- Joined
- May 9, 2002
- Messages
- 12,680
Karma has a funny way of landing things in our laps. I sharked one of the first round Tibetan knives. I asked Yangdu to just send me any ol' one that was left over so that first-timers and baby sharks could get the knife that called out to them. If you twisted my arm, I probably would have asked for #9...but really any of them would get a welcome addition to the "family".
My chipper mail carrier dropped off the triangular package this morning. As always, I eagerly tore into it. I've opened dozens of these, and I still go after them like a kid at Christmas
After pulling off a copious amount of newspaper wrapping, I found my treasure nestled in there. Staring back at me was the keeper "eye" of Tibetan knife #9
Sure it was only a 1 in 9 chance that Yangdu would pick out my favorite, but factor in the number of guys and gals sharking and picking out other numbers left and right...well these things have a way or working out I guess
Let me just say that these little beauties drip soul. They feel both substantial in the hand yet alive. I don't know if that is due to that balance or the use of nickle/silver that makes up their grip. They don't feel fragile, but they feel like they have a "give" to them. I don't know how to explain it short of it feels like the knife breathes when you grip it.
Here's a pic of it next to the tourist version that Yangdu was kind enough to send me some time back.
As you can see, besides both of them being roughly the same blade shape and somewhat ornate, there is no comparison. While the tourist version is designedly garish, the HI version has a handmade regal look. There is no getting around that this was a handmade knife. Where the tourist model has a lot of "perfect" castwork, the HI version is filled with obvious hand designed decoration. Slight imperfections in the silver only add to the charm. You can tell that the artist was making up a story as he crafted the scabbard and grip. Mine has two fish at the pommel of the knife with a swirling chaos of waves and lines running down the scabbard. Could it mean to depict the up-stream difficulties of life? Does each of the 4 dots of corral or amethyst represent a mile marker? Am I reading too much into this?
It doesn't matter. I like to think it tells a story...so it does
Also, check out this wire wrap
The blade is exquisite. Perfectly forged and with just the slightest bit of a touch up would shave the total length of the edge. A tang that could have easily just been epoxied into the hilt goes all the way through and is peened over. So while this was never designed to be a hard use survival knife, I believe that it could serve many generations as effect up close and personal demon slayer
Thank you so much Yangdu, the Prince, and the rest of HI. It's a gorgeous knife
The only thing I am bummed about (and this is not HI's fault) but USPS must have jostled my package enough to cause two of the stones on the back of the scabbard to fall off in transit. I found one of them, the other is MIA. It's no matter though. Stone will fall out. What I loose today, someone will find in the future.
My chipper mail carrier dropped off the triangular package this morning. As always, I eagerly tore into it. I've opened dozens of these, and I still go after them like a kid at Christmas
After pulling off a copious amount of newspaper wrapping, I found my treasure nestled in there. Staring back at me was the keeper "eye" of Tibetan knife #9 Sure it was only a 1 in 9 chance that Yangdu would pick out my favorite, but factor in the number of guys and gals sharking and picking out other numbers left and right...well these things have a way or working out I guessLet me just say that these little beauties drip soul. They feel both substantial in the hand yet alive. I don't know if that is due to that balance or the use of nickle/silver that makes up their grip. They don't feel fragile, but they feel like they have a "give" to them. I don't know how to explain it short of it feels like the knife breathes when you grip it.
Here's a pic of it next to the tourist version that Yangdu was kind enough to send me some time back.
As you can see, besides both of them being roughly the same blade shape and somewhat ornate, there is no comparison. While the tourist version is designedly garish, the HI version has a handmade regal look. There is no getting around that this was a handmade knife. Where the tourist model has a lot of "perfect" castwork, the HI version is filled with obvious hand designed decoration. Slight imperfections in the silver only add to the charm. You can tell that the artist was making up a story as he crafted the scabbard and grip. Mine has two fish at the pommel of the knife with a swirling chaos of waves and lines running down the scabbard. Could it mean to depict the up-stream difficulties of life? Does each of the 4 dots of corral or amethyst represent a mile marker? Am I reading too much into this?
It doesn't matter. I like to think it tells a story...so it doesAlso, check out this wire wrap
The blade is exquisite. Perfectly forged and with just the slightest bit of a touch up would shave the total length of the edge. A tang that could have easily just been epoxied into the hilt goes all the way through and is peened over. So while this was never designed to be a hard use survival knife, I believe that it could serve many generations as effect up close and personal demon slayer
Thank you so much Yangdu, the Prince, and the rest of HI. It's a gorgeous knife
The only thing I am bummed about (and this is not HI's fault) but USPS must have jostled my package enough to cause two of the stones on the back of the scabbard to fall off in transit. I found one of them, the other is MIA. It's no matter though. Stone will fall out. What I loose today, someone will find in the future.
