How to understand this blade

[Pbody]

I haven't received it yet, it is in the process of making it to my home. Karda was kind enough to exchange insight with me I purchased a sirupati, thinking it would be able to act as a chopper, multi functional tool as well with it being noted martial arts use so I figured it was light enough to manipulate accordingly. Not only was my assumption slightly wrong but also I ordered it at 25" which is a lot of knife with really no general purpose besides fighting and sacrificial beheadings. Yet I don't believe it is right for me to return something unless it is manufactured poorly. So I feel that at this time the knife was meant for me and I it.

My main question is how can I put it to use so it doesn't collect dust but I develop skills wielding it and understanding the flow of force?

Any pointers will help.

Thank you

 

[Nismo]

Slash down tall brush. Something that long and thin shouldnt be used as a chopper on hard substances like a tree trunk.

 

[Karda]

Good to see you found the forum, Welcome Pbody!
The best way to understand these blades and Himalayan Imports in general is to read til' your eyes bleed and ask questions.
There is a vast bank of knowledge here and in the BFc archives going back to 1999. The forum search function is available to all users.
Then you must use the blade and listen to what it tells you. I'm a firm believer in these things having souls of their own and picking their owners, so it may well be that somehow this 25" siru was destined to be yours. The blade will help to guide you if you can tune in.
If you should decide it is not for you, as i said, it is as simple as contacting Yangdu to inquire about exchanging it.

I have another thing a suru of that size is good for. Making your friends jaws drop open.
I have a 24" Teardrop sirupate that one friend will not let me unsheath when he visits after he asked what the heck i'd use it for.
When i told him it was for lopping off heads and body parts, he just looked at me with a bit of a wince and told me put it away.....
Here is the original video i did after i got it...
And the thread: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...t-Teardrop-Fuller-Sirupati?highlight=teardrop



[video=youtube_share;yLL6rFLXkgY]http://youtu.be/yLL6rFLXkgY[/video]

 

[Pbody]

Yes I realized why I was unable to find it, I wasn't logged in. what do you think about using the supitari on bamboo stalks not dead ones but ones that are living and I don't know how to do the measurements I will just describe in diameter 6" living bamboo stalks. Would that be considered general use? I know a bunch of folks that need their bamboo cut.

That is a scary looking knife,

 

[Karda]

I've done bamboo several times here. Believe it or not, the stuff even grows here in NY in places.
I used my trusty US Army surplus Machete on them though and the larger stalks such as you are describing put a bit of a hurt on it.
It dulled that machete pretty good and scratched the heck out of it. They way that stuff grows, it tends to imbed silicates in it, i suspect it would be worse where you are.
General usage would be, brush not bigger that a couple inches or so of softer vegetation.
I hate to tell you No, but i cant honestly recommend that you use it on those larger bamboo stalks. Just trying to be honest and fair.
I doubt you will break it or anything of the sort, but that kind of stuff can do not so nice things to your edge.
Honestly, the worst thing i could forsee happening is that it gets scratched up and possibly minor edge chipping.
Despite what some may wish to believe, minor chipping in some cases of usage is normal course of business. It is usually easily sharpened out and does not automatically mean that the blade was faulty or the heat treat was bad. One must alway realise the inherent limitations of the steel and work within those parameters to avoid damage. It is always best to err on the side of caution rather than risk the investment. Sometimes it is really best to use a $15 tramontina machete instead of a $200 khukuri.

 

[Howard Wallace]

... My main question is how can I put it to use so it doesn't collect dust but I develop skills wielding it and understanding the flow of force?
...

Start using it. Respectfully, carefully, and for different kinds of tasks. Perhaps use it for all your knife and chopping needs for a few days. It will let you know what it is good for.

 

[Pbody]

Wow I received it today, that was quick!

 

[mobileninja]

Buy some firewood and chop. I always find reasons to use one when I do yard work. I also spend a lot of time holding and mock swinging when I bbq. I keep one in a bag for specific outdoor activities and in different locations for what fits.
ie. kerambit in safe with handguns. 15inch AK in go bag. M43 in backback for camping. Kkarda in tacklebag for fishing. Tirtha Bowie in side of bed. Diu Chirra and YCS in upper reaches of closet where I won't be tempted to scratch up it's beautiful finish. I've also gifted a few to others who I know will make use of them. I think you get the picture.

 

[bric]

Congrats and welcome. Unwrapping your first HI is a blast. Except for the part where you go broke shortly after...

You want to put it to use, but you're gonna have to decide if this is going to be a pretty blade that you show your firends and admire and save for the zombie invasion or if you actually want to use it. Trust me, that's a hard choice. I bought my first because a DOTD called to me but I just didn't know for what. I babied it for awhile, got a couple specifically to be users. Ultimately I ended up with quite a few that I was babying before I took 'em *all* one day and gave them the whack test. That invalidated the warranty on over half of them, but I was tired of not knowing "how tuff" they were or whether the edge was hardened properly. It also introduced a couple hairline cracks to some of the handles. These probably would have happened anyway over time, but the brief "abuse" brought them out. One particularly "small" and decorative knife sustained some major cracking of the wood handle during this process, but there are no missing pieces of wood so it doesn't look too bad. I'll probably epoxy it one day. I think I've got a video of this process somewhere that I should post. After that day I don't mind babying any of my knives and I know them all better and each of them has seen *some* use.

For most of us a 25" knife is not very practical (but make no mistake, I own several). Maybe you could practice some "forms" with the knife (e.g. ala Tai Chi or Karate). You can chop pumpkins or water jugs in half. You can practice your skills by sharpening the blade and adjusting the handle to fit you perfectly. As Karda said, you could take it to 6" bamboo, but be aware, as well-made as HI knives are, they are not light sabers. They will not effortlessly go through a field of large bamboo - and a 25" siru is not the most effective way to take down 6" bamboo. But I bet you would learn a lot about the bamboo plant and your knife in the process. And you would learn a lot about weilding a 25" khukuri that you probably don't already know.

Start small and in private and with softer items (e.g. water bottle, pumpkin, green wood like pine) so you're not trying to impress anyone and you can learn, and above all, be safe.

Or just give it a whack test to get minimal scratches/evidence of use and keep it shiny and as a display blade.

Or skip the whack test and keep it shiny as a display/hand-down-to-future-generations blade.

But I totally recommend you learn to sharpen the blade, adjust the handle and maintain the blade and handle (e.g. oiling). Depending on how much practice you have with sharpening a convex and "bent" edge you may scratch the blade so be careful. Not that the blade minds being scratched, but you may decide that you like it shiny and the shine is hard to restore yourself without the right equipment and training. Also look for the thread from today about brass inlays on sirus.

Safety -> Maintenace -> Normal Use (there really is none predefined for a 25" siru except lopping heads and whatever you find you like to do with it) -> Non-traditional or Extreme Use

 

[sweetcostarica]

Honestly, the more I learn how to use the Kukri the smaller and lighter my Kukris get. The long Sirupates and broad bladed Ang Kholas plus others in size extra-large seemed hard to stop in the swing once committed and that's dangerous plus it's terrible for fighting.

People say:
"Hold the kukri and you'll get an idea of what it's purpose". When I hold big Knives I think chop something so I do that and it works well.

But more interesting to me is the more "balanced" Kukris in Sirupate style. For example in today's "Four blems for 1/4".
This would be ideal for you Plody (IMO):

18 inch 22 ounce Chitlangi by Bhakta. Sisau wood handle. Beautiful Knife. Slight shrinkage of wood handle round the buttcap. Take it for $75 YBB.

The above Chitlangi is much more useful I think. But I agree it is not as impressive as the 25 incher you just received.

 

[Shinook]

My 21" Chitlangi just soaked up oil for a while before I introduced it to pumpkins... Now I understand the blade. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/994919-Zombie-Ready!!-I-got-my-Chitlangi!!?highlight=Zombie

 

[Pbody]

Thank you guys for the advice, and insight it is a whole lot of knife I haven't played with it to much, my son loves boxes and doing the opposite of what he is told like all threw year olds so I put it up high for hours until he went to bed. Then I played for awhile my wife was flinching every time I brought the knife down to feel the weight ironic I think I was about 15 feet away from her, and she plays with knives and fire for a living. They really are beautiful peaces, but I can't see myself not not using it due to the fact I used kitchen knives that were just as costly. It is I little heavy in my forearm and if it was for defense perhaps if that scenario ever turned up wouldn't be my first line of defense, my muscles are not quite attuned to it,.

People keep on saying to chop some wood with it, the only time I would bring it to a thick piece of wood would be for all the tests Bill said he used to do to all his knives. I wouldn't use a filet knife to jullian spinach, I would use a chefs knife. So I will more than likely stock to what this knife was made for. Improper use of any tool will damage it. I will not hesitate to find some talk stalks and ask the owners of the land if I can play, matter of fact im on the hunt. Just disappointed with the land I have seen no personal numbers as of yet just big companies.

I do like the idea of ti chi to get the weight of the blade with fluid movement. I don't mind scratching the blade I didn't want to buy a walk ornament, but with this 25" it might be more of one than an actual tool, but still a pleasure to own something which has a name for such defining character and quality.

I will be a returning customer for a more practical tool.

 

[wildmanh]

Congrats on the new blade and Welcome to the forums. Your Sirupati sounds impressive!

For a Multi-role Khukri, I recommend a WWII. My 16.5" WWII Weights 21 onces (average is 24 to 26 onces) and has done tons of trail work. It's light, thin and fast enough to handle some brush work, yet heavy and stout enough for Chopping and splitting. . . My 18" WWII is 28 onces and feels more like a chopper, but can do some brush work. Personally I think it pairs nicely with my 20" Sirupati, or a Machete. There can be some variation in a given model, even from the same Kami, but over all, the WWII is in my mind a great Multi-role blade.

By the way, if I could only carry one big blade on a trip, it would be my 16.5" WWII because of how versatile it can be. Sure, it doesn't have the reach of my 18" WWII or 20" Sirupati, but it will out chop my 9" Bowies, handles brush work and I've had it so long that we are like one.

 

[sweetcostarica]

I will be a returning customer for a more practical tool.

That's the reason I got into Kukris to find a the best tool for the job (in my case hiking and camping). If the tool isn't practical what is it good for? I guess something to put on a wall or in a closet.

Phody you probably know which Kukris are useful, if not check out what the villagers and Gurkhas use today in Nepal. You might be surprised.

 

[Hans Asmussen]

The long Sirupates and broad bladed Ang Kholas plus others in size extra-large seemed hard to stop in the swing once committed and that's dangerous plus it's terrible for fighting.

Medieval swords were longer and heavier. I am not convinced.

By the way, I have never seen it mentioned, but when your blade is travelling towards yourself, you can still twist your wrist (abanico style), hitting yourself with the flat of the blade.

 

[davidf99]

Medieval swords were longer and heavier. I am not convinced.

By the way, I have never seen it mentioned, but when your blade is travelling towards yourself, you can still twist your wrist (abanico style), hitting yourself with the flat of the blade.

This issue will probably be debated forever. I'm with Sweetcostarica on this.

1. "Medieval swords" span hundreds of years, dozens of countries and cultures, and a huge variety of types and sizes of swords. Most people only see a few of these types because they are dramatic and show up in lots of movies. The "Three Musketeers" dueled with thin lightweight blades. Some of the Highlanders carried gigantic claymores that could cleave a man in two but didn't always win battles and probably weren't used by smaller fighters. These are only the extremes.

2. Conditions varied also, such as swords whose main use was against opponents wearing chain mail armor, and backward-curved blades more suited to use from horseback.

3. Many of the larger, heavier models were true two-handed swords, whereas the "long Sirupates and broad bladed Ang Kholas" mentioned by sweetcostarica are one-handed. Maybe you could get 1.5 hands on some of them, but they're really not designed for a two-handed swing and control.

4. A swing and a miss with a heavy blade in a combat situation would allow your opponent to step in with his 6" long dagger and finish you off. Likewise if you lose control of a heavy blade while chopping wood and manage to "twist your wrist" to hit yourself with the flat of the blade instead of the edge, instead of losing a leg you win a trip to the Emergency Room.

More important than any of these specifics is that the average purchaser of an HI blade is neither an experienced sword fighter nor the size of Paul Bunyan. Like others, I occasionally go for something that is too large or heavy for me, but it's not something that I would recommend.

-- Dave

 

[Pbody]

I have been swinging the blade a little without impacting anything but I did what you said karda, and it seems to be noted that in eastern nepal the thinner blades are/were their main tools and although its not covered in the warranty it also states thatthe sirupatis can be used for a hearty days work.

I have also read some khukris do not have a kami symbol on it is that true?

If it is I almost want to keep ordering until I get one and use that one.

Thank you for all the insight I truly appreciate it I have no idea what steered me to the khukri but I am thankful it led me to himalayan imports I really am impressed with the knife. I bought a small bolton off of a member here so I can practice sharpening that one and get the technique down so I don't damage the more expensive one.

Take care everyone

 

[Karda]

I have been swinging the blade a little without impacting anything but I did what you said karda, and it seems to be noted that in eastern nepal the thinner blades are/were their main tools and although its not covered in the warranty it also states thatthe sirupatis can be used for a hearty days work.

I have also read some khukris do not have a kami symbol on it is that true?

If it is I almost want to keep ordering until I get one and use that one.

Thank you for all the insight I truly appreciate it I have no idea what steered me to the khukri but I am thankful it led me to himalayan imports I really am impressed with the knife. I bought a small bolton off of a member here so I can practice sharpening that one and get the technique down so I don't damage the more expensive one.

Take care everyone

Yes, the Sirupate can do a hearty days work, it just isnt really the best for chopping wood, which is why we cannot warrant it for such work.
We westerners are much harder and expect much more....and finer finish from our khukuri than the average Nepali.
That is why HI chooses to only warrant its toughest built models for such work.
It used to be that all HI product carried a lifetime No-Questions guarantee. But because of a few unscrupulous people buying secondary market items on the auction site and then purposely breaking them to affect warranty replacement and some people abusing the product without care and then wanting them replaced Auntie had to make the decision to modify the warranty to protect HI, or just throw up her hands and go out of business. The warranty now carries caveats against such abuses of Aunties good nature and the warranty. The onus now is upon the end user to respect his blade, use it wisely and properly care for it.

Most Khukuri that are not HI do not have a Kami mark or even a marking signifying what company made it. HI originated this idea long ago, All HI have always been marked with the company initials in devangari, but the kami marks were a customer request thing. HI did not invent the khukuri, but it is the company that paved the way to the western market for virtually everyone else in regard to quality, purpose built khukuri and is well known for it's high standards of workmanship and customer service.
Every once in awhile one or two will slip thru our QC without markings. Sometimes Auntie also will sell a non HI made blade or two from the kamis in Dharan, which are not marked. Of course these pieces are made to our quality standards and carry the warranty as if they were made by HI.