I have this katana I am going to call a blem.......

Speaking of the new sarki,I noticed his frogs are different,mine is 'blacker' if that makes sense,and maybe a bit thicker.I noticed in one of the pix of another of his frogs and it looks the same.

Cant wait for the katana to get here.I did a little reading on how to cut with one,am i correct to say that you basicly slice with it rather than chop?I dont expect to become a master swordsman by getting instructions from a forum,but I just want to learn the very basics so I can have my fun
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I should be a good test of the HI katanas toughness,Ive read that this style of sword is know to bend is struck wrong,and i assume 98% of my strikes wont be in proper form ,at first anyway.
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I'll gladly pay you Tuesday,for a khukuri today.
 
Robert,

You might want to see if there are any local iaido practitioners at your locale. Iaido is essentially Japanese "the way of the Sword" (experts, correct me if I am wrong) and would help you get some grounding as to proper posture, holding the sword and other related things to make your owning and using a sword more enjoyable.

Hope this helps...

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Harry


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[This message has been edited by Kozak (edited 08-04-2000).]
 
One other source of information is the new Sword Forum in the General Section of Blade Forums. Some very good quality people there.

Harry
 
Wow, the Everest Katanas are looking good with each sword. For a blade this long a proper heat treatment is esential. The prototype #2 that Harry has, is a good sword. The heat treatment was good, but could be improved. Not bad for #2 though. When I did an acid etch on the blade, I was able to see tha actual hardened area. The tip area was somewhat thin, but hard. 3" from the tip (kissaki) the hamon was over .25" thick and this tapered off 2" from the tsuba (guard). Will not perfect in the eyes of a traditional katana collector, the blade did withstand my testing. The bone test that I did surprised me. Better than I expected. The only thing that could be a problem, is when the sword is used alot. When you sharpen the blade each time the hardened cutting edge will go away and the softer steel will be exposed. One last point, one should not swing the sword like a baseball bat. The katana type swords will bend if one cuts wrong with them (even some of the old antique blades made by top swordsmith from Japan). There is an american smith that makes some of his Katanas out of L6 steel. So, far this is the toughest material for a katana. There is a review of this smith and his L6 blades @ www.swordforum.com in the e-online magazine section. Look for the Howard Clark article.
 
Uncle, the future owners of the H.I. Everest Katana are going to get a great sword that will last them. For the money, getting a working sword for H.I. price is a steal! Many other wall hanger swords cost twice as much and they will fail! The skills of the Kamis at Birgorkha really impresses me. They can make a blade style that they never have seen or made, and the puppy still performs. I wouldn't hesitate to take the Everest katana into battle!
 
The real japanese Katana's are made of steel that was made from formulas that were passed down over many generations of master blademakers starting as early as 1000ad and before. Most of these formulas have been lost to us today. There are tales, many probably true of fine name blades cutting through gun barrels with no damage.
The process of making a katana involved much ceremony each time the metal was folded with a good weapon having as many as a million layers of steel by the time it was finished. The process of forging a great blade could take months and the sharpening almost as long.

The real Japenese weapons are a thing of wonder and beauty. Because of their quality and the fact that they were highly treasured and well cared for accounts foe many very old blades still looking as if they were new. I have a Wakazashi that was made around 1450AD that looks almost new...
And we talk about 440V and ATS34 steels....
Not even close!
 
Thanks, Bennett, and we would all love to see a pix of the 1450 model if you would be kind enough to post one.

I'd agree that the MB truck springs we use at BirGorkha are probably a pretty poor steel compared to something that's been folded a million times.



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Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Alas, all the stories of katanas cutting through gun barrels come from sources long dead, and no one living seems willing to repeat the experiment with a real national treasure. With respect to khukuri steel, though, I offer the following anecdote from a WWII vet still able to post on his website: "As we made to walk away the kukri wallah approached me and said "You want kukri sahib?" I said "Kukri?" scornfully. He lowered his head, raised his hands and said "No Sahib, pukkha kukri". He then produced exactly what I had been trying to buy. A plain, fully forged, perfectly balanced kukri. I swung it a few times and it felt good so I asked him for the bar. He had been expecting it and produced a mild steel bar just over half an inch square and a foot long with sharp cuts all over it. I swung and brought the blade down on it with all my strength. There was just one more cut and the edge of the blade was unmarked. I had my kukri and it had cost no more than I had been asked for the imitations."

 
Comparing MB spring steel to a traditional tamahagane katana is comparing two different things! The Everest Kat runs under $300 vs. a traditional Nihonto runs much higher greater than $3000. I have a friend that sells a beater Katana for a similar price that Uncle sells his kats for and at last years S.F. Token Kai sword show some collectors of traditional blades snobbed his blades. I asked them if they ever cut with any of their collection, they said No! I asked them do you know how to cut or fight with any of your blades, they said no! I told them that they don't even deserve those swords in their collection! One of them left mad, while the other one bought my friends beater sword! When you get your arm lopped off or when you get stuck with the blade, you can't tell the difference.

*The Everest Katana is not a direct clone of the original Nihonto, but a working sword with a Nepalese flair to it!*
 
Where exactly did the sword the kamis used to replicate the HI katana come from,and did they get to handle it?

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I'll gladly pay you Tuesday,for a khukuri today.
 
It was Jim March who came up with a pre-1840? katana that would have cost big bucks to restore properly who contributed it as a model for the kamis to use. Someone will pop in with the answers.
 
Look here for the full story of Jim March's katana and the kamis. Did they get to handle it? Oy vey, did they ever!
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Uncle Bill, do the Kamis make custome order swords? I sould love to see a Filipino type of blade made by them and I think it would be fairly popular as well. I see alot of people talk here about taking the sword into combat, and it is vey hard to find one that is combat worthy. So far every Khukuri that I've seen (all of Stuart's collection) I would stand behind during battle. That is the biggest attribute of HI, the swords come out looking beautiful, have traditional merit as well, and are functional as a battle or tool blade(though I don't think I will be using any to cut down trees in my yard!!!). The Ghorkas(sp?) and the Moros of Mindanao were both highly feared warriors, and the Filipino blades are somewhat like the Ghorka blades in that many people underestimate the quality in which they were made because of the material.


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Chad
Full Contact Stickfighting Hawaii
http://www.fullcontacthi.com
 
I would also like to see the Kamis try their hand on some Moro blades. I'll try to make a 3D cast of some of my friends' antique Barongs and Krises. The handle carvings on the moro blades would cost big bucks if made in the U.S.. My favorite Moro blade to take into battle is still the Barong. The Khukuri would be my choice for a Nepalese blade. Let's see what happens in the future!
 
The Kamis would have fun with the barong. I also think that a kampilan or a kris would catch their eye, but the barong is much closer to a khukuri. Sorry, don't know how to post pictures here yet.

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Chad
Full Contact Stickfighting Hawaii
http://www.fullcontacthi.com
 
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