First Knife from Khukuri House-Steel Question?

Triquetra

Triquetra

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
759
I bought my first knife from Khukuri House and it arrived yesterday. I've always got my Khuks from HI but this is one of the new non-traditional models. Last night I was washing it real good to get it ready for a vinager etch. When I started washing the blade with hot water it turned kind of brown or bronze almost like a tea stain. Almost like some type of patina. This has never happened with my other Nepali knives like that. Does this indicate anything about steel? You wouldn't think tap water would get hot enough to affect the steel.
I'll try to post pics of the knife later. I'm hoping that it will be a little more versatile than the regular Khuks. It's pretty roughly finished so it's going to require some work and it's not as front heavy as I expected but I'm hoping that it is going to be a great chopper.
 
I use a KH as my main chopper, its all beat to hell and back, great knife. Sorry I don't know anything about putting vinegar on the blade or running water over the knife on purpose. Are these things supposed to do something aesthetic to the blade?
 
Here's a pic. Mine doesn't have the black coating. I just hope the blade treat is good. Similiar to the Bahadur model.

ftblack-1.jpg
 
Triquetra said:
Here's a pic. Mine doesn't have the black coating. I just hope the blade treat is good. Similiar to the Bahadur model.

ftblack.jpg
Click to expand...

I know these knive are just made from spring steel. Do you have a pic of yours?

Try a search on "coating stripping" or "Khukuri House steel" that might be of more help.
 
I'll get pics tonight. I was all set up to take some comparison pics with my HI 16.5" Chiruwa AK and 12" AK and realized that the camera was in my wife's purse at work. I've got a lot of grind marks to remove and will test the blade strength this weekend. I have just never experienced a blade discoloring with just hot water. Actually now that I think about it, I think that I used Mr. Clean to break down the oil. Maybe something in that caused the discoloration. Just don't know if I used it before or after the discoloration.
If it works like I want, I want to get a sheath made for it to piggyback my Mora and a firesteel. That should cover everything.
 
Great knife, I'm curious as to the response, I have never heard of such a thing.

What do you think of the knife? Really like the looks of it..
 
Triquetra - I just googled, Khukuri House, there are a number of different sites with that name. Who did you get yours from and what model is it? The handle looks comfortable.

Maybe someone can explain the reason for rinsing the blade in vinegar.

Thanks
 
I believe the vinegar rinse is to force a patina on the blade. Some use mustard or even an acid etch. From what I understand it actually helps with rusting on carbon blades and certainly looks much better IMHO.

Paul.
 
I etched my Bahadur with ferric chloride. I suspect whatever was in the Mr. Clean may have caused the discoloration.

Etching with vinegar or FeCl gives the blade a patina and also will reveal the temper line. The first time I etched mine it was almost black. I always sand with 400 grit wet dry after etching.

The patina on mine gets scratched off easily because the sheath is very tight.

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268c88c5.jpg
 
Ilbruche & Valcas1, thanx for the info. Ilbruche, the knife that is in your pix is not the same as Triquetra posted. Yours has 2 rivets and a thong hole, the other has 3 rivets and a slightly different shape around the choil area.
Does anyone know the name of the other knife?
 
Ilbruche,

How is the steel on the KH models compared the the HI stuff? Some of the KH's look pretty nice.
 
There are 3 Khukuri sites that is the same company with different web sites.

thekhukurihouse.com
khukurihouseonline.com
gurkhas-kukris.com

The model that I got was new and is called "Fear the Black". I looked for it on the site today and couldn't find it. I have a feeling that they moved some stuff around and didn't get it in. This model comes with some sort of black plastic coating on the blade and with a different type of frog. I ordered mine during the Christmas special and requested it without the black coating. I etch mine just to see where the hardened or sweet spot is on my Khukuris and then I buff it off. I have some pretty good pictures that I will post as soon as I find my camera. It's really not as weight forward as I thought it would be like my Khuks. They left more steel in the handle end. I was going to get the Bahadur but I saw this one. I like the design a little better. I think it said that it was about an inch longer and the blade looked a little thinner and more of a flat grind. I can't say exactly because like has already been said it's not shown on the site right now.
 
Triquetra said:
There are 3 Khukuri sites that is the same company with different web sites.

thekhukurihouse.com
khukurihouseonline.com
gurkhas-kukris.com

The model that I got was new and is called "Fear the Black". I looked for it on the site today and couldn't find it. I have a feeling that they moved some stuff around and didn't get it in. This model comes with some sort of black plastic coating on the blade and with a different type of frog. I ordered mine during the Christmas special and requested it without the black coating. I etch mine just to see where the hardened or sweet spot is on my Khukuris and then I buff it off. I have some pretty good pictures that I will post as soon as I find my camera.
Click to expand...


I remember seeing that on the KH site about a month ago. Can't wait to see the pics.
 
Here's a comparison shot of the 2 models discussed that I pasted together. Not really to scale but should be close.

comparison.jpg


The top one I believe comes with a better finish. Mine has the jungle finish and I have a lot of sanding work to do.
 
Triquetra,
I LIKE the looks of your knife. I see that you do not have an exact link to your knife but what was the price please? I have been looking but have not found it on the various sites as others have mentioned.
 
Mr Jody Hudson said:
Triquetra,
I LIKE the looks of your knife. What is the exact link to your knife and the price please? I have been looking but have not found it.
Click to expand...

I don't have one because for some reason it's not shown on the site anymore. If I see it again, I will post the link. The websites that I liste above is where it was.
 
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