Two Picture and Stats Requests

warty · Mar 8, 2010

I am hoping that somebody here will do me the favor of telling me the stats for the Manjushree Sword? I have some nice pix of it but is it double edged? Can you tell me how long it is? Blade length? Sure, more pix are fine...

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Next request is for the Kopis. Can somebody post up a nice picture or two or three of one and tell me the stats for it?

I really appreciate any help anyone gives me. Thanks in advance! (TIA):thumbup:

Wolf_1989 · Mar 8, 2010

H.I. Kopis also called the Bhairab:

25.5" overall length
18.5" blade length

Weight - 5 lbs

Blade is just a hair over 0.5" at it's thickest point.

It's the 2nd one from the top; between the Tarwar and the 26" Chitangi:

warty · Mar 8, 2010

Hmmm.. they no longer make those, right?

I wonder if one can be made without the fancy handle? I shall ask Yangdu, when the money is available.

Thanks Wolf 1989!

stickfred · Mar 8, 2010

One of those Bhairabs (HI's name for this Kopi copy) showed up on a DOTD 2-3 months ago. There is one for sale on the exchange right now. Certainly, check with Yangdu about a plain handle. She takes care of all of us.

Rick

Ryan M · Mar 8, 2010

I do not know the exact size of the Manjushree sword, but I have a Dukti, which I believe differs only in the fuller, handle, and guard. My Dukti, made by Bura, is 27.5" long, 20.25" of which are the blade, and 28.5 ounces. It's about 0.20" thick and almost precisely 1.50" broad. It balances 6" ahead of the guard, very far foward for such a light blade. It and the Manjushree are both double edged.

One thing you'll notice is the blade is very stiff compared to "modern" reproduction swords, which I've always thought were too much like Wuxia movie floppy noodles. Historical, pre-firearm swords of nearly all cultures were very stiff, probably since no one was dumb enough back then to think that being able to bend a sword in a vise was a mark of quality. One importer of Filipino blades has told the smiths to make their kampilans more flexible for the Western market, which they really hated to do. It totally screws up the cut, you can't chop off heads with a floppy noodle!

Both my HI swords are very stiff, without being brittle or fragile in the least. Definitely more functional than swords I can bend some number of degrees in a vise.

There were also 2 Duktis made by Sher, that sold last year. They were the same length, but around 37 ounces IIRC. They looked much broader, maybe 2".

And I can't think of any reason why they couldn't make you one with a plain handle (Manjushree or Kopis). That'll probably drop the price a little.

warty · Mar 8, 2010

Actually I am having a Manjushree made now which prompted the questions... I am also wanting a Dukti eventually and neither of these will have a plain handle. I only mentioned plain handles because I was under the impression the Kopis/Bhairabs weren't made any more but maybe I am wrong. I am still new to all of this...

Thanks folks!

warty · Mar 8, 2010

Actually I am having a Manjushree made now which prompted the questions... I am also wanting a Dukti eventually and neither of these will have a plain handle. I only mentioned plain handles because I was under the impression the Kopis/Bhairabs weren't made any more but maybe I am wrong. I am still new to all of this...

Thanks folks!

BTW, there are some many "sale forums" here I couldn't find it...

Wolf_1989 · Mar 8, 2010

Ryan M said:
One thing you'll notice is the blade is very stiff compared to "modern" reproduction swords, which I've always thought were too much like Wuxia movie floppy noodles. Historical, pre-firearm swords of nearly all cultures were very stiff, probably since no one was dumb enough back then to think that being able to bend a sword in a vise was a mark of quality. One importer of Filipino blades has told the smiths to make their kampilans more flexible for the Western market, which they really hated to do. It totally screws up the cut, you can't chop off heads with a floppy noodle!

My favorite repro sword is a viking sword by Generation2. It probably has the most 'stiff' blade of any repro I've ever owned or handled; a nice stout solid 5160 blade. I can hold it out with the blade flat and there's almost no visible sag. On the other hand every Windlass sword I've ever experienced has been super whippy.

Cpl Punishment · Mar 9, 2010

If it's kopis you like, there is a plainer version, called the Falcata (Celtic sword much like a kopis that developed around the same time frame, most likely completely independent of each other. At the top:

Ryan M · Mar 9, 2010

My favorite repro sword is a viking sword by Generation2. It probably has the most 'stiff' blade of any repro I've ever owned or handled; a nice stout solid 5160 blade.

I believe Generation2 swords are hand-forged in the Phillippines? Seems like there and Nepal are the biggest exporters of swords made by smiths who still know what it takes to make a good fighting blade.

warty · Mar 9, 2010

Cpl, that was actually the sword I was thinking about, sorry for the confusion. Thank you for the picture too.

I hope someday to add a Falcata, Giant Bowie and many other swords to the Himalayan collection.
All it takes is time and money I suppose, time I have....

what are the bottom two in your picture CP?

b.c.molin · Mar 16, 2010

This is the first Manjushree Sword produced by HI, made by Sher The Tiger Kami and sold to it original owner Ben Sweet on 11-15-2004.

It is 27.5 inches overall and has a blade length of 20inches and is 1 1/2inches wide the length of its sharpened edges, narrowing down to approx 1 1/4" by 1/4 inch thick at the cross guard, hard to be exact trying to measure it solo.

The biggest difference between this and later production models, other than its a partial not a through tang, is its light weight of 26ounces.

These photo's were taken by Ben Sweet:

warty · Mar 16, 2010

Thank you very much bc!