Each Kami's blades have their own strength and distinct features.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Well, I'm not sure what your dice say, but my dice like fullers. They really like the FF's fullers. :D

mike
 
Steely_Gunz said:
...Bura makes some of the best working blades...
Jake
Click to expand...

hollowdweller said:
... Also Bura has the greater penetration thinner edge...
Click to expand...

I agree. I have a Chiurwa AK and BGRS by Bura that have the thinnest edges by far of any like sized khuk that I own. The AK is so thin I didn't think it would hold up under hard use. Funny thing is; I have never thought of it as among my favorite khuks, but the truth is I use it much more than any of the others that I have. That thin edge just keeps going and I learned to trust it. I'm not sure where the sheath is, but that blade is on a shelf by the door, always ready to do more work.
e0mptu.jpg

Regards,
Greg
 
Ripper said:
I agree. I have a Chiurwa AK and BGRS by Bura that have the thinnest edges by far of any like sized khuk that I own. The AK is so thin I didn't think it would hold up under hard use. Funny thing is; I have never thought of it as among my favorite khuks, but the truth is I use it much more than any of the others that I have. That thin edge just keeps going and I learned to trust it. I'm not sure where the sheath is, but that blade is on a shelf by the door, always ready to do more work.
e0mptu.jpg

Regards,
Greg
Click to expand...

Could it be that Bura knew this exactly too ? :rolleyes:
 
I regret that I never got a M43 by Durba. I have several khukuris by him & for some reason, the 'soul' of these blades is more evident to me than blades by the other kamis that I have. I have an 18" WWII by Durba that looks like it would weigh 5 lbs, & actually feels almost that heavy in the sheath, but in my hand I swear that blade doesn't weigh 16 ounces. The spine of this one is typical of his other khukuris; thick, but somehow, it balances just right, feels like it weighs mere ounces, & has a spirit I can not explain. Somehow, he managed to impart this magic to Suripatis, AK's & all the others I have that he made.
 
Sher Bahadur ('Brave Tiger') Bishwakarma [mark=full sun (pre-2002)] made my 12 inch HI Sirupati, but since all my other khukuri are junk I can't make an informed judgment. It isn't very sharp and cracked a 2 liter water-filled bottle, but took off a twig the size of my finger like it wasn't there.
 
From an overall design standpoint:

Bura: elegant
Kumar: beautiful
Sher: simple

Once you get past individual fit and finish, which in my limited experience has been pretty consistent - some perfect, some with a one or two minor (not-blem) flaws, that sums up what I think of when I look at them.
 
And I had heard that people say that their khuk sings............or had a ringing sound...........

Is that true ? :o
 
Astrodada, Yes, it's true. Some kuks ring. There are a couple ways of checking for it. Easiest is to easily tap the blade with something metal (chakmak). You can also carefully "pluck" the cutting edge with a thumbnail, like a guitar string. Not all kuks ring. FF sort of does, but rings when chopping on hard wood (petrified pine). Others will clearly ring. My new BGRS hardly makes any sound at all. Barely audible.

mike
 
I am fortunate to have khukuris by all of them, and they all have their points as has already been pointed out by Munk and others. FWIW, my take: Bura has been doing more and more traditional stuff with standard bolsters, and his blades and handles are usually excellent. Sher is the one that comes up with the great Manjushris and Trisuls and Jure models and Bag Bhairabs and Bob White Bolo and other eye-popping new ideas like that curved Sher Special that Dean snagged the other day, and his Villagers are great.

Kumar is responsible for some outstanding work and made my 25" Malla and Chitlangi, both of which have about the finest workmanship I have ever seen, but has very occasional (usually minor) QC problems otherwise from time to time. Amtrak did good all around work as well, with perfectly formed blades and handles, and his knifes were always so polished that they needed a bit of sharpening to be users, but I'd rather have that that a sharp poorly done blade.

I only have two Sanu blades that are good, but seem a bit heavy, and the work overall is passable but not up to what the others are doing right now. The Kesar, Shankar, Dharan and ! kami examples I have are excellent work but with only a couple of each YMMV. The Y.B. kami is Sher, I'm absolutely convinced of that, so don't know why the separate initials.

Overall though, and this is not denigrating the A+ quality work of the others, but I think Sgt. Karka's work is the best. Frankly I don't think there is any contest IMO, and his work is hands down flawless. I have a 19.5" chandan / chainpuri styled handled WWII from him that is a joy to hold. He also did two Samsher's, a 20" 40 oz. and a 17", that were the only ones I know of from him, and I was able to snag the big one but not the 17", that some other lucky forumite got. I sincerely hope he or she realizes what they have, and I would gladly add $50 to their purchase price and add shipping if they ever wanted to part with it. My 20" was one big razor out of the box, with a standard bolster, no cho creep, perfect handle and buttcap and a scabbard that fits like a glove.

I have seen careful traditional work from Bura and Sher that rivals his. They both surprise the hell out of you sometimes, and I wish someday I could actually talk with Bura and understand why he makes the choices he does. Why sometimes the standard bolster, and sometimes not? Same with the chos.

For instance, on 8/15 he did a a Village BGRS which in my opinion is the single finest knife he has ever done (and it sold for $75!!! :eek: ) No cho creep, standard bolster, and a gorgeous grey horn _chiruwa_ handle! Of all the knives to miss. I am still kicking myself. :( ;) George in Greece got it as his first HI knife. See it at:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=360431

If he did more of these rather than the larger knives with large habaki bolsters and heavy cho creep, that would be great, but then he turns around and does the Salyans which are of course totally traditional and immaculate; mine are perfect in every way.

Maybe it's because Sgt. Karka does so few that he pours his whole heart into them? I don't know, but whatever it is, it works for me. Now though he mostly does biltons and occasional dhankutas, and anything over 12" is unusual for him.

Bottom line, I would order any knife sight unseen from HI's current crop of artists, and feel confident about my purchase.

Regards,

Norm
 
Well said, Norm.

If it were a contest, it would be decided between Bura and Karka and the results would be close. I think Karka has the edge on khuks, and Bura is more proficient with swords. (But I could be wrong, as we've never seen a Karka sword...have we?)

I lucked onto one of Karka's gray horn pieces (a bilton) nearly a year ago with the intention of giving it away as a gift. I almost couldn't, it was so beautiful. I wasn't etching back then so I won't comment on the heat treat but the Karka Special I picked up later was done very well.

You may be right, Norm - each may receive more attention from Karka because he makes fewer. It may be that he still considers himself more of a hobbiest than a kami. I recall UB saying once that HI basically handpicks Karka's top stuff for resale - that may be it, too. It's hard to tell.

What I wouldn't give to be able to sit down with the kamis and chat with them for a bit. I really hate second guessing them. :)

A 15" gray horn chiruwa BGRS villager with minimal cho creep and a traditional bolster is, IMO, very nearly the ideal khukuri. I'd be able to sell the rest of the collection if I had something like that. (I wouldn't sell the rest, of course, but I'd be able to if I had to.) :)
 
Svashtar said:
For instance, on 8/15 he did a a Village BGRS which in my opinion is the single finest knife he has ever done (and it sold for $75!!! :eek: ) No cho creep, standard bolster, and a gorgeous grey horn _chiruwa_ handle! Of all the knives to miss. I am still kicking myself. :( ;) George in Greece got it as his first HI knife. See it at:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=360431
Click to expand...
*sniffle* Brings a tear to my eye thinking about that day. I was just about to buy it as my first one and took too long to decide and it was gone... *sniffle*

Bought my first one the next day.
 
Yep, he who hesitates gets eaten! :D I've missed one hell of a lot more than I've hit, just by waiting a few minutes deciding whether I really "need" that knife or not.
 
I think we miss the perfect blade for ourselves purposely (albeit subconsciously). If we ever get the perfect one, the joy of each one after will be lessened...
 
It seems that in general the kami of HI are top notch.

I am still going through with the M43, going to be using it for alot of butchering of antelope when I go home around October (spring in South Africa) and my uncle and I get out for some hunting.
So its got to handle flesh and bone but also some finer slicing and dicing.
I have an ugly looking self made D2 skinning knife with a gut hook, but will need the khuk to do most of the work! Any of you guys ever tried to cut up a Kudu with an axe? Its not pleasant.
Any recommendations for kami to make this one?
 
Wow, a 3 1/2 year old thread.

I do agree with the premise that certain kamis have certain characteristics you expect.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top