Special project

Uncle Bill,

I'm thinking of getting an American smith to make a Damascus khukuri blade. Can I get H.I. to fit it with the Hanuman handle/scabbard/side knives? I'm thinking white bone carving and (gasp) silver bolster. How would this work out price wise?

Of course I wouldn't mind if a bunch of us got together and ordered the white Hanumans.

[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 28 August 1999).]
 
Bill Martino

Bill Martino

Joined
Mar 5, 1999
Messages
34,096
Hi goat:

Kami will be here in just over a week. Let's hit him with the idea and see what he thinks.

Uncle Bill
 
Before I ended up with respiratory probs I was thinking of doing a hanuman mold off of my hanuman/WWII and casting ground stag ivory with superglue for a handle for the white monkey whose initials are WM.

But that was before the doctor sent me home with an oxygen tank. Don't know the antler dust had anything to do with it, but can breathe again now and not going to take any chances for a lonnnnnng time.
 
Rusty, I think your problem is due to no smoking -- body doesn't know what to do without all the tobacco smoke.

Uncle Bill
 
T.W.Goat and other interested parties: I have been enquiring with some makers and forgers about a "watered" blade, and may have found the right guy to do the job. No prices yet, but it's a bit more difficult than I thought. Maybe if he had a couple of blades to do at the same time we could catch a slight $$$ break. As to grips I will be interested to hear what Kami has to say. I have a big chunk of mammoth ivory but I don't think it can be safely taken out of the country.
The biggest problem being the blades won't be made by a true kami and therefore will not have the spirit and magic.
Please share your thoughts and ideas.
Thanks guys.

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JP
 
JP,

I got in contact with a ABS journeyman who's willing to do it for about $300 for a 11" long 3/8" thick blade with forged damascus tang. (very tentative price estimate). It might be cheaper if it's 1/4" thick with welded tang of ordinary steel. It's about as good a price as any I've found.

I don't feel it will lack "spirit", it will certainly be a different spirit. But so long as the work is good and authentic, I'm okay with it. At the very least, we have the consolation that the mounting is done in Nepal.

In anycase, who better to make the "White Monkey" khukuri?
wink.gif


[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 29 August 1999).]
 
If we do get this project up and running, we may need a sample blade for our smith to copy. I want to make sure it's authentic as possible.

One problem with damascus khukuris is that it's unsually thick, therefore more expensive when you're talking about pattern welded blades. I wonder if it'd be more cost effective (especially if several are made by the same smith) to sandwich a high carbon core between two damascus layers.

[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 29 August 1999).]
 
Thanks for the info GOAT.
I am a real novice about the process and the steel, but $300 doesn't sound bad. I have a full size pattern I have been showing to get estimates, and since I want to use this mammoth ivory will probably have scale handles made neccesitating a full tang.
Let's stay in touch on this and maybe we can get a couple made.
I'm sure Kami will have some ideas when Bill tells him what we're thinking.


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JP
 
Silver is cheap and easier to work than brass,What is it now;$5. an oz? I don`t know why more do not use it.Silver solder is a walk in the park.

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Kami will be here in about a week. JP will be here to meet him but is arriving same day and Kami will be jet lagged out after a straight thru 12,000 mile journey. But we will see what happens.

Uncle Bill
 
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