They Don't Like Khukuris

M

munk

Joined
Mar 22, 2002
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Well, it was just something in the livingroom, like a magazine.
I had a nice visit with a couple of friends from Southern California. Tom is a super hunter. He lives for it. Reloader, trains his own bird dog, custom cartridges, etc etc. I met him when working for the Gun Store. So sure he likes knives. Been around them all his life- he worked on a farm in Minn. All around good guy.

I trot out a wonderful Sher Baby Ganga Ram. Convex edge. Thick spine. Well done Karda and Chakma.

He looks, puts in back in the sheath, and that's it. I had ten more waiting if he'd shown the slightest interest.
"You collect these or what?" He asked.
He wanted to know the explanation for the occupied space in my gun safe.
"Sort of." I said. It was a sort of day.

After they left I said to my eight year old son, "he didn't like khukuris very much."


"Nope," he said sadly and matter of factly, "he didn't"
We both understood it just wasn't there. The excitement. The utility. The fun, the hard work; no light came on in Tom's eyes.

So, it is understood some people get it and some do not.
This handcrafted thing of wood and steel and the great beauty; no, some do not.


munk
 
Perhaps he would have liked a kobra though? or something else perhaps?

After all I dont like all kukris, but I still find plenty I love! ;)

Perhaps hes just not held the right one is his paw?

Spiral
 
Maybe it has to do with the fact that although exotic blades are not an uncommon thing to run across, quality exotic blades are tough to find. I remember just a few years back looking at a khuk at a flea market that had been stamped out of soft junkie indian steel. ya know, the kind that looks right at home cozied up next to some wild fantasy blade from Kerplakistan or something. The thing screamed "Junk!" I never gave khuks a second though until i heard about HI. i figured i'd give Uncle Bill's a try...haven't looked back:) Does your friend understand that these are the real deal? I know several hunters that just don't get the khukuri thing either. my uncle for one. Great guy, uberhunter, loves to laugh. I showed him my khuks and he just shyed away from the big blades. The bilton, jkm, and YCS kardas he loved. He even though that the kerambit would be good for unzipping deer, though he'd probably repture the guts with it. He did like the ring on it. Just like a bird and trout knife.
I guess long story short is that not everyone can see what we see. I seem to think the real magic of HI khuks is 1 part khuk and 3 part community. Knives are knives whether they really are magic or not. It doesn't matter. get a couple dozen of us together talking and sharing stories and posting reviews and you'd think you could split the sun with an HI khuk.

Jake
 
Just one of the many people in this day and age(and really in any time, but moreso in the modern mass produced age), who don't appreciate the ownerhsip of something truly made by hand, and the part of the essence of the maker trapped in something made by a true craftsman doing something not just because they have to, to pay the bills, but because they enjoy it(though we sure help those at BirGhorka pay the bills too,a nd I"m happya bout that :) )

Course, once you try to make or modify your own, you get the same thing, but worse, as you not only appreciate the work of a craftsman, but have felt some of that magic yourself. Of shpaing wood an dsteel, taking raw materials, and having them obey your command(or more often, for me, not obey ;) ) and become somethign that was only pictured in your head before you put it to "paper", in this case steel, wood, horn, leather, wahtever.

Not completely fair of course, as it's somewhat biased. I know guys who don't appreciate something like an HI Khuk, even knowing it was hand crafted by a master at this job, but will drool over a hand carved walnut cabinet, or something like that.

It takes all kinds. Some just don't get it. Doens't make them less of a person, necessarily, but they are missing out on something special.
 
Spiral, I started to show him my Kobra; he told me not to even pull it out. ETP has it exactly right:

,,,,<<<It takes all kinds. Some just don't get it. Doens't make them less of a person, necessarily, but they are missing out on something special>>>>


munk
 
A friend was looking at a 25" Kobra that I gave to another friend for his birthday.. he admired it for a while, and then said affirmatively: "but this is kind of a fake that they make for tourists, isn't it?" :) :) :) :) I just said: "you are very wrong"
 
It's sad. I can sit in my den for 2 hours just holding my khuks and communing with them, so to speak. I try to point out the exquisite details in workmanship, a carved handle, horn inlay, a perfectly curved back edge, a well fitted scabbard, but my wife just doesn't get it. My son is respectful of them, but bemused at the same time; he doesn't see what all the enthusiasm is about.

Only my 15 year old daughter, bless her soul, seems to understand. She helps me measure and weigh them, and can tell me the Kami names by their initials. She also is getting better at identifying the blade types. Her favorite I think is a little royal dhankuta with a spotted horn handle. Come to think of it, she is also the only one who seems to appreciate my gun collection, as well as the old first edition books I have collected. She has a sense of time and history that my wife and son seem to lack, despite being older. I have privately given her a list of some things that I never want her to sell: my 21" Chitlangi and Birghorka 18" Gelbu Special; a matched pair of Randall 1-8 and 2-8 knives in white micarta, a much customized Colt Series '70 1911, and a list of various books with great sentimental value.

I would rather everything I had went to strangers who truly appreciated the various articles rather than just languish unappreciated in a collection that someone happened to inherit.

It makes me sad that my son seems to care so little for what should be part of his legacy, but then again he is blessed by being the most non-materialistic person I know. He would just as soon give away everything he owns and the concept of "collecting" anything is kind of alien to him I suspect. I also suspect that his viewpoint is the healthier of the two; certainly the more spiritual. I just want him to value some of the old things that were passed down from my father that he should know of and respect.

Regards,

Norm
 
I wish my kids had that perspective. They used to ask me, "Dad, when you die, can I have your ______?"

My standard reply was, "What makes you think you're going to outlive me?"
 
I've got a couple of shotguns, and a couple of knives, that I wish my daughters or grandsons appreciated. The younger daughter tried to share my enthusiasm, but failed. Nice of her to try. The grandsons...well, they just aren't that interesting as people as of yet. Maybe they will come around, but for now, they are nice enough, just ... er...dunno...generic maybe?

One of the shotguns is an AYA single trigger 20 guage double in improved and modified. Vent rib, and automatic ejector...balanced like a dream. I can tell you when and how each small nick and mark was made on it, and go on from there about that day's hunting.

It will survive me and darned if I don't regret that in some strange way, because no one I now know will love it the way I do. Silly, I know.



Kis
Enjoy each sandwich.
 
Well, to the untrained eye a khukuri might just look like a huge, clunky knife. They don't see that they can be used to cut most anything under then sun.
 
you got some great kids there, Norm.


Love it when the kids get involved.
 
Kismet-
Know how you feel.......gotta a few doubles that I really worry about when I am not around to talk to them, & keep the grease & oil in the right places, & watch the birds falling over the muzzles........same with some of these khukuris. Some are really good, useable blades.......I don't worry about them, just the special ones that talk to you.
 
I'm lucky, Kismet; both my older sons appreciate Khuks and firearms. The oldest in particular has a great liking for Khuks.

I'm impressed by the kid that tried to like what Dad did.


munk
 
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