first impressions

gravertom

gravertom

Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
1,163
Collection so far includes-

18" Malla
25" Sirupati
15" AK

12" villager is in hiding until my oldest son's birthday.

I and my 3 oldest kids went out back today to try out the Khukuri's on some 2x4s


We also brought along the Cold Steel LTC, about the same size as the malla, and a small camp hatchet.

Malla- least sharp out of the box. (I only had time for some light touch up on all knives.) Very lively in the hand, much more so than CS LTC. weigh about the same, but CS is thinner, but broader shape up front.Malla did not feel like a super chopper, but did make some progress. No blade sticking. Did alright on some light hanging vines. obviously, will perform better when properly sharp.

CS Ltc- started out sharpest of all, and after touch up was very sharp. penetrated deeper than Malla, but due to thinner blade perhaps,became stuck in wood often. Overall, about as productuve chopper as Malla. In spite of sharper edge, did not do very well on hanging light vines. I used to think rubber handle was nice, but actually felt wood and horn handles superior in grip and wear on hand.

AK 15"- Really good chopper, penetrated better than malla, did not get stuck as CS did. really agressive. Was sharpest and best polished of the HI Khuks, out of the box. Interestingly, the one crack in the handle is almost closed up due to NC humidity, I suppose. Glad I did not fix it yet! Not spectacular on hanging vines, but again, will expect more when sharpened properly. Overall, best chopper.

25" Sirupati- Chopped well, but not as well as AK, Seemed a bit awkward from kneeling position, but felt good in the hand. really excelled on the hanging stuff, made some nice clean cuts on some prety light vines and branches. very impressed. Equal to AK on vertical splitting of 2x4. In both cases, the 2x4 just jumped apart, as if the wood was giving way before the blades without a struggle. Malla did almost as well, good penetration on the vertical split, but I felt like I held back from the stroke a little on that one too.

Little hatchet? not worth comparing with the others, although I seem to remember it doing better when it was new.

The 10 and 6 year olds both thought the AK was tops. I will need to round off the brass butt cap some. it did dig into the hand just a bit.

There were 3 pretty good cracks in the Sirupati's handle when I took it out of the box, but the are greatly reduced in appearance now as well.

I am very pleased with them all. The CS will be moving out to find a new home at the next yard sale, or something. One thing I do like about the CS is the flat leather sheath, though. It would be nice on a smaller HI khuk for concealed carry, etc.. maybe the Sarkis might come up with something like that, if they get bored? I think a slimmer all leather scabard might be more unobtrusive on the hip when hiking, etc, esp. without the brass at the tip.

I am very thankful for all the hard work that has gone into making these available to us, and to all the good info that has been posted by you all, that is helpful to us newcomers.

Take care,

Tom
 
Tom--great field report. Thanks for sharing. If the brass tip on the scabbard(called a chape) bothers you, it can easily be removed. I've taken them off all my khuk scabbards because they tend to poke me in the leg while I'm walking. Usually they can just be pulled off or gently pried off with a flathead screwdriver. Sometimes applying a bit of heat with a lighter or candle will loosen things up. I usually glob some epoxy on the exposed end for added durability.

--Josh
 
Thanks, Tom.

One thing newbies will findis that while HI's are well made, they are forged and finished by hand and show it. Very little power equipment is used, and many of the kamis had never seen sandpaper before coming to Birgorkha.

Also, since there is effectively no humidity control in Nepal, natural materials used for handles ( horn, wood, and to a lesser degree bone ) expand or shrink when it makes if to relatively low humidity Reno, Nevada where Uncle Bill lives.

You may have to sand or file buttplate edges down to match shrunken handles. You may have to finish prepping the edge, or other details if you get the UBBB deals or blems for pretty close to half off. Fill a crack that develops.

If you want knives made using CNC and jigs and so on at every step to ensure every knife comes off the line just exactly like the next one, HI might not be for you.

On the other hand, if you want blades made by kamis who have worked in small villages where you sell to your neighbor and he expects it to perform as an everyday tool day in and day out, and your mistakes get returned...

If you can sense the heft, balance, purpose of a blade produced the same way for decades, even centuries of handed down ergonomics, something that will do it's job come what may and maybe somehow talks to you, and can teach you how to use it, then try HI's stuff out.
 
Thanks Rusty,

I was remiss in not mentioning that these are all "blems" (except the cold steel product)that were at 1/2 or more off.

I have done some hand forging using charcoal forges w/hand pumped bellows, working with both iron and silver. I have hand finished some of my work too.

I am very impressed with these kamis, and their work.

I feel honored to own these fine tools, and will treasure them always.

I hope my enthusiasm shows! :)

Take care,

Tom
 
It does, Tom.

I was just trying to remind newbies that the HI's are a whole different deal than your ordinary pocketknife. ( Of course handling one of HI's khuks usually lets the new guys experience the spirit and life forged into them. )
 
gravertom said:
Thanks Rusty,
I have done some hand forging using charcoal forges w/hand pumped bellows, working with both iron and silver. I have hand finished some of my work too.

I am very impressed with these kamis, and their work.

I feel honored to own these fine tools, and will treasure them always.

I hope my enthusiasm shows! :)

Take care,

Tom
Click to expand...

That says a lot.

For many of us that means that the spirit of the blade is there, and any thing that we can do to better bring it out and provide a better finish or whatever just adds to it.

Basically as long as you don't get one of the very rare mistakes in heat treat, you have a real handmade living blade,= pretty damn scarce, let alone at this price.

Welcome.
 
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