like a great reproduction. Since I can't find an original that isn't pure rust, this would be great to show from where the khukuri developed.

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JP
 
I have seen quite a few reproductions, this falcatta is a good looking piece, don't know if it is worth 890$, but hey I am spoiled by HI. I think that if HI did a run of these 1) we would need a model 2) I would be in line for it
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Speaking of custom sword makers, I went to a show a few weekends ago, there were only two that really drew my attention. The first was selling Khukris. They looked like villagers in their fit and finnish but had nowhere near the the hardness to hold a decent edge. That is too bad, there were a few that looked decent.

The second was a sword maker, some good looking blades, but they were not mirror polished, they looked lifeless. Then I found out about the warranty. They were guaranteed for life until you sharpened them!
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That's right, you sharpen em the warranty expires.

It was at that point that I went home and fondeledmy Hi Khuks a little more.
 
Pakcik Bill & Fellow Forumites.

How about the sort of grip in the following web site ...

http://www.cullodenantiques.com/yataghan.html

I guess HI should consider Falcata and Yataghan as the next 2 serious projects! Why?
  1. It is proven that BirGorkha have the skill of reproducing such blades in a convincingly high quality production eg. BirGorkha Katana.
  2. HI normally offers affordable prices.
  3. HIKV ... I guess they will be enough takers ... Insyaa-Allaah! I will be one of them ... especially a Yataghan.[/list=a]NEPAL HO!
 
What would the length on one of these be?

I have seen in the past these types of swords listested at about 27+/-"

I agree with Uncle, a slab handle would be the most appropirate. Hmmm,
I might have to take a trip to the wood store to see if I can try and make a model. Using Yvsa's tip about using plywood as the core.

We'll see what happens.
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Life is short, art endures.
 
I just mailed a rough draft of something Falcata-like to Uncle Bill, did not know that there where some follow-ups in this tread. The draft is based on the very few examples of this type of weapon I have seen so far. As beautiful as the pic I've posted above might be, I did not entirely agree with the blade shape, since I have the feeling, that this weapon was meant to be used not pnly for slashing, but for thrusting moves, too. For this kind of usage, the tip of the blade in the above link "drops" a little too far below the plane where you fingers rest on the handle, hence making thrusts less accurate, hence I changed the blade shape a bit. The effective grip lenght of the is only 5", enough to comfortably fit my hands, but I have no idea about your needs.
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I guess I'll try to make a wooden model, too; just to see if the balance I have in mind actually could be realized.
 
What where you thinkin about for a blade thickness? I think that a thickness of 1/4-3/8. Somwhere in that range. What are everybody else's thoughts?
 
Hallo Matt,

sorry, I completely forgot to mention the thickness, but I would also think something about 3/8" (9.4mm) tapering to 1/4" or 1/5"(6.2; 5 mm) would be fine to keep the sword's weight within the range I personally consider to be the upper limit for a purely one-handed sword (something around 3 lbs). Depending on the degree of taper and the style of grind/fullers, it could start with 1/2"; maybe that would shift the weight a bit more towards the handle.


--[------ anton
 
As I think I've mentioned before, I had my bladesmith pal here in the UK make me a replica machaera (aka 'falcata') a couple of years ago. It's a very fine blade indeed, and I think our martial arts fans would love it. It's lighter and more agile than a big khuk, extremely fast and manoeuvreable in the hand, with tremendous cutting power because of the edge profiles. Although I used it for a long time as a brush-cutting tool, I'd say it's more thoroughbred weapon than utility tool, and to that extent lacks the total versatility of the khuk. It's plenty strong enough for all the use and abuse a blade of this kind would expect to encounter, but it's not prybar-strong like an AK

A HI version would, I think, be a wonderful thing to see. As far as the technical side goes, if you can make a khuk you can make one of these, though it would take rather longer.

The specs of the one Ian made me are as follows -

OAL 27.5" Blade length 20"
Weight 2.5 lbs exactly
Drop at point 6"
(By drop, I mean the distance between the tip of the blade and a ruler placed along the back of the blade at its straightest point, namely the ricasso-hilt area. However, the hilt is slightly curved in the same concave profile as the rest of the blade. This version has a rather longer handgrip than the originals, and I believe this modification is well worthwhile should HI consider making one)
Width
- at widest point 2.25"
- just above ricasso 1.5"
Thickness
distal taper from a point just above the integral crossguard (0.320") to 0.215" at the middle of the blade (at which point the blade is 1.75" wide) to 0.175" at a point 5 inches back from the tip, where the blade is widest, to 0.125" just back of the tip.
The blade is gently & widely fullered. The full tang has been extended backwards and curved round to form the 'knucklebow' protecting the lower fingers, while the forefinger is protected by an integral horn-shaped guard balancing the rear horn. Scales are rivetted to the full tang to form the grip.

One accidental but very pleasing by-product of the integral handguards is the clear, bell-like ring the blade produced when lightly tapped with the fingernails
 
I'd like to have a falcata someday myself. As Anton said, it would be good for thrusting as well as chopping. I'd say that it should be at the very least 3/8" thick so that it could do some light chores, even though the falcata is more of a weapon. Once a wooden model or pix is sent to the kamis, it'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

Bob

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The Milk Snake: Beautiful, harmless, good-natured, eats venomous snakes for lunch.
 
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Great!!!!
I would probably jump on a Falcata.
It most certainly is an interesting looking blade!

A twenty inch blade that wide with a nice distal taper and forged flat from the spine to about 3/16" at the edge bevel should make for quite a cutter depending on how wide the edge bevel is.
This design should be great for softer brush and vines I would think.
And I also agree that about 3/8" at the crossguard would be about right.
That's within the range of what the YCS (.375"-.400") is and it tapers to a tad less than 5/16" at the top of the edge bevel.

And I know it's a reach, but it wouldn't take much to go from the Falcata to a Barong or from the Falcata to a Yataghan.
Perhaps if Anton gets this done and it turns out successful which I have no doubt of, then perhaps Tom will provide us with a Yataghan model?
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I know there's several of us who have had lustful thoughts about a Yataghan.
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>>>>---Yvsa-G@WebTV.net---->®

"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.
 
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