NEW 21" SKINNYBEAST!

Jim, you remember the story of the Gurkha who killed the leopard with his sheated khukuri? The cat was on him so fast he didn't have time to draw so hit the leopard with the sheathed khukuri --of course, the blade cut right through the sheath and into the leopard and killed it.

A 1000 lb. bike, 280 lb rider, 80 mph, and a short sword in traditional scabbard has all the ingredients for disaster. Get the kydex heated up!



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Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
 
Ahh. Being able to cut through the scabbard is a FEATURE.
smile.gif
That's fine with me; I think that it's a good thing to have a scabbard that keeps me from cutting myself when just carrying the knife around, but can be ignored in a crisis.

Bagh dekki sau dan,
(did I get it right?)

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Namaste,
Jeff Paulsen

"Oh, a magic khukuri. Why didn't you say so?"
 
Jeff,
A cutaway scabbard has been used as a "feature" in the past. Excerpt from the 1927 Bannerman's catalog: "Filipino bolo, blade native made, razor sharp. Scabbard bound with fiber thongs, which native in fight cuts through without drawing bolo from sheath. Many American soldiers suffered, thinking the native would have to draw the bolo out of the scabbard, unaware of this trick."
Berk
 
Jeff, Berk got it absolutely right. An older paper copy of the Kris Cutlery catalog mentioned the ability to cut the blade out of the scabbard. I didn't find it on their web site, but there is a link to a picture showing a barong's scabbard as described. Now, think about the only difference being the barong's is wrapped with cord while the khukuri's is leather covered. Then think of how razor sharp you got your khuk before you put it back in the ( looking flimsier by the minute ) scabbard. I was tempted to put this up on the (right/wrong way to draw a khukuri) safety thread. Read Sonam's story there. Ouch!!!

http://www.invis.com/kriscutlery/barong.html



[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited 15 September 1999).]
 
Bill, I missed the Leopard story somehow. But I can see it happening. One question: were Khukuri carriers over the ages historically horsemen? I would venture to guess "probably not", at least not in large numbers...?

Because horsemen fall off as often as us bikers if not moreso...they'd have run into this same problem, wouldn't they?

Dunno how yet, but the Karda and Chakma are going to share the same single kydex sheath. Anything else doesn't "feel right", I don't know why but I feel strongly about it. Very odd, but I'm not questioning it. The hard part is, they ALSO have to be open-carry, so they'll have to be down near the grip somehow!

Jim March
 
Jim, I am viewing this scabbard issue as "what works best for you." You are right, of course. The Gorkhas of old and the Gurkhas of the last 200 years were not cavalry but infantry so the falling issue was not a major consideration.

The traditional scabbard saved the Gurkha's life when he was met with a leopard attack because he was able to simply cut through it. (Did you know that he collected a bounty on the leopard?) And we see what happened with the bolo (and probably barong, too)using the "cut-through" scabbard. It is a feature, to be sure, but one not particularly suited to bikers.

Being a biker puts your needs for a scabbard into a different category. Whatever works best!

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Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html


[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 16 September 1999).]
 
:
Jim that odd feeling you are getting isn't that unusual for people who have H.I.Khukuris.That's what we mean when we say "the Khukuri will tell you." As the H.I.Khukuris are blessed and have a "apirit I am not surprised it is "talking" to you.That's why it probably won't be your last one either.
wink.gif


This may be a good question also.There are many legends about the Keris of the Malay and regions being magical and rattling in thier sheaths and even flying to dispatch an owners enemy.

Uncle Bill and Pala is there any stories or legends about any Khukuris doing anything magical like that?

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®
Cornbread ain't s'possed ta be sweet!....Dagnabit gurl,whut did they teach you way up north in ....;) hehehe.


 
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