Fingerguard

mrostov

mrostov

Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Messages
473
Looking at the HI Khukuris, the underside of the wide part of the brass bolster would be a good place to braze a 3/4" or a 1" brass fingerguard.

Is the original bolster thick enough for this?

In my opinion, while retaining the original handle, such a modification would not only be useful, but would look pretty good.

It would probably be best to remove the handle temporarily to do the brazing to the bolster and the final touchup work with a Dremel.

Has anyone here ever removed the handle on an HI Khukuri? What would be the best procedure for removal and remounting of the handle?
 
File tang down on buttcap where it is mushroome to hold the buttcap and keeper on. Put gloves on. wrap in watertite plastic or foil and boil the hell out of it til it's laha us fully softened. when it is, take out and pull everything off the blade. Get as much laha off the handle interior and tang. When you've douon what you want, put it back together with epoxy.
 
Thanks, this info will come in very handy. I had heard that on some Khukuris they used some sort of local glue that was as about as strong as epoxy.

Just a little knowledge like this can save a person a lot of grief and guesswork.

After using my old Khukuri so much, along with many other knives, I feel that the Khukuri could use at least a fingerguard, especially when it gets wet or my hand get sweaty. It can also get slippery when butchering large game.

I'm thinking a brass fingerguard, properly done, would look pretty much original to the knife. On something like that Chiruwa that sold here yesterday with those fingergrooves, It would be really neat.
 
The laha is a Nepali version of what can be found worldwide as cutler's resin. It consists of some form of tree sap, beeswax, and a filler. Sometimes that us spiderwebs. Othertimes, in the more quick and dirty method, a hole is made, the tang heated red hot, and shoved into the handle to burn it's way into the handle, and the last burn, a piece of plastic wrapper inserted.

Oddly, though I've seen many double guards on khukuris, I can't remember a single guarded khukuri. If you are having trouble with holding onto the khuk, Yvsa recommends using sponge on one side, plastic wool scrubber on the other, to dull the handle's sheen a bit. Doing that apparently opens the the pores in the horn and helps it stay tackier even when sweating. Doesn't look bad, more like the British eggshell finish created by hand appied and rubbed rottenstone.

I really would recommend trying that, or getting more use in before trying to add a guard. I'd suggest wrapping the bolster tightly with the big wide rubber bands in the veggie section of the market. That will protect your hand from slipping until you get used to the handle. I've never seen a need for a guard, once I got familiar with khuks. The rings are there for a purpos, and the flared butt also.
 
I like the recommendation on the roughing of the bone handles.

I've used a wood handled Khukuri for quite a while and there are times when a fingerguard or even a full blown handguard would have been reassuring to have - not all of the time, but on some occasions.
 
If you are talking wood handles, you can easily reduce the handle right behind the back ring a little which makes the back ring feel much higher, thus less likely to slip. I also routinely enlarge and deepen the four front rings with a hacksaw blade to give them more of a bite. That allows a much better grip than the seemingly decorative rings as they come from Birghorka.

Going even farther, my Sher 18" ww2 had a thick enough handle that I could sand off the front four rigs without reducing the handle thickness too much for my size 8 gloved hands. Then I recut the four rings in pairs so the little finger and ring finger sat behind the back ring; the first pair forward of that ran right under my index finger; and my forefinger and thumbknuckle lay over the farthest most forward pair of rings. Duval Winborne tried that one and didn't like it. No disrespect intended either way I'm sure, but I'm 5'4" tall with proportionate hands and feet. I'd be surprised if we agreed on what shoe size felt best.
 
Yeah, we're a little differently sized. I'm about 8" taller than you with usually long fingers.

I've also had to have a doc re-sew severed tendons in my hand due to a rather serious knife wound. It wasn't pleasant, believe me. The worst part is after they heal you've got to stretch them back into use again.

I wasn't trying to raise eyebrows, but one of the test standards that this knife needs to meet is that I need to be able shove the blade through a metal automobile door without fear of my hand sliding forwards onto the blade.

For fieldcraft and other things I prefer a Khukuri. The HI Khukuris are more than tough enough. However, like all things pressed into different uses, sometimes a a bit of added touch really helps it stand out, sort of like that final dash of salt the chef throws into the soup.
 
Originally posted by mrostov
I've also had to have a doc re-sew severed tendons in my hand due to a rather serious knife wound. It wasn't pleasant, believe me. The worst part is after they heal you've got to stretch them back into use again.

I wasn't trying to raise eyebrows, but one of the test standards that this knife needs to meet is that I need to be able shove the blade through a metal automobile door without fear of my hand sliding forwards onto the blade.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Would like to hear more about the knife wound. Also, why the need to stab car doors?
 
Originally posted by Semper Fi
Interesting. Would like to hear more about the knife wound. Also, why the need to stab car doors?
Click to expand...

It was a strong, accidental slash with a big knife that hit bone (9" blade bowie knife). Actually the initial horror was more than the initial pain. It was recoverable but it took a while. They sewed me up and then immobilized my hand and forearm for 6 weeks. The physical therapy getting my hand working normal again afterwards was what was the most painful. Now THAT hurt.

No, I don't run around stabbing car doors, that is neither a pastime nor a passion. It's just a good general guide to the toughness and stabbing capability of a knife that some people use.

Not everything you wind up stabbing, especially in a fight, turns out to be as yielding as someone's gut. There are all sorts of unexpected targets and obstables in this world.

My Cold Steel Trailmaster can punch through the side of a car door and still be sharp enough to cut flesh. The HI Khukuri I'm sure can to, probably better, but I'm not going to shove any knife without a handguard of some sort into a resisting target like that with a great deal of force.

A handguard or finger guard is something I've been meaning to add to my old pack around WWII pattern Khukuri for quite a while (age and origin unknown). I figure that since I'm upgrading to something of serious quality, I might as well take care the fingerguard/handguard issue that's been bugging me for a while. There's this one outfit that's rehandling Khukuris, even putting WWI trench knife style knuckle duster handguards on Khukuris, not that I want something like that, but their custom knife operation I hear tell has an enourmous wait.

Besides, I kind of like the traditional Khukuri handle, and for some fieldcarft stuff I find laying my thumb across the back of the rear of the spine to be convenient. This is why I was considering a simple brass fingerguard (1" with a slight curve to the rear) brazed to the bottom of the brass bolster at the front of the handle, trimmed to fit and then buffed and polished. It would really kind of blend in with the traditional look and feel of the Khukuri.
 
As much as I like the classic khukuri design, when you mentioned adding a guard, those long-lip single guards from classic hunting knives came to mind.
The rings on the khuk handle have always been a sufficient grip for me.
If you end up going through with this project, please post photos of it.
 
For stabs like that the best method is one hand on the grip and the other pushing on the buttcap. Two handed thrust. I think this is a basic Bando move.

I have a customer who is a highway patrolman and carries a khukuri under the seat for quick entry to wrecked vehicles. He breaks glass or chops thru door and/or hood to gain access. So, stabbing or chopping thru a car door has a practical aspect to it.
 
The bolster isn't pinned. It seems to be really more of a ferrule that is glued on. While the spine and unsharpened part of the edge of the blade do seem to be slightly notched on my khuks, that seems to be the only mechanical thing that would keep the bolster from sliding forward a ways. I wouldn't depend on that and a bit of glue being the primary means of protection from injury especially if a 1" lever is brazed onto it. If it slides a bit forward, the brass tube will likely deform if full stabbing force is applied to the finger guard and the target is fairly unyeilding. Steel furniature may be OK, if pinned, I don't think the softer brass is thick enough.

The two handed method Bill describes is the way to go IMO. Or machine a more substantial bolster with guard that can take a pin or two. The part of the handle that fits inside the bolster would have to be re-worked to fit.
 
Remember that Wrongfriend reworked a HI bowie and put a guard on it - of course that would be easier as it is chiruwa-style. Maybe the pictures below help nevertheless.

Andreas

before
01.jpg


and after
06.jpg


see this thread:
Wrongfriend bowie
 
That was a fine looking Bowie when he got done with it. I really, really like the way he did that.

Due to the points made about the mechanics of the current bolster, It sounds like I would need to build a totally different bolster or do to the Khukuri something similar to what that guy did to his Bowie.

Handles and sheaths come and go, the spirit of the weapon is in the blade.
 
has a beautifully-constructed brass fingerguard. Check for the link. He may have some thoughts on technique.
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino
For stabs like that the best method is one hand on the grip and the other pushing on the buttcap. Two handed thrust. I think this is a basic Bando move.

Click to expand...

This is the method used for classically designed Scandanavian knives (with no guard) when used for killing the soon to be butchered reindeer.
 
I think the bolsters are of considerably thinner stock than the buttcap.

Now that you've explained it a bit, I think your idea has merit. Consequently I'm trying to help by shooting down whatever comes to my mind, so you can consider how to get around them before you get up to your elbows into it and need more arms than some versions of the Buddha ( or Sri Bishwakarma ).
 
Originally posted by mrostov ...........but their custom knife operation I hear tell has an enourmous wait.
Click to expand...
Curious who this is.....?

Sounds like something Terry could handle at the Sarki Shop.

I believe he does handles.

------------

Another thought.
One might buy a pre-made guard of approximate size from
a knife material supplier, it then might be fitted in place
of, or in addition, to the supplied bolster.
 
Well if you absolutely must.:rolleyes:
A guard could be pinned on right below the bolster. The habaki bolster isn't a habaki. The flat part of the bolster covers the tang and not the blade so it wouldn't be feasible to try to put a guard on the bolster.
The blade right below the bolster is tough, but soft enough to drill a couple of holes in it so as to pin a guard on.
The old style bolster would be more practical to do this with if someone is willing to trade or sell you an old style bolstered khuk.
 
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