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Here's a not so good copy of the FAX I sent to Kami a couple of days back about the tang failures. Probably the only one who can read it will be Sonam but you can see the sketches I made -- I think. I called again last night and here is an update.
Kami took this FAX down to the shop and showed it to the kamis. Although most could not read it they certainly could understand the sketches and what had happened. Amazingly they were not surprised. Here's what they had to say.
About one in a thousand village khukuris will fail the same way in the same place. It is not the fault of a grind mark but accidental hardening of the upper portion of the tang.
They did not try to deny the failure or mistake on their part, saying only this failure was due to their being hurried. Here is the fix they proposed. To take extra care when hardening -- don't pour the water too fast and take great care not to pour any water on the tang. Additional measure -- make the tang bigger by about a half. Knowing the kamis as I do I know if something breaks they love to make it bigger so I suggested this. One of the kamis commented, "that American bena might make a decent kami."
Kami, the boss, asked them why they would ever hurry in the making of a village khukuri. One told this little story. "Ram Bahadur came over to my shop a few years back and told me he needed a khukuri right away. Somebody stole his and he had work that needed to be done. I told him to come back tomorrow and I would have his khukuri ready. He told me he wanted it today. So, while he waited for half a day I made his khukuri. Next day he came back very angry. The tang had broken just like Bena's sketch. He asked me why it broke. I told him it was because he made me hurry. I told him if he wanted a good khukuri come back tomorrow. He said okay. I took my time and made a good khukuri. Ram Bahadur is still using it after five or six years. When you hurry this is what happens."
The kami is right.
As I write this brother-in-law Gelbu is on a week long recruiting effort, trying to hire five or six more kamis for shop 2 so the hurry factor can be at least cut down. He also alerted shop 1 to the tang failure of their 20 inch Sirupati and they are taking corrective procedures.
Lastly, the kamis welcomed any comments, suggestions and ideas from us and sent their assurance they would try to comply with any requirements we might have. I wondered why this turn around in attitude and had to finally chalk it up to decent pay.
I think the problem is going to be solved so take heart!
Uncle Bill
Here's a not so good copy of the FAX I sent to Kami a couple of days back about the tang failures. Probably the only one who can read it will be Sonam but you can see the sketches I made -- I think. I called again last night and here is an update.
Kami took this FAX down to the shop and showed it to the kamis. Although most could not read it they certainly could understand the sketches and what had happened. Amazingly they were not surprised. Here's what they had to say.
About one in a thousand village khukuris will fail the same way in the same place. It is not the fault of a grind mark but accidental hardening of the upper portion of the tang.
They did not try to deny the failure or mistake on their part, saying only this failure was due to their being hurried. Here is the fix they proposed. To take extra care when hardening -- don't pour the water too fast and take great care not to pour any water on the tang. Additional measure -- make the tang bigger by about a half. Knowing the kamis as I do I know if something breaks they love to make it bigger so I suggested this. One of the kamis commented, "that American bena might make a decent kami."
Kami, the boss, asked them why they would ever hurry in the making of a village khukuri. One told this little story. "Ram Bahadur came over to my shop a few years back and told me he needed a khukuri right away. Somebody stole his and he had work that needed to be done. I told him to come back tomorrow and I would have his khukuri ready. He told me he wanted it today. So, while he waited for half a day I made his khukuri. Next day he came back very angry. The tang had broken just like Bena's sketch. He asked me why it broke. I told him it was because he made me hurry. I told him if he wanted a good khukuri come back tomorrow. He said okay. I took my time and made a good khukuri. Ram Bahadur is still using it after five or six years. When you hurry this is what happens."
The kami is right.
As I write this brother-in-law Gelbu is on a week long recruiting effort, trying to hire five or six more kamis for shop 2 so the hurry factor can be at least cut down. He also alerted shop 1 to the tang failure of their 20 inch Sirupati and they are taking corrective procedures.
Lastly, the kamis welcomed any comments, suggestions and ideas from us and sent their assurance they would try to comply with any requirements we might have. I wondered why this turn around in attitude and had to finally chalk it up to decent pay.
I think the problem is going to be solved so take heart!
Uncle Bill
