- Joined
- Dec 28, 2003
- Messages
- 4,793
Well, I got the big box today in very good time from Reno, and unpacked my new much anticipated YCS. I have to say it is even nicer than I had hoped!
I had emailed Dan asking for a Sandalwood version with chiruwa handle, but unfortunately it took me almost a full day to get back to him, in which time it went to someone else. I understand the pressure he was under and with 2 dozen guys after him he couldn't wait, but I was really disappointed as for once I had prepaid in good order, and felt I had to "settle" for a checkerboard version. Well, my disappointment was long gone today when I saw close up the workmanship and the inlays on this handle. I was also encouraged by Yvsa the other day when he said that I should have no strength problems with this handle simply because it is not a chiruwa style.
As I said the inlays are just beautiful. The silver pommel is perfectly fitted, and the overall balance and feel are phenomenal, with a nice forward feel to the swing. The accessory knives are beautifully done, one with exceptional grain in the wood, and the convex edge on all 3 knives is nicely sharpened by Sher. The cho seems in just about the right place.
My only small complaint, is for the life of me I can't figure out why when all the other knives shipped in this order seem to have the nice traditional bolster, this still has the habaki bolster. (??) (I think all the checkerboards do.) It would have been literally _perfect_ if it had the trad. bolster. Oh well. In that respect it matches most of my other khuks. Hopefully the Kami's will see how fast these were sucked up and make more, and I hope to either snag a copy of one of the original YCS's someday, or one of these new ones with the traditional bolster. If one is good then two must be better! (Of course 3 or 4 would be best, but then again why not 5 or maybe...!)
I took a few pix I enclose here. I'm no artiste and forgive me if these are a bit corny, but I wanted to give a western / Indian theme to the blade, to honor it's creator if nothing else, so surrounded it with a few of the simple things my late father-in-law had given me; a grinding stone, arrowhead, rattlesnake rattles. A feather from a red-tailed hawk, and added some deer horns used to rattle up bucks from time to time.
The two other knives I added as they seemed to match the theme and are ones that would be carried along with the YCS afield, if I could bring myself to actually take it camping and give it a workout! The larger of the two is an early Blackjack Model 1-7 Stag, and the smaller is a Buck mini-alpha hunter in full polished ATS-34 steel and Elk horn scales customized by Jess Horn for Buck (1 of 250 made). It cuts like a scalpel and is so sleek it's hard to tell where your hand ends and the knife begins and is one of my favorite "little" knives.
Many, many thanks and all kudos to Yvsa for designing such a great knife!; I am so glad that I finally got one and now understand what all the buzz has been about. And thanks to Uncle Bill for OK'ing the build, and to Dan for organizing the whole thing and keeping track of the $ and successfully feeding the pack when the shipment came in. The Kami's really took this one seriously I think and poured all their talent into this batch. They seemed to understand how important this was to us, and I hope they keep that mindset with the Foxes Folly project if that is able to get in line next!
Best Regards,
Norm
I had emailed Dan asking for a Sandalwood version with chiruwa handle, but unfortunately it took me almost a full day to get back to him, in which time it went to someone else. I understand the pressure he was under and with 2 dozen guys after him he couldn't wait, but I was really disappointed as for once I had prepaid in good order, and felt I had to "settle" for a checkerboard version. Well, my disappointment was long gone today when I saw close up the workmanship and the inlays on this handle. I was also encouraged by Yvsa the other day when he said that I should have no strength problems with this handle simply because it is not a chiruwa style.
As I said the inlays are just beautiful. The silver pommel is perfectly fitted, and the overall balance and feel are phenomenal, with a nice forward feel to the swing. The accessory knives are beautifully done, one with exceptional grain in the wood, and the convex edge on all 3 knives is nicely sharpened by Sher. The cho seems in just about the right place.
My only small complaint, is for the life of me I can't figure out why when all the other knives shipped in this order seem to have the nice traditional bolster, this still has the habaki bolster. (??) (I think all the checkerboards do.) It would have been literally _perfect_ if it had the trad. bolster. Oh well. In that respect it matches most of my other khuks. Hopefully the Kami's will see how fast these were sucked up and make more, and I hope to either snag a copy of one of the original YCS's someday, or one of these new ones with the traditional bolster. If one is good then two must be better! (Of course 3 or 4 would be best, but then again why not 5 or maybe...!)
I took a few pix I enclose here. I'm no artiste and forgive me if these are a bit corny, but I wanted to give a western / Indian theme to the blade, to honor it's creator if nothing else, so surrounded it with a few of the simple things my late father-in-law had given me; a grinding stone, arrowhead, rattlesnake rattles. A feather from a red-tailed hawk, and added some deer horns used to rattle up bucks from time to time.
The two other knives I added as they seemed to match the theme and are ones that would be carried along with the YCS afield, if I could bring myself to actually take it camping and give it a workout! The larger of the two is an early Blackjack Model 1-7 Stag, and the smaller is a Buck mini-alpha hunter in full polished ATS-34 steel and Elk horn scales customized by Jess Horn for Buck (1 of 250 made). It cuts like a scalpel and is so sleek it's hard to tell where your hand ends and the knife begins and is one of my favorite "little" knives.
Many, many thanks and all kudos to Yvsa for designing such a great knife!; I am so glad that I finally got one and now understand what all the buzz has been about. And thanks to Uncle Bill for OK'ing the build, and to Dan for organizing the whole thing and keeping track of the $ and successfully feeding the pack when the shipment came in. The Kami's really took this one seriously I think and poured all their talent into this batch. They seemed to understand how important this was to us, and I hope they keep that mindset with the Foxes Folly project if that is able to get in line next!
Best Regards,
Norm
The feather looks more like a wild turkey feather to me and that's what I would say it is anyway if I were you, that is if you get my drift.
