modern take on classic design...

M

manghu

Joined
Jun 25, 2001
Messages
56
Howdy, all! Thanks again for all the warm welcomes.

READ THIS FIRST!!! : I’d like to give credit where credit is due. The images you are about to view were modified by me to suit my own personal inclinations (amazing what you can do with PhotoShop). I want to thank Yvsa for the inspiration his initial design for the YCS and the actual finished product gave me, as I drew heavily from them for this concept. I would also like to thank Uncle Bill for graciously allowing me the use of his images (which he didn’t have to do, and which I manipulated the hell out of). I’m sure some of you will recognize the blade on this project from those photos of the very first YCS, and some of the implements for some… more recent photos. :D And let’s not forget our Nepali steel artists!

With that said, here we go. Apothecary slapped up that thread on secret projects, and although I’m short on time due to school, it got me motivated enough to sort of finalize my design and post it. This project is still in the pre-wood model stage because I’m still jerking around with dimensions on the final piece (it has to be just right, you know?), but here’s a little teaser for you all. Any feedback or suggestions on this as yet unnamed design would be greatly appreciated (hint hint).

In the end, I’ll be fashioning a wooden model of this beast and once it’s ready, off to Uncle it will go.

Please keep in mind that these are just the preliminary workups, and I’m not sure how much they’ll change, throughout the rest of the design process. May be fatter in the belly, may be longer, perhaps a different style of handle, plus there’s another tool that I’m designing to go along with the existing pics, but it’s not done yet. If you guys are interested, I’ll post some more detailed technical specs on Monday (it’s going to be a long weekend of studying and music making), in addition to some of the preliminary designs I did exhibiting varying degrees of handle to blade curvature. Also, I realized that perhaps the background ended up a little dark (looked fine on my machine at home), so let me know if any of you have trouble making out the handle, and I’ll tweak the image a bit.

Enjoy! I look forward to your feedback.
 
Welllll... Looks like I can't just slap up an image like I thought I could... So, heres a link to where you can find my prototypes...

http://www.geocities.com/lucyiv/

Yeah, I know, It's on geocities. Yeah, I know it sucks. Sorry, it's the best I could do! :D
 
:
Manghu did you mean to post a link?

And I for one would be interested in more detailed specs.:)

Okay, I didn't wait long enough.:D
And I don't know how to make it an image either.
 
jeez, you guys are fast... and ruthless!!! :D

links right above your post, Yvsa...
 
Looks like a very modernized take on the YCS design. Silly question time, 1) What material are you proposing the handle be made of? 2) Are those two small holes in the blade near the bolster? 3) With regards to the handle, are those just metal rivets (especially the ones near the butt of the handle) or are they 'eyelet style' for a cord to pass through?
 
:
Manghu I have always been Ruhtless, never in my life had a girlfriend named
Ruth. :D

Specs will be most helpful to give you much constructive criticism.

The only constructive criticism I have right now is the handle.
If not very carefully done I'm afraid it would be a real pinkie eater as well as getting the top of your palm badly as well.
A little longer with a larger radius at the rear there should help a bunch.:)
 
proto.jpg
 
I am very intrigued by this new "modification" as it were. If some of those bright spots are eyelets and not rivets, and the handle perhaps a rubber or plastic type of grip; then this might be a kukhri that would be seaworthy. No problems on handle cracking from weather and even atleast one spot to attach a lanyard, very useful when working over the side. I think that this idea presents us with an oppurtunity for possible discussion and head-butting over ideas to straighten out any possible problems and such. Well straighten everything but the blade itself of course :)

Also, Jim "Kkhukracabra" Clifton should be kept away from these for his own safety, especially if Durba eventually gets in on this one. :D
 
A sea Khuk. Great idea.
The handle is very modern looking and has a lot of curves. I think a look a a Scandanavian leuko might help. If it is to be a foul weather chopper, look at the knives of a Sea-Going culture.
Take it from someone with a lot of time over the rail, I love lanyard holes and have let a lot of tools dangle by the lanyard while working or holding on. This blade would be very sea friendly with a sand balsted linen micarta handle (sorry!).
Keep plugging away and I can't wait to see your model go into production.
Sar
 
Yvsa:

Very funny, Yvsa. That's a 4 on the pun-o-meter :).

I'm still finalizing the specs on this thing. Will probably be pushing around 18" and 1/2 to 5/8" thick.

As far as the handle goes, the corners won't be quite so angular. It may not look so big, but on an 18" knife, the handle fattens up nicely, and it gets pretty long. Then again, my hands are small, like Ali :D . The handles are contoured to be thicker in the middle where you see the swell, and more narrow towards the blade and pommel.
 
Sorry about the lag time, guys. Weekend of insanity.

Bill: It is a YCS... sort of...

1) The handles will probably be micarta, that or quilted or flame maple (thats what I get for being a guitarist). Or perhaps cocobolo. The handle slabs will be attached with at least 1/4" torx or hex headed bolts, so technically, I could have several handles in several different materials, and change them to suit my mood. Hmmmmm, feels like a flame maple kinda day. :D

2) There is no bolster on this knife, but those are indeed two small holes where the bolster would appear. I'll explain what they're for in a #3.

3) Those are "eyelet style" holes for a lanyard to pass through. Here's how they work with the two holes in the blade: (as you look at the image, the side you can see is "front", the side that you can't is "back".) Your lanyard (paracord, strip of leather, old shoelace, whatever you want) runs from back to front through the top pommel eyelet, runs over the top of the handle, goes through the front for the top blade hole, circles around the back of the blade, goes from back to front through the bottom blade hole, then back across the handle and though the bottom pommel eyelet. You can tie it off where ever. The end effect: as you hold the knife, the cords run across the back of your hand (or your knuckles, or the back of your hand and your knuckles). Voila! Knife retention system. Or, you could just run a loop of cord through one of the pommel holes, and a dummy cord through the other (for those of us that are dummies :D)
 
QM3SS:

See my above post for the skinny on those eyelets. As there are two of them, you could use one for a lanyard (to put your hand through) and one for a dummy cord. Since micarta is a synthetic, it should be impervious to salt water. A blued finish would help protect against corrosion. Actually, I was going to have two of these made, one of which I was going to blue myself. Also, since the handle slabs are removable, it would make it very easy to clean under them (thus preventing rust).

You know, its funny you would mention using a knife like this in a marine environment, as I'm also in the process of designing a Kydex sheath for one of these beasts. This will be ideal for military types, since it will also have provisions for some very useful items.

Basically, this is going to be an all weather "survival" knife the way I think a survival knife should be done, not one of those crappy, hollow handled pieces of junk.
 
Like the concept. Would suggest having BirGhorka make just the blades and shipping over here so that a fellow could put on scales from the material of his/her choice. Would also allow for one to make a personalized kydex sheath for this khukuri.
 
models involving special materials and hardware always present serious problems -- sometimes so severe they are not worth dealing with.
 
Yeah, I recall our discussion about that, Uncle. I know that can be a pain. The only hardware that you'll have to deal with (for me, at least) would be those three bolts and an allen wrench. I could probably just use regular flat tip or phillips head bolts of the same diameter (do kamis have screwdrivers?) which would save the trouble of having to ship tools to Nepal. As far as the bolts go, I'd simply use them to attach the wood handles to the wooden prototype, that way all the Kamis have to do is pull them off the model when it arrives at the shop, like we talked about. They can keep the bolts when they're done, I can get more when the finished steel arrives at my door. I may be one of those starving student/artist types, but I can afford the loss of three bolts. :D

All the Kamis have to worry about would be making the actual Kuk, the Chakma and Karda, those little tools, and a nice water buffalo sheath (for display). I'll handle the handles :D and the assembly of the kydex sheath myself. With a little experimentation, I shouln't have too much difficulty.
 
"I'm still finalizing the specs on this thing. Will probably be pushing around 18" and 1/2 to 5/8" thick."

Manghu, sir if you have it made this heavy, forget about the "...LSAK (Land/Sea/Air Khukuri)?... and call it the 'all-purpose HI anchor' :D Take a strong hint from Yvsa's previous suggestions and keep the weight at about 1 1/2 lbs. At your specs the weight would easily come in at 2 1/2- 3 lbs. Not trying to rain on your parade, just sharing a gut-check moment ;)
 
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