Suggestion for HI(Yangdu)

B

bigjim

Joined
May 7, 2005
Messages
434
Here as a relative new comer is my suggestion.

Why not make a Khuk marketed to westerners not so taken with tradition.

Here is my suggestion. A Small, Medium and Large khuk with smooth handles, flat on the sides.
A bolster with a small finger guard. Lose the little tools all together to help make
a better carry Holster ( Thinner) Satin finish. Flat leather holster.

I only speak for myself when I say most of what I buy a HI knife for is the Blade. I love those HI Blades.
The other stuff.......... well not so much. I Know it is a change and I am not avdocating for the old style knives to stop.
I just think it may open up new markets. It could be done with the same skills and tools currently used in production, and
could make for a cheaper knife or one with greater profit in it for the company.

God I would love my pen knife to have a more western style scabard/holster and a longer flat handle.
 
I'm curious about the Nepal side of things... I thought I remembered something about the sarkis and non-traditional (or just special) work being difficult.
 
Dude,
Some of us have done surgery on the sheaths before.
It's actually pretty easy to pull out the loops for the karda and chakma and then cut and resew the leather in the back.
It does make the sheath a lot thinner and more streamlined.
You will need to make the frog smaller though, to hold the new skinnier sheath.

Historical khukuris came in every imaginable configuration, so it's no sin to change the sheath to your liking.
The same goes for handles.
The same goes for chos.

You could even etch Gary Colemans' face on the blade and it would still be a khukuri.

arnoldjethro.jpg


"Whatchou talkin about, Mr Munk??"
 
Sooner or later, it's worth trying to learn leathercraft, if just to try out ideas for sheath designs. Otherwise, pay someone to do it. I doubt if the sarkis are going to change there style much. They've been at it a long time.:yawn:
 
Bri in Chi said:
Sooner or later, it's worth trying to learn leathercraft, if just to try out ideas for sheath designs. Otherwise, pay someone to do it. I doubt if the sarkis are going to change there style much. They've been at it a long time.:yawn:
Click to expand...

You may be correct, then again they have been been bitten by the worlds only true bringer of compassion and change. Capitalism has the power to change anyone.

Being so dissmissive of the HI knife makers ability to adapt to new and changeing markets smacks of disrespect. I am sure you did not mean it that way. But there it is.

Honestly I like the knives as they are, but I am not blind to the flaws either. I think the best and most interesting things are in the future of HI not its past.
 
When I find that HI Khukri that is mine I will simply replace the sheath with a Kydex model from Blade-Tech. This way I still have the Traditional sheath but for camping I will have a sturdy weather resistant quality Kydex sheath.

Best of both worlds and great for capitalism as you get to support 2 great companies.
 
Okay, please don't move this thread because of my OT reply, but:

Thanks for the Arnold photo-brought me back to when I used to watch different strokes...kind of funny that that is the name of the show in a thread about folks who like different khuk styles (strokes?)
 
I think the kamis have amply demonstrated their ability to innovate. There are new designs and variations showing up all the time.

If I want a western style knife there are plenty of sources. On the other hand,if I want a khuk HI offers plenty of choices also,from traditional to unusual.

I really can't say that I buy them just for the blade. I like the traditional features!
 
HI sells so many wonderful designs. And their designs are constantly being updated. And these updates often come from here. Did you see Yvsa's posted pics today with t he bowie design? I don't think there is anyone out there to match them in variety and innovation. We can all collect for years and never be satisfied.

I'd like a more streamlined scabbard too, and I think I'll make a Kydex sheath for some of my knives. That project just sounds fun to me. In Yvsa's pics did you see his scabbard? WOW!!! That was cool. But I appreciate the value in the traditional scabbard too. Nothing could be a better conversation starter. So IMHO I'd want the traditional scabbard at least for that reason alone. But...variety is the spice of life. I just gotta get a FF! Yvsa you got me today!!!!

Andy
 
I personally love the traditional beauty of the blades, but it seems to me that Jim might be right. But HI has already answered the challenge: the Sher special is right up his alley. If that, and variations of that, go on sale (possibly with some of his "westernized" ideas), I think that it would be a very highly marketable knife.
chris
 
bigjim said:
You may be correct, then again they have been been bitten by the worlds only true bringer of compassion and change. Capitalism has the power to change anyone.

Being so dissmissive of the HI knife makers ability to adapt to new and changeing markets smacks of disrespect. I am sure you did not mean it that way. But there it is.

Honestly I like the knives as they are, but I am not blind to the flaws either. I think the best and most interesting things are in the future of HI not its past.
Click to expand...

Jim what you may consider flaws may be what turns the rest of us on.
And the kamis and sarkis *do* have a dislike for change. Hell that's a human condition all over the world and nothing disrespectful at all about it.
When I sent the model over for the Cherokee Rose Bowie the first thing Bura wanted to do was make changes in the design.
It was a major undertaking for Uncle Bill to get Bura to make the Bowie according to the model.
Over time it is gradually evolving more and more to what Bura wanted to do in the first place.
I also sent a model of the sheath for the Bowie. The sarkis paid it absolutely no attention and went on to make the ugly sheath with the big clip point on its top edge.
I designed the sheath to be straight all along its length except for the clip shape at the bottom. That way it would have permitted the frog to be removed and slide on the other side effectively making it a left handed sheath.
Didn't happen.:rolleyes: :grumpy:

You might get what you want made and that's fine.
But if you want it made to your vision you will have to make a model as the kamis don't understand American blueprints as was proven by the original AK Bowies.
It took a wood model to get the one that's sold today and even it has evolved over time.
It no longer has the two beautiful fullers it used to have, now it has only one.:(
 
I suspect HI will continue to respect the past as well as offering innovation for today.


munk
 
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