HI Does It Again...

CD Fleischer

CD Fleischer

Joined
Oct 12, 1998
Messages
2,036
I just rec'd my chainpuri-handled 20" sirupati villager (see here for pic: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum26/HTML/000334.html ) and I have to say that HI did it again...

I wasn't overly excited about this piece. I already had a very nice Shop 2 20" Sirupati with lovely marbled horn handle. I wasn't sure I would like the looks of the chainpuri handle. Lastly, Bill called this one "ugly" so I expected the blade to be somewhat pitiful.

Wow. When I opened the box and drew the khuk from it's sheath, I was amazed. The wood handles (rosewood?) are beautiful and the bell of the handle aids in drawing. This one was light in the hand and easy to wield.

I inspected the blade and saw a fold line near the tip and some areas near the handle that needed more polishing, but that was it. The blade looked marvelous.

I really like the scrollwork on the sword of Shiva. It has no brass inlay and is very beautiful and different from my other khuks.

I immediately got my other 20" Sirupati. The villager was much lighter and had a slightly slimmer blade. I believe it was longer, but I can't recall. They looked about the same thickness. The villager also has a slightly sharper tip. I love them both, but I felt the horn-handled one seemed "unweildy" compared to the nimble little villager.

Anyways, I was floored by this piece. For $50, I can't imagine a better deal. Wow. It is going next to the bed as I have no better edged weapon than this agile short sword.

Thanks again, Uncle, for such a great piece. I was really impressed by this one.

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Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com


 
I echo your comments. Just received a village 20 serupati with very large rosewood handle.
Not a show piece like the HI serupati, but functional with a *non nonsense I am here to do the job, finish.
It is lighter than the HI, but the HI is by far my favorite.
smile.gif
This one goes in the jeep!!
If it breaks, Bill backes the blade with his no BULL @#$%& guarantee.
Jim

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What? Another knife? Don't you have enough of those things already?
How many does one person need?

 
The chainpuri handles fit me better. The ones with sirupati blades seem to be a hair lighter than the HI horn handled Sirupatis, but the ones that have the Sirupati shaped blades with the chainpuri ( enclosed ) cho are even lighter yet. Move like a conductor's baton.
 
Guys, I got one of the remaining Chainpuri/Suripati 20" Villagers. I took it out and put it throug preliminary paces tonight on 2x4 s and was impressed. The polish level on the blade is below shop 1. The sharpening is very good overall but poor over the last 2" at the base above the notch. Would have to regrind this to sharpen it. Overall very good blade quickly brought to hair popping sharp.

The handle is very pretty wood with a gorgeous brass diamond inlaid around tang. Very good fit and finish on the hilt also.

The sheath is rougher than my Shop 1 AK but very nice for the money and should improve with a little elbow grease and Danner boot dressing.

The knife is extremely lively in the hand and hits a 2x4 very hard - almost as hard as my 15" AK. As a "jack of all trades" chopper and brush clearing knife I think it will be hard to beat a 21" Sirupati - particularly one with a Villager quality blade for the money.

Tomorrow night it gets the ice chopping / black locust wood splitting workout after some panfishing. This should be the acid test for what I expect from the knife.

Waldo
 
Here I am at home to pick up my 20 inch Sirpati with Chainpuri handle. It's roughly finished, but the shape of the handle fits my hand, and the wood is nice. It's much lighter than I thought it would be, but also thicker and stronger looking. It sharpened up nicely, and I'll see what it can do after I get some more oil for the blade.

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Eric Takabayashi
 
Thanks for feedback, Waldo and Eric. I think that villager is going to hold its own. Ugly but tough.

Uncle Bill
 
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