Manjushree Sword handle strength

A

arty

Joined
Oct 18, 2003
Messages
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Just got the Manjushree sword that came up on a recent special.
It is a beautiful sword, about 27-1/2" long, with a 7" handle. It weighted in at 28 oz on my kitchen scale. The fullers are not quite regular, but it is handforged, and even nicer than in the photo.

The handle carving is really nice.

I wonder how strong the handle attachment is, since the tang does not go all the way through to the end? I am not going to chop any wood with this - I have other sharp stuff for that.

This one is reserved for "advancing knowledge...."
 
Satori has put his to hard work with no problems as far as I know, and it is horn. I haven't beat mine up too hard, and _probably_ will never cut anything tougher than pool noodles with it, so I won't be able to tell you.

However, I may decapitate my moronic micro-managing sycophantic shrew idiot boss with it though, and if so I'll let you know how it does on the neck bones. :eek: :thumbup:

(Of course, she has no spine, so that might not be a good test after all... ;) )

Thanks,

Norm
 
Norm - It should get through jello just fine.

But - what about for the real thing, like an attack of the zombies?

Would you trust it if you were Shaun of the Dead?
 
I think Himalayan Imports stands by the sword as excellent zombie medicine.




munk
 
My guess: Since HI warantees it against breakage for life, I'd bet it'll do just fine. I've yet to hear of a major failure in a properly made HI anything that is swung at least remotely correctly.

Nam
 
arty said:
Norm - It should get through jello just fine.

But - what about for the real thing, like an attack of the zombies?

Would you trust it if you were Shaun of the Dead?
Click to expand...

You bet. Nicely fullered double edged blade, a super strong guard, and a killer carved handle. The blade balances very nicely for me. It's not for fencing, but for stabbing and slicing it's just the thing. The scabbards on the 3 I have owned are also uniformly excellent.

Considering the incredible price Yangdu has been selling them for lately, and the strong possibility of a "Dawn of the Dead" scenario occuring any time, I think you owe it to yourself (And your family! Remember, even a bite from one of those guys and that's it!) to get one ASAP.

Norm
 
Someone called?

Don't do this with swords.

I did this on a whim a few minutes ago for the sake of putting everyone's fears to rest; now that I think about it, I should've struck with the flats a few times. However, my camcorder is still down and transferring videos from my digicam to the computer is a PITA that I don't wish to repeat. (That, and I consumed two beers during the video editing process - I don't particularly care to swing sharp objects around under the influence.) Trust me when I say that I've done this, too - banging the flats on things, that is.

I've chopped wood several times with the Manjushree, for much longer periods of time than this very short demonstration. The edge and handle hold up just fine. Expect some scuffing and "smeared on" wood particles. I'd guess that the tang is burned into the handle, similar to the khuks; between that and the laha (which I have a newfound respect for BTW) the partial tangs don't bother me in the least anymore.

If it handles wood, it ought to handle zombies.

Here it is, immediately afterwards. Note that there's wood on both edges - the junk on the other edge is from the last time that I chopped wood.

manjushreedirty.jpg


Since I was right next to the kitchen, I tossed it in the sink and used hot water and a plastic scrubby to clean it up. It only took a few moments. My etch, however, is pretty much ruined. The things that I do for you guys...

manjushreeclean.jpg


Note the waviness to the fullers. Mine was the second one sold; I have the impression that Sher was still figuring this design out that early on. The later models appear both straighter and lighter. This one is one of my favorites.

Short answer: it's plenty strong. Don't worry about it, Arty.

And don't do this with swords.
 
My only Chitlangi, made by who knows?..... ( as the symbol, the Nepali flag is positioned as is no one else's. Bill sold it as a Kesar.)....has fullers so wavy you could get sea sick looking at them. At the time I quietly and very discreetly wrote many of the old hands around here asking if is this was normal? No, not quite normal, but sometimes hand forging variations occur, and these fullers were on the extreme range of that. The FF blem I have has absolutely wonderfull fullers; smooth, straight lines as if drawn or poured by a machine directed by computer.
...and the Chitlangi? One of my favorite blades. It sits by the bed. I love it.


munk
 
This one is by Sher. I have two Chitlangis, both by Kumar, and both with straight fullers.

The sword is a beauty - and well worth the $139.

I am tempted to hang it in the living room....
 
My first YCS (by Sanu) had some bad waves in the fullers. Dan worked on it and got most of them smoothed out, I believe there are still some pics on his site. Before and after it's still one of my favorites for balance and swing.

I have got to get me one of these swords. Damn this no-net (well, no Bladeforums) job!!! :mad:
 
Nam - Warranted for life...does that count for use on the dead???

Dave - Those scrubbies harbor germs you know...might be time to replace that one!

munk - Seems like you keep *all* of your khukuris next to the bed (maybe one at your desk if I recall correctly).
 
Nasty- the Rose got displaced by the Chitlangi recently. They had a talk about it. The chitlangi pointed out munk can always hack away, but the Rose as a true fighting blade improves under the owner's training, of which munk has none.

For a time, the Malla was there. And, the Rose will be again. I mean, just because I'm not trained is no reason to punish that fine blade forever, now is it?

Looks like there's 3 or 4 or maybe five that will always get another tour of duty. Now, my son Carter has his own ideas...he loved sleeping next to the Rose and the AK Bowie. (there's a child's mattress on the floor for when Carter gets displaced by 'guests' in his room...or whatever.)


edit... and the desk... right now, Rusty's old AK Bowie, the new Yangdu special, and my Foxy Folly. The FF and YS just got Watco's oil treatment for the handles.

munk
 
Nasty said:
Dave - Those scrubbies harbor germs you know...might be time to replace that one!
Click to expand...

The immune system is like a muscle, Nasty - the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. You ought to see what my cutting boards look like.
 
Dave Rishar said:
The immune system is like a muscle, Nasty - the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. You ought to see what my cutting boards look like.
Click to expand...

I agree! Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to go bite the heads off of some sick chickens.

Jake
 
namaarie said:
My guess: Since HI warantees it against breakage for life, I'd bet it'll do just fine. I've yet to hear of a major failure in a properly made HI anything that is swung at least remotely correctly.

Nam
Click to expand...

But what good is a lifetime guarantee, if the zombies kill you?
Then, by definition, the warranty is gone...

:confused:

:D :D :D :D
 
Dave, Nice vid. Not too surprised. Personally, I wouldn't worry so much about chopping wood with the sword, as doing it barefoot.(but that's just your way) :D

And please, a dirty scrubby! HA!! You should see what the military feeds us. Once you see that, then everything else looks tame.

mike
 
Great vid, Dave. I put my tarwar (formerly Nasty's) through a similar ordeal with like results. I have extreme confidence in it; I'm sure the manjushree is of equal caliber.
 
Gee Guys,

Will an H-I 16.5" CAK, a .40 S&W SA XD-40 Tactical, and a Angus Trim AT1542 single handed sword with A&A English Buckler do for membership of this little club? And that's just what's on top of the other side of the bed... I have to watch-out for other sharp and pointies going to or from the head... Most comforting things I've got, now my ex is gone... ;)

Carter
 
Rusty was the most heavily armed paranoid I ever met; or was that what he said about me? But you are certainly walking a path I understand.




munk
 
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