I met Kami Sherpa and Yangdu today...

D

dave2945

Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
115
and after fondling a few knives I picked up my first HI blade. It was a great, great experience and an honor. Yangdu and Kami showed me the various characteristics and intended uses of each type of khukuri and the accompanyning karda and chakmak. Kami even showed me how his technique for using the chakmak for straightening the burr.

After some deliberation I went with the CAK. I cannot wait to use this beast. Eventually I will post a review online.

Thank you so much for your generousity and hospitality Kami and Yangdu.
 
I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Yangdu in person, but I have spoken with her on the phone on many occasions. She's a wonderful person. That's a large part of why I do business with her. That, and the fact that her kamis make knives I like a lot.
 
Sounds like you had a great time meeting Yangdu and Pala. Having the ability to handle different styles and getting professional input on the merits of different blades before buying was a real plus, I'm sure. Congratulations on your new khukuri. I'm sure you're going to enjoy it. Please be sure to read the Safety sticky if you haven't already. Welcome to the HI gang.
 
They were extremely nice and helpful and I would not hesitate to buy from Yangdu again.

It was not only convenient to handle various knives before deciding on the CAK so I could see the differences between the different styles, but it was also enlightening to observe the sheer craftsmanship and durability of every piece across the board. These are simply the best knives I have ever seen in those regards.
 
You are indeed blessed to live close enough to meet them and deal directly in such a manner.

Myself I count myself blessed to ever have had the pleasure and privilige of having dealt with Yangdu.
 
I remember Bill posting once on how Pala would use the chakma to sharpen his khukuris which took about 20-30 minutes. Bill meanwhile would use a "modern" stone and have it done in about 5-10 minutes. It'd be interesting to see the chakma technique demonstrated.

Bob
 
I would ride my motorcycle over the mountains in a whiteout snowstorm in January to meet Pala and Yangdu,,,,,, and Be Warm all the way. It is a true pleasure to have even met them over the net.:D
 
It was definetely a wonderful experience to both meet Yangdu and Kami and to hand pick my first HI khukuri. I am still in awe of this knife. Since I have gotten home I haven't been able to put it down. Originally I was thinking of a 16 inch bonecutter, but after handling various knives I kept coming back to the 18 inch CAK. It just felt right in the hand and seemed to fit my long arms and 6 foot frame better. Not to mention Yangdu approved, and told me it would be a wise investment.
 
I would love to be able to visit Auntie and personally check out a few knives before purchase. Auntie is so pleasant over the net and I bet she's even more amazing in person. You're quite the lucky man! Also glad to hear Pala showed you how to use the chakma - I initially dismissed it as an unnecessary addition because I tend to carry a small sharpening kit with me, but I soon realized it's true value.

Sometimes in the middle of a heavy chopping session, I'll notice that the kukri is not biting as deep as it usually does - partially due to some slight deformation/rolling but mostly due to gunk buildup on the edge causing added friction. In these instances, I'll give the edge a few quick swipes with the chakma and get right back to chopping. After the session, I usually give the edge a quick realignment/gunk cleaning with the chakma and then a quick going over with my kit (pictured below). Usually, a quick run over 1000grit and stropping on the leather is all it needs to get it shaving sharp again:
P1040291.jpg
 
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Ditto here: Mom's been thinking about buying one as a gift, and she lives in Vegas. She and her boyfriend are going to be moving into their RV soon; maybe they can stop by?
 
Reno Nevada, Blessings from the Computer Shack in Reno is the signature of her emails. :)

I too would love to go and meet them.
 
dave2945 said:
Originally I was thinking of a 16 inch bonecutter, but after handling various knives I kept coming back to the 18 inch CAK. It just felt right in the hand and seemed to fit my long arms and 6 foot frame better. Not to mention Yangdu approved, and told me it would be a wise investment.
Click to expand...

See, they do call to you.

:thumbup:
 
Thank you everyone for the kind words. Now HI have four wonderful customer and friends in Reno.
 
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