Comming soon: The Himalayan Prince by Terisa

[heinlein]

The Kami's already think we are nuts for wanting high fit and finish and mirror polishing. They consider these things tools and wonder why we want these things if we intend to use them and scratch/ding them all up.

Since 8/25/10 I have bought 18 knives from HI and I need to try to resist the urge to buy every blade that appeals to me so I may be slowing down; but I like the idea of villagers like the three Bura blades on the villagers page being available at a reduced price as well as the high fit collectible/users. I definitely don't need mirror polishing but I would prefer no forge scale.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

Isn't the centuries old tradition of water cooling without clay; just the Kamis experience; one of the reasons we treasure HI khuks?

It sure is! And they really know what they are doing the way they do things. I don't know that they'd do well if we ask them to stray too far from what they know. I like the fact that even when we do put forth something new, they add a little "Nepali spice" to it, as it often turns out better than the original intent.

The Kami's already think we are nuts for wanting high fit and finish and mirror polishing. They consider these things tools and wonder why we want these things if we intend to use them and scratch/ding them all up.

Well, I suspect that there are a lot of guys who collect and don't use. Some models (like the Kothimoda, or even the Chitlangi) would not be "right" without the fit and finish. I think there's also a part of it having to do (I hope the ladies don't get too offended), with it being a virgin, and us putting the wear and tear on them.

On the other hand, some products (tamang, parang, farm knife, Annapura, jungle bowie, bolo, etc) look better as "true villagers" with the forge scale and all, IMO.

The rest, hey, I use all of mine at one time or another, so a villager is fine. I was going to say it'd be nice to have a hybrid of a villager or true villager blade with the high end fit and finish on the handle, but then, all of mine, regardless of finish, needed handle work due to the changes in humidity and such.

 

[heinlein]

It sure is! And they really know what they are doing the way they do things. I don't know that they'd do well if we ask them to stray too far from what they know. I like the fact that even when we do put forth something new, they add a little "Nepali spice" to it, as it often turns out better than the original intent.

+1

I had meant to include in my earlier comment that I think the Kamis learn what they are doing as young kids watching their father and/or the village buras; so by the time he's ready to be a Kami he has almost his whole life observing when, where, and how much water to pour; but I don't think they have any experience whatsoever in using clay for differential hardening.

 

[kronckew]

there is a video over on 'the other place' about a japanese swordsmith trying to reproduce a particular hamon pattern found on an old sword. he found out by trial and error that to produce it required NOT using clay during the final tempering, it was done just using the different steels during folding in a particular pattern.

can the kami's do laminated/pattern welded steel?

 

[JayGoliath]

Recently I was offered a special piece of metal in a forgery and was thinking which blade shape and finishes on it.

Final thought: i asked the Arun which model & finishes he felt like making IF the blade's for Armageddon.

11 out of 10 times would be his own signature dish.

We are all very aware what Rajkumar's capable of.

Remembered reading somewhere that Sher was asked to make the blade but Bura will do the pounding.

That's a luxury we cannot afford now.

 

[kronckew]

they should be able to whip up a similar belt driven version of this:

steel instead of wood might last longer tho with steel shoes at the wear points where the cam & lever contact & some decent bearings it'd work. this one based on a 15/16th c. design by leonardo, intended to be driven by a water wheel.