KLoVeUK <3

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GoodStuff

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Oct 3, 2012
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Happy Sunday morning reading. HI fans. While you are drinking your coffee, thought you might enjoy these photos of my new camping friend.

Got my KLVUK #19 Saturday afternoon!

I am very impressed with my first real kuk. A wonderfully handy tool. Cant wait to put it to work.
I was surprised at how thick the blade is. Came very sharp as you can see.
I did clean up the edge with a steel, but only a little. Zone hardened as the sharpening steel could tell. The blade Sung across the sweet spot and drug on the back near the cho. Just like it supposed to be.
I was very impressed with the care taken to make the mark. Beautiful work. and i am proud to own it.
I showed it to my friend and he wants one now too! Most people still dont know what a kukri is, and he had never seen one. Heck i have never seen a real one that wasnt factory made, or a tourist wall hanger.

Can anyone tell me the best way to close up the gap on the butcap steel. Epoxy i guess? I have some Gorilla glue. This is a worker so i just want the pommel to stay smooth on the handle and not catch on something.. like my soft hands... I will put it in my 3 way clamp and see if i can get the little gap closed. see the photo below...
 
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GoodStuff said:
.... Got my KLVUK #19 Saturday afternoon! ....

Can anyone tell me the best way to close up the gap on the butcap steel. Epoxy i guess? I have some Gorilla glue. This is a worker so i just want the pommel to stay smooth on the handle and not catch on something.. like my soft hands... I will put it in my 3 way clamp and see if i can get the little gap closed. see the photo below...
Click to expand...

I would follow these steps:

1. tape the handle wood near the butt, for protection.

2. Try to close the gap with a clamp, as you mention, or light taps with a small hammer. This has never worked for me, because the metal is too springy, but it's worth a try. :)

3. Fill any remaining gap with epoxy. To reduce runout you can do one side at a time, keeping the epoxied side up until it sets. The epoxy can be sanded smooth afterward if necessary.

3a. I wouldn't recommend Gorilla glue for this purpose. If it's anything like the Gorilla glue that I've used, it expands a lot as it dries, making extra work to file it down after it cures. Also it dries to an off-white color that wouldn't match the wood or the buttcap.

4 From the photo it looks like the pointy ends of the buttcap might stick out a bit from the wood handle, even if you close the gap. That can be corrected easily with a fine file. You only have to take off a small amount of metal at each end of the buttcap.

The original posting says that the fittings of this khukuri are "white metal" rather than steel. Either way, the metal should be fairly soft and can be sanded or filed.

Good luck.

-- Dave
 
davidf99 said:
I would follow these steps:

1. tape the handle wood near the butt, for protection.

2. Try to close the gap with a clamp, as you mention, or light taps with a small hammer. This has never worked for me, because the metal is too springy, but it's worth a try. :)

3. Fill any remaining gap with epoxy. To reduce runout you can do one side at a time, keeping the epoxied side up until it sets. The epoxy can be sanded smooth afterward if necessary.

3a. I wouldn't recommend Gorilla glue for this purpose. If it's anything like the Gorilla glue that I've used, it expands a lot as it dries, making extra work to file it down after it cures. Also it dries to an off-white color that wouldn't match the wood or the buttcap.

4 From the photo it looks like the pointy ends of the buttcap might stick out a bit from the wood handle, even if you close the gap. That can be corrected easily with a fine file. You only have to take off a small amount of metal at each end of the buttcap.

The original posting says that the fittings of this khukuri are "white metal" rather than steel. Either way, the metal should be fairly soft and can be sanded or filed.

Good luck.

-- Dave
Click to expand...
Tried #2 already. Too springy.
Thought that about gorilla glue it expands a lot.
Fill with epoxy and sand or file smooth is the way to go for sure.
What kind of epoxy?
 
GoodStuff said:
Tried #2 already. Too springy.
Thought that about gorilla glue it expands a lot.
Fill with epoxy and sand or file smooth is the way to go for sure.
What kind of epoxy?
Click to expand...

For my users that I care less about how they look than how they work, I use loctite epoxy putty. It's easy, strong, and easy... :)
It is also white when it dries, so it's not pretty, and won't blend. But it sands smooth to the wood and metal, and so it's great for a functional fix.

Others here recommended various clear epoxies and mixing some sawdust to match he color. Sadly, my epoxy skills aren't that good.
 
Shinook said:
For my users that I care less about how they look than how they work, I use loctite epoxy putty. It's easy, strong, and easy... :)
It is also white when it dries, so it's not pretty, and won't blend. But it sands smooth to the wood and metal, and so it's great for a functional fix.

Others here recommended various clear epoxies and mixing some sawdust to match he color. Sadly, my epoxy skills aren't that good.
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure that nothing will glue the metal to the wood.
Fill and sand is the only solution. The gap is too close, and the metal too springy.. Just fill in and make smooth. I like the sawdust idea.
open for any recomendation for a clear brand of epoxy.
 
There are lots of people here that recommend Devcon 2ton. I've seen others mention Aquaglass as well.
 
Not so ugly now.








I ended up using "liquid nails" on the handle. Worked some in the tiny gap with the edge of a business card.
File down the pommel edges, sanded the whole thing smooth with a sanding sponge i had laying around. Smooth as an egg now.

Ok, i admit it. I got HI fever.
 
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GoodStuff said:
Not so ugly now.

I ended up using "liquid nails" on the handle. Worked some in the tiny gap with the edge of a business card.
File down the pommel edges, sanded the whole thing smooth with a sanding sponge i had laying around. Smooth as an egg now.

Ok, i admit it. I got HI fever.
Click to expand...

Nice work!

I never thought about using liquid nails. Did it dry hard?
 
Shinook said:
Nice work!

I never thought about using liquid nails. Did it dry hard?
Click to expand...

It did, but it does not seem too brittle. Liquid nails said on the bottle, that it was good for ceilings, so i think it will have a good strong hold.
Soaking the handle in oil reinvigorated the wood and closed much of the gap before i glued.
The tiny tan line of liquid nails is more noticeable in the photo due to the close up macro.
I hope wear/dirt/age will blend this in completely.

A epoxy would have been my first choice, but I just used what i had around.
 
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