Got my 16" GS today

wildmanh

wildmanh

Part time Leather Bender/Sheath maker
Joined
Jul 9, 2000
Messages
7,764
I just recived my 16" Gelbu Special Blem (Torn scabbard) and my 15" Sirupati (Used) in the mail today. Both are very Awsume! :)

The Gelbu Special's wood handle was made to fit my hand perfectly and looks great. How do the Kami do it? It feels a little heavy on my belt compaired to me 15" Sirupati but in my hand it sooo light and quick do to the fullering?. It just wants to fly! I'd swear the blade is hollow ground. Uncle you sure it's forged that way? The edge is almost hair flinging sharp, slices paper with out any problem. The mark looks really simaler to the KNN's mark but is different than the mark on my 12" AK by KNN.

I was planning on having a Sarki Shop cover made then giving it to a friend, but I don't know. I might have to get something else for her. :D I took two pics with my scanner, didn't even bother taking the time to clean up the Khuk so the might not turn out really well, but I don't care. It's a DANG SWEET Knife. The Karda is also nice. I would say about 7" long and can handle some serious work. I like the rig so much I keep fondling it while writing this review. I would rate it a 10 out of 10 with two thumbs way up. The scabbard is a little loose, but I don't mind. It it becomes a problem, I'll just shrink it. My 12" AK was my favorite, but this Gelbu Special has taken it's place. :D

http://www.geocities.com/wildmanh/knives/Gelbu_Special/
http://www.geocities.com/wildmanh/knives/Gelbu_Special/

Thanks Uncle,


Heber Ellsworth
 
The Links should work now.

Uncle, I like the 16" GS so much I might just buy another in a month or two.


Heber Ellsworth
 
Originally posted by wildmanh
It just wants to fly! I'd swear the blade is hollow ground. Uncle you sure it's forged that way? Heber Ellsworth
Click to expand...

Heber I can guarantee you that the Gelbu Special is forged that way!!!!
As well as all the other khukuris with fullers.
The kamis have the fullers down to an art and by forgeing the fullers in it saves them hours of work trying to grind them in that even.
( I have an as forged Hanuman blade and the fullers are nicely forged in place, a dui chiarra blade and heavily made by Sanu.
The Hanuman Khukuri is dayumed sure not for the smaller guys, it's a definite handfull!!!!:) )

I don't know whether the GS or 15" SIrupati will work best for you since technique plays a large part in how any knife handles, but I'm gonna bet the GS will out do the 15" Sirupati due to the edge geometry as well as the speed that you will probably be able to generate with the GS.
Let us know after you have had them both for a little while please.
I would be interested to know which one you think is the better chopper.:)
 
Yvsa, you are right, my GS is a lot faster. Some friends and I compaired my 4 Khuks (12" AK, 15" AK, 15" Sirupati and 16" GS). The 16" GS is our overall favorite. :) What are the specs of your Hanuman?

My GS is soo perty, I don't want to use it. But it tells me that it's a user. It's even telling me how to hold it, what it wants to chop, the type of scabbard cover it would look best and how to pollish the handle. Now it's saying it wants a play mate. :p Man, I never thought a knife could be so vocal. :D


Heber Ellsworth
 
This is a beautiful knife. It looks to be about the same dimensions as the Udhaipur that was the original model for the Gelbu Specials.

The Udhaipur is one of my favorite khukuris. It was made in a village smithy and is not up to Birgorkha quality though. It has seen heavy use in the garden and camp for a few years. The keeper came off and the butcap is loose. I just epoxied it again today. I pounded over the tang and put some epoxy where the keeper used to be.

It's looking ugly, but it still works great. Today it cut a lot of brush in the garden.

I'm glad to see Birgorkha producing this type of lighter Gelbu Special.
 
Howard, we don't offer it yet as a regular item but I keep getting 16 and 17 inch GS and they all go. If anybody wants one they are an easy item to get.
 
The bush lost. :D I think it wasn't really a fair fight, but I don't care. It was fun. My Sirupari is rather dull but still did a descent job on little branches of about .75" and smaller. When the blade hit a branch it would chop part way thew then the branch would snap off. I'm thinking it will do better when I get around to sharpening it.

My GS on the other hand, is just about hair flinging sharp so it cut threw 1" branches with very little effort. It built up a lot of speed really fast and just sailed threw the branches.

Before I did the testing, I had to repair the handle on my Sirupati which had shrunk and cracked in two places. Some epoxy and a lot of sanding did the trick.

After using the GS I've desided to change the shape of the handle a little bit and refinish it. Possibly using some walnut stain.

As for which one works best for me, I don't know. I'll have to do more testing after I sharpen my Sirupati. But for now, the GS is the winner at slicing :)

- Edit -

There is something about the GS that I noticed but failed to mention earlier. It's when I hold the Khuk with the edge facing down I noticed that the spine isn't straight, it has a slight wave to it from the bolster to the tip. Doesn't seem to effect it's chopping/slicing ability or strangth so it's not a problem. Personally, I think it adds charactor and helps show that it was hand forged. That I like :)


Heber Ellsworth
 
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