New guy, ordered my first HI

snow and steel

snow and steel

Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
546
Hello everyone!

My first post at bladeforums, and it coincides with my order for my first HI Kukri. I've been reading though all the old posts that I can find, and stumbling across all kinds of great information.

On Friday night I ordered a 15 inch Ang Khola off the HI Website.

I was drawn to this blade because it seemed the "classic" Kukri, if that makes sense, and also because I feel in many ways that I'm buying a very real and tangible piece of history. I like that.

I'm really looking forward to making a small display or stand for this as well to make it part of my "world room" in my home.

Incidentally, I know that patience is a virtue and that anything worth having is worth waiting for, but I am mildly curious what I should be expecting, time wise - Is this blade being built and it will takes months or more, or are they already ins tock here in the USA? either way is fine, but I honestly did not know and couldn’t find anything that mentions it one way or the other on the website.

I've read I should soak the handle in Mineral oil for a couple days when I first get it - other than that, is there anything else I should immediately do besides wipe my drool off it before sheathing it? ;)

I look forward to talking with everyone, and doing more research into this very interesting blade [and the accompanying history] in the future. thanks so much everyone!

P.S. I hope it is OK that I find this stlye of knife peversely beautiful :D
 
Welcome snow and steel!

If you ordered from the store website, Auntie should have your item in stock. If she doesnt, she will let you know. Usually USA residents can expect their khukuri to arrive on their doorstep in 3 to 4 days after your order is processed.
Mineral oil works best on bone and horn handles, but you shouldnt need to soak it. Wiping the handle and blade with it every few months and after each use should be sufficient to keep the handle hydrated and prevent rust.
 
Welcome to the community and to the addiction!

Your first choice will not disappoint you, but will only make you want to sample more HI offerings. Keep an eye on this forum as you will find some great deals here on models not even offered on the regular site. And, of course, as you have already found out, there is a ton of information here on all things kukri, both educational and entertaining.

As for how long it takes, this is the breakdown based on my experience (others will chime in too if I am not quite right):

a) if you buy from the site, chances are the model is on stock in Reno, Nevada and will get to you in 2 days. It is somewhat possible that the model is out of stock, in which case you would have to wait until the next shipment from Nepal to get to Reno, perhaps a couple of weeks, up to a month or so.
b) if you buy from the Deal of the Day (DOTD) offers here on Bladeforums, then you know the kukri is available and will come in two days.
c) if you buy a special-order kukri (per your request or specs) then it will need to get made first and that can take a few months especially with the current situation in Nepal.

You can find small sword wooden displays all over the web (for example the ones made for a wakizashi or a tanto), and making one wouldn't be a problem for someone with experience, but be prepared for buying quite a few of those knives so think long term. I have a display case that fits (barely) about 20 knives and I also have many hanging off of nails on the wall in their sheaths. For the bigger HI swords, I have wooden stands from Japanese swords and Chinese swords that work fine.

Mineral oil is great to have around for blade maintenance (rust proofing) and for handle care. I woudn't say it is crucial to soak the handle; it should be enough to wipe it on with a cloth or towel. If you are in a really dry environment, then the oil bath might be needed every now and then every year. Wood handles and horn handles need roughly the same maintenance, only horn might need Hooflex every now and then while wood might need some tung oil or boiled linseed oil. Instead of mineral oil, you may also like using WD-40 on the blade to avoid rust while hiking in the woods, but be aware that it is not like a stable oil and is no good for food prep kuks. Another alternative is Renaissance wax, which is not cheap on the face of it but lasts you a long time and you know that if museums use it, there is something to it. Rust is the biggest enemy to high-carbon steel so keep an eye on the blade until you get a feeling for this particular knife as every knife is different even if you have a lot of experience with 5160 steel from other knives. A tight sheath alone may make a world of difference so be prepared for sanding your blade sometimes at least with a scotch brite if nothing fancier.

Finally, other than admiring and drooling over the blade, I would put your new knife trough its paces to see that it was properly differentially hardened (the stickies on this forum are rich of information on how to safely do this, a must read). If it doesn't fail the "wack" test, feel free to take it out in the woods and trust your life with it for generations on end. Remember that only the sweet spot on these is really hard steel, the rest is very soft, unlike most western production knives that are hard everywhere on the edge.

Welcome, once again, and have fun here; this is a place unlike many others on the web, a place devoid of stupidity (unless one doesn't get the knife fanaticism and considers all of this childish games).
 
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Thanks for the warm welcome guys!

I may not have gotten there and/or stumbled across that part yet, but what is the "wack test"?

My handle should be of the water buffalo horn variety I believe. So just a wipe with the mineral oil? copy that. For metal protection I'll probably use Break Free CLP or Ballistol - I already have adn use those and trust them.

I'm thinking I'll make my own stand - something I would like to do. call me nuts, ha ha.

Once it arrives I'll be sure to take adn post some pics!
 
snow and steel said:
Thanks for the warm welcome guys!

I may not have gotten there and/or stumbled across that part yet, but what is the "wack test"?

My handle should be of the water buffalo horn variety I believe. So just a wipe with the mineral oil? copy that. For metal protection I'll probably use Break Free CLP or Ballistol - I already have adn use those and trust them.

I'm thinking I'll make my own stand - something I would like to do. call me nuts, ha ha.

Once it arrives I'll be sure to take adn post some pics!
Click to expand...

Here's the official HI testing procedure:
http://www.himalayan-imports.com/Testing.htm

BTW the site has a lot of info in the FAQ section. Also look in our sticky library -- especially the safety thread!!

The whack test is where you take your kukri out and whack it on the sides, spine and edge HARD on a tree or log. DO NOT hit metal cement, rocks, etc. The whack test is like the lateral stress test from the HI website. It is meant to see right off the bat if the heat treat is good. If the blade cracks or breaks, it was left too hard. If it plastically deforms (bends and stays bent), it's too soft.

To agree with the above guys, if Yangdu has it in stock, it seems to get here supernaturally fast. We even joke that she has a real Stargate in her shed she uses for shipping. I can get things faster from her in Reno than I can from the next state over.

Regarding oil, I'd just use mineral oil. It doesn't go rancid like vegetable oils and is edible, unlike RemOil or other such oils. It's good for both the wood/horn and metal. It's also very cheap. Pure Neatsfoot oil and beeswax are good for the sheath.
 
The wack test for my money is just using your kukri hard per intended use in a controlled environment like your yard. I.e., chop some wood with it hard to see that you can trust it. Different models have different intended use and thus different warranties (see here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=653192). Your AK is considered an all out chopper capable of anything within reason. I wouldn't try chopping hardwood in cold weather for fear of chipping the sweet spot, but all else is fair game. Then again, if you need to chop a tree down I would use a longer kukri with a chiruwa tang and a thick spine, or ;) better yet a saw, an axe, and a chainsaw.

We would love to see the finished wood stand!

Also, check this out:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=719860
 
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Good to have you with us snow and steel. Welcome aboard. You've gotten good information from the other members. I'm sure that you'll be well pleased with the 15" AK. The "whack test" is used to ensure that your khukuri isn't one of the very few that occasionally show up with a hardened tang. While doing the "whack test", position yourself so that the blade would be unlikely to connect with you if it did come free. Again, it is an extreme rarity but its always good to check it out in a controlled environment. The khukuris come from relatively humid climate and arrive in Reno which is significantly drier. At times this change in humidity causes the horn to shrink up a little and sometimes even crack. This is where the mineral oil treatment comes in handy...its relatively cheap and can be used on the blade to help inhibit rust.

Patience is a virtue but I'm sure that each of us would have been more than willing to throw virtue aside while anticipating a particular triangle box arriving at our door. I've been known to position myself so that I can see the postman well in advance.

P.S. I hope it is OK that I find this stlye of knife peversely beautiful :D
Click to expand...
It is more than OK. All of us here are the same way. That's one of the reasons that pictures of one or more khukuris has occasionally been referred to as "porn". These are very useful and addicting tools so be prepared to try to hold yourself back from acquiring more. Many have tried but it is a futile task. Just dive in and enjoy. Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Peace

Rick
 
Thank everyone! I'm really looking forward to this one, and I'll be sure to post pics once it's here!

I'd sayt his is probably my first "real knife" in many ways. I've got a coulpe of Benchmade and Cold Steel knives, and even one SOG, that I have alway considered as utility knives that if they got damaged they were expendable - they were mostly all sub $100. I do ahev one AUTO benchmade that I've used quite a bit, but again, nothing quite this nice, just a pretty regular blade. Coming to think of it, I might just get rid of the bechmades and SOG in lue of this! I'm convinced it's a step up!

Thanks again all!
 
snow and steel said:
Thank everyone! I'm really looking forward to this one, and I'll be sure to post pics once it's here!

I'd sayt his is probably my first "real knife" in many ways. I've got a coulpe of Benchmade and Cold Steel knives, and even one SOG, that I have alway considered as utility knives that if they got damaged they were expendable - they were mostly all sub $100. I do ahev one AUTO benchmade that I've used quite a bit, but again, nothing quite this nice, just a pretty regular blade. Coming to think of it, I might just get rid of the bechmades and SOG in lue of this! I'm convinced it's a step up!

Thanks again all!
Click to expand...

My situation is similar to yours. I have always found the shape of the khukuri to be interesting since I was a kid.
I too have owned/still own production knives but once I held my first HI khuk it was almost like there was an aura to it.
My first khuk was a CAK and when it arrived I was stunned by it.
It was my first khuk, my first hand forged knife, and my first time using a forum.
HIKV struck like a thunderbolt.
Here was a knife that I had dreamed about owning all my life, and there were even more versions of it.
I can't explain it, but all my knives in the past don't have the same feeling that I get when I draw my khukuri.
There's something magical about it.
I'm absolutely sure that I could stake my life on that knife and it would not fail me.
I understand now why some forumites say that these knives have a soul.
I'm waiting for the snow to clear a little more and then all my khuks are going for the workout they need ( and maybe me too:D).
Give your khukuri a good home and I'm sure it will treat you right.
 
Man, you won't be disappointed.

I remember back in my Army days, I though the shape of the kukri was very interesting (sorry to those that like them, but. . .) whereas Japanese blades I was just flat sick of seeing. The kukri was unique among blades. Problem is, this was before HI, and all I could find were kukri machetes and those horrible, cheap, small made in India tourist POSes. I can to the unfortunate conclusion that kukris must suck.

Then, many years later, someone mentioned HI. It took many years before I'd buy one, but when I did, I knew I found something special.
 
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