M-43 and Salyan for 8/5

[killa_concept]

Man I can't balance any of my khuks like that. Props to you both.

More like props to the kamis for their amazing talents!

Like this?:thumbup:

I don't know how I've managed not to cut my finger off.
This khuk must love me
That was a double balancing act, considering I took about 10 pics with one hand while balancing the khuk with the other. And then you realize that you don't want to use a flash against a mirror and have to do it all over again

Well I can't be letting you have all the fun!

Mine is taped because I'm in the process of finishing the handle with TruOil. Also because I don't consider my knives sharp until they can shave with ease as shown above - balancing it without some padding actually cuts into my finger just from the weight and a very minor sway .

Also yes - balancing a khukuri while handling a camera is quite difficult! The coat of Tru-oil on my handle also wasn't fully dried, so dropping it on the ground would have been a disaster

 

[oldschool45]

Yangdu's shipping is in overdrive the M43 showed up today. I went straight from the front porch barefoot to the woodpile. Me likey
I'll post the Kami mark in the other thread for confirmation but I don't think its Sher (Tigers) but that's more than fine with me

 

[warty]

If it is just made, remember that Santosh is using the same mark that his Uncle the Tiger used to honor him. So they will look identical.
The only way to know who made them is to know when they were made.

 

[wildmike]

I wouldn't have a finger left if I tried to balance either of my M-43's that way!

That Tru=Oil really makes the handle pop. I'll have to try some of that.

 

[oldschool45]

warty & killa_concept , this is Santosh's not Sher's blade as warty confirmed in the other thread.
killa_concept, the front pin is still dancing around but the scales are staying put.
I may re-pin or finish the re-handle on my CAK then re-handle this one. The horn is a bit slick but pretty comfortable.

 

[warty]

try taking some 600 grit sandpaper to your horn handle and leaving one on there until you break it.
I bet you can't unless you go out and try to do so and I bet the horn handle will grow on you.

I know all about being a wood person, I far prefer wood handles but I don't go so far as to be exclusive.
I'd rather go ahead and see how long something will last as is before going through the hassle of putting a new handle on it.
Some horn handles even have nice looking marking in them and have all the character of a wood handle.

 

[wildmike]

My horn handle on my Bura made M-43 has held up through 6 years plus of very hard use under survival conditions. Still as good as when I recieved the knife. I have no concerns about the durability of my horn handles at all.

And all this use of that horn handled Kukri was in an area where the summer highs hit over 100 deg and the winter lows often did below zero for a couple weeks at a time in winter. With just as high of fluctuations in humidity. If any environment would be destructive of the horn handles this one would be it. Stuff really is amazingly tough.

 

[oldschool45]

Warty & Mike the horn is growing on me. I may pop the scales off, clean the connection between the scales & the blade, use a stronger epoxy then re-pin and polish or texture the horn.

This picture should be with the M43 on the HI site titled; "So you want an M43?"
I'm going to take a picture of it later of it sitting on a case of Diet Coke just so everybody understands the "scale."

 

[killa_concept]

I wouldn't have a finger left if I tried to balance either of my M-43's that way!

That Tru=Oil really makes the handle pop. I'll have to try some of that.

Haha - no joke. Same for me if the tape wasn't there.

Oh, and while the Tru-Oil really helps make the wood's natural color and grain pop out, I think I really lucked out on these particular handles. Satisal wood can be anywhere from really light reds/oranges all the way up to dark purples and browns. I just happened to get one with a really nice blend of distinctly bright reds, oranges, and dark grain to contrast. Really loving this thing :thumbup:

warty & killa_concept , this is Santosh's not Sher's blade as warty confirmed in the other thread.
killa_concept, the front pin is still dancing around but the scales are staying put.
I may re-pin or finish the re-handle on my CAK then re-handle this one. The horn is a bit slick but pretty comfortable.

Wait - so it's Santosh's and not Young Shers?
That would mean I was mistaken and that one wasn't my old one that I sent in... which is eerie as it has the same exact problems as the one I sent in (Handle shrunk, a small chip at the end of one of the slabs, a pin being slightly loose, the laha drying up and chipping etc.)

It looks practically identical to my old one. Is it really a half sun mark and not a madal drum?
Could you post up a picture of the mark please? I'm really curious now

 

[oldschool45]

Killa it is young Sher's and it had a small chip at the butt end of one of the scales so it probably was yours. My past 3 days have been a blur so my cognitive functioning hasn't been up to snuff hence my confusion. The madal drum mark on its side looks like a "beer mug with no form head" to my mind which is what cause my confusion in the other thread. Below is the link to the mark.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=175436&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1281202722

 

[warty]

no doubt, that is the Madal Drum of YOUNG Sher, and not Tirtha's Beer mug nor Santosh's setting/rising sun.

I will say it would be nice if Santosh would put something like a "10" on all his blades.
Please don't muddy this one up and ask him to change with the years, OK?
This way we would know they were his since he started this year.... but that is just a wish.

I don't much care either way as I am not all that serious about this stuff.
I just like their work.

 

[killa_concept]

no doubt, that is the Madal Drum of YOUNG Sher, and not Tirtha's Beer mug nor Santosh's setting/rising sun.

I will say it would be nice if Santosh would put something like a "10" on all his blades.
Please don't muddy this one up and ask him to change with the years, OK?
This way we would know they were his since he started this year.... but that is just a wish.

I don't much care either way as I am not all that serious about this stuff.
I just like their work.

Same... I also am not very serious about the collecting aspect, but I can see how it could cause some confusion. Santosh seems to also overbuild his kukris like her Uncle which adds to the confusion (my 18" m43 is 1/2" thick as opposed to the standard 3/8").
One distinguishing factor is that Sher (the tiger) tends to have uneven bevels on his kukris (the left side tends to always be more obtuse than the other) while Santosh keeps his bevel much more even. This is based on my two Sher (T) pieces and a couple others I've seen, so I'm not sure if it's true across the board. Do you have any Sher (T) pieces warty? What's the bevel like on them?

Killa it is young Sher's and it had a small chip at the butt end of one of the scales so it probably was yours. My past 3 days have been a blur so my cognitive functioning hasn't been up to snuff hence my confusion. The madal drum mark on its side looks like a "beer mug with no form head" to my mind which is what cause my confusion in the other thread. Below is the link to the mark.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=175436&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1281202722

That's my old one alright! Kind of scared me to think that it was a Santosh one, as that would mean someone had the exact problems that I did and with a kukri that looks identical to mine

And yes - I was just calling it the madal drum because I had learned that's what it was supposed to be. Without that prior knowledge, everyone (including myself), instantly sees a beer mug
Also shot you a reply on the email you sent me - keep me updated!

 

[warty]

I have many of the Tiger's Khukuris and will see about putting this theory to the test and perhaps posting pictures.
Sher, in fact, is the kami of old I have the most blades from at thirteen with Kumar following at six.

Unless you count Dil,who has been around a long time. I have ten of his.
Lok has also been here for along time too, I have seven of his as well.
The last two will grow in time since they both still produce blades now and then.