How thin can a khukuri blade be?

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As interest has been indicated in light khukuris, what do you think are practical limits on how thin the kamis can make khukuri blades? Consider the styles available....and let's have some fun with this topic.

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Harry
 
Is it an interest in "light" khukuris, or an interest in pre-BirGhorka thicknesses?
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't 3/8 inch about normal, with 1/2 inch considered "heavy duty"? Now we've moved up a notch or two, with 1/2 inch being standard and many well exceeding this.

As for as going the other direction, aren't most Indian khukuris about 1/4"? Has anyone busted or bent one? I have a nice one, but I've found a crack or fold in the spine near the handle and have regulated it to ceremonial duty.

As for BirGhorku thicknesses, I recently got a UBE and 20" Sirupati and wondered at how heavy they were. But each day, they grow lighter in the hand! What's up with that?
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Kevin, they are magical khukuris.
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The more you use them, the lighter they get.

Harry
 
Seriously, though, I would think that a thinner blade khukuri is a better gauge of a kami's skill at doing a blade as compared to the thicker bladed khukuris where flaws may not be as noticeable or critical.

Harry
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino:
Let's have some fun and ask for a khukuri that is 1/16 thick! See what the kamis say.
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Uncle Bill, I think they would say I was drinking too much Khukri rum!

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Harry
 
Well then, let's test this. Pick a kami and have him make the identical pattern in 1/4", 3/16", and 1/8". I don't know if you could forge 1/16", but if they're feeling sporty...

Test them, chopping first then bending. Perhaps then a minimum acceptable thinness for a 5160 spring steel khukuri could be determined. Could be interesting.
 
Thin and lightweight are not necessarily synonymous. When trying to achieve strength and light weight you should consider the use of fullers to provide greater strength than that available in a flat blade. The Gelbu Special has fullers of this type, but it is so overbuilt that it doesn't need the additional strength.

Put a deep GS style fuller on a Sirupati or Chainpuri blade. That's what the Udhaipur does. Then you can have a light and strong blade.

At that point you can start pushing the limits for lightness while maintaining strength. I suggest a minimum strength on the lightest blades of 1 bura. ( If a blade is wedged horizontally between two bricks and Bura can hang from the handle without permanently bending the blade it has a strength of at least 1 bura.)
 
They would probably say "Go buy yourself one of those Cold Steel POC (Sorry, LTC) and leave us alone."

Tom
 
Blue isn't the only one that laughed aloud with the post on Sher's blade difference. I'll probably be giggling about it all this weekend at work and when the others ask about it.....I'll tell them and they'll think I'm nuttier than usual and do the customary 3 steps back and quick march away while looking over their shoulder.
 
This is one of the most entertaining threads I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I'm just recovering from the laughter. Put Howard, TomF, and Uncle together and you can expect some good comedy. Here we all are hundreds--some thousands--of miles away, who've never even met one another, laughing at the same inside joke. I just feel very priviledged to be on the "inside" enough to get it.

Some of the most benign threads can suddenly turn so surrealistically looney!

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"perfect peace mountains robed in glory
coming into view
father speaks son becomes the story
essence of all true" --King's X

[This message has been edited by X-Head (edited 06-22-2000).]
 
Just a reminder that we should not badmouth or make personal attacks.

Only two rules for the HI forum -- no badmouthing and no foul language. Anything else goes -- and has! We have treaded on some very thin ice but have never broken thru. This because of the high quality of the forumites.

Badmouthing sends out negative vibrations which always echo. Even though I swear like an old sailor (because I am one!)foul language is forbidden because we have kids who tune in once awhile -- if they must learn to swear let them learn somewhere else.

Carry on. Uncle Bill is done with his sermon of the day.

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Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ

[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 06-22-2000).]
 
Sorry, Uncle. Your admonishment is well received. I don't think I cursed, but I did badmouth CS a bit. I don't dislike them, I just didn't agree with what they did. It won't happen again.

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"perfect peace mountains robed in glory
coming into view
father speaks son becomes the story
essence of all true" --King's X

[This message has been edited by X-Head (edited 06-22-2000).]
 
No apology needed. In our dealings I can determine with complete confidence that you are a gentleman of the first order -- just like every other forumite who visits Uncle Bill's Cantina.

------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Well Cold Steel make not make the Khukri that HI does, but they do excel in other aspects. I was just looking at thier website today, and I saw some really fun looking stuff, i.e. They have a knife called the "Desperado" I have actually held this knife, it is a very fun "little Knife". Cold steel makes a great line of smaller knives, good steal sound designs. The only thing that I really fault them with is thier love of serrated blades. IMHO the serrations ruin the line of a good knife, and they take so long to grind out.
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I still would not trade a single one of my HI knives for any of the cold steel knives. Bigger is better.

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Life is short, art endures.
 
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