HI Khukure Collection - A Good Start

bwray

bwray

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LEFT TO RIGHT

SGT. KHADKA SPECIAL: 12", 11 oz, Dark Walnut Handle

My latest acquisition. This khuk is left is the "sharps" drawer in the kitchen as a kitchen/household utility knife. First project: See how well it slices up pork tenderloin for a big pot of posole. In the Southwest, big hominy (whole kernal) is called "posole," and it is used to make hearty stews of hominy, chile peppers, and pork.

PEN KNIFE: 15", 18 oz, Bura, Bijaysal hard wood handle

Bought it a week before the Sgt. Khadka and tested for the forum. Chops well but could not keep up with an 18" AK. Not a fair test. Will compare with 16.5" Chiruwa AK next.

CHIRUWA ANG KHOLA: 16.5", 24 oz, Kumar, Wood handle

This was my first HI Khuk, and so far I have liked it too much to sharpen it. But it is the most basic blade I own, so I will soon give it an edge and do a test against the 15" Pen Knife.

M43: 17", 28 oz, Bura, Wood handle

Bought this one on auction from Michigan Knives for $127. Got tired of waiting to snag one on DOTD. Beautiful piece of work. Might not ever sharpen it.

ANG KHOLA VILLAGER: 18", 28 oz, Bura, Hill Walnut handle

Great heavy duty chopper. I use it all the time. Belt sanded the ring off and reduced the handle diameter to better fit my hand. Makes me want an 18" GRS for my next purchase.

KUMAR KOBRA: 20", 21 oz, Kumar, Chandan wood handle

I'm not into the martial arts, but it's easy for me to see why this blade is prized as a weapon. I bought it because it fits my concept of a machete on steroids, which puts it in the same working class as some of the indonesian goloks and parangs that I sell. It's about the size of a medium machete (2" longer than a Martindale Golok 2) but has all the advantages conveyed by hand forging and tempering. The drop point sets it apart from other members of the steroidal machete category, and, at some point I will do comparison testing.

GANGA RAM SPECIAL: 22", 38 oz, Bura, Evergreen wood handle

This is my ultimate gee whiz khuk, and I can't imagine ever needing anything bigger (unless I run out of other excuses to buy new ones). If I ever do actually use it I believe I would grasp the flared pommel with the thumb and first two fingers of my left hand to reinforce the right handed grip. This blade also makes me want an 18" GRS for my next purchase.


*** Hope this show and tell has been useful and/or entertaining. Please feel free to post your own collections or favorites in reply. *** :) :D :thumbup:

PS: While I was working on this post, a 17.5" GRS by Bura appeared on DOTD and I missed it. Tragic irony!!!:(
 
Well-balanced group, but no horn handles?

They can have a great look & feel- have heard of some cracking in dry climes but mine never have.

An 18", 24-30 oz. GRS in gray horn would look good in there.

There are always some shelf queens, and some users. But once that mirror finish is gone, it's SHOWTIME.


Ad Astra
 
Horn has fallen upon shadowed times in some circles of opinion here. I like horn. We had a batch of green horn. That is over. Horn is a great handle material and has been used for hundreds of years with good results.

The only handle in my khuk collection that cracked so bad it needed pinning was Wood.
I love wood and horn. I wish we could bring back ivory.



munk
 
bwray said:
First project: See how well it slices up pork tenderloin for a big pot of posole. In the Southwest, big hominy (whole kernal) is called "posole," and it is used to make hearty stews of hominy, chile peppers, and pork.
Click to expand...

Anyone who likes Posole has a good heart. It just can't be eaten without smiling and maybe even laughing at yourself a little.
I like it with beef as well, then it's just called Hominy Stew.;) :p :D :cool:
The left over Posole, yea right, makes a mean burrito the next day and the day after, depends on how many cousins you got eatin it at the same time.;) :eek:

Edit:
Forgot to mention the collection as I got too excited over the Posole. Dayumed nice collection to start with Bill. When you start rounding it our with the pointy things from Valiant and ePrey then you'll be poopin in tall cotton and wipin on the top leaf.;)
Khukuris and me go a long ways back and the heart of my collection is khukuris. You just gotta love a knife that is so versatile and comes in so many weights and sizes!!!! :D
 
munk said:
Horn has fallen upon shadowed times in some circles of opinion here. I like horn. We had a batch of green horn. That is over. Horn is a great handle material and has been used for hundreds of years with good results.

The only handle in my khuk collection that cracked so bad it needed pinning was Wood.
I love wood and horn. I wish we could bring back ivory.

munk
Click to expand...

That's two endorsements for horn, and they really do point up a collection gap that is more the result of habit than conviction. Early on I started with wood, because I read somewhere it was more durable, but have since been exposed to a lot of more balanced viewpoints. Horn it is next time if I have an option, preferrably on my long sought 18" GRS.:thumbup:
 
Great group! I have _got_ to get a Bura M43. They have those great long handles. Wish I had paid better attention to ebay because I would have given you a run for it. ;)

This may be one model I need to email for.

Thanks for sharing.

Norm
 
Yvsa said:
Anyone who likes Posole has a good heart. It just can't be eaten without smiling and maybe even laughing at yourself a little.
I like it with beef as well, then it's just called Hominy Stew.;) :p :D :cool:
The left over Posole, yea right, makes a mean burrito the next day and the day after, depends on how many cousins you got eatin it at the same time.;) :eek:

Edit:
Forgot to mention the collection as I got too excited over the Posole. Dayumed nice collection to start with Bill. When you start rounding it our with the pointy things from Valiant and ePrey then you'll be poopin in tall cotton and wipin on the top leaf.;)
Khukuris and me go a long ways back and the heart of my collection is khukuris. You just gotta love a knife that is so versatile and comes in so many weights and sizes!!!! :D
Click to expand...


Yeah, you just can't beat a big bowl of posole with a stack of flour tortillas and a generous supply of ice cold beer. I make enough to last about a week several times a year, especially during the Christmas holidays. It's a hit with everyone who tries it.

I've been collecting knives for quite awhile, mostly classic Case pocket knives, but just got turned on to khuks less than a year ago. They've got everything going for them; handmade, durable, versatile, mysterious, beautiful, etc. Yeah, I'm hooked. When I built my house I left the yard completely natural because I love southwestern vegetation. Then I seeded with native wildflowers and even managed to get some prickly pear and cholla growing out front. Point is, there's a lot to do with a khuk out there as long as you don't get carried away and wind up like Easter Island. Pinon, Juniper, Mountain Mahogony, scrub oak; lots of stuff to keep from getting overgrown. Lots of great Khuk using opportunities.:thumbup:
 
Svashtar said:
Great group! I have _got_ to get a Bura M43. They have those great long handles. Wish I had paid better attention to ebay because I would have given you a run for it. ;)

This may be one model I need to email for.

Thanks for sharing.

Norm
Click to expand...

Good luck on finding the right M43 Norm. They're all grace and elegance, and no khuk collection is really complete without one. What I may have to do ultimately is buy a second one for using and just keep the one I already have pristine. I've done that before with pocket knives, but given the price of a good M43 this would be a little harder to justify.;)
 
Another in favor of Horn and down a bit further South from you in Albuquerque. I do the four coats of Watco Danish oil just to help protect them and have had no problems with cracking. I even have an "Tourist" Khuk from India that I got back in the mid 70's that has never been treated but has just a few shallow cracks after all that time in the dry climate.

Darn it Yvsa, you got me thinking of a big pot of Posole for the weekend :thumbup: :D I like mine with Pork and lots of Red Chile and nice warm homemade Tortillas :D
 
ALBPM said:
Another in favor of Horn and down a bit further South from you in Albuquerque. I do the four coats of Watco Danish oil just to help protect them and have had no problems with cracking. I even have an "Tourist" Khuk from India that I got back in the mid 70's that has never been treated but has just a few shallow cracks after all that time in the dry climate.

Darn it Yvsa, you got me thinking of a big pot of Posole for the weekend :thumbup: :D I like mine with Pork and lots of Red Chile and nice warm homemade Tortillas :D
Click to expand...

And don't forget the beer!:D :D :D
 
bwray said:
Good luck on finding the right M43 Norm. They're all grace and elegance, and no khuk collection is really complete without one. What I may have to do ultimately is buy a second one for using and just keep the one I already have pristine. I've done that before with pocket knives, but given the price of a good M43 this would be a little harder to justify.;)
Click to expand...

Bill, thanks, but I don't really think you understand what you have or how fortunate you were to win that auction! Bura M43's are scarce. The ones with the walnut handles like you have are even scarcer. I'm guessing 3 or 4 maybe. There are new guys checking my figures to keep me honest, but I think that's pretty accurate. Sweet in town here has one of the first and he friggin' stole it! (-:

I have owned five M43's, and currently have four, 3 by Kumar and 1 older Amtrak. So I know about the model, it's just the Bura ones that are fleeting.

I was going to sell my Amtrak because frankly compared to the new ones the handle is not particularly great (horn, and I think he had a bit of trouble with it) and I was a bit disappointed with it, but the blade is so uniformly excellent that I couldn't bear to part with it. I also have a pretty light/dark hill walnut, an elk antler, and satisal models by Kumar, who kind of owned this model for a long time.

They are good knives, but I think the difference is our Master Kami has learned that just an extra 3/8 or 1/2" or so on the handles makes them twice as comfortable. He also curves the handle and the spine just a touch more than Kumar, and his blade edges (on this model) are straighter. I've got a lot to learn but I knew that was a Bura M43 as soon as I clicked on your thread and saw the pic. Do a search and you'll see what I mean.

If you ever want to part with that guy or trade for something cool, you had better give me a shot at it! :D Meanwhile I'll keep cruising the waters for one of my own someday.

Thanks again for sharing.

Regards,

Norm
 
Svashtar said:
Bill, thanks, but I don't really think you understand what you have or how fortunate you were to win that auction! Bura M43's are scarce. The ones with the walnut handles like you have are even scarcer. I'm guessing 3 or 4 maybe. There are new guys checking my figures to keep me honest, but I think that's pretty accurate. Sweet in town here has one of the first and he friggin' stole it! (-:

Norm
Click to expand...

You're right that I had no idea it was that rare. I knew it was a Bura when I bid on it though because the photography was so good I could see the cresent moon on the blade. I don't think Bill of Michigan Knives knew it was rare either, because he did not even mention that it was a Bura in his description. All in all, I lucked out in a way that only happens a few times in a person's life. Sort of like winning the khuk lottery. Thanks for the additional info on this particular model.:thumbup:
 
Love the collection Bill. Still seething about loosing out on that M43. LOL. Such a bargain too. I shouldn't have been so cheap. :eek: ;) :)

Yvsa is right about the purple towel. Good pics.

Horn good. Beautiful tough natural material. Treat it, of course. All the horn I have has a sublte translucent grain to it too. A couple are salted with whitish grey grain patterns, and one (the new villager BAS) has some swirley greenish grain and you can see light through the ring. It's very beautiful. I like a matte finish on it for gripping purposes though.
 
aproy1101 said:
Love the collection Bill. Still seething about loosing out on that M43. LOL. Such a bargain too. I shouldn't have been so cheap. :eek: ;) :)

Yvsa is right about the purple towel. Good pics.

Horn good. Beautiful tough natural material. Treat it, of course. All the horn I have has a sublte translucent grain to it too. A couple are salted with whitish grey grain patterns, and one (the new villager BAS) has some swirley greenish grain and you can see light through the ring. It's very beautiful. I like a matte finish on it for gripping purposes though.
Click to expand...

You know Andy, I'm glad I didn't realize you were bidding against me on the M43, because it would have been difficult to use bid-to-win sniper tactics. When I first started buying on eBay I couldn't win anything until I figured out why I was getting beaten. It's a jungle out there. Snipers on eBay and sharks on the forum. Still, that's part of the thrill.

Hope you find the M43 you're looking for. Good luck!:) :thumbup:
 
Naw Bill, I'm glad you got it.:thumbup: Those hikes you take are meant for a good khuk. I'll get myself a sweetie M43 someday.:rolleyes: The list of things I need to get is longer than the one I have acquired. I was looking at my collection today, and took some pics. I'm going to do a thread in a minute. I'm glad that one is yours. I just like givin you hell too.:D
 
I like your collection :)

I notice that your photo really shows the high polish that most of your knives have. My understanding is that on the high polished HI knives, the polish is really very high polish (mirror like). On many photos that I have seen of HI knives, it seems that there may be oil or other preservatives left on the blade during their photo sessions, and this may be hiding their full polished look.

Yours seem the opposite, where the blades look like you completely void the surfaces of any surface protection before taking your photos (showing all of their shine).

In any case, they look great :)
 
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