Blem versus "perfect" khukuri

A

arty

Joined
Oct 18, 2003
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What makes a blem? I just purchased a really nice 17" GRS by Bura. The tip had some rust and corrosion. In addition, the karda was repaired - some handle wood split and was fixed with glue. The khukuri itself is more than worth the purchase price - it is a super knife - it is a beauty, and it was not too difficult to fix the rust problem.

It is my first Hi khukuri, and I wonder whether one should expect more than something like rust on the blade or another minor defect to differentiate between blems and "regular" khukuri.

Is there any any other difference (besides the specified defect) in the overall level of finish, either of the blade, sheath or handle, between blems and regular models?

How much of a size difference from the web listing makes a model a blem?

The Bura GRS was a bargain, and I am happy with it. I am just trying to find out how much more a regular model might be worth. I would appreciate any advice from people with more experience.
 
In some cases very, very little has to be wrong to make a khurk a blem. A tiny 1/2 crack in a handle a bit of rust. Uncle Bill wouldn't send out something that wasn't a 100% solid blade.It should last as long or as long as you.:) It may need some work in the good looks department but that will be about it. The web listings on size and weight are just very rough ideas of the size of a certain style of Khurk. The length is always about right but the weight can vary greatly. Each Kami has a certain style some tend to make heavy blades some lighter but even then there can be a big difference in weight from one blade to the next.
 
I'm glad that you are happy with your purchase. Of the first two khuks that I had arrive at the same time, one was suposed to be a blem BAS.
It was as advertised but it took me a week to locate the cause of it being called a blem. I had to take it out in direct sun light and I finally found two very small cracks in the horn handle. The biggest of the two cracks I found I put a bit of Super Glue on and the other seemed to dissapear with a good coat of moisturizer. In all other respects the khuk was just as nice as those listed on the sale pages.

The only knife that I have gotten from HI that wasn't shiny as a new dollar was my 12" AK Villager, and I just love it too. The Bura 12" that I have is standard HI. One of these two is with me about 90 percent of the time. I don't like coming back to the house after being goone for a while with out a weapon that I can get to quickly even though there is one heck of a dog in the yard all the time we are gone. :) :D
 
I have an 18" AK that I bought as a blem. Had a small grain line on the handle, but it has proven to be an indestructible knife. After it began to sail thru soft metals, I acutally gave it a try (uh, accidentally) against cement. Held up fine, even tho this is a big no-no.

Most blems I've seen are blems because of one or more of the following:
1. Crack or grainline or chip in wood/horn handle
2. Minor rusting on blade
3. Improper grind line or forge mark on blade
4. Scabbard with hole in leather
5. Cracked or structurally damaged scabbard
6. Damaged or missing/non matching karda or Chakmak
7. Damaged or irregular furniture (bolster, buttcap, chape, inlay)

HI Blems are kinda like "Factory Seconds" from Cold Steel's website--there is only some cosmetic flaw that keeps the knife from going for full price, but you can rest assured that it will function as well as the non-blem models (and sometimes better, depending on the maker and their mood at the time).

Keith

PS Welcome to the Cantina, arty.
 
Ferrous Wheel summed it up very well. The kamis don't set out to build blems, the defect usually isn't discovered until the khuk is under Yangdu's eagle eye. Rest assured that whatever defects the knife has are usually listed in the blem's description. In my experience (all of my khuks have been blems save one), the blems don't give up anything in finish besides the defect listed.
 
Welcome Arty,

As these gentlemen have said, you have to search for the blemish in most cases. However, I believe it is Yangdu (Bill's wife) who makes the ruthless evaluations. They have been together long enough that he no longer questions her about any of her choices...if she says it is a blemish, it, by gawd, is a blemish.

Our benefit.

Enjoy.
 
Originally posted by Kismet
Welcome Arty,

As these gentlemen have said, you have to search for the blemish in most cases. However, I believe it is Yangdu (Bill's wife) who makes the ruthless evaluations. They have been together long enough that he no longer questions her about any of her choices...if she says it is a blemish, it, by gawd, is a blemish.

Our benefit.

Enjoy.
Click to expand...
Uncle Bill is a smart man!:D
Of the five khuks I have 2 were classed as blems. One was classed as a blem due to overstock. As far as I'm concerned, I haven't found any blems in any!
 
There are really a lot of good knives out there. If you want a good user short of a custom, several makers offer value for relatively little money.

The problem with the good factory knives in my personal opinion is that they have little character to start out with, and have to age along with you to develop a feel to them. Even if you are competent to make changes to them to make them more right for you.

H. I. knives are not stock removal. They are forged into shape by a specific kami ( blacksmith ), and marked as such before they leave the shop.

I feel forging adds a special quality to knives. A feel, even a spirit to the knife if you want to be mystical about it.

I could probably let the kami marks be taped over and pick out the Bura made ones just by feel and balance. For me, the Bura's have a rightness to them.

Someone else may like a different kami. That's OK by me. If another guy likes kami Sher, or Kumar, or the RR kami, good. That just leaves more of the Bura's to snipe off of the blem list.

Weapons have been named as if they had souls in them for millennia. When you are familiar enough with with them, you may be lucky enough to pick one up and bond with it as if it's handle and your hand each had a USB or Firewire connection built in.

I'll spare you the comparison with Arthur Pendragon pulling Excaliber from the stone except to say one thing. It really happens sometimes, to some of us.

If we can get something reparable for half-price, then bond to it through the repair and enhancement process making it truly special to us, so much the better.

If you want to, you can think of those like me holding seances in a ghost-town graveyard under a full moon and snicker at us. Feel free to ignore us, laugh at us. What is Truth? ( Hint - see my signature line. )
 
Originally posted by Ferrous Wheel
I have an 18" AK that I bought as a blem. Had a small grain line on the handle, but it has proven to be an indestructible knife. After it began to sail thru soft metals, I acutally gave it a try (uh, accidentally) against cement. Held up fine, even tho this is a big no-no.

Most blems I've seen are blems because of one or more of the following:
1. Crack or grainline or chip in wood/horn handle
2. Minor rusting on blade
3. Improper grind line or forge mark on blade
4. Scabbard with hole in leather
5. Cracked or structurally damaged scabbard
6. Damaged or missing/non matching karda or Chakmak
7. Damaged or irregular furniture (bolster, buttcap, chape, inlay)


HI Blems are kinda like "Factory Seconds" from Cold Steel's website--there is only some cosmetic flaw that keeps the knife from going for full price, but you can rest assured that it will function as well as the non-blem models (and sometimes better, depending on the maker and their mood at the time).

Keith

PS Welcome to the Cantina, arty.
Click to expand...


You forgot..

8. Returned by customer.

These are the dangerous ones. Sometimes they were abused or modified and then returned under warrantee. The description will say a lot.

The "best" or the most safe ones to get are the grainline blems. I sanded a grainline blem once and the grainline on the handle was only on the surface. The 5 minutes worth of rust ones are good to get too.
 
Thanks for the welcome and the good advice.
Has anyone ever had a problem with a grainline?
 
Originally posted by arty
Has anyone ever had a problem with a grainline?
Click to expand...
Since I usually don't bother repairing splits or cracks,
the idea of a grainline means nothing to me.
None of my khuks have ever developed a split
after it came to me.
Neither horn nor wood.
 
Originally posted by arty
Has anyone ever had a problem with a grainline?
Click to expand...

Well yes. But to be honest I've truly enjoyed fixing the split or crack. Real easy actually. Have had both horn and wood handles split. I do put hooflex on the horn handles and oil on the wood ones but sometimes they do split. Use epoxy mostly and it seems to be ok. One of the blems I picked up had a huge split in the wood handle. It is an 18" sirupati and after fixing the split with epoxy it is a great khuk. Use it in the kitchen alot. As a matter of fact the blade has a very nice patina on it.
Arty welcome to the cantina.:)
 
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