Uneven grinds

D

David Cackler

Joined
Aug 28, 2019
Messages
19
I recently started collecting HI khukuris, looking to get a better idea of what I desire in a khukuri, so eventually I can come up with my own design to have made. Of the three I have, the most recent came from a deal of the day, and the edge is ground in such a way that it is wavy and not consistent in direction, almost looking warped. Also, the the fullers are uneven in way that causes one side of the tip to poke out more than the other creating the impression the tip is bent. I'm pretty sure it's not though. Anyway, I've been wondering if this is just to be expected in handmade khukuris from Nepal, as this was common in other Nepalese khukuris I have purchased, which is what lead me to HI. And, if that is not the case with HI's standards, is this just a consequence of purchasing a deal of the day? The flaws were not mentioned in the post, but at the price I got it I can understand if it was in other ways not up to the standard that HI would normally accept. I guess I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect from future purchases, and if maybe deal of the day isn't the way to go. As far as the khukuri itself is concerned, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. A 22 inch Ang Khola sounds pretty cool, but the flaws kinda kill it for me. Ive considered attempting to fix it myself, but with the width and thickness of the bevel and how much material I'd have to remove to center the edge, I'm just not sure if I'd change the geometry of the edge significantly enough to negatively impact performance. I don't know enough about these knives yet. I do know enough to know I will likely have to purchase almost all models in the long run. The addiction thing you guys often mention is worse than with busse. Khukuris are really cool. And so far for traditional, HI has been the best. I thank any and all for their time and insight.
 
It would help if you can post a picture. In answer to your specific question, Yangdu's DOTDs (deals of the day) normally have only cosmetic flaws (sometimes not even those), and she usually mentions them in the posting. For example: hairline crack in the handle, or needs a bit of epoxy, or discoloration in a horn handle, or needs five minutes rust removal. That sort of thing. Never anything functional. Occasionally she'll sell a knife at a huge discount that might need a new handle, and she will mention that.

Without seeing a picture I can't tell if your particular DOTD falls in a category similar to those above. Sometimes people who are accustomed to machine-made knives expect a level of perfection that just isn't available in hand-made traditional knives. It sounds like your sample is worse than that. If so, I suggest that you send an email to Yangdu. She is very good about customer satisfaction, and to my knowledge she always comes up with a solution to this kind of problem, whether it involves a return, an exchange or whatever works for the customer.

I have bought many blades from HI, almost all of them DOTDs and never encountered the kind of problem you describe. One time only I bought a Seax that came with the tip slightly bent to one side. I described this in another post. Maybe it took a hit during shipping. I thought about returning it, but it was a really nice blade. I ended up giving it a couple of dozen hard sideways whacks against a block of wood, and that straightened the bent tip. It also gave me a healthy respect for the toughness of that 5160 steel, given that HI blades are always a bit softer at the tip (to avoid breakage), and the tip was pretty thin.
 
CA80E21D-C469-4F45-AC4D-5E49C80DB5CB.jpeg This is totally different but from this perspective, this 16” CAK was one of my first purchases as being a brand new knife, not a DOTD. It arrived with dings on the wood and this photo was sent to Ms Yangdu and the knife was replaced no questions asked. So she told me to return it for the replacement. I asked, “what would you sell this damaged knife for? She told me and I asked, “ can I buy it from you?” And she said, “yes”! Needless to say..I own both!
I said that to say, contact her about your concerns and you will be a satisfied customer and she will be a very cordial lady for customer satisfaction!
She is a jewel!
 
not sure this is gonna sound right once its all said and done... but I'll try


the cosmetic blemishes are ... like freckles .... birthmarks..... they remind me that these are hand hammered out in mud floor huts with minimal tools. Working blades given life by the man that signed the side of the blade.... not mass produced from some factory that bid the lowest price per unit to the seller....not laser cut from a sheet of industrial steel on an assembly line....each one of thousands being indistinguishable from the next ....

They are brought into this world from scrap.... carefully reforged into one of a kind blades, each unique and special.....

They are not all perfect.... like the men who made them.... like the men who buy them... they all have little quirks that let you know there will never be another exactly like it.... ever...kinda the nature of the beast when dealing with a hand made item that requires so much actual hand work to create.... no way to get every hammer blow placed exactly perfect, every file stroke dead center and flush....yet, even with the character giving imperfections, each blade is functional in a way a mass produced cookie cutter knife can only hope to be....

yes, by all means, IF there are structural issues with the blade, by all means contact Yangdu and get it looked at and replaced if that is what it needs.... not saying it cant happen, but I honestly have never seen one with defects that would effect its performance ..... but there is certainly a first time for everything...

Yangdu will make it right if that is the case. I am sorry you are less than 100% satisfied with the blade....I have just a touch of OCD and non symmetry DRIVES ME INSANE.... yet it does not bother me on my HI knives like it would a production blade.... I guess cause I see them as individuals, reflections of the man that gave them life, influenced by the events of the day of the blades birth....I would honestly like them less if they were all perfect......

not sure that will read the way I intended it too.... sorry =o/
 
Bottom line....dissatisfied, or concerned? Contact auntie Yangdu, and I guarantee all will soon be right!

I've returned a few blades that were not up to HI standards, and never has auntie once disappointed me.

I own well over 150 - 200 blades, and too many swords to count.
 
Ditto what Hawgsnawt says.

I bought a pair of HI R-series for gifts. One had wavy blade like DavidC describes. The blade was straight just the edge meandered back n forth. Since I planned giving away it enjoyed a few hours loving with gentle file and dragging across sand paper until it tracked true.

Also have a Purna M43 where the edge creeps off center near the tip but doesn't effect performance
 
I really appreciate everyone's time. I was hoping to get some thought out opinions and am really glad I did. I'm not trying to be nitpicky, and in areas like this I always feel like I am because I tend to overthink and worry about things like this too much. I think I may contact Yangdu, and at least ask about it. It would put my mind at ease to know I did what I could. I'm going to try and post some photos. I hope what I'm talking about shows up well enough. To my eye the edge looks pretty far off center. I have used it, but it's the only khukuri it's size I have so I'm not really sure how it should compare so I don't know if the edge alignment is affecting anything, but it doesn't really do much more at all than my 19 inch chitlange. Anyway, thanks a lot to everyone. Sorry I just now got around to replying.
 
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I can't really get the tip thing to show up well in a photo, I think I am being nitpicky there. On it's own it's not much of an issue because I think it only appears bent and I think I could even out the fuller. Also, I completely forgot to mention, but the knife was advertised as done by Ram Kumar but the mark on it looks like what I believe is Anil's mark, and the handle was advertised as horn but is wood. Neither of those too things really matter to me though, just odd.
 
I’ve had a wrong knife sent to me before so that could be possible in this case.
Just make contact with Ms Yangdu and she will make it right!
 
I've received the wrong knife more than a few times, like GA says, contact Yangdu, and all will be good. Better to ease the mind, and Yangdu won't mind a bit. She prefers you happy, rather than having any hint of being dissatisfied.
 
Well I'm pretty sure it's the right knife. It looks just like the one pictured. The wood on one side is pretty dark so it looked like horn in the photo.
 
It's the 22 inch AK on the second page, from the post titled "Great team work by father and Ram Kumar". It doesn't say sold yet.
 
Quite frequently Yangdu doesn't mark the knives sold on the forum, more often than not she doesn't take the time. She's an extremely busy lady.
Your last picture looks like Kumars mark, the one before that does look like Anil.????
I take that back, looking again the second photo is far enough away it's deceived, at a glance it looks like Kumar but I think your right it's Anil.

I am lousy at remembering marks though.

Regardless, if your concerned contact Yangdu, she always has a solution.
 
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