Reiger Khukuri (Contest Winner) Pics

C

Craig Gottlieb

Joined
Mar 8, 1999
Messages
1,760
Okay, guys. Here it is. For those of you who are unaware, perhaps someone will take the time to give a quick summary of how this knife came to be. Otto should have HIS prize in hand this afternoon, but here's a picture of the "second" prototype (identical to Otto's).

contestwinner.jpg


contestwinnerhandle.jpg


This khukuri will be going up for auction on the bladeforums auction block this afternoon for anybody who wants it. It'll come with a letter from us stating that it is the second prototype of a limited edition run khukuri. So, were the kamis true to Otto's design?

otto.jpg
I can see slight differences, but overall - I think it's a winner!

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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
Craig, very nice work. I wish I could see another angle of the handle showing the handle slabs/tang fit. Any idea when you will take orders for this and how much it will be? BTW, can you post the weight & OAL when you get a chance?

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"i have trouble with the persons with the signs
but i feel the need to make my own" --King's X
 
IT'S HERE! Thanks for rushing it out, Craig. I'm going out of town tomorrow and it's coming with me.

First off, I need to get this off my chest: I feel really bad about other entries which were way more original than mine. I didn't expect to win and this otherwise would have been a special order for me.

That said, this khukuri is sweet. The handle is the best I have felt in a khukuri. So far I've just been swinging it around and the first thing I noticed is I don't have a butt plate digging into my palm. TB did an outstanding job. The handle swells slightly in the center which fits my hand perfectly. The pins are interesting. They look like copper wrapped in brass. I thought that without a butt plate the balance could be thrown off but TB compensated with a little thicker tang that then tapers slightly. The blade is 3/8th thick and 13 inches long. At its thinnest the blade is 1 and 1/8 inches and at its thickest just under 2. The handle is five inches. I don't have a scale but I would guess it's under two pounds. Aesthetically it's very pleasing with its curving blade and handle. It is simple.

I need to take it out and use it. Craig is encouraging me to not use it because it is a #1 and collectible but it's begging me to use it. The looks aren't what's most important, right?

Well Craig. Thanks. I wish I could thank TB personally. By the way what are you going to call it? Oh wait! The letter you sent says it is the Rieger Khukuri. Cool. Just remember it's "IE" not "EI". I want to show it to my dad and he'll say "they never spell it right!". Enough chatter. I'll probably be back with a performance review. I don't think I'll ever sell this anyway. Later.

 
Congrats again, and don't worry about us others, as we all had fun too.
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Give us a longer review after you've had it awhile.

Rick
 
Oh Man, What a great looking Khuk!! It looks sleek and fast and downright effecient. TB really outdid himself on this one. I have a feeling that we're looking at the shape of things to come out of GH and the future is lookin' really good.

I can't wait to see the first results of the Bowie project. I can picture a handle like this one on a hand forged, 8 or 10 inch Bowie blade. Oh baby, baby. Let the games begin.

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Blackdog
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Or even using the 'Rieger' handle on the 5th Regimental repro. I agree that it looks great.

Blackdog, you have mail.


Rick
 
Rick,

I've been trying to access my incoming mail for 2 days now. I can send but not receive and keep getting a message from the server that they are upgrading the software "to better serve me in the future". They claim it will be back up by later today. Will advise and answer as soon as I can read it.

AL



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Blackdog
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Wow! I bet Otto is feeling pretty good about a handle style named after him. I think that the Rieger-styled handle would be GREAT on ALL panawals once this batch is sold out. To get things going on thinning out my inventory, free shipping on any panawal while supplies last!
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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
Craig,

When you next talk with TB, ask making a 19th Century with the Rieger handle, but without the handle material, as I have a great piece of wood that would look great.
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I am in love with the graceful curve of the 19th Century style.

Rick
 
That is one great looking khukuri! I LOVE the handle. It would be cool on everything from a MiniJungle to a 20" AK. It was a stroke of genius on Ottos part to combine the Ken Onion handle with a traditional blade. I wonder if Ken has seen it yet? He seems like a pretty cool guy,he may be flattered.
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Marcus
 
Will somebody PLEASE tell me what a Ken Onion handle is (perhaps post a pic?). Yes, the khukuri is a real beaut. Check out the auction on Bladeforums -that's where the number two resides until it finds a home.

I think that Ken Onion (no, the Rieger handle) will start appearing on other models from time to time.

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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
Go to the Ken Onion web site and pull up his fixed blade pics. He made a khuk with that handle on it for himself , it's not one of his regular models .
 
Ken makes some really top shelf custom folders and fixed blades. He`s well known for his somewhat distinctive ergonomic handle shapes and the one Otto used for his contest entry is a design used on many Onion folders and fixed blades. He also licenced it (actually a whole folder design featuring that handle shape)to United Cutlery for their Python folder. Of course few things under the sun are truly "new",I`m sure something similar has been done by someone at sometime before. I think Otto explained it best in his original post. QUOTE: "The handle is cut and pasted from a Ken Onion khukuri from the HI FAQ." "Anyway,please take a look and if I won't get sued by Ken Onion maybe I can clean it up and mail it to you." Not a big deal (to me anyway) ,I LOVE the handle and the Rieger khukuri (I HAVE to get a GH khukuri with that handle on it!!!
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)but I think some credit should be given to Ken too.
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Marcus
 
There's a picture of Ken's khukuri on the bottom of this page.
http://www.tx3.net/~howardw/Khukuris/Variants.htm

The picture is posted there with Ken's permission. There are also some of Ken's words describing it.

I'm encouraged to see Ken's innovation being adapted. The cultural cross-fertilization can go both ways. Thanks, Craig and Otto, for making it happen.

Otto's design is intriguing. I hope to read in the future a review comparing it to a traditional khukuri.

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Howard Wallace
Khukuri FAQ
 
OK, I'm back. I'm reading these threads. Craig, please don't call it a Rieger handle. I have nothing to do with it more than just falling in love with the shape. It is a Ken Onion handle, period. Thanks Marcus for speaking my mind these couple days I've been gone. If Ken Onion is reading this I hope you are flattered because your design is awesome. It feels perfect in my hand and I think for an American market it could help open many eyes to these beautiful blades.

I've been fighting back the urge to chop something up with it. So far I've just been cutting a lot of air. This is definately not just a wallhanger. It's a little heavier than I thought it would be. Craig, on the auction page you said that the next run with have a few changes. What kind of changes? Are you going to put a less curved blade, more of a WWII? What I really like about the one I have is the curve and that it has such a long point. Newer khukuris seem to have less point and a bulge at the tip. I wonder how they evolved into this.
 
Craig, Otto et all,

I looked at both Rieger's entry as well as Ken Onion's, and though Otto's may have started out with Ken's design, IMO TB added enough downturn to the pommel to make it differant enough for us to call it the Rieger Handle. This is just my two cents worth, but to the victor goes the spoils, hence I suggest we still call it the "RIEGER HANDLE."

Rick
 
Ultimately, the "Rieger" or "no-Rieger" will have to be Otto's call - it's his name and his khukuri. Perhaps a compromise - call the khukuri the Rieger Khukuri?

PS: I LOVE the Ken Onion khukuri! A real winner in my book.



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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
OK, now all the cards are on the table. Well Craig I hope I didn't come off as ungrateful. If you still want to use my name I would be honored.

I guess calling it a KEN Onion handle would imply a micarta handle made by Ken Onion. The Rieger khukuri is the name of the khukuri itself, not the maker, and the Rieger handle refers to the horn handle from the Rieger khukuri, not that it is made by me. Whew!
 
I`m just glad the Rieger Khukuri(and it`s handle
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) made it to fruition! It`s so cool to see the venerable khukuri evolving before our eyes. Now I have to save up some $ and wait for the next Reigerized khukuris!
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Marcus
 
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