Present for Rusty from Stan. Pix.

Thanks Uncle Bill!!:)
Well gang, here's the story; Before I came over I bought a BAS for a carry knife. At the same time, Rusty donated his pre-Bir Ghorkha, shop 2 BAS for one of my guys. This fellow took a shine to my pretty new BAS, and I immediately recognized there was something different about the one Rusty donated. Long story short, I wound up with Rusty's BAS. Later, over here, Rusty sent me his Bura made WWII in lieu of the 15" Siru I'd tied in a bid on during the fundraising effort for Bura (y'all remember that).
Well now, I'm a bit old fashioned, and a little superstitious about knives as gifts. So, I was bound and determined to find some way to repay Rusty's generosity. I did. It wasn't easy, but I think I found a blade Rusty might like. What I'm holding in the picture is a hand forged, bone handled, Afghan Khyber Knife. It's really old, and has a lot of surface rust, but should clean up nicely (don't worry Rusty, I won't have at it with sandpaper, I'll just oil it up and pack it in my footlocker for the trip home). I'm holding my WWII in my left hand for a size comparison, this is one big knife! I'll wait until I get home to mail it to Rusty, it'll be safer travelling through customs in my footlocker. Be advised Rusty, the old Afghan gent I bought this knife from told me this knife has magical properties that will ensure enemies wounded with it will not recover from those wounds. I think maybe they don't have tetanus shots over here.;)

What goes around comes around Rusty:D

Sarge
 
We share the same superstition about giving knifes -- cuts the friendship so we always demand something in return -- a penny or nickle or grain of rice works.

Good stuff, Sarge.
 
What the heck is this now? Giving a knife cuts the friendship? Wonder how that started. Thing is, giving a friend you really care about a good blade is a way of saying, 'I trust you. The intrinsic value of this steel reflects the values we share together."

Giving a gun doesn't mean you're blowing a hole in your friendship. Wonder why about knives?

munk
 
not very often that a guy shoots himself accidentally...

however, your knife can turn on you...and often! :eek:

if you don't reciprocate the gift, your knife will turn on you for being ungrateful - or so it goes...
 
The Khyber looks dangerous. Now I know what the British were affraid of:eek:

Sarge, did you show your khuk to this old Afghan? Did he say anything? I wonder what the locals -after all a straight blade users- think of the khuks...
 
Sharri,
The locals were eyeing my khuk keenly when I was purchasing the Khyber, but it wouldn't have been socially acceptable for me to have drawn it and asked them their opinion of it. I'm sure you understand.
Here's one that'll give you a chuckle though; this morning, on my hike to work, I passed a couple of Army MPs. I couldn't help but hear one ask the other, "what kind of knife is that?" The other replied, "that's one of them Ghurkha knives, I've noticed several of them Air Force guys carrying 'em". First guy, "why?". Second guy, "why don't you run ask him ?". I kept walking and noticed neither chose to follow. If I hadn't been in a hurry I would have stopped and had a nice chat with them on the finer points of "them Ghurkha knives". As it was, I only had time to chuckle.;)

Sarge
 
How are the horn handles holding up in the desert?
Click to expand...
Surprisingly well Bruise. I found a tube of lip balm (Blistex) that contains beeswax, petrolatum, and lanolin, it's not Hooflex, but it seems to do the trick. I clean my khuks and re-oil them after each use, and occasionally peel the olive drab "100 mile an hour" tape off the scabbards, give 'em a coat of boot polish, and re-tape them. They're a little scratched up from use, but then again, so am I.:D

Sarge
 
Got the kid off to school and went to post office to pick up 15" Sanu AK blem from 8/23. Took nap and woke up to find this post.

Gotta go do a few things now, which is probably best cause I don't know what to say. I'll think of something given a little time.
 
it's got lanolin, petroleum, water, wax, oil of clove, sodium borate and 2% alchohol. you CAN smell it.

Farmers here use it for chapped udders, chapped hands, faces, lip balm, rashes, you name it. Inexpensive, and tried-and-true.

Of course, I doubt you have a dairy supply house near you at the moment.


Kis



:rolleyes:
 
...well, when you get your knife, you could stand silhohetted (sic) against a ridge line in the desert, raise the blade to the air, and scream, "AI AI YI YI YI" like mongol hordes have been reputed to do.

munk
 
That knife/friendship deal is common in Latin cultures, IIRC.

During my b-school days, we had to take an "international business etiquette (sp?)" course. It included memorizing a long list of do's and don'ts when dealing with folks from given countries. The "knife severs a relationship" rule was near the top of the list for Spain, Portugal and Latin America.

S.
 
Originally posted by Sylvrfalcn
The locals were eyeing my khuk keenly when I was purchasing the Khyber, but it wouldn't have been socially acceptable for me to have drawn it and asked them their opinion of it. I'm sure you understand.
Click to expand...
I do, Sarge. And thanks for the MP story! Seems like soon "them Gurkha knives" will become a standard in the US arsenal:D
 
I can see it now. A few years from now a military knife collector will take a look at some of your pictures and rumors will begin to spread about HI. People will begin to search through airforce procurement records in a vain attempt to prove that large HI khukuries were standard military issue to airforce personnel in Afganistan. I can almost hear the debate on these forums now. :D

Nice going Sarge, that looks like an interesting khyber knife. Enjoy it Rusty, and try not to lose your voice with all that Mongol yelling.

n2s
 
I don't know where it comes from, but it has proven true for me. I gave knives to three different people that I thought would be life-long friends at three different times in my life. Today I couldn't tell you if they are alive or dead. And I'm highly selective of my friends. It's weird. I still give knives but must have a penny or something in return.

Raven's Beak
 
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