The Cherokee Rose -- Sanu's version

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

Joined
Mar 5, 1999
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Sanu has come closer to the model than Bura did as you can probably tell by the pix. Knife is 20.25 inches and weighs 29 ounces. Without calipers blade looks to be a few thou over 1/4 inch. POB looks is about two inches ahead of bolster. Bro is right. This knife feels more like a pound in the hand, rather than the almost two that it actually is. I did touch this blade with the file because I wanted to see if Sanu had the upper edge hard -- he does. Bro will sharpen away my file marks anyway. I "think" the handle is chandan and very nicely done. There are a couple of very tiny dings on the upper forward edge of the guard where I'd guess Sanu may have brushed it against a grinder. Leave or work out -- not very noticeable.

Sanu makes the best straight blade of anybody at BirGorkha, including Bura, and perhaps better than anybody in Nepal.

The scabbard is two layer leather. Hard buff hide on inside and soft brown leather on outside. Looks like the village sarki nailed it pretty good.

The hard leather has put some very faint lines on the blade which can be buffed to magic stone mirrow finish in maybe 3 or 4 minutes.

I won't offer any more comments and will wait for Bro's detailed evaluation.

Two pieces will fly today, Bro, with any luck. If not today then tomorrow. My Nepali shipping staff has disappeared completely. Vikash is in Las Vegas and I don't know where Yangdu has gone so I'm running it alone.

No price or orders until Bro has time to put up his opinions.
 

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As pictured, by Sanu, price be hanged. Debt is good. Will you take a second mortgage on a small dog?
 
Sanu's version looks a lot closer. I really like it.And that handle looks really comfy.
 
It really is a beauty but I've got to let Bro say that.

I don't think the dust bunnies would get along with a small dog.
 
WOWEEE!:eek:

I would say that is pretty stinking close to the model.

Uncle,
How is the tang held on there?
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino
It really is a beauty but I've got to let Bro say that.
Click to expand...

Now that looks much more like it!!!!:cool:
I can hardly wait until these get to me so I can check them out!!!!

Dave the handle has a small steel keeper, almost like a washer that the tang is peened over on.
The handle will never come off unless someone wants to take it off for some reason or another although I can't understand why anyone would if it's as good as Bura's handle and Sanu's does "look" better even though I can't explain why.:D

I believe everyone will love the handle on these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Oops...I said "tang"...I meant Guard!!!:o

Sorry about that...I am still going on from what seems like a 72 hour day from last week.
 
I think you're gonna like the scabbard better, too, Bro.

The knife feels very light and easy in the hand -- good handle. It is very quick for a knife of that size and weight.
 
Originally posted by SamuraiDave
Oops...I said "tang"...I meant Guard!!!:o

Sorry about that...I am still going on from what seems like a 72 hour day from last week.
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No problem Dawi.;)

The guard on the Bura model shows a nice line of laha under the very narrow seam. Bura got the guard fitted better on the real deal even better than I had it on the model and that was with filling the small gaps with plastic wood.
I s'ppose if a man wanted to he could carefully drill an 1/8" hole or two and pin the guard in place although I don't think it will ever need it unless you just absolutely beat the hell outta it.:)
Even then I think it would take one helluva lot to loosen the guard.
 
Sanu used a little filler where the handle meets the guard -- I think the fine edges got chipped a little.
 
OOOOOH NICE!!!!!:D

My guess is that we will see BOTH the prototype AND the Sanu version hit production(pending Yvsa's decision(s)). I for one like both the sabre grind and this one:)
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino
I think you're gonna like the scabbard better, too, Bro.

The knife feels very light and easy in the hand -- good handle. It is very quick for a knife of that size and weight.
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Bro the only fault I really found with the prototype sheath is that the sarki made the outline the same shape as the knife when it was meant to be straight all the way down except for the clip area, but that's something we can live with.
This sheath sounds more like a real scabbard with the hard buff leather inside and that's a real plus.
Anyone wanting to make the scabbard left hand can just unlace the frog, turn it to the opposite side and lace it back up making it a left hand model which is why I made it straight all the way down to begin with. Nepal Ho!!!!;)

The prototype isn't a slouch when it comes to speed either even with the extra weight it packs.
It likes 1 ounce being 2 pounds and sure doesn't feel like it.
I still haven't got around to testing it except to cut air, but this weekend is supposed to be back up int0o the higher 60's again so maybe I will be able to do a little backyard testing with it if nothing else.
I had to go to my acupuncturist yesterday because my left hip was absolutely about to make me sweat tears!!!!
He fixed me right up and the little gals down at Cardiac Rehab let me get on a set down stair stepper today instead of the stationary bike, I hate pedaling my arse 3 miles while just setting in one place ;), and it hasn't hurt me today.
So if tomorrow and Sunday bring some decent weather and I feel as good as I do today maybe I can get something done with it.
I'm just sort of leary about doing any hard stabs into hard wood since the clip area isn't all that hard. I wouldn't want it to do like Dave K's Katar did, but I will see what happens in softer wood being very careful if I do step up to the harder wood.

I haven't forgotten the folder either it's just taiking time like everything else right now.
I did barely remove the burr from the edge and have been using it to cut packages open as well as peeling some fruit, the little Opinel No.8 works better for that though, but then it's only about half as thick.
I used Bura's folder as an ice pick the other day and it done fine with no indications of wanting to close up while doing it and that's something most slip joints won't do well, but Bura's did fine!!!!:)

Oh and by the way.... Remember I told you when I first saw the folder that the slab handles looked like that Elk Antler Rusty gave Pala?:p ;)
I couldn't envision it being the Nepali deer as I figured the deer antlers would be way to small.:)

Oh and thanks for the nice things everyoine has said about this CR that Sanu has made.
I'm just hopeing that they're indeed as good as this one looks!!!!
And if they test out like I think they will we'll be ready for orders to begin in earnest, not that they haven't already.:)
 
Seems trite to restate the obvious, but so much love and sweat has gone into the Scagle ( Cherokee Rose ) Bowie that if Yvsa approves this version I'm going to have to get me one.

I just feel like Bro's dna has been worked into it's steel. There's a part of him in it to touch when I handle it. Bet when you drop it it lands point down between your toes just to tease you.
 
Wow!! Okay. .. this moves up to the top of my "must get list" for sure. ...

Sanu sure did a great job and Yvsa's design just demands your attention :D . Great job to both!

Alan
 
Bro, maybe you can ID that wood. It's the same wood Berk's handle is made from and I guessed chandan but it's been so long since I've seen chandan I'm not really sure. It looks like it's there to stay for awhile whatever it is.

We got them in the air an hour or so back -- with luck Monday in Catoosa.
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino
Bro, maybe you can ID that wood. It's the same wood Berk's handle is made from and I guessed chandan but it's been so long since I've seen chandan I'm not really sure. It looks like it's there to stay for awhile whatever it is.

We got them in the air an hour or so back -- with luck Monday in Catoosa.
Click to expand...

Bro I'm not sure I could identify Chandan or not since I've only seen it and handled it once, and that for just a short time.
I will do my best though. Is there any chance it may be the Shorea Robustea(sp?)?
A few of the 1st khukuris I got from H.I. may be this kind of wood, but I always thought it was a type of Rosewood from the way it looked. I know it's beautiful and hard and it would be nice to see another long run of khukuris handled with this wood. The straight grain is beautiful in of itself, but when you get a piece with some really nice grain it is Outstanding!!!!

I sorta find it hard to believe that Pala would let any knives out of BirGhorka handled with the Chandan though, due not only to it's tendency to crack really, really bad as it did the 1st and, because of that, the supposedly last time, but also due to the cost of the wood itself.
It would be much more valuable ground up and sold as incense if it's truly Chandan would it not?
 
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