Sirupati concerns...

I suppose I should have been trying out my khuks as I got them, but only 6 or 7 have really got a workout. At this point if I tried them all and even only 5% or 10% failed, Uncle Bill would have to deal with replacing several knives and I'm not going to put him through that. Should have been doing it all along though I know.

The ones I have worked out have stood up amazingly well. But again, I would never think of testing let's say a Kobra, by beating the hell out of hardwood with it. Vines, bushes, small branches, sure, but nothing very hard.

Blade roll or deformation can happen no matter how hard you try to avoid it, but the blade bending 90 degrees is not right and a bummer for you since you bought it second hand. It just shouldn't have bent.

Were it me, I would split the difference, write to Uncle Bill and explain the situation, and ask him if he can give you a great deal of the day price on a new replacement blade. I'm sure he'll work with you since you are being so upfront about the situation and not demanding anything outrageous of him.

Other than a pure beater, I don't think you can trust this particular blade again, even if you do get the handle replaced. Somethings wrong with the blade tempering itself, OR perhaps someone else leaned like hell on it and bent it before you got it and set you up for this problem.

Hope it works out for you!

Best regards,

Norm
 
If Runs With Scissors' blade is the one I traded him, I was the first owner. I picked it up as a UBBB sometime in 2003. It got a workout in the woodpile to ensure that the edge was sound, after which it spent a year riding in the console of my boat as a combination wilderness survival/repel boarders knife. I never tried a "lateral blade strength test" on it like the FAQ shows, I don't think that's an appropriate test for a sirupati.

If there's a warranty issue involved, I'll try to help out however I can.
 
Heya Raghorn,
Yup, dat be da very one in question. Of course it's a given You're a helluva good guy that the knife was traded to me in good conscience, so I wasn't wanting to pop up outta nowhere and bother you with the issue after all this time.

I did about the same as you with it..cut some limbs and some logs and so forth around the yard a few times, resharpened it, and called it good. After that one outing with it, the poor thing looks like someone hit the "self destruct" button. Bear in mind, it's probably thin compared to other HI's, but next to the Trailmaster and Beckers I'd just moved up from the thing looks like a tank. I'd figured it was beyond my own destructive capabilities. (I never cease to amaze myself... :rolleyes: )

When it bent, it was right below about an inch and a half closer to the tip from where the engraving ends on the spine. It literally went down completely sideways, which was uhmm...real surprising, to say the least.

Anyhoo, I wasn't originally expecting any exchanges or anything when I posted this, I suppose I was expecting something more along the lines of someone telling me how to whittle down a 2x4 for a handle and do some kinda Mickey Mouse tempering job with a blow torch.

I reckon I'll drop Uncle Bill an email, and see how he feels about the matter, then cross the next bridge when I reach it.

I appreciate your concern and the offer Raghorn- I'll letcha know how things work out in any case.
 
There are 2x4 whittlers and blowtorch temperers who lurk here. I'm not lucky enough to have sufficient equipment or ambition for such projects right now, though maybe soon. Definitely possible, if you've got the time to sift through posts and learn by trial and error.

Anyway, I'd expect even a Sirupati to take full body weight, bend a bit, and return to true. Perhaps that's unrealistic, since I've never bent one against something completely unmoveable. Also, you have lots of leverage with a blade this long.

If you suspect the temper is bad - which sounds very possible - you could try the file test. Basically run a file over the edge very lightly. You might get a little bite towards the cho and last inch or so of the tip, but the belly should be pretty hard and the file will skate over it.
 
Norm said something I've been pondering...I've got more khuks than fingers, and maybe someday more than toes and fingers. Great deals in there, a few gifts, a couple reg priced hard fought rare items from Shark pond...(teeth marks still on them)

There is no way knowing Bill, and you here, that I ever could have been 'gypped' or disapointed in my khuk collection. There is simply too much good will.

Some are less than I'd like. Some are more.

It will balance. Because this was a second person transfer you may be temporarily out of luck with this one blade, ( I don't know- I already gave the best advice) but I predict you will find happiness- at least as far in inantimate objects are concerned.

I'm sorry this happened. Rest assured, HI khuks do not deform at 10 degree angles.


munk
 
might want to rethink the "drop Bill an email" thing.....did we not just have a huge thread on a similar vein?




We keep saying "Test your khukuris"....and we're not just being cute. ;)



Rag - if you decide to take it back, could make an interesting test piece....seeing how you've got "the flame" working for ya. ;)


I'd offer to buy it from him, but I need to do some selling, before I do any more buying....:(
 
oops... :footinmou

Posted this one before I was through "Previewing" and so forth...(I had to think long and hard, and do alot of proofreading before the final product below was presented)
 
Also, I apologize if my tone sounds harsh or argumentative- that truly isn't my intent. You know the way script doesn't deliver inflection well? kinda one of those things...I just want to be sure it's absolutely in the clear that I'm not trying to screw anyone or pawn my problems or responsibilities onto them. To state it plainly, I thought that other dude was a horses a$$. I don't wanna even remotely be associated with him.
Click to expand...

It's very clear that you are a reasonable person with a reasonable approach to one of life's little situations. You have been very nice and friendly and above-board...no need to apologize! Thanks for posting on this, it is helpful for me as a newbie to see what can happen to a blade and a reminder that I need to test some of my new acquisitions more thoroughly.
 
RWS, I'm sure you can find some one on this forum with the knowledge and tools to fix your Khukuri for a nomonal fee. Good luck! :)

Heber
 
Daniel Koster said:
might want to rethink the "drop Bill an email" thing.....did we not just have a huge thread on a similar vein?




We keep saying "Test your khukuris"....and we're not just being cute. ;)



Rag - if you decide to take it back, could make an interesting test piece....seeing how you've got "the flame" working for ya. ;)


I'd offer to buy it from him, but I need to do some selling, before I do any more buying....:(
Click to expand...


And THAT is the reason I hesitated to even mention my problem at all...

I knew someone would inevitably draw an analogy between two instances. Quite frankly, I see very few similarities.

First and foremost, I'm not asking anyone for so much as a red plugged nickel. All I want is for my khukuri to work. whether that be from home repair, or exchanging my moderately used Sirupati for another Sirupati that would once again be moderately used within a few days doesn't matter a heckuva lot to me. In any case, I have very little, if anything at all to gain.


Also, there's a huge difference between a dude that can't sharpen a knife, and a blade that bends to the same angle as a garden hoe, and develops nearly half a dozen cracks running the length of the handle.

That...ahem....gentleman...was an unknown entity from Ebay. His request to Uncle Bill was insipid at best, and absolutely unethical at worst. I've been a regular around here quite enough time for a defect in ethical sensibilities to have shown up some time ago. Also, the other guy contacted Uncle Bill and then seems to have disappeared, I've been right here and trying my best to work things out as easily and painlessly as possible.

IF I had decided to request an exchange, I don't believe it would have truly violated the intent of the HI warranty, which was intended to protect against those who deliberately destroy knives, and unethical persons. - I am neither.

Actually though, in retrospect, I think I'm gonna follow my first instinct- which was to keep my mouth shut, eat this one, and call it a learning experience. Basically wait for this thread to float away, and forget about it. There's an easy six or eight other Khuks that I'm wantin' pretty badly, and I'm sure I'll have better luck with. I don't wanna create any problems for anyone, especially Uncle Bill.


As far as "testing" the khukuri- In retrospect I should have tested harder- but...I'd never thought to pry with it until I was freezing my testicles off 25 miles in the middle of nowhere.

I apologize if my tone sounds harsh or argumentative- that truly isn't my intent. You know the way text doesn't deliver inflection well? kinda one of those things...I just want to be sure it's absolutely in the clear that I'm not trying to screw anyone or pawn my problems or responsibilities onto them. To state it plainly, I thought that other dude was a horses a$$. I don't wanna even remotely be associated with him.

As for the rest of y'all....thanks again for the concern, and the input- you've been very helpful!
 
I think that what everybody else says is true. You really should test them HARD.

I try to find something at least twice as large as I usually would cut and really super hard and well cured. Try to twist the blade a little so it is hitting a little on the side too. Sometimes one that is gonna roll won't do it till you kind of hit it at a slightly off angle, or encounter a knot or unusual grain pattern in the wood. Cutting a 6 to 8" log I have found most rolling occurrs about 2/3 the way through, so don't go out give it a few whacks and then feel you've really tested it. I've never bent one but I tend to have choppers not thin bladed ones.

It's a shame it passed throught 2 hands before failing cause it sounds like it was only marginally tempered from the beginning. :(
 
I don't think my forging skills are quite up to heat-treating a sirupati yet... but I could probably turn it into one heckuvan extra-large Kumar Karda. ;)

Seriously, I still have the knife you traded me for it. If you'd like I'll exchange it back. Just drop me an email.
 
generous offer made, RWS....



There's no need to defend yourself, friend. We're not accusing you of any misconduct. You are correct that the two issues are completely separate and different.
 
Yet another Cantina lesson - do what's right, make things square.

I would like to point out that some news of this should make it back to Nepal. I'm sure Yangdu has already delivered an earful, but the actual blade may go farther in convincing the kamis that they really do need to pay attention when pouring from the kettle. I seem to remember Bill wanting to inspect bad blades for this purpose. If it's really in sad shape, it should go back to HI one way or another.

Then again, with all the other stuff happening now, maybe it should just quietly head out to pasture - perhaps as a garden digger or minefield probe.
 
Yup, It was incredibly generous of Raghorn to offer to trade back, but it's not gonna happen. No need in him biting the bullet on a fair trade he'd made in good conscience over a year ago.

As far as the pasture, the futures still a bit uncertain. Right now there's a good chance that my seven year old son will inherit it. Bad heat treat or not, it's still a heckuva lot nicer than the average five dollar Hardware store machete. He's not old enough to really work it very hard yet, but...when he reaches that point, If he's taken care of the Sirupati, I'll be glad to help him upgrade.

Thanks for sharing y'alls thoughts on the matter!
 
RWS - can you muster a pic?

I'm not asking for "proof".....just, it's hard for me to follow based on your description. If I could see what you're talking about, I could make a better recommendation.

If not, that's ok too.
 
It would be pretty darn difficult for me to come up with a pic. I don't have very easy access to a digital camera. To be honest, I really don't think I could do any better than the ones Raghorn posted anyways.

As soon as I came home I stuck it in the side of my house and got it so close to perfect I don't believe anyone would know what had happened if I didn't tell them about it. My wife has an extremely critical eye (unlike myself) and she can't find any bends or spots.


I'll see if I can describe it a little better for ya' though. (sorry, that's the best I can do)

On the twelve inch blade the bend occurred at the six inch mark- right where it starts it's downward curve. The blade bent to a complete "L" shape and remained there, until restraightened. I was able to bend it that way using only my right arm, while the blade was in a vertical position.

As far as the cracks on the handle, I count four on top- Two in the middle, and two coming up from the brass piece in the front. Theres one more running lengthwise on the bottom. So there's a total of five larger cracks, and a few more tiny ones.

Hopefully I gave you something worthwhile here...
 
fascinating....

There's no way I could bend 3/8" thick steel with my bare hands. You must be He-Man, or that blade is seriously messed up.

If you're willing to send it to me for testing, I may be able to work something out in your favor.

Otherwise, toss it. Sorry, man.....
 
There's no way I could bend 3/8" thick steel with my bare hands.>>>




Yes, but have you tried doing it with the untapped regions of the human mind?

....................



munk
 
munk said:
There's no way I could bend 3/8" thick steel with my bare hands.>>>




Yes, but have you tried doing it with the untapped regions of the human mind?

....................



munk
Click to expand...



Errr.....Telekinesis? :D

Heya DK- Got to thinkin'....I've gotta run to Wally World later on this weekend (God help me!) So I can just put on a little demonstration, and have my lovely wife take a few pics. Can go to Wal-Mart then and have the pictures put on to a disk. It could be alot of fun! (seriously, it's 5 AM here in Alaska, I haven't slept at all, and THIS is what's on my mind?!) I'll send out some pics hopefully in the next day or so, and I'd also be happy to send you the khuk to play with and examine. I'll get in touch with you through email for further details.
 
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