Some news from both shop 1 and 2.

[Bill Martino]

Little update on shop 2 and general goings on back home. The kamis range in age from about 55 down to 20 (an apprentice who does a lot of the pounding). They have settled in on a blood blessing and prayer that works for everybody so the blades are getting the blessing, prayer, and the "magic stone" treatment. I forgot to ask them to send me a small piece of the stone -- remind me or I'll keep forgetting.

A couple of the old timers are village kamis and make the blades in shop 2 just as they did back in the village -- very strong and tough. They are taking their time, doing the job carefully and very well. I am really impressed with the quality of the blades they are turning out in so short a time.

However, they do not like the idea of polishing the blades excessively as the think this will destroy the effect of the magic stone -- but they are beginning to polish the blades pretty nicely anyway and continue to improve general appearance. They said, "if this is what Bena wants then this is what we will do but warn him about the "magic stone." These guys are actually making blades that are a bit superior to shop 1 with or without the stone.

Funny story. We got some khukuris up from shop 1 and two of them were not marked -- kamis forgot or just missed them. Gelbu, Kami's son, asked the shop 2 kamis if they would mark the blades and they refused. "Why?, Gelbu asked them. Because we make better blades than they do down there and we do not want to put our mark on a blade that is not as good as ours.

I love the kamis.

Shop 1 is making progress on the Ang Khola Bowies. We may see them in a month. I am a little nervous about this one. It is somewhat of a departure from a khukuri but we will hope for the best. And, if they miss at shop 1 we will have shop 2 make them. That old village kami can do it.

That's all 'till next weekend.

Uncle Bill

 

[Yvsa]

:
That's funny Uncle Bill!!
The Kamis sound just like some of the old machinists I used to work with.
Cantankerous old poots who could get the job done. I believe that I personally would like my 18" Ang Khola to come from shop 2 even if I have to wait a little longer and it isn't finished as well.
You will know it when you see it.

If I want it finished out a little nicer or anything,well I have a buffing wheel set up on my grinder.

I also want to do a little file work on one of the blades I am getting.
It may be done on one that isn't going to be used as hard though.
I haven't deceided yet though. That will add part of myself into the blade as well.Of course I usually wind up giving any blade I get a
"blood blessing" shortly after I get it. That may not be necassary with the Kuhkuris though. I haven't cut myself yet on any part of the one we have here!

I may do it on my 18" AK too.Depends on its weight. I am also waiting on that one to design the scabbard I am wanting to make for one.Then I will make one for Barb if she wants it. We'll see how they turn out.It has been a long time since I have done that kind of leatherwork.


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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

 

[Yvsa]

:
I wonder if the Kamis are as strange in thier ways as a bunch of machinists are? I worked at a shop one time where there was one guy that Aggravated Everybody including the Boss!! He was a top notch tool and die man though _IF_ you could get him to listen

One day he used a power lift to bring a fairly heavy die to his work bench. In the course of sliding the die onto the work bench and kinda standin on tippy toes as he slid the die onto the bench,he caught a bit of skin of the very sensitive part of the male anatomy between the die and bench and couldn't get loose.

He stood there hollerin like a madman and nobody paid him any mind,or went to help him

He was finally able to lift the die up and escape. I bet he had one heck of a blood blister.

........ And I could wax much more eloquently for a long time on this subject.

I like to think I would help him now that I am a little older and such,but I don't know.There were an awful lot of guys that was the age I am now that didn't.

I know that has to be a very hard life over there. I also know that when people live in hard conditions that there is usually some really good humor,because thats about all there is some days.
I really hope the Kamis enjoy what they do as much as I did when I was working as a machinist. I didn't always like my job,But I loved my work and it showed.

Thiers does too !!!


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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

 

[Bill Martino]

The kamis are characters. Gelbu is going to take some pix of shop and kamis and send them so we will at least know what the guys who make our khukuris look like. Also, Gelbu wanted to get the shop sign painted properly.

Uncle Bill

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Bill :

These guys are actually making blades that are a bit superior to shop 1 with or without the stone.

Specific to the village khukuri that Bill sent me, in terms of edge retention and edge durability it is the equal of the best HI khukuris I have. I did read one post here about how someone bent a tip on their Vilager so I spent some time trying to bend mine with no success. That one might have had a tip that was a little soft.

Lateral strength tests on this khukuri would be heavily biased because there is a huge crack in the steel near the handle (which is why Bill didn't sell it), but it has held up to everything except for direct prying so far. The handle ergonomics are a little off for me, but that is just because I like a bigger grip. I am going to give this to a friend who has smaller hands. I might not do any lateral strength testing as such but just let him use it for what he wants and get him to comment on it.

The only problem some might have with it is that the finish is, well, its not finished actually as Bill has described before. You can still see the rough grinding marks. If this was a problem and you wanted to improve it, just spend some time with some sandpaper every so often and you will grandually have a nice finish. On a working blade though, it actually makes for a better tool as you are encouraged to use it and there is no hesitation about getting it marked up.

-Cliff

 

[Bill Martino]

Cliff, that's a forging fold line near the bolster and not a crack. Cracks are usually the result of improper heat treat -- too fast. Those fold lines were there before the blade ever tasted a drop of water and the kami knew this.

These fold lines may be deep or they may be a surface flaw only. I would like to see you go ahead and put the villager to the lateral strength test if you don't mind the possibility of destroying the knife. I don't.

I considered that khukuri unworthy of offering for sale which is the reason I sent it to you for destruction testing. If an HI khukuri has a fold line of any size it immediately goes into the reject box. Village models often show a fold line but it is generally small and not deep and will usually offer no problems.

This test would give us some valuable information. If the knife bends at the fold line or breaks then we know the kami stuck one in on us that he should have reworked and I want to get this information back to Nepal. If the knife holds up okay it tells us that the kami knew the fold line was not deep and would not compromise the strength of the knife which is what I am hoping for.

I could have tested this knife myself to get this information but I would much rather see the knife tested by someone who is independent, honest and thorough, and not associated with Himalayan Imports in any way. Your results are much more believeable than mine even though I try to be as unbiased and honest as I can be.

Uncle Bill

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Bill, no problem. I'll go ahead with it, probably this weekend.

It is worth repeating that your attitude is sure refreshing, its too bad it is so uncommon.

-Cliff

 

[Bill Martino]

Cliff, your tests give all of us valuable information. They tell us what we can expect from a knife if one really needs to use it in a "chips down" situation, if you'll forgive the pun. They further tell us who tells the truth about their products and who doesn't.

I really want to know what that village model is going to do with those heavy fold lines. I classed it a reject because of this and I hope the knife holds up in spite of the flaw but only time and your tests will tell me (us)this.

Uncle Bill