The Sher 'attitude' Special

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Mar 22, 2002
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This KLO is 18" or so long and weighs a little over 22 ounces. It has no cho, the area is ground flat for 2 full inches from the traditional bolster until the edge of the knife emerges abruptly 1/2" out. The base of the blade is about 1 1/4" wide before this, and about 1 3/4" wide for the entire length until about 3 inches from the tip, where it tapers. This gives the Sher Special a business look, utilitarian and even formidable. The tip has an upwards cast, and martial artists will find this appealing because it offers more fighting options. The spine is almost 5/16" thick. A machette on steroids? Kind of, but different too. The forward curve of the blade is gentle, without the abrupt change as in so many khuks, and more like a Hanshee or Yangdu special. It forms a single smooth seamless line. Very appealing. It is not a sharp angle though, about like a Sirupate.

The Sher 'attitude' design comes with no small tools, no Karda or Chakma. The sheath then is very slender, significantly more so than other Khuks offered by HI.
Try 1 5/8" vs 2 1/3" for my FF and 2 1/2" for my Chiruwa AK.

At 22 ounces I wondered how it would cut. 18" length gives it leverage, but still, it only weighs 22 1/2 ounce. Outside in the woodpile there were many seasoned Ponderosa Pine logs. I went to work. Chop chop. Chips flew. It chops. I thought, 'Gee, this might cut better than the slightly heavier FF." But I was wrong. You can't suspend Newton's laws. The Sher Special cuts about like the FF. I brought the Chiruwa out for comparison, and there wasn't much; the lighter blades will do the work, the heavier Chiruwa does it better.

The proof test of swinging hard, as if I were planning on cutting through the entire log, showed no deformations of any kind. The edge held.

I then attacked the Chokecherry shrubs in the yard. This blade cut them clean and easy. The inner curve seemed to bundle the 1/4" to 1" stems and wouldn't let them escape, as can happen in the larger, wood chopping specific khuks. So this blade then both chops wood and defeats shrubbery. It would help Satori in his war against the Blackberries. Another thing- it wants to swing; I didn't want to put it down. I had to stop cutting in my yard so I'd still have Chokecherries next year, but will visit a thicket later today. Some khuks are like this- they want to be used.

The handle is straight grained wood with the lines and check markings found on the Chitlangi. The end swells like the Chitlangi. The handle is not thin nor thick around. It has more material near the thumb and forefinger, tapers towards the middle, and swells outward once again at the bell. People who think some HI khuks have fat handles that are too big will like this one. People who think some HI handles are too thin will like this one. This is about as good to a 'one size fits all' that you can get.

Lately I've been experimenting with backpacking and hiking khuks. There is a tradeoff in size and weight, and if you go too small the khuk won't chop very well. This blade will chop, and it will clear trail or backyard of vines and shrubs. I like this.

The blade is versatile. It is light enough to carry and in a slender package. I'm going to be reaching for it when I hike with the family. It's hard to see how you could find a better all around outdoor blade.

I think Yangdu will come by shortly and post a picture.


thanks,
munk
 
That sounds nice. Good review. Have we seen it yet on any of the Daily Specials? I can't remember. Is this soon to be offered as a standard item? Inquiring minds want to know. ;)

Jeff
 
10-27-05-5.JPG


I don't have a full picture of this Knife.
Sorry
 
Miss Yangdu do you have a full picture of the whole knife? If so will you please post it?
 
This should show as large a pic as I can put up. It would be a lot smaller if I had to reduce it to the 100 Kb limit I have.:(
70ca.jpg
 
Thanks to Yvsa, who as he has many times before, gone out of his way for the forum.

Now I want to know what you guys think of a cho-less khuk with a mean sweep to it.



munk
 
Hey- there's no Sword of Shiva, either. Just noticed. So much for the trained observer.

I wonder if the Kamis still do a blessing on it?



munk
 
Yvsa, I can't see that picture. Would you mind reposting or maybe sending it so someone else? I'd love to see this one!

Thanks,

Nam
 
I can see it. I just realized what it looks like, imagine a giant straight razor with a point and gentle forward curve...


The Himalayan razor.


munk
 
namaarie said:
Yvsa, I can't see that picture. Would you mind reposting or maybe sending it so someone else? I'd love to see this one!

Thanks,

Nam

Nam, try putting this url into your browser address line...
70ca.jpg


If that don't work I don't know what else to try, sorry.:(
 
Interesting! I'd like to hold it and see how it balances. But tell us where you got it. Is this something you asked Yangdu to make? Is it a one-off? How did you come up with the design, or did Sher do it on his own?

I really like the Chitlangi handle but with white metal instead of brass. Good all-around size too, and excellent scabbard. I have often thought that I would like to see more designs without the karda and chakma and a slimmer scabbard, or just a single larger karda.

Thanks for any info.

Norm
 
Thanks Munk and Yangdu. That one sure is nice! It has a very agressive, but smooth look to it. And that big dull spot by the bolster would give you more gripping options, distance from the blackberry bush you want to kill, and probably move the center of gravity a little forward. That grip is also nice, as is the white metal. Man, this could definately be the pack-light go-to khuk. And, I bet, a great fighter. Sure is a radical design! I like it!

Nam
 
It's a huge curved drop point! There's a one of a kind for sure...
 
Thanks, Yangdu. !!

Norm, Yangdu sent it to me to test. I had no idea what was coming.
It really does look like a giant straight razor that's been bent and a point added. The balance is slightly different. As I said; you want to chop. It wants to move. I really like it. It is different from my 19" Chitlangi, and come to think of it, that is what I should have been comparing it to. Too much going on today.


It's going to take a little longer then time spent on a wood pile to get to know it.

The Chitangi is 25 oz, and 19.5" . The wood portion of the handle, and that doesn't include the end cap or long habaki bolster, is 5 1/4" long. The 'Razor' is 4 1/4" long. So the chitlangi is going to balance different. The actual blade on the Razor is 13"; on the Chit, 12"

I hope this helps.

munk
 
Man, the more I look at it, the more I like it. I sure hope this joins the line-up!

Nam
 
I'm wondering about this.

The edge extending past the ricasso like that is interesting. My first thought is that it's a method of getting the balance shifted past where it ought to be. Of course, one could merely extend the edge out more smoothly (GRS?) and possibly come up with a similar balance, but what would that look like?

Interesting.
 
Definitely unique, definitely looks like a razor. Maybe its designed to shave a Yeti. ;)

From your field report it sounds like it'll make a great machete that can do some work Munk. Reminds me of Howard's GS prototype (Udiparar (?)) in that it seemed to draw the stems when cutting them.

Bob
 
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