My Shop One Gangawal and a couple of nifty scabbards

warty

warty

Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
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I bought this one from Mike L as well. I am assuming it is a Shop one piece as it has no kami mark on it. It is sort of the "Swiss Army Knife" of Khukuries I am guessing. It has a number of tools beside the typical Karda and Chakmak, in fact the Chakmak can also be used as a bottle opener! Sadly, this one was missing one if the tools when I got it and I really don't know what it was, maybe one of you folks know? I also wonder if there is any chance of finding one of them or maybe getting a single tool like that made? (I know who to ask) So, wthout further ado, here are the stats:

OAL: 15 5/8"
Blade: 10 1/4"
Spine: 7/16"
can't really tell you the POB as this is not something I am good at nor do I have a scale. Now the pix! (note the beautiful scabbard complete with tinder pouch)

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here it is with all the little tools...
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now you can see the empty hole where one is missing and a better look at the tinder pouch too...
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here is both sides of the blade, note the markings or lack there of...
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So, can anyone answer my questions about the missing tool? Can someone give me some idea of the time this one might have been produced? I wish there were more scabbards made like these, it sure is a nice looking thing. I have a couple of others with "special" scabbards and am also wondering when those stopped being made and why? It is a darn shame as they really added a lot to the whole package but I do realize that things change and sometimes this sort of thing has to stop for economic reasons. I will show the two of them to you now too to save posting another thread...

This one is on an older AK Bowie:
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and this is an especially nice one on a Sirupate...

a cool looking Dragon...
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and a little Temple(?) on the top about the strap
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I am pretty happy I have these and wish I could find a few more of them sometime.
 
warty, your Gangawal was never made by BirGorkha (IIRC) so it would be a Shop 1 piece and Bill posted the opening of Shop 2 on 5.2.99. The shop that produced the Gangawal was also supplying KHHI (or KH at the time) and it is still offered by them. IIRC, they say that the leather of this scabbard is specially processed and should last longer. I can't remember for sure but some of the multi tool blades came with an extra ring to hold a pencil. I'm pretty sure that four tools is right but I'm sure others are more knowledgeable than I about this.

The tooled scabbards started coming regularly in about 2000, once again IIRC. Bill had been complaining about the iffy quality of scabbards that were coming with the khuks - he believed the sarkis were imbibing a little too much. He wanted the sarkis fired and new ones hired. He had a few scabbards made for the AK Bowie (Terry Sisco, Broken Arrow and one other[danged Sometimers]) to give the sarkis a pattern. Gelbu hadn't fired the sarkis and Bill believed that once they saw that Americans could make a good scabbard, they straightened up and started doing a much better job on the scabbards that included tooling of the leather. When Bill asked about the improved scabbards Gelbu didn't want to tell him that the old sarkis hadn't been fired right away and wouldn't give Bill any names. Bill called these improved scabbards as being made by the "sarki with no name" and continued after he got the full story. How long it continued, I couldn't say. There is also the possibility of some occasional tooled scabbards prior to this. That AK Bowie scabbard I couldn't really tell you about. I believe that Broken Arrow's scabbard was shipped to someone with their AK Bowie. Unfortunately the Archives have very few photos and I never saw a representation of the submissions. Once again, hopefully one of the members that has been around could enlighten you.

Rick
 
hi
i dont think any tool is missing that empty space is where a tube of some sort
was put which you blew through to help a fire get going so you didnt put your face near any flames and singe any part of your face could be a piece of hollow bamboo or other piece of tubing.:thumbup:
mick
 
Thanks Stickfred! That is a lot of welcomed info! lal chatri, I believe you are right. I think I read this was what goes in there too. Now all I need to do is find me some bamboo. ;)
 
I think Rick and Lal Chatri pretty much got you up to speed, warty.
The only thing i could add is: if it isnt missing the fire starting tube, it could be a button hook that goes there.
 
Bamboo's pretty easy to grow, too, if you can't find a slow boat going that way.
Isn't that a buttonhook the second from the top?
 
it seems like there are two of the flat ones and that one of them doesn't really belong. Look at them, one is brownish looking and all the rest of the tools are black. That seems to me that it was just stuck in there to hold a place and that something is actually missing besides whatever might be going into that extra hole. As for bamboo, China, etc... Indiana is where I live and it doesn't really grow here. So unless someone has some and sends it to me, I will simply leave that place empty for now. I don't really need another plant either. I have all I can deal with now and am looking for homes for some of them now!
 
Warty, if you'll send me the diameter and depth of the empty spot, along with your snail mail address, I'll see what I can cabbage up for you.:thumbup: ;) :D Back a few years ago while I was still able to get along a river bank for foraging we harvested a small armful of the little variety of river cane that grows up here in our area for our ndn craft's. We tied it in a tight bundle and put it under our futon in our back bedroom where it's still at today, nicely seasoned.:thumbup: :D :cool:
Seeing as how there are all sorts of diameters, up to about 5/8" there should be somethin pretty close to tailor made just for you. :cool:

`
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You are a saint! I am not home right now but in three weeks, I will be. Hopefully you'll remember because I will and when I get home I'll send you the info.
 
The Ganga was, until recently, in my custody. I got it exactly as shown, so I can't account for the tool discrepancy.
I do, however, have an old village made khuk that has a pen (writing instrument) made from a piece of bamboo instead of a karda. At some point the owner used red ink. I call it the "poet's khukuri".
When I get a chance, I will take some pics and post them in the Cantina.
 
I was sure it wasn't you Mike, I know you take care of your items.

I was just curious about the way one of the tool was not like the others, one of the tool is not the same... you know the song. ;)
 
hi warty
see if theres a garden centre near you where you can get some garden canes from the type used for supporting garden peas rassberrys etc it what ive used in mine then get a piece of steel coat hanger to push out the centre of the bamboo which is a soft pithy material and "viola" an empty bamboo tube also makes a handy 8 inch blow pipe too
mick:thumbup:
 
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