Strap it Where? / How much does a Ghopte weigh?

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youngwood

Joined
Mar 23, 2003
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How do you all carry the longer, I say longer 'cause they're all longer on me -think short sword, khuks in the woods? Without getting hung up in every bush or impaled by the very pointy tip.

I'm guessing this has been asked but I haven't been lucky on the search engine.

Couldn't find weight, handle and blade length of Ghopte balance either? Anybody? Point me in the right direction?
Appreciate.
 
That pointy thing on the end of the scabbard is called a chape. I have fairly long legs and I still get stabbed in the back of the leg with the longer blades. I remove all of the chapes and put a bit of super glue on the sewing along the last half inch to the tip of the scabbard. My wife has a new leather couch and if I put a hole in that, I surely would be in deep troulble. Are you trying to decide on a working khuk or, a good utility knife?

Oh yea, if you heat the chape pretty warm the laha they are stuck on there with will let go of them.
I took mine off with a pair of pliers. I don't want them on there any more any way. :) :)
 
I stuff the khuk in a backpack. Some folks around here don't take a likin' to blades over 1" in length.
 
Shirley,

I usually just wear them on my hip but I'm 6'0 tall so... But I would take Pappy's advice about the chape. I have an 18"AK that rides in a custom sheath (made by a talented forumite named Terry sisco) that is more western in design and has no sharp point---consequently that's the one I choose when doing any work that requires me to bend at the knees alot (or Russian dancing;)).

Bruise's idea is good too but I've had heavier khuks that still had the chape on the scabbard tear right through the bottom or sides of my backpacks:eek:
 
I wrap the scabbard in a cloth and wind wrap the assmebly in some cord. It sorta blunts the sharp end. On the ones I use outside, I tend to remove the brass thingies too.

One of these days I'm going to get Terry Sisco to make a scabbard for me. He made one for Beoram which is absolutely wonderful.
 
Shirley:I'm guessing this has been asked but I haven't been lucky on the search engine.

Couldn't find weight, handle and blade length of Ghopte balance either? Anybody? Point me in the right direction?
Appreciate.


Try this Shirley..... Ghoptes don't come up too often. They apparently come in different sizes. I have one, 18 inches, 22 oz, wood handle. A search in the Himalayan Imports Archives, reveals maybe different lengths.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...d=651798&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending


Hope this helps.
 
I use a pair of socks to carry my 12" Ghopte. I tuck one into the other's toe, then put the Ghopte with its scabbard. This is very comfortable to carry in a bag, as the brass tip is wrapped and buffered. And it looks minimum threatening to non-knife people.

My Ghopte weighs one pound, heavy for its size. I ordered the blade 1/2" thick to give it the best chopping power for its size, and, thanx to master Sanu, the result was quite satisfying.

Hope more and more people come to know and enjoy Ghopte.
 
Shirley-

My wife, Nila, usually uses a 16" sirupati or a 13" villager when she is digging in the flowers, working in the garden & etc. I used to tell her she was short, but she informed me that both of her legs reach the ground! Anyway, she took some old denim jeans that had had it & made a strap that goes from her right shoulder across to her left side; a big loop actually. She sewed some velcro strips instead of sewing the ends together; it looks like a denim belt. With the velcro she can adjust it up or down & etc. When she is working on her knees, she shortens the strap with the velcro & gets the sheath up further under her left arm & out of her way. She also has a couple of Biltons & a couple of 10" to 12" khukuris that get plenty of use gathering/cutting vegetables in the garden. She uses this "strap" arrangement when she is carrying an Ang Kola or something larger also. Terry@the Sarki Shop makes straps, & etc., from leather that are really nice, as well as sheath covers, new sheaths & etc. & he is a really good feller to deal with. He can make just about anything you might design or want to carry a khukuri.
 
DKP--love the velcro baldric idea!

Also, many of the khuks hang so low because the belt loop on the frog is so big, like 4-7 inches. The frog can be modified so that the khuk inn the scabbard rides higher. This may be a bit more work than you want to do.

Also, longer khuks seem easier for me to carry if I hang them off the belt ad the small of the back. Really long ones may still slap the leg, tho.

Keith
 
Originally posted by youngwood
Couldn't find weight, handle and blade length of Ghopte balance either? Anybody? Point me in the right direction?
Appreciate.
Click to expand...

Well I don't know that mine are Ghopte Balance Models, but they are balance models.
It's been a long day and I'm to tired to go dig them out and weigh them right now, but tomorrow's another day and I don't think we have to go anywhere tomorrow.
I'll see about digging them out and putting them on the scale. I know mine are dayumed sure nowhere near a pound, even at 13" oal.
I like 'em for carrying around the local wildlife parks as they will fit in the front pocket of my jeans, that is when I could still get into them.:D
 
Pappy:
"Heat the chape trick" will do that on AK-hubby doesn't like it anyway.

Ics37:
I like you, click and go, makes life easier.

Wrongfriend:
Would you consider it your favorite all-arounder?

DKP:
You are indeed a good man! Does my heart good; you buying your wife all those khuks.Thumbs up- if I knew how.

Thanks all for the ideas, I like the traditional look, so will figure something to cover that nasty pointy thang.
 
The ghopte I got recently weighs about a pound. It's 14" OAL. The horn portion of the handle is 4-1/4 inches. It's a very comfortable knife, begs to be a user. Here's a pic. More ghopte info and pictures in this thread:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=246883

attachment.php
 
I still haven't heard any one say how much money we are talking about. Never mind I'll email Uncle Bill.:)
 
"It's a very comfortable knife, begs to be a user"

Well put Raggy:D Much as I like my Ghopte Balance, I'm giving it away to a friend who needs some cheering up. They won't let him go anywhere, too much responsibility, got him stuck in a cushy office up at our group HQ. Twelve years ago he wasn't so high falootin', he was a ground forward air controller, airborne qualified, jumped into combat with his assigned Army unit. That cushy office is chafing him hard, but he ain't got just one squadron to worry about, he's got six. As the ranking senior enlisted guy in our group, he is the enlisted men's advocate for everything from funding, to training, to equipment, to professional development and recognition. Cushy office indeed, I don't think the young fire breathers can even comprehend, much less appreciate, all that he does for them and their mission. Nope, he ain't going, so there's no way I'd give him one of the donated khukuris, but I can tell you without stuttering, I'm more than happy to give him one of mine.:D

Sarge
 
Pointy chapes:

I kinda like the look of the chapes, and figure that they keep the leather at the tip of the sheath from abrading like the metal applied to the corners of trunks and such. But I don't like getting stabbed by them one bit, either.

I just make them less pointy by filing them down. Usually the scabbard underneath isn't as pointy as they are, and the ends are really hollow. Just fill that space with good epoxy. J B Weld, which is grey when mixed, sticks to metal well, or I've heard Home Depo has epoxy putty with powdered metal in it that may match better. File or sand after drying if sharp edges remain.
 
Raghorn:
Thanks for pic, I like it....in fact I like it alot!!! Gonna ask about one.

Pointy chapes:
The chape being so sharp and pointy, I figure must've had a purpose. So want to keep it and kinda cap it but keep it aesthetically presentable; dunno maybe a clear epoxy cap? Haven't come up with anything workable yet.
 
The chape being so sharp and pointy, I figure must've had a purpose. So want to keep it and kinda cap it but keep it aesthetically presentable; dunno maybe a clear epoxy cap? Haven't come up with anything workable yet.
Click to expand...

You really don't have to file much off to make them stop stabbing you. My two cents is they are that pointy just because it is easier to make them that way, as complex curves are avoided. If you can find epoxy with ground brass in it the aesthetics will be preserved. Unless you look straight at the tip, doesn't matter much anyway. For what it's worth, a picture of a real Nepali village inhabitant showed up here a while ago which depicted him carrying a frogless khuk scabbard slipped a cumberbund and the scabbard had no chape at all. It is probably a matter of debate whether chapes on ordinary working khuks occur on examples not intended for export or tourist consumption.

But as Uncle often says: "It's your knife.":)
 
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