Khyber

Rusty, could you tell if the blade was chrome plated? If it is I cut my value by half. If it is factory produced I cut the value more.

Bill
 
The point is moot. The importer responded that "...the item is no longer in our catalog and we do not have any in stock either."

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Russ S
 
Well, Rusty, that takes care of that aspect.

I may try it out this weekend and see what it tells me.

Bill
 
Hi guys; I'm trying to keep up with all the posts.-- Even though I like the khukuri as my favorite, how does a rough finished blade on a khyber sound, 18" total length, extra thick (7/16) spine or back of blade? Since it is not a chopper in design (but it could be I guess), I don't think it would feel blade heavy and still be an awesome thick power knife.

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Tom, I've been quiet on this for about a day because I'm confused. Seems we started out talking of a khyber knife. T spine, thin deep blade cross section. Fairly light, good for stabbing and slashing. Big but still fast blade, for fighting.

Then as I kind of expected, Bill puts in the opinion the kamis wouldn't want to make a blade that thin. OK, I can appreciate that. Not only because of culture, but because if I understand correctly, they are used to making tools, for neighbors, that are used daily, which must be very expensive to a fellow Nepali. And upon which your neighbor's livelihood and at times life depends. Would you make something for someone you know and care for that might cost him his life if it breaks? And if it costs him his life, what happens to his family?

It seems fair to me not to ask someone to make something outside his experience and expertise. The kamis know by generations of tradition what they can do and what to expect it to do. So if they make us a knife, they're going to make it hell for strong. I'm fine with that too. But it won't be a khyber. Again correct me if I'm missing something.

So what we'll get won't be a khyber. Here's where I get confused - what are we asking them to make? Is it:

1) a fighting knife?
2) a Resin/Searles/Vidalia sandbar bowie?
3) a camp knife?
4) the world's strongest straight bladed knife as Cobalt suggests?

We need to decide first what the thing is. Then we can decide what we want it to do. Once we do that, we can decide how we want to do it. Are we going for something that does one thing better than any other knife? Are we going for something that can do anything but nothing well? Or something that does a few things pretty good?

I'm afraid that if this is answered, we'll find that everyone wants something different, and by the time we reach a compromise, it won't be what anyone really wants. Hey, I could go for any of the 4 types ( fighter, bowie, camp, world's strongest, etc. ).

But first, let's make up our minds.


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Russ S
 
We used to call this in the airplane industry, engineering by committee and it is hard to get everybody to agree.

I am just the flunky who tries to get the things made at the shop so, Rusty, we will have to arrive at a decision and you and I cannot do that alone.

Bill
 
Rusty,

I am leaning toward number 4 on the list. I myself think of it as making the ultimate Khyber. At this point I am starting to really like Jim March's counter proposal.
Bill,
Would that be something that is do able? How many of you would rather go in that direction?


Regards,

Tom Carey
 
I did not mean to change the direction of the type of knife that you, Tom and Rusty want. But it is likely that for a thin blade you will have to go somewere else. I'm only guessing here Bill, but I think it would be presumptuous of us to think that anyone is going to want to forge very thick steel stock down to 3/16 inch or less. If you have ever pounded steel, you'll know that hammering it down to that thin when it starts out so thick is very arduous and time consumming.

I did not mean to push the issue into heavy blades, but that's what the Kami's are all about. Frankly, anybody can shape out a thin blade large knife. Also, I will keep myself out of this discussion, until you guys have figured out the best way to go about this since I don't wish to direct everyones decisions towards what I think is best.
 
I got no problem, Cobalt, your observations are usually on point. Please keep posting your ideas. I just want to know what the others want cause we can't figure out how to do it til we know what it's spozed to do!

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Russ S
 
Keep looking at the 18th Century, which is deeply fullered with thick spine, edge, and pretty thick point. Hmmm...

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Russ S
 
Remember, Rusty, some of that thich point is due to yours truly putting that knife to the grinder and modifying the point. Julian has me running scared on this model.

Bill
 
Understood Bill. Still, the idea of heavily fullering ala 18th Century, with full thickness tip as on other models. Strong where it needs to be , lightened in the center...

And against my better judgement, stopped at the post office ( no counter service on weekends ) and there's the little yellow card in the box. Arrrrrgh!!!

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Russ S
 
I notice the mail service is pretty good when you are only a hundred miles or so down the road.

Bill
 
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