Pretty good "Horse Trading"

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
3,930
Don't have my little "Convention Special" khukuri any more. I absolutely loved the blade, but found the handle to be just a skosh too small to feel really comfortable using it. Well sir, we finally swung a deal so some of my boys can come on home. One of 'em had a piece of cutlery I was particularly interested in, and lo and behold he was willing to swap (go figure, he's full of joy at the prospect of getting out of here).

I am now the very proud owner of an incredibly awesome, 18 inch, wood handled, Siru-by golly-Pati, made with especial skill and care by Kumar Bishwakarma.:D :) :D Love them Sirupatis! With all respect to Dr. Duvon Winborne, the Sirupati style, IMHO, is just a wee bit fiercer than a WWII. I was able to stab this thing into an upright 4x4 spruce timber with such force that the point sunk in to sufficent depth as to cause the 4x4 to start splitting with a resounding "keeerackkkk":eek: (much to the terror of bystanders) I then proceeded into a chopping frenzy that had chips the size of beer coasters sailing about my head.:D A bit of whacking, slapping, and prying later, I felt satisfied that the blade was up to the rigors of duty (I agree with Uncle's wisdom, never trust an untested blade). It's now clean, polished, and honed to an edge that will cheerfully bite hell out of anyone foolish enough to run their thumb down it (why do people do that?).

Dadgummed good khukuri, Pappy would like this one, and that's reason enough for me to think highly of it. ;)

Good bit of horsetrading? You bet. When it comes to swapping HI khuks, there are no losers.:)

Sarge
 
Shame on you Sarge for foisting that dinky little khuk off on that poor soldier goin' home. I bet he would've traded about anything in the state he's in.;) :p ;)



















Just tzn.:D
 
Nice Sarge! I like those Sirupatis too. Great weapon, pretty good chopper. Good all round tool.

Steve
 
I'm jealous:rolleyes:. I would have traded one of Hog's sirupatis for the convention model. It looked just my size.:rolleyes: Just kidding.

Great to hear some of the guys are on their way home.:D
 
I approve of your trade, Sarge, and truly understand how you feel. The 18" Sirupati was the one my son chose out of the whole bunch! It IS a piece of steel to be reckoned with...you reckon?

Ben
 
If I "had" to go into a hand to hand knife fight I'd take the Sirupati or Kobra -- 20 inch give or take a couple. If I had to survive in the wild for a prolonged period in hostile territory I'd take the 18" WWII.

Good stuff, Sarge, and thanks.
 
The 18" and 20" Siru's are just pretty damn fine knives. Those and the two WWII's cover just about every thing I have had to do around this place.

I don't know how to pick just one favorite though. The first two I got from Uncle Bill are still darn good khuks. BAS and 15" AK. still get pulled from the scabbard and pop a limb once in a while. If for no other reason than to keep them from getting mad at me or jealous of the others.

I find that the balance of the WWII's are pretty close when the 16.5" is in one hand and the 18" in the other when the choked up grip is used. :) :)
 
One thing I forgot to mention is that the chakma and karda on this Sirupati are both exceptional. They aren't standard fare, the blades on both are exquisitely done with a very pronounced khuk shape to 'em. The chakma is very well hardened and easily burnishes the edge on any khuk I've tried it on, it truly epitomizes what a chakma should be, and should be able to do. The bevels on the karda are so straight, and true, as to put me in mind of a well ground Scandinavian style blade. Took me no time at all to make it shaving sharp, and it cuts with authority. I'd sure like to know who made this pair of tools, as it was most surely no apprentice/helper.;)

Sarge

p.s.: Maybe when I get home I'll take a run down Pappy's way and study snake head lopping under the master.:D
 
Had you traded someone going home for a Bura sirupati, I might think you were taking unfair advantage.
 
Nope, in a just and even handed manner, he got the more valuable (limited edition) khukuri, and I got the more useful. Khuks find their true owners, given time.;)

Sarge
 
Sarge they say value is in the eye of the beholder, a $300 winter coat aint all that precious to someone in the dessert.:D :p
 
You got that right Fed, it's so dadgummed hot over here a fellow's gotta fart in the shade so the fumes don't spontaneously self combust.:eek: :rolleyes: :p

Good thing I'm an old Southern boy who grew up in the country working outside in the heat. I've enjoyed embarrassingly good health over here, while more than a few of my guys have suffered miserably from a range of ailments related to the heat and austere living conditions. I feel bad for 'em, but it's not really all that rough here. We get "three hots and a cot", and have access to shower trailers and Porta-johns (read that no sh!% burning detail), pure decadence compared to some trips I've been on.;)

By the way, I've got some really nice polypropylene thermal underwear somewhere in the bottom of my duffel bag (stuck it in there back when our planned ingress route would have taken us through the mountains of eastern Turkey/northern Iraq). I'd trade every dadgummed bit of it for a cold beer right now. Honest I would.:D

Sarge
 
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