Gurkha House - A Final? Word

Cobalt, I was not making a negative value judgement on the GH khukuri concerning the results of the test just stating a fact that might not be clear to some.

As for :

I can explain what is happening to the GH and other knives that have bent and are easier to bend afterwards, if you want to know.
Click to expand...

I would be interested.

-Cliff
 
Wow, I've got a lot to say since I've last visited the forum. So here it is, in no particular order:

Ghost Six: No offense taken. I just didn't follow the "hard charger" part ("hard charger" being a familiar phrase to us Marines).

Cliff: Thank you for the information about the bend. You're right - "cosmetic" is misleading, as a bend certainly weakens the blade (even if you can't see it anymore).

Cobalt: As for the "one emergency" rating on the Service Number One, I probably agree with you. However, I don't think the same statement can be applied to my WWII and my Bhojpure model, both of which have thicker blades. When I can, I'll send a Bhojpure to Cliff for a test to see if this is true. I think these models are "multi-emergency" caliber, but only the test will tell.

And Bill: whatever we need to call the guy I got one of your knives from, the point is that I did get one to see and use (before I started clammering on this forum!)
smile.gif


And for those of you who asked, here's the link to my site: www.cystern.com/khukuri

I have never posted it because I don't think it's right to do any explicit "advertising" on the forum. However, because you asked, here it is (I'm not pretending that I'm SAD that somebody asked for it
smile.gif
Some of the photos of my knives are not yet posted, so watch for new photos. And I welcome any suggestions from the different browser users out there.
 
Also thought some words from Will Kwan (borrowed from knifeforums) would be illuminating:

I have both the Cystern service model and H.I. BAS. When new or resharpened the knives perform almost identically. This is expected since the knives are very similar in geometery and weight.

My Cystern khukuri had a bad start, the edge chipped quite a bit initially. After using for a while the edge still chips but the chip are barely noticable. Hopefully with more use this will rectify itself. Edge retention would have to go to the BAS, the edge did not chip away while chopping wood. However, even with the chipped blade I did not notice any real difference in chopping.

The handle has come partially loose on the Cystern service model. To my surprise it did not come off the tang after more use. During my last outing the handle actually straightened itself. Rather than tempt fate I have enacted some corrective action, and glued the handle in place.

Will: I should admit that when I sent you your khukuri, I went ahead and sharpened the blade. If you remember, it came "razor sharp." This is when I was more stupid than I am now
smile.gif
Of course, I now know that a razor sharp blade on a khukuri is not necessarily the best thing given the blade's mission as a chopper. Even worse, I used one of those cheap kitchen sharpeners. I am so ashamed!
 
Cliff, I know that you were not making any value judgements. I was just stating that the one I have would get me out of a tough spot in most any situation. However, once you have exceeded the plastic deformation barrier, failure is sure to follow since it will not take as much stress to cause it to fail the next time.

Cliff, if you take out all the HI's from the testing, which out of the remaining blades would you go with if you had to.

Craig, I'm sure that the thicker blade will take more stress as Cliff and myself will soon be able to find out.
 
Cobalt, which one would I take if someone robbed by HI's? It would depend on what I was doing. I have actually taken to carring the Uluchet with me at all times as it fits in my coat pocket. The TUSK is the best slicer and highest performer on light brush work but the GH khukuri is tougher and its curved blade leads it greater utility in certain areas. The yeild strength is about the same between both (TUSK/GH) but since the GH khukuri bends where the TUSK will fracture I would prefer the GH if I had to lean on one of the blades.

-Cliff
 
Cliff, that's what I figured, as I thought the same also. That was my point.
 
Craig,

I'm curious which kitchen sharpener you used. It has been a while, but I recall not being able to see any sign of re-sharpening on the No. 1 service model. The only problem with your sharpening was that a burr was left on the edge. It was also very consistant from one end of the blade to the other. When I sharpen a blade I always leave some kind of mark. Let me know what you used on the edge so I can get one also.

We all do stupid things Craig, read who I handed my 15" Ang Khola to.

Bill, are the H.I. khukuri's polished after or before resharpening? All my H.I.'s have been used and resharpened so I can not tell. The only khukuri that I stood out as being resharpened is my WWII model, which Bill did. Also, special mention should go to the kami that sharpened my 20" Ang Khola (H.I.) must be commended as it was razor sharp and held its initial edge extremely well. All other H.I.'s I have received are chopping sharp which is O.K. I think Bill sends his dullest ones to me.

Cliff, I know the 12" and 15" Sirupati are not advertised for heavy use but do you think they would have survived the test the No. 1 Service model went through.

Will
 
I would take the GH over the TUSK as I have no fears about chopping frozen food with my No. 1 service model.

I'll have to remmember to try nawing through frozen food with my fully serrated YFA 3.

Will
 
Will :

Cliff, I know the 12" and 15" Sirupati are not advertised for heavy use but do you think they would have survived the test the No. 1 Service model went through.
Click to expand...

They have not had the problems with edge loss that the GH had nor has the buttcap loosened. Now as for heavy prying? I am not certain either way. There is a fairly easy way to see. I would be willing to pay for a blade blank of a large Sirupati from Bill (no handle, no polish, no final edge even) and see how strong it is. I would not want to damage a finished Sirupati by using it in an area that it was not designed for. If I did my grandfather would get up out of his grave and smack me upside my head for using a tool outide the scope of its work.

I have not used the 20" Sirupati for prying but have done just about everything up to that. As the models get smaller they generally get tougher as the amount of torque you can apply decreases dramatically, unless the blade thins out to match (like it does with the AK).

If I had to guess I would put the 15" AK at the limit of what I could damage without enhancing my abilities but I would not want to bet on the outcome. I would have to be in the right frame of mind and I would need to be doing something that put heavy strain on the blade at its weakest point. For example if I had the tip stuck in something where I could do a full body pull and I was in an excited state of mind I might be able to bend it. That's all that would happen though.

I know I can't do this with the 20" AK as I have tried to do exactly this and I have gone beyond it to see what it could take and I am satisfied that I would not be able to harm it without aid using it in a reasonable manner. By the way when I used artifical means to test it, I was operating outside the warrenty in my frame of mind and I would not have asked for a replacement or taken one if it was offered.

Anyway I would bet that I could damage the 20" Sirupati with heavy prying but am not sure about the smaller ones because the lever arm needed to generate the required torque is not there. I would be willing to test it, but not on a finished model. In any case they are easily tough enough for any non-prying task.

-Cliff

[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 28 April 1999).]
 
Actually, Will - I used about a 6 dollar white plastic handled sharpener with fixed sharpening "prongs," The reason you couldn't tell it had been sharpened is because the sharpener is pre-angled so as not to make any marks on the blade (it may not have been yours that I sharpened, but I do think it was). The reason I am thinking it's stupid to use this sharpener for a chopper is because it puts a kitchen edge on the knife, which would probably crumble under extreme use. When I say kitchen, I mean Japanese kitchen (I bought a set of Japanese knives in Japan that I use).

Craig.

 
Cliff, it is as your grandfather alluded to: The right tool for the right job.

The Sirupati is the traditional khukuri of choice of the Rai and Limbu people who live in Eastern Nepal, in the mountain country, and are Eastern neighbors to the Sherpas. Cutting corn and digging potatoes is probably the primary chore of the Sirupati and since the Rai and Limbu are legendary in Gurkha exploits the knife is also used as a battle blade. As your experience indicated correctly to you, the Ang Khola is the prybar of the khukuris, not the Sirupati.

However, if you want to put the 15 incher to some prying tests go ahead and see what it does. If you destroy the knife beyond repair I'll send you a replacement.

Uncle Bill
 
Bill, I just reread what I posted above and I realize that it might look like I am saying is that I would not use the 15" AK for heavy prying, this is certainly not the case. All the testing that I have done (with the exception of some the lighter work) has been done on the 15" AK, which includes prying. All I meant to say in the above is that I look at the 15" AK as a line that I cannot cross in terms of toughness. Now as to if I can reach it or not, well I don't know, I have not been able to yet, and if I was a betting man I would not bet against the knife. Maybe if I went out and ate a cow so I had another 50 lbs to put into it.

-Cliff
 
Cliff, from what you have told me you've done with your Ang Kholas -- the stuff you are afraid to post because nobody would believe it -- I had no doubt about your meaning.

And I just remembered that Sirupati belongs to Rusty and I'm telling you to go ahead and destroy it if you want to! Maybe I better check with Rusty first but if he gives a go ahead and you destroy the knife I'll send Rusty a new one. He's just down the road.

But I remember what happened when I wanted to replace Julian's purple heart khukuri. He wouldn't allow it because he had fallen in love with HIS khukuri.

We better wait and see what Rusty says.

Uncle Bill
 
I am in the middle of the slicing part of the tests now and have not as yet done anything I would consider durability testing. Once that phase starts I will send Rusty a detailed description of what I have planned before I try anything. A couple of the Ontarios will have problems in certain areas and all the knives will suffer what I would call cosmetic damage, and while that is nothing I would be concerned about, my opinions are not universal so I'll get confirmation before proceeding.

-Cliff
 
Cliff, throw Rusty's sirupati's at a large river bolder to see if they STICK! in the bolder. Then regrind them down to about 2 inches from the base of the blade for that mini khukuri look. I think Rusty would like that.
 
Sheesh.... Cobalt wants a yeti to throw one of my khuks at granite boulders, Uncle Bill chops 1/4 bolts with my newest pride and joy, so what's next? Hmmm... well, since Bill has already done his worst to my latest, why don't I sharpen it up and send it to Cliff. I think he may still have the Mad Dog, a Trailmaster, and maybe a Busse. As I recall, none of those are much more than 1/4 inch stock, and Bill has already tested the village khuk on 1/4" bolts so that it is a known quantity. Why don't we do a 3 way test?
Take the Mad Dog, Busse, and Trailmaster, and then clamp each horizontally spine up in a vise and have a go at it with the village khuk. See which gets cut through first, second, and third. Take photographs. Write article, and watch none of the knifezines touch it. If the village khuk wears out then Cobalt's got a couple 18 inch AKs I'm sure he'd be glad to let Cliff use to finish the test off. Then we can return the others to Busse; Cold Steel; and Mad Dog and see what their warranty service is like.
 
Rusty, why would you want to hurt the MD's, Busse and trailmaster with the 18 inch A.K. This is definite OVERKILL(as I caress my AK).

In fact I was over in Britain the other day with the royal family, who had just found excalibur and pulled it out of the stone. He wanted to spar with me and so I pulled out the 18 incher. Excaliber got so scared that he buried himself in the rock all the way to the hilt.

Did I ever tell you the story of how Thors hammer turned itself into a rubber mallet to bounce off and away from the 18 incher.
 
Cobalt, on second thought, I don't think we'll need the 18" AKs. But if I could borrow the 15" AK for a day or two I'll send it right back to you after using it as a benchmark.

The Busse, the Cold Steel Trailmaster, and the Mad Dog are the ones being hyped to death and/or nauseation. If Cliff sends me those three, and you send me the 15" AK since it's in the same size range, I can have the answers in ( probably ) one simple test. Let's take Busse at his word when he says you *could* drive a tank over his knife, "but why would you want to hurt the tank?" What's bigger than a tank? A locomotive. And I can get to the tracks. Simply lay all four blades across the tracks and see what happens ( just the locomotive ). If the first test is inconclusive, we do it over, the second time after the locomotive hooks up to and is pulling a bunch of cars loaded down with explosives.

And Cliff, I never did get the khuk your little brother dropped down the canyon. You were going to send it to me to drop test from the Grand Canyon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top