traditional handle design

O

olpappy

Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
1,241
Hi,

bought my first kuks recently and notice that the handle design puts pressure on the inside of my R palm, opposite the 3rd knuckle. After a few minutes the bone becomes uncomfortable, seems to be caused partly by the raised ring in the center, and partly by the fact that the front half of the handle is bigger than the rear half, in both vertical and horizontal directions.

Has anyone else experienced this, or is it just me? My hands are normal as far as I know.

Have seen several threads in forum about sanding down middle ring to make it lower and also making front half of handle smaller, but don't know if anyone has sanded completely flush, and what effect that would have. Interested to know if anyone has done this, and if so, RU happy with the results?

Would expect that a handle design hundreds of years old would be extremely functional. Anyone know why kuk handles are made they way they are?

Or, from the knifemakers out there, an explanation/ analysis of how traditional kuk handle design helps with function?

Thanks
 
try a looser grip
tighter toward the butt,
looser in front of the ring

lots of threads in the past discussing proper grip
various opinions

What works for one not necessarily work for another

M43 is much as you describe without the ring

bottom line
whatever works for you is good

Why?
ring & smaller butt half help keep the hand from sliding forward

Why loose,
more flexibility
less pain from the ring

---------------------------
Chinese straight sword is properly held (at least in some schools)
with a loose-ish grip
with the thumb lapping the two middle fingers
[takes practice]

overall profile of grips similar,
with center large
& cross section diminishing fore & aft

~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<> call me 'Dean' :)-FYI-FWIW-IIRC-JMO-M2C-YMMV-TIA-YW-GL-HH-HBD-IBSCUTWS-TWotBGUaDUaDUaD
<> Tips <> Baha'i Prayers Links--A--T--H--D
 
For me it is not the ring but the fact that the front of the handle is too fat.

The handles on these khukuris is not exactly like the traditional. Much longer and fatter than the originals. I read somewhere (HI site?) that one of the things Uncle Bill did was to make sure the handles were big enough for western hands rather than little Nepalese hands. Unfortunately in my opinion they go overboard with making them big.

What I have found that helps is to sand or file the handle down to where it tapers from the bolster to the raised ring. Keep holding it and testing it as you go so you don't get it too narrow around. Usually you can fix it to where it is perfect for you
 
to add to what's been said - the swell at the end is for a "loose-grip" situation. You'll appreciate it at the end of a long chopping session.

If you keep one or two fingers behind the ring, then you have a fail-proof grip - that'll keep your hand from sliding forward.
 
I filed the ring on my first khuk flush and now regret it. I've tried a new approach with some of my newer babies; instead of sanding down the whole ring, I've just sanded down the part that comes in contact with my palm. A little bit of handle modification is great, the trick is to just go slow and keep testing the grip as you go. Best of luck. :cool:
 
Roadrunner said:
A little bit of handle modification is great, the trick is to just go slow and keep testing the grip as you go. Best of luck. :cool:
Click to expand...
Yup! Another thing is when fileing or sanding down a khuk handle to fit is too make it more egg shaped instead of oval or round. Make the point of the egg at the bottom of the handle. Many of the older HI Khuks handle's were made like that and were very comfortable.
When I rework one I always do it in that configuration but usually with a more pointy egg. For me it helps the grip a very great deal!!!!:D
 
RR - you can alway buy some finer grit paper and cut it into long strips and gently "shoe-shine" the rings. You'll get them to soften up a little and come down in size too.
 
Your hands are malformed...send your knives to my house and I will dispose of them for you so you can get custom ones made by Dan. :D
 
Ignore Nasty. It's a Christmas manic/depression thing. :rolleyes:

By January 2nd, he'll be just fine. :)

By February 1st, he'll be in the middle of planning MWKK05. :D
 
I know we joke a lot, but the holiday blues kill people dead every year. Really and truely.

Technically that's Psyclothymic Personality Disorder. Or it used to be. Nowadays it's been renamed and is called Seasonal Affective Disorder. Probably had something to do with what they used to call cabin fever.

Has a physical basis in lacking exposure to sunlight, thus causing less vitamin D to be produced. In another 5 days we'll be at the winter solistice - The shortest day of the year. Also probably has to do with Christmas which is a stressor, and the end of the old year, start of the new. Bad time for contemplating the meaning of life and assessing that you're just gotten another year older without much to show for it.

Listen just a little kinder, gentler, more caring, and humbly. It's really scary to find out how small an amount of extra attention it takes to make a difference.
 
Point taken. It's an especially appropriate time to be kind and respectful.

(But Nasty is in "Sunny Southern Ohio." I'm the one up by the lake. :( )
 
Cheer up Tom...I'm busy enjoying your share of the Bright, sunny, 12 degree days here. You know you can always drive down to my place for some time in the sun...just don't slip on that oil spill in the garage! :D
 
Or ya can come on down to sunny West Kentucky where it will be 9 degrees on Sunday.

The scoot is in the barn for sure this weekend. :D
 
I hear ya, Semp! I'm just a stone's throw over the Ohio river, and i'm not looking forward to this weekend. Is it just me or was it dang near 60 degrees last week. Whatever happened to easing into winter?;)

Jake
 
Thomas Linton said:
Try gripping with the raised ring between the third and little fingers.
Click to expand...

Daniel Koster said:
If you keep one or two fingers behind the ring, then you have a fail-proof grip - that'll keep your hand from sliding forward.
Click to expand...
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Thanks for the feedback, forumites! A looser grip and slimmer, oval/egg shaped handle will surely improve things.

The most natural grip for me to try first was with 2 fingers behind the ring, because the ring is basically in the middle of the handle length. This is the grip which was putting pressure against the middle finger knuckle.

If I place just 1 finger behind the ring, this puts the "swell' portion of the front handle half square into the palm of my hand, which is more comfortable; the only thing strange about this is that my index and thumb end up halfway onto the bolster, which seems a bit weird. Can't help but think if my hand slips forward, fingers will end up on the blade or in the cho.

Overall the kuk handle shape is not so different from conventional knife handles, the feature which sets it apart is the middle ring, which forces the user to place their fingers to either side, but not on top of it.......the way finger grooves do on some knife handles.

I notice the BDC does not have any ring at all. Any BDC users notice any difference without the ring?

Road Runner, you regretted sanding the ring flush -- what happened when you did so? Flying boomerang kukri knife?
 
olpappy said:
-----------------------------------------------------------
. . .
If I place just 1 finger behind the ring, this puts the "swell' portion of the front handle half square into the palm of my hand, which is more comfortable; the only thing strange about this is that my index and thumb end up halfway onto the bolster, which seems a bit weird. Can't help but think if my hand slips forward, fingers will end up on the blade or in the cho.
. . .
Click to expand...

Unless you stab, there should be little force to cause the hand to move forward. On the contrary, in normal - chopping - use, the force I notice is the forward weight trying to pull the khukuri out of my hand so it can FLY!
 
ddean said:
ring & smaller butt half help keep the hand from sliding forward
Click to expand...

I agree with you Thomas Linton, swinging a kuk most of the force will direct your hand to slip towards the handle butt. If the hand slipping forward is not likely, the function of the ring helps keep it from slipping backward? The swell in the butt seems to do a very nice job of this already.

Anyone have user comments on BDC handles?
 
the BDC handles are great. Same with the M43.
 
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