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lcs37

Joined
Jul 31, 2002
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Recently joined the forum. Great bunch of guys and loads of wisdom.Started out reviewing the mainline items, than the forum, than the FAQ. Asked Uncle Bill a few questions, wish I had his knowledge background. THAN, I decided to go back to the beginning of the forum and read and read. My eyes are getting tired, but not my interest. Soooo much knowledge, wisdom, experiences good and bad. Very useful to a novice of Khukuri's , just wish I had found HI way back when. Outstanding site Uncle Bill. Read and learn, but really have to have one in your hands to experience the joy of a good knife. DG
 
Originally posted by lcs37
Recently joined the forum.
THAN, I decided to go back to the beginning of the forum and read and read. My eyes are getting tired, but not my interest. Soooo much knowledge, wisdom, experiences good and bad. Very useful to a novice of Khukuri's , just wish I had found HI way back when.

DG
Click to expand...

Welcome to the Cantina Ics!!!!:)
You've done it right and you have certainly said a mouthful!
There's a lot of history since the beginning of the forum here on bladeforums.com, not all of it nice and happy, but it is what shaped the forum to what it is today.:eek: :)
 
Welcome DG! Which Khukuri you getting first?
 
Hello lcs37/DG:

I think I posted on another forum I've seen you on. When I began reading the forum it was on KF and had about 3,000 posts total. Took me 4 or 5 days to read everything from day I to that time.

Sometime later I said it reminded me of the bar scene in the first Star Wars, and it picked up the name of "cantina" from that.

Pull up a chair and set a spell. And WELCOME!!!;)
 
There in is a story. Wanted a Khuk for years. Found HI, and really got the bug. Had some disposable income stored up, being a caregiver for my Mom for the last 9 years. No vacations, don't get out much to spend and my needs are small. So, I splurged on life's little dreams. First 15 in AK, then ordered 12 in Surupti and AK Bowie. All fine workmanship! On the way is BAS, WWII 16.5, and 15 inch Surupti. Have asked for a couple of Villagers. Want to compare them with a 17 inch Khuk, I found locally. Wooden handle, one wooden ring, two steel pins thru wood handle, well defined cho, Blade needed sharpening very bad. Got it pretty sharp. Have to refine my sharpening skills. Blade shined up well , so I could see my face in it. Chops like heQQ. Willow tree trimming and Oak fire wood. Holds its edge extremely well. Only marking on blade is " India " Scabbard appears to be wood with leather but very thick and strong. Two straps rather than on solid belt holder on frog. No karda or ? forgot the name, burnisher with it, although the were there at one time.
 
DG, I said Welcome but, that didn't hurt to say again. I think the longer you stick around this forum the more you will like it. Don't get me wrong, once in a while things get a bit heated up around here but, all usually ends peaceable and we can go on about our khuk's.

I am glad to see that another honorable gent has joined the forum. We can always use more good guys.

It sounded like you already have a khuk or two. I think that I have one like the India knife you are referring to. It was left here by one of my sons to get sharpened. I don't know when he is going to pick it up. The karda and chakma that you say are missing were no good anyway. So don't woory about them.
The rigs you get from HI will have very good ones with them. I can't complain about any of the ones I have. I think unless you are a very big man you will love the BAS. Most people do.

I better close for now before you turn tail and run from the crazy old man. Have a good one and, keep'em swinging.:)
 
Welcome to the Cantina Ics37. It would be interesting to know which model you choose for your first khukuri and what drew you to that particular model. They're all great knives, so good luck trying to stick to just one:)

Sarge
 
Thanks for the kind words and welcome from one and all.
So far, have fondled all the ones, khuks, that is, LOL Bought the Bowie as a mate to a 13 inch bowie, I bought when I was 16. loooong time ago. Never liked the balance of it, but absolutely out of the leage of the HI KA Bowie. So far workmanship has been great. When I receive all my orders, will try to explain my personal feelings/comparisons of the 6 models. I have tried to stay within the 1.5 lbs weight range.or less. Pappy = that khukri "India" weighs 2 lbs and can barely wrap my hand around the wooden handle. I like the HI AK better for chopping, so far, better fit for my hand and better balance. The odd ball khukri although chops well, feels like I have a axe handle in my hand, not from shock but just the bulk of the handle. DG
 
To the HI cantina. Inkeep---another round! Pull up a seat, DG, and be welcome...and some fitting quotes for the newcomer, and all new and old in the cantina (Havamal quotes again)

2.Greetings to the host,
The guest has arrived,
In which seat shall he sit?

3.Fire is needed by the newcomer
Whose knees are frozen numb;
Meat and clean linen a man needs
Who has fared across the fells,

4.Water, too, that he may wash before eating,
Handcloth's and a hearty welcome,
Courteous words, then courteous silence
That he may tell his tale...

Keith
 
DG I noticed that the handle on those india khuks are pretty big around. I was surprised that the blade held it's edge as well as it did. You said that it weighed 2 lbs. This one doesn't feel that heavy. The blade is only 1/4 " thick but, I don't have a scale that I can weigh somethng that light.
My long slim hands didn't have much trouble getting around the handle. :D
 
Originally posted by Pappy
DG I noticed that the handle on those india khuks are pretty big around. I was surprised that the blade held it's edge as well as it did. You said that it weighed 2 lbs. This one doesn't feel that heavy. The blade is only 1/4 " thick but, I don't have a scale that I can weigh somethng that light.
My long slim hands didn't have much trouble getting around the handle. :D
Click to expand...

Just weighed it again, on a Kitchen 'Family Scale' 2 lbs.Remeasured length 17 inch. Width at the belly - 2 1/8. Have used it chopping away at some oak firewood pieces, doesn't faze it. My fingers are short, so I like the smaller diameter handle. The blade is continuous with the metal raised at the single ring. Damned sturdy, so far.

Have received all my orders from Uncle Bill, THANK YOU, Have only tried out the 15" AK so far on the Firewood. Performed as expected. Plenty of other evals on line that excellently described performance.
All so far, to my inexperienced eye have been very very good.

Respect your love of the BAS. I like it, too. HAVEN'T been able to make up my mind on THE ONE to pack when I get a chance to go camping again. Will experiment more, when my caregiver responsibilites are over, which may be sooner than later. (Mom - 86, 3 back ops. osteroprosis, two total hip replacement l & r, diabetic, AFib heart and early stages of Alzheimers, Glaucoma, losing sight in left eye)

I keep re reading the posts on sharpening and problems, trying each in turn. My 15 inch Sirupati is giving me fits. About midway of the belly toward the tip approximately an inch and a half, thought it dull compared to rest of blade. Used chakma, jewelry compound on stop, think I'm getting there and than BANG, dull again. I WILL get it, one way or the other. Keeps my mind off other things!

Have to figure out a way to copy without printing out a slew of paper on the good posts. Have viewed the FAQ on sharpening, but other excellent ideas in posts that I keep going back to , to review again.
Some other web sites have a system that you can mark your favorite posts and keep a file on. It may be in this forum, but haven't found the technique yet. If not, Uncle Bill, might be a suggestion for the Webmaster.

RAMBLED ON ENOUGH. Glad you enjoy your BAS, Pappy, I'm sure I will enjoy mine, also. DG Or LCS37 (Last Chance Saloon DOB 37 Used to own the Last Chance for 10 years, well, I leased the Liq lisc and property, anyway. 10 years of hard experience. LOL
 
Re: sharpening problems

Ics37,
Many knives don't come "shaving sharp" when brand new. If that's the case, I like to establish the initial edge using an EZ-Lap diamond hone, followed by a soft, then hard, Arkansas stone. Once you've got a good edge on it can be maintained, in most cases, with just the chakma and a strop. The ckakma is good for re-sharpening, but you'd need more patience than I've got trying to sharpen a knife with it that's never had a good initial edge established. Another thing you might want to try is making a chakma out of an old file or other piece of really hard tool steel (Rusty talks about the file chakma in another thread). If the ckama is softer than the edge being burnished, you won't get good results. The "sweet spot" along the belly of your khuk is tempered very hard for good edge retention. I suspect your chakma may be too soft to handle it. Hope I've been of some help.

Sarge
 
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