Respect

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I got another lesson in respect for my Khuks this weekend. Saturday morning, I spent about 1/2 hour taking out some small nicks and putting a decent edge on my 18" AK. I wasn't happy with the edge, and didn't think that it was very sharp, but time ran out for fondling so I put it away. Sunday morning, while splitting up some wood for kindling, I learned that YES, in fact, I did put a good edge on it (OUCH!!!) I was splitting some oak, small stuff, so not much force was needed. I would lightly lodge the blade in the wood, then take both hands, straddling the wood on the blade, and push/pound the whole assembly on the chopping block to slice off the small piece of kindling. One time, as I lifted the whole assembly (knife and wood), the knife wasn't lodged well enough and came out. It fell about 2" from the top of the log until it struck my other hand. It didn't hurt at all, and I thought that I had escaped injury (Whew!), that is until the blood started! I had made about a 3/4" long incision in my left pointer that went just about to the bone! 'Bled like a stuck pig' pretty much describes the next few minutes. I didn't think that a 2" drop could do that much damage, BUT, when you have a 2-3 pound razor... Again, these are serious tools/weapons, and must be treated as such. This time I was lucky, I didn't wear my gloves, as I usually do. That wont happen again! Enjoy you khuks, but RESPECT them, or they will teach you the hard way.


Rob

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'He's losin' it... (Words spoken about me by a visitor seeing me with my Khuk!)
Lucky for them I'm not...
 
If you do not respect a kukhri it will remind you. I have heard a lot of stories like this. Did you need stiches?

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"Clear a path for the Kukhri or it will clear one for itself"
 
I've learned that lesson myself. Over a year ago I was chopping wood after it had been raining. I was using a U.S. Calvary kukri and was careless. The result: A inch long scar on my right wrist that required five stitches. Luckily, it didn't hit a major vein.

Bob
 
What determines the need for stitches? I've never had them, but I've had some pretty deep cuts.

Rob

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'He's losin' it... (Words spoken about me by a visitor seeing me with my Khuk!)
Lucky for them I'm not...
 
I'm no expert in stitches, but in my experience if the wound will not stop bleeding on its own after awhile the doctor may opt for stitches. I think sometimes its a cosmetic issue, like if you cut your face deeply--stitches would leave less of a scar. One doctor told me that it would greatly reduce the chance of infection (slashed my pinky toe nearly off on a sharp rock as a kid).
I also have an embarrasing story on how my khuk taught me a lesson. I was interested after reading someone's post on scabbard tightness (when I should have been reading Uncle's often posted "tips for unsheathing a khuk." !
wink.gif
) to see how tight/loose my GS scabbard was. So, I turned it upside down over a deep cardboard box with a towel in the bottom-----being careful of my feet and the buttcap's safety, but not my hand. (guess I figured I would at some point be hanging upside down while wearing a khuk! LOL) Well, the blade slipped out and sliced into my hand at the upppermost knuckle of my right index finger. Luckily I had recently put a razor edge on the blade
frown.gif
. Anyway, the khuk was merciful and I didn't need stitches either.

Another lesson learned.

Rob
 
If anybody has a scanner to put up a pic, let my know by email and I'll take a polaroid and send it up to be scanned into a post.

The reason Uncle Bill keeps harping on safety is that the scabbards are two thin planks of wood carved out inside to hold the khuk and rounded on the outside, then covered with leather.

Any body who doesn't remember the leopard story where a man useds a sheathed khuk to kill an attacking leopard should read Howard's Animal Stories in his Khukuri FAQ's.

Some villagers are held together by 3 circuferential brass rings which tend to fall off when the wood shinks in low humidity. There should have been 3 pictures instead of two in the topic about the "Toys Rusty brought", but Pala/Kami grabbed the cracked scabbard and took off with it for the epoxy before Bill got a picture of it.

If you go to a picture of Kris Cutlery's barong, you can see the scabbard of two slabs of wood as are khukuri scabbards, but the barong scabbard is held together by three wrappings of white cord, ( where the chinpuri village khukuris have thin bands of brass ) so you needn't draw in an emergency, just slam it into something and the blade will cut itself out. At one time, on one of the sandata in his webpage or catalogue, Cecil stated that, though I don't see it now.

For a picture, go to this link:

http://invis.com/kriscutlery/barong.html

I hope Cecil doesn't mind, and it is just til I can get a photo of a khukuri scabbard that is not leather wrapped to show you guys. I don't like using parts of other's webpages without permission, but this is a safety matter, and the picture is fully attributed. In addition, let me say that Cecil Quirino at Kris Cutlery appears to have a reputation personally and for his knives similar to Uncle Bill's.

Again,someone tell me where to send a polaroid of a Villager scabbard and I'll post it and pull Cecil's picture from this thread.

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Himalayan Imports Website

Himalayan Imports Khukuri FAQ

[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited 02-07-2000).]
 
Rob, there are two kinds of khuk knuts -- those who have cut themselves with their khuks and those who will. I've cut myself so many times it's gotten embarrasing -- fortunately, nothing too serious. It's gotten to the point that my wife thinks that its normal for me to walk around with a bandage or bandaid on. I've cut myself even while doing such routine things as checking the balance, sharpening, polishing, sheathing/unsheathing, and even just fondling a khuk. I'm obviously a klutz as well as a slow learner. But maybe I'm subconsiously trying to adhere to the old legend about Gorkhas, that they never resheath their khukuris without drawing blood.
 
Rob, you've paid some blood for two things.
An invaluable lesson and a blessing on your khukuri!
Wish it helps ease your pain by pleasant thinking.


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\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/
 
The amazing thing is that it Still doesn't hurt! The penetration was very linear, and the cut closed up very neatly. Amazing what a sharp edge can do! (good and bad). Thanks for the thoughts though!

Rob

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'He's losin' it... (Words spoken about me by a visitor seeing me with my Khuk!)
Lucky for them I'm not...
 
Rob.

When is the last time you make blood donation? Maybe it is about time to do it now!

I guess the lesson from your story are to respect yourself (ie. your blood) & to respect others (your Khuk)!

NEPAL HO!


[This message has been edited by mohd (edited 02-07-2000).]
 
Here is a side note about khukuris teaching respect. I was opening a little khuk (12" or so) it was wrapped independently of the sheath. In the process the little thing bit me!! I was shocked that the little guy had started to develop a personality so soon. I guess that it was just establishing itself as a serious tool. I might have offended it when I said " OHHHH look at the tiny little sheath it's so cute!" I think that just did not please the little stinger. At least this khuk named itself--- Sting--- from the Tolkien books.

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"Clear a path for the Kukhri or it will clear one for itself"
 
:
A few of mine wanted to taste my blood and have. I feel that I have been very fortunate to not have been cut badly.
I also know where the Khukuri Dance originated. And that's where I have been Very, Very fortunate.
Anyone else ever lose their grip and had one fly out of their hands?
Now that will wake you up fast and make you tighten your "Grip" _Everywhere_ on your body!!
smile.gif
(VBESEG)

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"Know your own bone, gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it again."

'Thoreau'

Khukuri FAQ

[This message has been edited by Yvsa (edited 02-08-2000).]
 

I did something intellegent today. I was practicing throwing my khuk and I got it to stick in a small tree. (After about a hundred and one tries) So I walked up to the tree, it looked like it was in there pretty good. I grabbed the tree right under the knuk and started shaking it. You know to see how well I stuck it. Well, you know the rest of the story, at least it's not that bad. Talk about feeling a little light between the ears after I tried to rationally explain what happened to my g/f.

- D

 
Yvsa,

Yikes! first post that made me cross my legs
wink.gif
. Actually the scariest story I heard was the power grinder mishap, where it flew out of the person's hands---can you imagine!? (unless of course that was your post, then you don't have to
smile.gif
--can't remember who it was). It is not a good feeling when your mild mannered khuk turns into a rogue piece of steel bent (forgive pun
smile.gif
) on doing you harm! Imagine the horror of being at the recieving end of a Gorkha khukuri charge!!?? SCARY!


Rob
 
Rob, I don't know if it was my post that I made a while back that you were referring to, but I did have the experience of having a khuk yanked out of my hands while working it over on an electric buffing wheel -- it was an experience I don't want to repeat anytime soon. And I had had a lot of experience working with the buffer, but you can't ever be too careful. Sometimes it's the experienced people who get hurt because they start taking things for granted -- that's how I sawed a finger off with a radial arm saw -- I was ripping a bunch of 2x4s and after a while my mind wandered for a split second and that's all it took.

[This message has been edited by Steven F (edited 02-10-2000).]
 
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