Khukuri compliments from a custom swordsmith

[tallwingedgoat]

Custom sword maker Michael "Tinker" Pearce, maker of high performance European swords and daggers,( http://www.tinkerblades.com ) recently tested some khukuris he bought, and here's what he thought:

A couple years ago at Pennsic I ran into some folks who had just come in from a vacation in Nepal. They had brought back several Khukuris from "the Khukuri Shop, Katmandu, Nepal."(No, I don't have the link but I understand that correspondance addressed that way will actually reach them.) They sold me a couple of Army model Khukuris for $75 each-which was enough to give them a tidy profit and help pay for Pennsic. I sold one, and kept the other. The blade is 10-10 1/2 inches (haven't got my measuring stuff handy.) At it's widest it is around 1 1/2 inches in the belly, and 1 1/4 inches wide at the base. It has the traditional 'trident' cut-out 5/8 inch from the base of the blade, a broad, VERY shallow fuller and a small groove near the spine running half the length of the blade. The blade is about .3 inches thick at the base, and starts to distal taper at the bend to about 3/16 inch before coming to a point. The blade has a japanese style peaked spine. I am told that these blades are hand forged from 1/2 inch thick truck springs, and that the blade is differential tempered to Rc 50-55 at the edge but the spine is in the 30's at best. Thick as it is, I don't forsee any trouble with bending... The steel is most likely 5160, 1095 or CK55 (depending on who is surplussing them the springs.)

When I got home I tried to split some stove lengths into kindling. I was underwhelmed with the performance, shrugged and consigned it to the occasional 'dry' workout, and for the most part simply displayed it as part of my collection. I should mention that this blade handles very well in these practices.
This week when the new BLADE magazine arrived, there was a review of a similar
Khukuri, quite favorable. I thought, "OK- it's not a hatchet- maybe it's time for a more useful test. I took the blade to Atrim's for sword practice. I showed it around, and people were curious but rather doubtfull. One pallet openly sneered and I quickly gave it a smack to set it straight... the blade penetrated about 1 1/4 inches into the 4x4! The pallet smirked no longer! Several chops revealed two things-that this short blade could really make the chips fly, and that if you hit wrong there is considerable hand-shock. The Horn handle stayed quite tight throughout testing. The tang, BTW, is butt-riveted over the brass butt plate, and
the brass bolster is well silver soldered. The Khukri retired briefly for the pizza box toss, but when the tubes came out it quickly came sniffing around looking for action. Ever obliging, I took it in hand and Atrim rather
tentativy tossed the tube towards me. I struck a stout blow, and to our amazement most of the blade dissapeared into the 1/4 inch hard walled tube!WOW! In subsequent tosses the blade continued to merrily slice, dice and wreak mayhem on the tubes, often cutting deeply enough into the tubes to 'catch' them on the blade and on a couple hits cutting the tubes nearly in half. One memorably cut caught the end of the tube and cut a good 6 inches into the tough material bfore cutting free of the tube. The performance on the tubes often exceeded most of the swords we have tested on them. An astonishing performance for such a short blade. When I got home, the blade was still as sharp as when I left.

Other Details:
The scabbard is of an unknown wood, and is very attractively covered with black Buffalo
hide. There are two pouches at the rear for the traditonal implements, a small, crude
sharpening steel and a small even cruder knife gound to about 60 grit. The handles of these are nicely shaped Buffalo horn glued to the tangs with no bolsters. The blade is stamped near the base with 'NEPAL 1997.' the frog is very stout, also of Buffalo hide and riveted with iron rivets. There are two crudely forged but functional 'Sam Brown' studs to secure the loops, but for all thier roughness they work well enough.

To sum it up, I don't know that I've ever paid $75 for a better fighting knife- I know I've never bought one that could equal this
performance. I'm impressed, and I think that I left behind some new Khukuri fans at the practice!

Khukuris similar to this are now imported by a number of firms, most notably Himalayan
Imports, and prices start at around $90 US. Cheap fun at the price-this blade won't sit idle any more!

 

[Howard Wallace]

This is a high compliment for the khukuri.

Although I don't know Michael, I have worked out many times with Atrim and crew. Besides being sword fanatics, they are martial artists of high caliber from many styles. There is also substantial military experience within the group. Any techniques are welcome. They see what works. Apparently the khukuri passed muster.

I had previously shown Atrim and a couple of regulars a 15" AK, so they probably weren't too suprised. It was a light turnout that night though, so I'm sure Michael made some more khukuri converts.

The pizza box toss is a particularly fun game. Three or four people form a circle in the parking lot, with 20 or 30 feet between each other. Each player has a sword. The pizza box is thrown frisbee style between players. Initially the object is to impale the flying box with a thrust. A thrust through one of the thin edges of the box shows control. If you can thrust through the length of the box impaling two opposite thin edges you're doing really good. As the box degrades through the course of the exercise it becomes acceptable to cut the flying box. Of course, the box can't take too many cuts before the game is over. A roll of duct tape can prolong the game. I usually favor a light rapier style sword for the game, but all types are used.


[This message has been edited by Howard Wallace (edited 29 July 1999).]

 

[Bill Martino]

The kicker is these are pretty standard khukuris and not the best. Wait till we see the "magical khukuri."

Uncle Bill