My first HI knife just arrived

GooberBoober

GooberBoober

Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Messages
691
Hi guys (m/f),

my first real post in this forum, I just wanted to show off my new Bilton Kukri that I ordered around Christmas last year:

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This one was made by Vim Kami. Fit and finish seems very good, especially considering what I paid for this knife. It didn't come too sharp though. I tried putting on a micro bevel at about 20 degrees per side but it needs a little more work before it is where I'd like it to be. But as a huge fan of the scandi grind I'd rather sharpen the original bevels and remove the micro bevel again, but I don't really know if that's possible with the ceramic and diamond rods I have. I am a decent sharpener on bench stones but looking at the blade shape I don't think those are really made for knives like these, so if you guys have some tips on how to go about it I would be glad to hear them.

Here are some comparison shots with a regular size Kukri (9" blade) that my girlfriend at the time brought back for me from Nepal 12 years ago. I don't know much about this knife though. The steel seems decent but I suspect it's just a tourist-knife and not really made to be used. I did do a bit of chopping with it but stopped using it when part of the handle started moving around the tang:

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And last but not least, here's a comparison shot with my EDC blade, a Fiddleback Forge Bushboot (about a 3,2" blade).

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I still can't believe how tiny this Kuk is!

Thanks a lot to HI and Vim Kami for this gorgeous little knife, I think I might need a belt knife from you guys as well some day :rolleyes:
 
Congratulations on a beautiful Bilton. I love that handle and thank you for posting pics. I love looking at pictures of new kukris. I like the steel engraving on the other kukri you have pictured. I am sure this won't be your last HI. They seem to have a way of reproducing lol.
 
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Great pix and post, thank you for sharing
 
HI kukhuris are made with a concave edge, it is best to keep the concave edge, and do not put in any micro edges, or angled edges. There was a recent thread with a lot of good information on how to sharpen a convex edge, with Youtube video links.

Congrats on the Bilton, I have its twin, and it is a cute thing, but all of HI's blades can "bite", so don't turn your back on it for a second.
 
Thanks for the comments and tips everyone!

I was so eager to try the knife this afternoon that I just grabbed my sharpening rods without thinking it trough, just so I could get a quick feel for it. I feel a bit silly now.

Convexed, of course. I have never tried this method of sharpening before, but I did get a proper mouse-mat and wet&dry 3M up to 2000 grit last year because I was curious to try out the grind. I guess I no longer have an excuse to postpone practising this method.

I'll check out that link you left me Scara and read in to it a bit more before I'll get my hands dirty, thanks again
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ps: got a pic of that twin perhaps Cul? I didn't know it had one :eek:
 
Actually it's at least a triplet, I got one too.

I think it's very cool that the handle on it and the other one you have got similar handles, almost mates so to speak.

I can't find a picture of mine, plumb negligent on my part, I shall make amends first opportunity I get.
 
I actually bought four of these antler & horn biltons by Vim, to use as a set of steak knives:

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They work surprisingly well in that role - we tried them out on a rib roast snack over the holidays:

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dear god someone likes to eat the cow still mooing or is that country ham? :D

biltons seem like the classiest possible steak knives
 
I want to go to mopars for dinner. How classy is that!

I'm stuck after quadtripulets, no idea what 7 of something is, Kate plus 8 never appealed to me, money grubbing mommy.

That's wicked cook mopar. Glad you posted that.
 
Awesome set Goober and welcome! Those Vim Biltons are just slick as can be! Mbob.. whens dinner? Thats a great idea! and in case that meat wiggles you can put it to rest with a Cherokee Rose:thumbup:
 
I consider it criminal to cook good beef past medium rare, but I do like it to be a little more done than my son does, who would be quite happy if you just "wack the horns off, wipe it's butt, and slap it on the table". My daughter used to insist on it being cooked 'til it's brown, but as she has gotten older, she has come to appreciate that medium rare tastes even better. So it's always somewhat of a balancing act to try to please everyone, but this roast came out just about perfectly medium rare for Christmas dinner. We were munching some left-overs as a snack when I took that picture. I've learned to re-heat it without getting it too done by slicing some pieces and spreading them out on a plate, covering with plastic wrap, and then microwaving on very low until it's just warmed up - mmmmmmmmmm!
I'm really delighted with how well the biltons worked as "steak" knives. Placing the blade edge on the plate on the far side of the meat, and then drawing it towards you slices the meat perfectly! I also have some other small khuks (another bilton, a "belt knife", and several baby CAKs) that I could press into service if I'm ever entertaining more than four people, which doesn't happen very often.
Any time any of you HI forumites are going to be in the vicinity of Albuquerque, New Mexico, you're invited to stop by for a visit - just shoot me a message.
 
Oh wow, that are a lot of brother- & sister knives, lol

Great pics everyone, I particularly like that fancy steak-knife set :thumbup:

I feel this blade shape should work well as a steak-/diner knife, I'll definitely give it a try once I've sharpened mine (takes a bit longer because of that darned micro-bevel I put on, lol).

The meat looks great but it does look like you use ceramic or porcelain plates though Mopar, I guess you enjoy sharpening them a lot ;)

Do these knives patina very quick by the way?

Thanks for the welcome by the way Ndoghouse (and everyone I forgot to mention), and feel free to keep those pics coming everyone :D
 
if you do not clean right away while cutting certain things, it should build a patina rather quickly, my little r-10 got a great patina from shaving willow branches, looks electric blue after polish.

as many as I have I am not disappointed by any of my HI, I think you would enjoy the other small models goober, like the kumar karda or pen knife.
 
Welcome to the forum. H.I.'s and Fiddleback's go great together.

The Khukri's and knives are made from recycled leaf springs, which is more then likely 5160 or a variant. They will patina with use. It's different then O-1 but still quite nice. They can rust easy too, so be careful, keep them clean and you'll be fine.
 
Gehazi said:
if you do not clean right away while cutting certain things, it should build a patina rather quickly, my little r-10 got a great patina from shaving willow branches, looks electric blue after polish.

as many as I have I am not disappointed by any of my HI, I think you would enjoy the other small models goober, like the kumar karda or pen knife.
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Ah, thanks for the info. I suspected these wouldn't patina very quickly because they're so nicely polished, but I guess that doesn't matter then. No problem though, I don't mind a nice patina plus I know how to clean 'm up.

I'm not familiar with the other models you mention but I'll look in to them. or perhaps I better not, lol, I've been spending a little too much on knives in the last couple of months... ;)

wildmanh said:
Welcome to the forum. H.I.'s and Fiddleback's go great together.

The Khukri's and knives are made from recycled leaf springs, which is more then likely 5160 or a variant. They will patina with use. It's different then O-1 but still quite nice. They can rust easy too, so be careful, keep them clean and you'll be fine.
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Long time no see, thank you too Heber :D

I knew they use a lot of spring-leaves for these knives but I'm not familiar with 5160 and it's properties. Thanks for the info though, I'll do a quick search on that steel in a minute.

Keeping it clean shouldn't be a problem. I may need another sheath for it if I decide to carry it though. Did you ever make a clip-on Kukri sheath before? ;)
 
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