OPEN PRE-ORDER, 12" Kukri

Nathan the Machinist

Nathan the Machinist

KnifeMaker / Machinist / Evil Genius
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Feb 13, 2007
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Please limit to two per person

If you place an order, and you send an email to Jo before the end of NEXT summer asking about where is your order, you will receive a booger under your scales and be moved to the end of the line.

Every time we have a pre-order, I end up tweaking the knife a little before we finally release it. So I'll show a photo of a prototype and a computer rendering and I'll point out "here are some pictures of what it won't look like". It's almost a running gag now.

However, in this case, here are some pictures of what it really won't look like.

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Lcqkz0C.jpeg


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We're using Lorien's design as a starting point and making some tweaks to incorporate things we've learned about Kukris since that prototype was developed.






We have been evaluating not only Lorien's prototype but a number of other commercial and historical samples.

Lorien did a good job, but there will be a few tweaks to it, so it is going to look a little different than his prototype.

The computer rendering is to illustrate some changes to the primaries and fuller we're going to incorporate. The handle you see is just place-holder geometry. We're going to continue to refine the prototypes before modeling it. So, in this case, these pictures really are what they won't look like. This might be the single most egregious case of vaporware on this forum's history. For that I apologize.

We just won the Blade sports world cutting championships in Atlanta a couple weeks ago in an unprecedented win. Men's and women's, medals and also points. With Ben scoring the best overall score in the sport's history. We are really good at making knives that cut.

The historical kukris I have used actually work really well kinetically. You can tell they were designed and made by people who use them. The handles are questionable, and the metallurgy is not good, but the actual kinetics are really good.

Some well regarded modern kukri I have evaluated failed to perform. I won't name names or disparage the makers, but I will tell you there are some real turds out there. An important aspect of a kukri is the center of percussion, which needs to be near the middle of, or just ahead of, the chopping zone. So, the weight distribution and design and location of the curvature of the belly are absolutely critical, and manufacturers are getting this wrong resulting in blades that twist on impact, jar your hand and fatigue your arm, and rob chopping power from the cut. So, if you've ever used a Kukri and didn't like how it cuts, you should try one of mine.

So, we're going to get the kinetics and geometry right. We're going to get the metallurgy right. And we're going to incorporate what we've learned evaluating a variety of kukri and what we have learned through bladesports and produce a kukri with cutting geometry, handle geometry and raw power to produce what I hope will be the finest kukri you've ever used.

I'm going to pull the tip out to a 12" blade here, instead of the 10" shown in the pictures.

The primary grind will be a deeply twisted parabolic S grind with convexed shoulders that transitions into a reinforced point at the tip. There is really only one way to produce this geometry and that is to fully CNC machine it with surfacing milling. It will look similar to the boot dagger and the DEK3 in this way because they were also done this way.

This project will consume the most steel of any knife we have ever produced and will have the longest CNC machine tool spindle time of any knife I've ever made except for the integral daggers. They'll be milled on a low hour Mori Seiki for superb fidelity.

They're expensive. That's what I'm trying to say. Embarrassingly expensive. $1,200. Probably not the best bang for your buck in my lineup. But this is what it's going to cost to make it the way I want to make it.


Basic vanilla configuration, includes a very nice kydex sheath, does not include shipping:
$1,200 in canvas micarta, black or natural

This is in our standard, machined and tumbled finish with visible tool and grind marks. This is a high performance cutting tool, not wall art.

Specs:
CPM Delta 3V, 60.5 HRC, .313" thick at ricasso, sharpened 20 DPS.
Total length: 17.5"
Blade length: 12"
Weight: 25 oz
Grippy 3D machined scales
6AL-4V (GR5) titanium fasteners


Scales, substitute for basic micarta:
Black Linen micarta $10
OD green canvas micarta $10
Double Black Canvas micarta $10
Burlap micarta $20
Blue canvas micarta $20
Double red canvas (maroon, limited quantities) micarta $20
Double Black Linen micarta $20
Terotuf (grey, OD green) $20 (other than being ugly, this is an outstanding material for this application)
Double Red and Black linen micarta $30
International Paper Brand Vintage Micarta $30 <---- this would be my choice
Edge cut antique Micarta $125
Basic wood (probably Sheesham, because kukri) $125

Shipping in the USA is $15. Multiples do not accrue additional shipping.

Please limit your order to two.


Here is the order process:

I'm going to take full payment non-refundable in advance. Once your order is confirmed there are no refunds, changes or cancellations other than accommodations for change of address.

These will ship as they're finished in mostly the order that they are ordered in this thread. As I'm building them, half of them will go to this pre-order and the other half will be sold in regular sales. This means you will see knives being sold while you're waiting for yours.

If you're ordering a knife in this pre-order: post in this thread first and then send an email to Jo at jocarothers (at) gmail (dot) com with this subject line: "Kukri preorder" and include your post# in that subject line.

Please include the following information in your email:

1: Your post number on this pre-order thread.

2: Bladeforums name. (for example "Jo the Machinist")

3: Real Name.

4: Email address so we can send a credit card invoice (or ask about other payment options)

5: Shipping address.

6: Any special instructions.

Please follow these directions! We are not using paypal anymore (we make weapons) so this is a little different than it used to be. Please make sure you're sending in this information so my hair doesn't fall out.

Once we receive this information, if everything is there, Jo will send you an invoice. If information is missing or you have additional questions, Jo will reply to your email. When your email is read and processed we will send you a reply letting you know we've received your information.

Please pay your invoice within one month, otherwise we will need to cancel your order.

I expect these knives to start shipping in about a year with completion by the end of the year, 2026. Hopefully.

We no longer ship to new foreign customers. Sorry. We tried. There's too much drama.

Jo, Bo, Mark, Ben, Tanto, Trevor, Abby, The Boy and Freck and I appreciate all of your continued interest in our work and your support.

Please read and understand the massive disclaimer before ordering.

Thanks for looking.
 
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Massive disclaimer:

I'm going to try to start shipping these within about a year, but it will be the end of next year before they're all shipped out. If we're lucky. I'll do my best, but if you need a tight deadline guarantee, this sale may not be for you.

Sometimes we will run into unexpected problems like a material shortage or an issue with some material that can make us late or even give refunds if a problem is bad enough. We might have a handle scale material not work out or run short and need to offer you an alternative etc.

If you are overseas and your order gets lost or stolen, please understand that this is out of our control and there really isn't anything we can do about it. You won't get a refund or a replacement. Once your package leaves our shop, there is nothing more we can do. If this risk of total and uncompensated loss doesn't work for you, please do not place an order here. There is an increased risk with shipping knives overseas and we are not able to assume that risk.

I apologize, in advance, to any new international customers but we are unable to take new international orders at this time. This does not apply to folks that we know or we have shipped to in the past, only new international customers. We will try to create some foreign dealers for international distribution, but we are no longer able to accommodate new international customers. There have been too many problems with foreign orders involving lost or late shipment, hurt feelings and subsequent harm to our reputation. We're a small shop. We care about our customers but we're running out of capacity to accommodate new customers at this time and new foreign customers require disproportionately more special attention. Rather than risk additional problems with foreign orders, we feel it is best for everyone involved to stop taking new foreign customers, in order to insure we're able to provide the best customer satisfaction that we're known for. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

Other things of note:
The antique micarta appears to be Westinghouse, although the material we're working with has already been converted into a machined shape and there are no labels left on it. Some of it is streaky, most of it is dark brown. If you have a preference (streaky or solid dark brown) please let Jo know in your order and we will try to accommodate. But ultimately, it's an unpredictable naturally occurring color variation and you get what you get.

The vintage micarta is labeled International Paper. Westinghouse sold out to them before they eventually sold the micarta name to Norplex who has it today. I don't like Norplex micarta, I usually use Accurate Acculam because I have found it to be more consistent and dimensionally stable and it is made here in America (not all Norplex micarta is US material). However, the best micarta ever made was the original Westinghouse. This old International Paper is pretty similar to the original Westinghouse, but without the huge price tag. You can tell by looking at the load meter on the machine while milling it and also looking at how hard and translucent the phenolic is and how well the fibers are saturated, which becomes obvious when polishing it. This old IP Micarta is very good stuff and it's finally an affordable option to get you the best material available in your hands without the insane price tag of Westinghouse. This material isn't as old and the colors aren't as deep. We are sawing up thick monoliths of it and, while some of the material has some interesting color streaks that have developed in it, most of the material is still a natural micarta color. If you want a piece that came from the outside you can pay extra for "crusty" and get the piece that came from the outside edge for a little extra visual interest.

Our warranty on this knife is: if it ever fails, for any reason other than intentionally breaking it, I will replace, repair or refund. Broken tips get repointed. Broken scales are replaced with a material of my choosing. If you want to baton this blade, you can, but it's not specifically designed for that (it's a real kukri) and in our testing heavy batoning might screw it up. Go nuts, it's under warranty, but if you hit it with a heavy hammer and fuck it up, don't go on the internet and trash me. It's a kukri, not a splitting wedge.

I'm offering wood on these because the historical Kukri had wood scales. Because that's what they had. Micarta is better. If you get wood scales and they fail, your replacement scales will be of a material of my choosing, which probably won't be wood.




Note on the antique micarta

VsPK0ly.jpg


This is very old surplus that I bought up from a ship builder who was using it before I was even born. I don't know who made it (labels were gone, it was already machined into a shape), though Westinghouse was the big name in the business back when this would have been made. It has been compared to known samples of Westinghouse micarta and it appears that this is almost certainly what it is.

kS3LN8F.jpg


It is quality material that machines well, polishes evenly and is more thoroughly resin impregnated and harder than material I can find available today. It is proven to be "good stuff". The material is natural color but has aged into a deep brown throughout most of the thickness from oxygen, but there are some areas that are lighter in color, so it is streaky and multi color. It's actually a really cool look IMO. I will book match the pieces as I saw it up and make sure the two sides of the knife are a good match, but you get what you get. If you want light color, multi color or solid dark you can request it and if we have it I'll try to match up people's request with available scales, but understand this color is naturally occurring and varies and you get what you get, probably mostly solid dark brown.
 
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