Welcome, Cybrok
In a nutshell...what Dan said. If you want a "real deal" khuk, then HI is the place to be. I've handled the CS "khuks" or KLO's (khuk-like objects) as we like to call them
I had a lighter version that they sold a few years back...accent on the
had. My very first HI khuk was a 15" Kumar-made villager model. Over 4 years and 40 HI products later that khuk is sitting right on my night stand as a knife I can bet my life on if need be. Sure, the "rough" handle has been given about 12 coats of Tru Oil and sealed with linseed oil and the blade has been beaten to death, grayed from use, and sharpened dozens of times. The sheath finally bit the dust last year after one too many soakings from rain and canoe trips (not to mention a n00b learning how to draw a khuk with it:foot:
) and I had to try my hand a leather sheath for it. My God, I love that khuk.
You really can't go wrong with a villager khuk. My 15" villager has served me in every possible manner over the last few years. I love all my khuks and HI knives...and all my other brands of knives for that matter. However, if I had to pick just one...JUST ONE knife to take with me for the rest of my days, it'd be my villager. If you want a knife that you have to get to know, then I would suggest an HI villager. Sure, you can use it how it comes. They come pretty sharp and with a comfortable handle. However, the magic of the blade is the union that you and it will form. Through sanding and oiling and honing as well as hours of studying through the past HI posts and history it will become
your blade.
Lemme just paint you a mental picture for you on how both a CS KLO and an HI khuk will arrive to your home.
With the CS you will probably get a box from UPS. Ho-hum crumpled brown paper to cushion the knife....kinda. The KLO will come in a navy blue-steel gray box (or whatever CS is using these days). Inside the knife will come in a carboard sheath like a kitchen knife and a red sticker will be taped around it's dead rubber handle that paraphrases "Caution! I'm sharp dummy! Also, I rust if you don't take care of me". Pretty cool.
Now, when you get a khuk from Yangdu it will come in an odd shaped triangular box from USPS. If you get hooked on HI, then you will be able to spot these beautiful treasures from blocks and blocks away
It will be heavily taped and stuffed full of newspaper from Reno. That is to say, hand-packed by Yangdu. The scabbard and khuk will come wrapped and taped in yet MORE newspaper....then, after tearing for what will feel like an hour, a part of it will peek out. You'll make your way to the handle and carefully draw it from its scabbard. It will probably immediately speak to you and will feel like a piece of forged thrunder in your grasp. The handle will be rough and unfinished, just begging for you to write your history in it by moddification and finishing. The blade will be dull and oiled and if held to the light you will probably be able to pick out tiny hammer marks and forging lines. Proof that this was not forged by a machine, but by the human machine. Beat and wrot by the sweat and skill of man who's father's fathers fathers father was a kami.
Granted, I'm just a
little bit biased
Once again, welcome and enjoy whatever you end up getting
Jake
