The gift of a Manakamana

RayseM

RayseM

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Feb 18, 2010
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Hi All -

Christmas week I received a gift I never expected to receive. My first Khurkri a Manakamana from Jake - HI's Steely_Gunz

This thread is what started it all -

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1455219-Review-of-Chiruwa-Ang-Khola

Here it is :thumbup:



What a beautiful thing. My wife who is, at the very most, indifferent about all my sharp objects and new tools, upon first seeing it said "That's beautiful" and then she actually picked it up and hefted it and that illicitted a "WOW - very cool" :cool:

SPECS: •18-1/4" OAL • 12+" blade • 3/8" thick spine tapering down to just under 1/4" thick • Weighs in at 1lb/14.25 oz.
Very nicely balanced :thumbup:

Here it is compared to my Bill Siegle Chopper



The Seigle is 16-1/4" oa with a 10-1/2" X 1/4" blade that weighs 1lb/15.85oz. A very different chopper for sure in comparisons to the Manakamana.



Here is what Jake considered when choosing this particular Khukri for me -

"Reading your post, I don't think the KLVUK will be as good of a fit. It's a great all purpose khuk, but it sounds like you need a little more zing in you swing. The KLVUK would be great for lopping smaller stuff, but I think you'll need a little more reach and bite.

Instead, I'm going to send you my Manakamana model. They are pretty rare, but she's obviously been used for hard work, so don't baby her The Manakamana is a really neat combination of capable chopper yet not so dedicated as an AK or GRS. It's like a Siru on steroids with a chiruwa full tang handle. The blade model gets its name from the Hindu goddess of wishing.


I especially like that this one is not all shiny and new. Looks like a happy worker and will continue to be a happy worker.

As you can imagine, I was very moved and grateful to him for his consideration and very generous gift. The deal is, at Jake's request, "The catch, if you like it, please give Yangdu a fair shake and order one from her. Regardless, what I send you is yours to keep." I am thinking that I will take this reciprocity a bit further and buy a new one - Then - Do a comparison of the new to the Manakamana and make a decision of which one suits me best - THEN - one of the two will be set up here in the Cantina as a GAW. Don't hold your breath - won't be until spring but it will happen. :)

I did go out into the back woods today to do a few test chops. I discovered that the Manakamana is very nicely balanced and not at all inclined to side swipe with a careless chop as is the straight and top heavy spined Seigle. Much easier to keep the M on track and even though the Seigle is a bit heavier the M out chops by virtue of the precision. It was a surprise to me how easy it was to adjust to the traditional K grip. Also a surprise was how little steel there is near the handle - becomes quite slender - and so its beauty and my wife's response.:cool:

Here are a few more photos -



This is a piece of the wooded area that I have started to clear. You can see a recent burn remnant and two more brush piles waiting their turn - some day in the near future when there is actually snow on the ground. The day after Christmas and the ground in 43.8763° N latitude is barren of snow. Never would I have imagined such a thing. :confused:



Here is me swinging the new K -



Finally - after more reading than many of you might care to do (sorry) :D

Here is Jake's Original thread with his impressions if you care to read more -

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/963118-Manakamana-Special-Divinity-Incarnate?highlight=Manakamana

Thank you so very much Jake and thank you HI community for your welcome. Glad to be here. I'm betting I won't be able to just own one Khurk. :rolleyes: Any takers?

Cheers, Ray



AND if this doesn't belong in the Cantina but rather in the main HI forum as a product review - please move. No idea what is preferred so I defer...
 
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Wow that thing is insanely nice! Look at those specs! Those handle-pins. It's a winner. I've got to learn more about this model.
 
Can anyone provide more info of the maker or anything else based on these markings and the inscription?





Thanks very much.

Ray
 
Wow a pre-UB! My first time seeing one of those in good detail. That's exquisite. I have no idea who made it.
 
Great gift and post, thank you for sharing
 
What's "pre-UB" and what's a "Gelbu" :confused: :D So much to learn.

Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm Will :thumbup:

Yangdu - you'll be hearing from me for sure.;)


Ray
 
RayseM said:
What's "pre-UB" and what's a "Gelbu" :confused: :D So much to learn.

Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm Will :thumbup:

Yangdu - you'll be hearing from me for sure.;)


Ray
Click to expand...


With the passing of Mr. Bill Martino, The Patriarch of Himalayan Imports "UB" or "Uncle Bill" was added to all Himalayan Imports.
This was before my time but his light still shines here and is quite plain to see!

Gelbu is Gelbu Special - a wonderfully popular model designed by Yangdu's brother if I am not mistaken. It is a very capable model and uses speed rather than weight to chop and cut. It can be seen here and here:
http://yhst-7333098713883.stores.yahoo.net/gelbuspecial.html
http://www.himalayan-imports.com/khuk2.html
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/146707-Gelbu-Special?s=&highlight=review

Hope that helps! Sometimes enthusiasm is all I've got! Love and apologies to the HI family for putting up with me sometimes. I look at 'last post' and it's solid stwm... apologies :)
 
I have one of the earlier Manakamana Specials, made in 2012. It is not a pre-U.B. model. "Uncle Bill" Martinez passed away in 2004 or 2005. I once described my M-S as "like a Sirupati on steroids." It combines the best design features of several of the most popular HI models. Truly, a knife that can do almost everything, from heavy chopping to much finer tasks. I don't think many M-S knives have been made in the past few years.

Here are links to two postings by Yangdu in 2012 when the M-S model first came out. The first posting is about the Manakamana Goddess, and some of its history. A short time afterward, Yangdu arranged for the kamis to visit the Manakamana Temple. The M-S knife was designed and made to commemorate this visit. The second posting is the sale of the first batch of M-S knives.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...kamana-The-Temple-Visits?highlight=manakamana

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...Manakamana-Special-Knife?highlight=manakamana

For most HI knives the initials "U.B." appear at the upper right hand side of the blade, near the bolster. However, sometimes the "U.B." initials are done in the devangari script rather than english letters. I think the longer expression engraved along the side of your blade says "Manakamana Special" in devangari script.

According to Yangdu's posting, Rajkumar Kami made all the early M-S knives. Please post a closeup photo of the left side of the blade near the handle. That's where the kami initials and mark usually appear. (I believe that Lachhu Kami has taken over making this model, since Rajkumar no longer works for HI.)

Rajkumar's kami mark is a pair of twin mountains. You might be able to see it if you expand the first of these two images of a Tarwar sword made by Rajkumar.

Tarwar29in-Rajkumar38oz-01.jpg Tarwar29in-Rajkumar38oz-02.jpg
 
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You are right on all counts davidf99. You can easily see the twin mountains of Rajkumar in the photo below AND Jake received this in 2012 as part of this special series from Yangdu after the kamis visit to the Manakamana Temple. I guess that means that this one also IS NOT a "pre-UB".

Thanks for the added information.




Ray
 
Looks like a fantastic home for the ol' girl, Ray:)

I'm jealous of all the trees and natural space. I hope the knife serves you and yours well:)
 
So cool! Rajkumar's work is outstanding.
HI Farm Knife, you say? I didn't know about that one. Hmmm... without even seeing it I want one!
 
stwm said:
So cool! Rajkumar's work is outstanding.
HI Farm Knife, you say? I didn't know about that one. Hmmm... without even seeing it I want one!
Click to expand...

Oh, you will!! ;)

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...Ganga-Ram-and-Great-Buys?highlight=farm+knife

Or a Farmcata, basically the same, different handle design.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1397228-The-Ugly-Duckling?highlight=Farmcata
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...uta-Pacthar-and-Great-buys?highlight=Farmcata
 
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Really a superb gift. You be a lucky man. Sometimes Jake even out-doos Bawanna at being Mister Nice Guy!
 
Steely_Gunz said:
Looks like a fantastic home for the ol' girl, Ray:)

I'm jealous of all the trees and natural space. I hope the knife serves you and yours well:)
Click to expand...

Yes Jake, this one has found a happy home. A tip of the hat to you my friend for this "really superb gift" . I am a lucky man indeed!

Cool to see where the Seigle likely got its inspiration even if Bill was unaware :). That's what makes it "inspiration" rather than just a good idea.

Having fun.

Ray
 
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