Loose "Cannon"

Ad Astra

Ad Astra

Joined
Jul 30, 2004
Messages
3,833
One khuk is loose in it's sheath. When held upside-down, it would fall out, causing... well.. who knows what disaster? I once dropped a rubber-handled kitchen knife (Easy-Grip, Oxco, etc.) and the danged thing jumped up, like it had a superball for a handle, about knee high. No, it was higher. Alarmingly higher.

I know there's an easy trick for tightening the sarki's work to a particular blade. I tried searching old threads but the site's a little flaky tonite.

Can someone share the trick? Do I steam the sheath in boiling Ballistol or what?

Safety is a priority with these blessed things. I don't want to lose a toe.

Tx.
AA
 
As I understand it, you soak the sheath just for a few minutes than tightly bind it with rawhide or string to tighten it up. I THINK THE FAQ has the procedure, but too lazy to look it up right now.

I prefer to glue in a very small piece of leather just inside the sheath to prevent the knife from slipping out. Acts like a shim. Alot easier and less time consuming.

FROM THE FAQ

Kami Sherpa on adjusting a traditional scabbard

When I served in the Indian Army as a rifleman my tools were the Mark 3 and the khukuri. Sometimes I was in the Terai where it rains everyday. Sometimes I was sent to Rajhastan where it never rains.

My scabbard would change with the conditions. I and my comrades would loosen up our scabbards if they got a little too tight. Whittle a wood wedge and soak it in water. Then press it very firmly into the scabbard as far as it will go. Let it stand overnight.

You can also shrink your scabbard if you soak it in water and then
wrap it tightly with a belt or piece of rope. Let it set overnight.

I used a LOT of shoe polish on my scabbard when I was in the Indian Army -- and I still use it to this day. Today there may be better products but old habits have a way of staying with one.

Kami Sherpa
 
AA?

I'm sure there is a right way.

What I have done is to glue small strips of leather inside the mouth of the sheath to create more tension...no so much to hold it in, but rather to create tension and impede free-fall.
 
"Kami Sherpa on adjusting a traditional scabbard

My scabbard would change with the conditions. I and my comrades would loosen up our scabbards if they got a little too tight. Whittle a wood wedge and soak it in water. Then press it very firmly into the scabbard as far as it will go. Let it stand overnight.

You can also shrink your scabbard if you soak it in water and then
wrap it tightly with a belt or piece of rope. Let it set overnight. "

True words and many thanks. But in my cruddy humid enviornment, soaking it might mean never getting it back- we have unholy black mold that eats shoes that you wear on a daily basis. A khuk sheath, that I can't see into, well- I just don't want humidity in there. These things (khuks) would also rust in a heartbeat around here. And I keep them soaked in Breakfree CLP.

I remember his story. Assam Rifles veteran.

I could get a plastic, kydex, tactical, sheath... :barf:
& not worry about moisture. Mmmm, not.

AA

Waitaminnuite, I have a vise...
 
Is it desirable to have the khukuri so tight in the scabbard?

Sometimes when I'm hiking in steep country, I wish the khuk would be tight enough not to slide out in case I fall. Just what I need- landing on the edge of my khukuri after sliding down a shale slope.

But when the sheath is so tight the khukuri requires special handling, and extra moments to withdraw, that can't be proper either.


munk
 
I've always been partial to the magnet implant in the thigh.
But a little difficult to pass the metal detectors at the airport.


If you want an old-fashioned approach................

From the TIPS thread--------
Common searches with keywords:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=2423414#post2423414

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scabbard tighten loosen
in the HI forum & archive
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-157443.html
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-125411.html
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147506
Fixed Links ---- WELL SOME OF THEM---Ahhhhhhh


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URL]www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=268552[/URL]


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~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<>call me 'Dean' :)-FYI-FWIW-IIRC-JMO-M2C-YMMV-TIA-YW-GL-HH-HBD-IBSCUTWS-TWotBGUaDUaDUaD
<> Tips <> Baha'i Prayers Links--A--T--H--D
 
ddean said:
I've always been partial to the magnet implant in the thigh.
But a little difficult to pass the metal detectors at the airport.
Click to expand...

. . .

Why bother with a sheath? You could probably do the same thing on your back and be a khuk ninja (no offence DIJ) with twin kobras:cool::rolleyes:.

Seriously though I would think that for a humid climate you could probably try skipping the soaking in water part and simply wrap it with twine and let it sit for a while.

Dean, all of your links bring me to the blade forum homepage but with the address you entered.
 
AA I use the leather shim glued in method as well. You can cut a fairly wide shim the width of the inside of the scabbard and just glue it in with any good super glue. Sometimes I've had to use two thicknesses of leather but I was using a rather thin Moroccan Goat leather.
The other alternative would be to send the knife and scabbard to Terry Sisco for modification. Terry does excellent work!:D
 
I've used thick felt shims for that purpose, they work well. Or you could just try carrying them right-side-up. ;)
 
A thong or strap looped around the grip
would hold it in a loose scabbard.

btw.......fixed some of my links above.

~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<>call me 'Dean' :)-FYI-FWIW-IIRC-JMO-M2C-YMMV-TIA-YW-GL-HH-HBD-IBSCUTWS-TWotBGUaDUaDUaD
<> Tips <> Baha'i Prayers Links--A--T--H--D
 
thong or strap looped around the grip
would hold it in a loose scabbard.
>>> Dean


That would seem to be The Solution against loss. That's why there was a lanyard on the 1911.

I think too tight is a real problem.


munk
 
munk said:
Is it desirable to have the khukuri so tight in the scabbard?
munk
Click to expand...

I agree. Now if you are going to be standing on your head or something you'd want it tight, but my main user khuk would easily fall out of the sheath if turned upside down. However for me hiking along and encountering stuff to chop out of the way I'd rather have it loose so you can take it in and out quick. The weight of the blade will keep it from falling out easily.
 
And the shape of the blade. Bet a little tie down leather string would solve the upsidedown problem too.


munk
 
I just try to keep right side up when i wear my khuks;) I understand the idea of the blade working its way out of the scabbard during a fall, but i would be more worried about blade cutting through the side of the leather during the tumble. Well, that and the massive spill i had just taken;) I like my khuks to fit looser than tighter because of previously mentioned reasons.

Jake
 
It would add more than it's share of insult to injury if after falling a couple hundred feet,and breaking your legs, hips, back and neck; your trusted friend, the WWll Khuk, cut you in the thigh when your body finally came to rest.


munk
 
Nice imagery, munk. After some Evel Kneival-style fall, one last object comes clattering down to strike you... faithful, heavy, oh-so-sharp khukuri.

Thanks all, for lots of good ideas. I never meant to ask a question that has already been answered in the FAQ or tips thread, but sometimes sorting thru it all is pretty time consuming. Read all the threads you fixed, ddean. Tx.

May try the water soak thing with non-HI khuk which is also loose. No loss if lost.

Dropping a blade or losing control of one is scary. As a graphic artist back in the day of paste-up, we all used X-actos all day long to cut copy galleys and clip art (paper then). The drafting desks were angled, and one day this Peruvian dude (it was in Miami) carelessly laid his X-acto down to get the phone or something. It rolled off the desk, and embedded itself in the top of his foot. Cut right thru a leather shoe top and stuck there like an arrow in a hay bale. He had to pull it OUT and bled, as I recall, freely.

So a dropped khuk is going to have me leaping out of the way. Just trying to avoid this. Like I mentioned at the top when a rubber-ball handled knife fell, it bounced, like groin-high, another time I moved fast, real fast.

AA
 
No Idea if they still have them, but bowling alleys used to carry cork inserts to place in the thumbholes of a bowling ball.
 
Ad Astra said:
Nice imagery, munk. After some Evel Kneival-style fall, one last object comes clattering down to strike you... faithful, heavy, oh-so-sharp khukuri.

AA
Click to expand...
I didn't lose a khuk but I did fall with one in my hand. Scary damned feeling I'm here too tell you!
I wasn't nearly as worried about what might get broke as I was what might get cut if I landed wrong.:eek:
Fortunately it wasn't a long or a hard fall, just went arsehole over tincups when climbing about an eight foot high but steep berm alongside a road to gather some sage.:rolleyes:
I was right near the top when I slipped and I was able to successfully keep the old khukuri at bay and was very aware of where it was in relation too the rest of me as I was going down.
I breathed a great sigh of relief when I finally stopped rolling, good dayumed thing I'm as round as I am.:D
Sometimes being round is good.;)

The "old khukuri" was an old WW II I bought from John Powell and I was doing some light non destructive testing with it, doesn't have a scabbard.
Even though it is soft enough to be sharpened with a file it held its edge well while cutting the hard stemmed sage.
They were definitely made too work and the harder ones I've seen would be as excellent today as they were when newly finished.:D :cool: :D
 
Don't break a hip! Yvsa. Please.
Your skeleton would make a good HS Science class specimen.

munk
 
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