UBDOTD -- Ghopte by Durba -- Pix and bargain time.

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

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Mar 5, 1999
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This is Durba's interpretation of the Ghopte khukuri. Overall length is 18 inches, 1/2 inch thick, 2&1/4 wide and weighs in at 2.25 pounds. Durba is good. Fit and finish is very good, up to HI standards and he has the blade hardened up to 59 or 60 Rc so my old file says. I rate these Ghoptes as a 10/10 effort.

Karda and chakma very good. Scabbard made and tooled by sarki with no name. 100 year HI superfrog.

I have two and maybe (one forumite emailed asking about UBDOTD and is making a decision) three of these Ghoptes by Durba available.

Special deal to introduce more of Durba's work and to get feedback is $125. This is a lot of very good khukuri for this price.

Call or email if interested.

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Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Archives (33,000 + posts)

[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 01-31-2001).]
 
Bill-I especially love Durba's wood handle. I know you loathe this question, but what kind of wood do you suppose that is?
 
You are asking a fellow who has a hard time telling the difference between pine and walnut but I think it's saatisal.

I guess nobody likes this Ghopte design because these last two are lasting a long time. Personally, I don't care for the style much myself or the name, either. But these are very well made khukuris. Durba got that habaki bolster done right and I think you can see the fit is excellent. Good khukuri but the design is a bit strange.

------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Archives (33,000 + posts)
 
The dimensions and the curve reminds me almost of a sickle :-)

Dont ask me why though... I just have this mental image of using it to harvest wheat.

I would bet the turnout rate would be MUCH faster if the UBDOTD features a katana
biggrin.gif


J

 
I agrree the handle is one of the cleanest I've seen posted, as a matter of fact this knife has some of the cleanest lines of any khuk I've seen. Seems to me Durba is really putting forth a winning effort. Unfortunately I've got other khuks carving their way into my wallet at the moment
frown.gif
 
Well, after having gotten durba's first effort, I know that he make an incredible knife. That is why I jumped on this one. The 15" AK by Durba that I got, is better fit and finnish the the 15"Ak by Sher that. I will post a report about how this one holds up to a little work. Thanks a lot Uncle Bill.

-Matt
 
That handle looks longer than usual for an 18" khukuri. What is it's length Uncle?
 
If I had to describe this Khukuri, I would call it "Almost an Ang Khola". If it had the depression at the spine, it would almost look like an Ang Khola. With the spine being so wide, and the weight so low, the distal taper must be incredible.
 
Does anyone else see the whale inside the blade between the sword of shiva and the begining of the bevel to the edge? In what looks to be the fullered area? With tail coming down behind the cho?

I kept looking at this khuk and thinking "whale" but the blade outline didn't look quite right. Then I looked inside the outline.

I think what unbalances this one is the cho creep. Move the bolster toward the cho the width of the habaki and it would be back in proportion, or would it? Or move the cho back that far?
 
I see what you are talking about with the position of the cho, Rusty.

I've never thought about khukuris as evocative of a whale, but now I will probably see one every time I look at a khuk.

I guess the horse's head was a traditional hilt motif, but this whole whale idea is an even cooler concept.

-Dave

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"MacDonald will ne'er from his promise depart, for love, truth, and honor is aye in his heart..."
 
Gawd, Rusty, I do see the "Whale"!! Maybe a new style of Khukuri--Ang Khola, Sirupati, Kobra, YCS, then Whale.

If you are comfortable with the the "Eye of the Dove" type cho, then this doesn't really exhibit any creep.

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Watakushi Wa Shinajin Desu
DeathDancer
 
I like it Uncle Bill, but I am broke right now. I hope Durba sticks around, he appears to do great work.
 
I went back and looked at the pix of the original ghopte by Sanu, and it has a more "sirupatiish" look than this one. I agree that this one looks more like an Ang Khola.

Also, the original had more of a curve. I liked it better.

rf
 
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