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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Pic from Yvsa of Fox'sFolly
- Thread starter ddean
- Start date
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- Sep 22, 2003
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That's thick. So is the picture from where it is being re tempered?
When the fellow does that does he do the whole blade, or does he use the same technique as the kamis?
When the fellow does that does he do the whole blade, or does he use the same technique as the kamis?
- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
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- 34,096
Clearly the tapered tang and rat tail tang are not the same thing.
- Joined
- May 18, 1999
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- 15,395
The black on the tang is the left over Laha I didn't get scraped off. It won't hurt anything on the reassembley so there's no use in trying to remove it all.
This shows the tang is as thick as the blade all the way back and just how substantial the stick tangs are!!!!
From what Art has said he will harden this one differently than one with the handle left on it.
He uses a torch and a teakettle when the handles are left on. Art said he could get me a 59 Rc by doing it this way, but I'll bet he's being conservative.
I know I would be.
The blade left Tulsa yesterday and should be in Washington by Friday at the latest.
The nice thing about this whole deal is that I was able to get rid of that awful so called habaki bolster.
I ground it off on my Grizz and by taking just a little bit of wood out of the base of the handle I was able to get everything fitted up properly.
All that will be left upon the blades return is reassembley and final polish. At least this one will look like the first one that Bura made.
This shows the tang is as thick as the blade all the way back and just how substantial the stick tangs are!!!!
From what Art has said he will harden this one differently than one with the handle left on it.
He uses a torch and a teakettle when the handles are left on. Art said he could get me a 59 Rc by doing it this way, but I'll bet he's being conservative.
I know I would be.
The blade left Tulsa yesterday and should be in Washington by Friday at the latest.
The nice thing about this whole deal is that I was able to get rid of that awful so called habaki bolster.
I ground it off on my Grizz and by taking just a little bit of wood out of the base of the handle I was able to get everything fitted up properly.
All that will be left upon the blades return is reassembley and final polish. At least this one will look like the first one that Bura made.
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2001
- Messages
- 5,946
We should stuff that pic into the HI website somewhere. It's a good pic for reference.
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
- Messages
- 20,207
Yvsa,
Is yout objection to Habaki bolsters on the grounds of taste or function?
TAL
Is yout objection to Habaki bolsters on the grounds of taste or function?
TAL
- Joined
- May 18, 1999
- Messages
- 15,395
It's both Thomas. When the So Called Habaki Bolster (S.C.H.B.) was first brought out it wasn't so bad as the sarkis made the scabbards to fit the blades and the thicker area of the bolster over the tang would swell out the area causing the blade to fit in the scabbard tighter.
But it never was a true habaki bolster in that it doesn't cover the blade, only the tang. Bura made the first FF and it didn't have the ugly damned thing!!!! But Kumar comes along and has to "improve" on the model.
And the way Kumar made it on this model the damned thing is ineffectual anyway as it's too damned short to do any good so it defeats its purpose.:grumpy:
Foxy designed the model based on the old kukri that never heard or seen a habaki bolster.
And now the damned sarkis are making the scabbards to fit the S.C.H.B. and consequently the scabbards are looser than ever.:barf:
Once in a while I've gotten one that fits correctly, but the majority doesn't.:grumpy:
Personally I think this is something that H.I. should do away with, but it's not up to me.
Also since the S.C.H.B. is over the tang and Not the blade I personally feel it's a loss of strength where it's needed most after giving it a great deal of thought.
The old style standard bolsters are filled with Laha and part of the wood or horn of the handle which increases the strength in a critical area no matter how heavy the tang is there.
It seems like that anything anyone has suggested trying to improve the kukuri rig, other than getting the quality up long ago, has come back to bite everyone in the ass eventually.
Some things are just better left alone. But maybe Bura wasn't watching Kumar, or maybe Kumar didn't listen, or maybe Pala had other things on his mind.
Who knows?
The YCS had some problems with blade edges chipping way out or rolling just like on the GRS's that Dan has wrecked. Instead of fixing the problem they were discontinued.
Bill's had a rough time of it lately and hasn't the energy to argue with the damned kamis. Who knows?
I would just like to see a high quality kukri with the little knives restored to their former importance and actually usable instead of the mostly soft ineffectual things they are today. It would also be nice to have the little pouch restored as well.
Mostly I have to say the kukris aren't bad, aren't bad at all with the exception of one or two that gets by around this time of the year, but that isn't even a good excuse anymore.:grumpy:
I still think H.I.'s are the best anyone's gonna get out of Nepal today, but I also think they could be better than they are too. I think of buying a kukri as getting the whole rig, not just a funny looking bent knife.
But it never was a true habaki bolster in that it doesn't cover the blade, only the tang. Bura made the first FF and it didn't have the ugly damned thing!!!! But Kumar comes along and has to "improve" on the model.
And the way Kumar made it on this model the damned thing is ineffectual anyway as it's too damned short to do any good so it defeats its purpose.:grumpy:
Foxy designed the model based on the old kukri that never heard or seen a habaki bolster.
And now the damned sarkis are making the scabbards to fit the S.C.H.B. and consequently the scabbards are looser than ever.:barf:
Once in a while I've gotten one that fits correctly, but the majority doesn't.:grumpy:
Personally I think this is something that H.I. should do away with, but it's not up to me.
Also since the S.C.H.B. is over the tang and Not the blade I personally feel it's a loss of strength where it's needed most after giving it a great deal of thought.
The old style standard bolsters are filled with Laha and part of the wood or horn of the handle which increases the strength in a critical area no matter how heavy the tang is there.
It seems like that anything anyone has suggested trying to improve the kukuri rig, other than getting the quality up long ago, has come back to bite everyone in the ass eventually.
Some things are just better left alone. But maybe Bura wasn't watching Kumar, or maybe Kumar didn't listen, or maybe Pala had other things on his mind.
Who knows?
The YCS had some problems with blade edges chipping way out or rolling just like on the GRS's that Dan has wrecked. Instead of fixing the problem they were discontinued.
Bill's had a rough time of it lately and hasn't the energy to argue with the damned kamis. Who knows?
I would just like to see a high quality kukri with the little knives restored to their former importance and actually usable instead of the mostly soft ineffectual things they are today. It would also be nice to have the little pouch restored as well.
Mostly I have to say the kukris aren't bad, aren't bad at all with the exception of one or two that gets by around this time of the year, but that isn't even a good excuse anymore.:grumpy:
I still think H.I.'s are the best anyone's gonna get out of Nepal today, but I also think they could be better than they are too. I think of buying a kukri as getting the whole rig, not just a funny looking bent knife.
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2003
- Messages
- 1,390
How far going up the blade from the tang would you want the bolster to go to give greater strength? I myself originally questioned whether I could special order a khukuri with a full tang, believing they were less than adequate. That photo removes any doubt; now I know what an "Alligator" or "Kangaroo" tang is... I was visualizing a beefed up "rattail" when I heard those terms, and that's why I popped the orginal question. It would seem that the small length of the tang in question that is skinny would receive an insignificant amount of stress, regardless of what task the khukuri was performing. Pictures are indeed worth a thousand words.
As a sidenote, I notice what many would recognize as a "Star of David" signature. Is the symbol of religious importance in Nepal like the reverse Swastika is in India?
I agree that the photo should be entered into the archives. Perhaps many people have the same misconception as I did initially.
How does Dead find all this stuff? Dan
As a sidenote, I notice what many would recognize as a "Star of David" signature. Is the symbol of religious importance in Nepal like the reverse Swastika is in India?
I agree that the photo should be entered into the archives. Perhaps many people have the same misconception as I did initially.
How does Dead find all this stuff? Dan
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2001
- Messages
- 5,946
Originally posted by Drdan
...That photo removes any doubt; now I know what an "Alligator" or "Kangaroo" tang is...
How does Dead find all this stuff? Dan
We told ya so...
The dead have many abilities that are beyond the capabilities of the living.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2003
- Messages
- 13,182
2 things I would like to see is blades that were hardened all along the length of the blade, or at least hardened from the area where the blade hits most to about halfway into the bend. The other thing is a really good edge on them. The two main problems I encounter are:
a really thick edge that would be really durable, but it is not hard enough so you can really only chop a couple things before you have to resharpen.
a really thin edge that seems to stay sharp, but the blade is too thin and wavers during heavy chopping.
I know it is possible to make a khukuri with an edge thin enough to bite deep but thick enough not to waver cause I have some. But not many.
I'd be willing to give up the fancy finish and handles and all to get those 2 things.
Oh, a third would be to be sharp when you get them. Seems like I often have to spend a LOT of time getting an even, servicable edge on them.
a really thick edge that would be really durable, but it is not hard enough so you can really only chop a couple things before you have to resharpen.
a really thin edge that seems to stay sharp, but the blade is too thin and wavers during heavy chopping.
I know it is possible to make a khukuri with an edge thin enough to bite deep but thick enough not to waver cause I have some. But not many.
I'd be willing to give up the fancy finish and handles and all to get those 2 things.
Oh, a third would be to be sharp when you get them. Seems like I often have to spend a LOT of time getting an even, servicable edge on them.
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- Jun 16, 2003
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- 20,207
Star of David = Kumar
- Joined
- May 18, 1999
- Messages
- 15,395
Originally posted by Drdan
How does Dead find all this stuff? Dan
Dead didn't bring this back up, I did.
When doing a search the use of asterisks can help a lot. I typed in...Foxy Folly******* and left the poster box empty. I had several hits and just had to look for the correct one.
I remembered which one it was because Dean was good enough to post the pic for me.
When using the asterisks be sure and -not- leave a space between the last word and the first asterisk.
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- Dec 24, 2003
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Teaching me all the little tricks. I wanted to place an Avatar in the left column, but don't know how to. I have photos that I want to use, but they are in my computer, and i don't know how to put them into a websittwe so they can be transferred. My secretary knows a lot too.
Dean, sorry about that! I type fast, and oftentimes don't look back to correct errors. Pardon my faux pas!
:
"Water that is too pure contains no fish" Ts'ai Ken T'an
Dan
Dean, sorry about that! I type fast, and oftentimes don't look back to correct errors. Pardon my faux pas!
:"Water that is too pure contains no fish" Ts'ai Ken T'an
Dan
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2003
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- 1,390
Originally posted by BruiseLeee
We told ya so...
You told me, but as I said, I assumed it was just a "beefed up rattail". So, I start wondering how I can use a full tang, and artfully cover both of the edges of the blade flush with the grips. The khukuris are very deceptive in many ways, and a lot more complex than I ever imagined they would be.
I innocently was surfing the Internet, and decided to look up the latest in knives, as I've long appreciated them. Fortunately, I came across an article that torture tested them, and I see that the winner of the test was a H.I. khukuri... This is interesting; let's see what H.I. is all about. I came across the H.I. website, and see a most informative site that "mesmerized" me for lack of a better word. History of the khukuri, people of Nepal, the stardard countries stats, photos of the smiths, Uncle Bill in Nepal with the kamis, hindu ceremonies, an so forth.
Things took on a more significant meaning when I looked at all the khukuris, but was unable to do so, since there was a problem with entering the photos. I fired off an e-mail to Uncle Bill, letting him know of the problem. The next day, I tried again, and this time, I hit swords, and in the left column I saw a list of all the knives. The rest was history.
Then I saw a link for H.I. Forum... Wow, this is getting to be serious stuff. I've explored KnifeForum.com before, and they are a trmendous asset to the hobby. It's also the best place to find the best prices for the best products on the market. I decided to check it out, so I entered the site and found a Forum with about 70,000 posts. 70,000? This is unbelievable... I posted, thinking I would be clobbered immediately by all the long term posters that is a very frequent occurance for newbies. Never happened; if anything I was taken back by the warmth, desire to help, and humor of the participants. I think I'll stick around for a while here; this is definitely going to be a nice journey...
There's one helpful criticism... Have something that pulls a newbie into an area that welcomes the newcomber, and suggests that he first read a few very basic things so as to prepare him for his first post. Nobody gets flamed, don't be shy to ask questions, etc. Some of the guys with lots of posts under their belt might be a bit bored with a beginner's questions, but they they answer them nevertheless, and with the archives to fall back on, one can glean the knowledge of many weeks of investigation in just a couple of weeks. Each visit obviously builds upon the last.
Fantastic group of posters, and administrators. Uncle Bill is selling high quality knives, and if one hangs around for a while, will be rewarded with the possibility of purchasing specials, with and without blems for the same price or cheaper than tourist crap that we've seen everywhere but a few places. The sense of community is strong, and it is for a noble purpose.
I am getting the best khukuri that can be produced, and I can trust the company to deliver what they promise. if not, it's basically "satisfaction guaranteed" or your money back, and there is no loss of face for either the seller or the purchaser should it come to that. Wim win here, but there's also a noble purpose, which far outweighs whether one can get a good deal or whatever. The kamis and sartis are given a much higher salary than their colleagues are, which brings the most talented craftsmen to H.I.'s door. For those on a budget, H.I. has had the business savy to offer a less expensive model, not signed H.I., but under 100% guarantee, and oftentimes almost as good or at times even better than their higher priced cousins.
Let's get back to the craftsmen... They produce quality work, and are given a relatively good wage, in contrast with a very poor wage for the other many thousands of craftsmen scattered through the country. Customer is happy, customer purchases another khukuri, and more and more business is generated, and more and more artisan's are able to live in dignity, which helps nepal as a whole, which helps the world as a whole.
Enough rambling, and forgive my typos...
Anyway, I'm very pleased to have found H.I. and the Forum!
Dan