Vojpuri Bowie, a review too

[warty]

I have the Vojpuri Bowie I sharked a while back now and thought you all would like to see more of it. I am quite impressed with this knife. It has a nice feeling handle on it and a bit of a double edge, the bottom edge is completely sharpened while the top is sharpened on the front bulge only. What I found most remarkable was the metal of this knife is all one piece, blade, guard, handle and the little handle flare. It looks like the Kami chiseled the guard out of a billet then made the rest of the knife the usual way, hammering and filing. I have really only seen things like this out of modern shops with things like CNC mills, I thought the engineering alone on this one was outstandingly ingenious when you consider what they have to make these with there.

The balance of the knife is a lot more like a Khukuri than a bowie, which is obvious when you look at it. It is pretty front heavy but it doesn't really chop well. It does feel like it would be a good skinner though and I am sure with a bit of familiarization with the knife, would be a wicked self defense knife. In fact I am considering getting a nice carry sheath made for it so I can carry this for myself. The sheath that comes with it is nice and would serve for taking it into the woods and such but for what I am talking about, I would want it to be held differently and made so I could draw it in a way that I am used to drawing them.

Stats from the DOTD post:
Overall length --11 3/4''
Weight --16 ounce
Double edge
Horn handle

How about a few pictures now to show what I'm talking about here??

Here it is sheathed (scale is inches this time)

both sides of the knife now, no markings on it since it is not from the HI kamis

hopefully, you can see that it is all one piece by looking at this one

and in hand of course

I am hoping, for you guys, the Vojpuri Kamis make a few more of these beauties so you all can get a chance to handle them too. They really feel great in the hand, at least in mine, and I'd bet in other hands of my size. When I grabbed this, there were a few folks who voiced an opinion for a larger version of this knife. I think this is the perfect size for it really with the balance the way it is, anything much longer and heavier would be too much of a Khukuri and anything smaller wouldn't fit my hand. I don' think the geometry of this blade would lend itself well to being a khukuri, which is why a longer, heavier more tip heavy version wouldn't work IMO. For me, I believe the Vorpuri Kamis achieved the perfect cross between Khukuri and Bowie here and I love it. :thumbup:

 

[Cotherion]

If Yangdu gets any in the future, is thre any way to reserve one?

I really really like this khuk bowie, it is probably great in SD too!

 

[alexs]

If a Tom BrownTracker knife had a child with a k-bit and an ultimate fighter...

 

[warty]

If Yangdu gets any in the future, is thre any way to reserve one?

I really really like this khuk bowie, it is probably great in SD too!

I believe all it would take is an email.
She reserved the first Trisul in a very long time for me because I have been asking for one.

 

[Cotherion]

Mucho tq warty.

Will do that, hopefully the wait won't be for long.

 

[DanSmithy]

I sure hope the Kamis make more of this one!
Perhaps even with a shorter blade.

I have some humble suggestions about the future designs:
For a small blades the traditional mark takes valuable working space from the blade. In my opinion it would be better if the mark is moved somewhere else, like to the guard for instance. I'm not sure how wide the guard is, but if wide enough (when viewed from the front) it may just work. I know the mark is a religion thing and it serves a double purpose of deflecting any liquid from leaking down the handle, but if done on the guard it should do the same thing. Just my thoughts...

There was a complaint somewhere in the forum about models being without a guard at all. It has been solved beautifully with a little bit of imagination here:

Those are my first posted pictures...i hope it goes well.

DanS

 

[warty]

I suppose leaving the cho out would leave a longer edge there but it looses some character IMO too. The guard isn't wide enough for a cho, take a look at the upper pix of the knife laying loose and not in hand. Until it was said here I had not realized how much it does look like a Tom Brown Tracker but it does indeed and for a very small fraction of the price too. As I said, I am imagining the psychological impact this blade would have as it gleams in the night, facing a potential attacker... I imagine the strangeness of the look alone will have some impact and if it doesn't turn them back, I'll just shoot them with my revolver in the other hand.

 

[Cotherion]

Does remind me of my Szabo UUK, which is a very comfortable and effective fighting knife, more so than the tracker.

I'll ask auntie for a cho-less version, I agree with the loss of usable blade edge with a bowie of this size and shape.

 

[Nicholas]

If there were such a thing as a Klingon Khukuri, this would be it!

 

[warty]

If there were such a thing as a Klingon Khukuri, this would be it!

That is a perfect description and I ma even try to incorporate it into my costume for the next con.
Yes, I am one of those people who dress up like a Klingon and walk around like a total geek.
I'll need to make a more Klingon like sheath for it now... I suppose a trip to my Amish leather worker is in order now...

 

[DanSmithy]

....
I'll ask auntie for a cho-less version, I agree with the loss of usable blade edge with a bowie of this size and shape.

For what I intend to use it it's crusial the cho not to be where it's now.
this isn't going to be a "show off" blade for me.
One think is for sure...I'm not getting one the way it is.
Don't get me wrong, it's an excelent blade, but not for me for the above reasons.
I hope the good kamis come up with a slightly modified design so I really can use one.

So far this is THE design I've been looking for from the begining. (a bowkri)
I actually just joined in when warty snatched this one right under my nose. )))
Thanks warty for posting the pics and the review. keep it coming

 

[Yangdu]

Great review, thank you
Young Sher and new Kamis will make Vojpuri Bowie for forumites.

 

[warty]

So far this is THE design I've been looking for from the beginning. (a bowkri)
I actually just joined in when warty snatched this one right under my nose. )))
Thanks warty for posting the pics and the review. keep it coming

I don't think it would have worked for your needs as I understand them, it is far too small for brush clearing Dan.
I also don't think i would scale up well but that is my opinion and only that, it might work for you as a larger blade.
If you are wanting a killing blade or a skinner, then this is indeed what you want, otherwise....

Don't think I won't be using this because I said I would see about incorporating it into a costume, I will.
I am wanting to carry this one as a SD blade as well and if I do that it will be doing other things as well.

 

[DanSmithy]

I don't think it would have worked for your needs as I understand them, it is far too small for brush clearing Dan.
I also don't think i would scale up well but that is my opinion and only that, it might work for you as a larger blade.
If you are wanting a killing blade or a skinner, then this is indeed what you want, otherwise....

Don't think I won't be using this because I said I would see about incorporating it into a costume, I will.
I am wanting to carry this one as a SD blade as well and if I do that it will be doing other things as well.

Well...I got my heavy chopper, bush cleaner, camp maker already don't I?
Can't wait for my Dui Churra to arrive!
A man can't have just one blade... or can it?
honestly...i need a smaller blade to kill, scin and small general work around camp. This is where the portion of blade I'm fighting about is great for sharpening wood sticks etc.etc.

by the way have you tried trowing this one, does it fly ok?

 

[warty]

I understand but in the very beginning you said you were only going to buy one.

I told you HIKV would get you but you said it wouldn't... HA!

 

[Piso Mojado]

If there were such a thing as a Klingon Khukuri, this would be it!

A mek'leth is the Klingon khukuri, designed by Dan Curry and featured in Star Trek: First Contact and several episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I could not find a photo or video clip of one from Star Trek, just clumsy reproductions on sale for ridiculous prices and some idiot dancing around with one on YouTube.

Dan Curry's mek'leth looked like an 18" khukuri with a kora tip and a hand guard. If made by an HI kami, it would probably weigh 30–40 oz. That is a pretty heavy weapon, unless you're a 6'2" bodybuilder like Michael Dorn (of course his prop would have been much lighter).

 

[Corruptor]

Wow, Warty, that is an amazing blade! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that a few more of these babies show up on DOTD.

 

[warty]

Yes, wet floor, I have one but it isn't that great. I use it only for show, got it at a con... at a not very ridiculous price really, I only gave $10 for it.

 

[DanSmithy]

I understand but in the very beginning you said you were only going to buy one.

I told you HIKV would get you but you said it wouldn't... HA!

Weeeeelll...that WAS the original idea
but I've come to realize that I can drop my axe for a large khukuri (much more uses for the weight carried)
and perhaps replace my favorite all-round knife with something else.
This one will be more careful selected. I also carry an Leatherman Charge on me at all times for very fine work etc. etc .

Damn, that HIKV takes hold very fast

 

[Ad Astra]

Nice lines to it.

There are as many variations to the K "as there are leaves on trees."


Mike