Walosi's special order. Pix.

Walosi,

Congratulations on your choice for a new blade! Oh - the carvings nice too.
 
It looks like a fancy UBE. Or is it smaller? What are the dimensions?

Those wood scabbards sure are nice. Is it Bhimsen's handiwork?
 
The blade (and diminsions) are UBE. I'm not sure of the carver, but I believe it is the young fellow in the FAQ pics, who carved the AK sheath for the Sanu AK. I may not get started on the wood for a while. This appears to be one of those "just sit and look at it for a week" productions. Maybe by next spring I'll find something to chop with it :D
 
Finn, I actually wound up flipping a coin to decide between the UBE and the YCS. Overall, I think the UBE suits me better, but the appeal is strong from both. And no, I ain't gonna get tree sap or coyote hair all over it. That's Malla work.
 
Wal, I know what you mean about the YCS - it's a great one. I've always favored forward curving designs and to me the UBE is just a forward curving khukuri with a wider waist and an upturned point. You don't sacrifice any mass at the area of percussion, the weight is more evenly distributed due to the wider waist, and you get an extra inch or so of edge at the point. It all adds up for me.

Tree sap and hair will sure take the shine off.
 
Finn,

GULP:eek: Surely you mean your OWN ARM hair?!? Surely you're not cutting OTHER people's hair with khuks:eek: :D Where is Harry? Well then again maybe if he IS Harry/Hairy he should stay far away!
 
Easy, Rob....

Deep breaths, sit, stay...oops..sit, relax. Read up a few - that's coyote hair. We have coyotes in Kentucky. Everybody has coyotes. Those "4 or 5" dogs you hear on a spring evening, who add a little "yip" to their howling and yaps? Whose owners should keep them in after regular people go to bed? They don't gots none owners - dem is coyotes. They are even seen in mall parking lots lately. Hot in the hills, not much water, and poodles and miniature schnauzers are fine, fine snacks. They are singing "Downtown", and then meet on the pavement. Finn lives a tad farther out, and his cougars and bears have moved in behind the coyotes. My Labrador comes in from her morning jaunt with her bristles up from between her ears to the base of her tail, and tries to get me to go out and check the fence line with her. We sometimes have visiting "contractors" who offer to do the driveway with some sort of sludge, or re-roof your house - their hair might also mess up a khuk, some day. Other than that, we're pretty normal. For Kentucky. ;)
 
Sorry Rob, but ya got me thinkin....................

You too Wal...............maybe call it the "Unsolicited Driveway Repair Contractor Clip" - hosedown, k-cut, and yard-blower dry.

It can get pretty lively around here sometimes when one of the Feral Dog v. Coyote games is in progress. Maybe there's a Vegas bookie out there who'd be interested.
 
This was my first. For any who might not have experienced an HI Special Order, let me say that this one was worth twice the cost, and came in half the expected time, or less.

I know a "field report" is traditional, but it will have to wait until my hands stop shaking and my breathing has levelled off. Although I didn't see it on my screen, the silver bands and the chape are engraved. The figures on the opposite side of the sheath were a repeat of the Chepu demon, and a figure that resembles the Celtic knot, or, a Newari Mobius strip :). The figure John suggested might be a seashell (and it might well be) is still a mystery - I did searches on Hindu art and images until about 2AM, and haven't hit it yet.

The finishing will take some time. Although the Garud had more minute detail, there is still plenty here, and the wood is not Saatisal (hill walnut?). It is very fine-grained, and even with the rouge off in most areas, shows no sign of sap grains, alternating lines or any other outstanding characteristics. There may be some surprises just under the surface.

The blade and the fittings are "Sanu in his stride". I shaved my arm (in a steady moment) and the blade right out of the packing. This is a first. Maybe after a Coke and some Cheezits, I'l settle down enough to take look at the handle :p
 
Thanks for initial report from the field, Wal. When you find out what kind of wood it is let me know.
 
Longtime:

I'm very reluctant to use any sort of cleaning liquid or compound on something of this possible delicacy. My tools are several toothbrushes of varying stiffness, round toothpicks (for corners and crevices) and a set of very small vacuum cleaner attachments intended for detailing electronic equipment, car stereo controls, etc. I also use an old fashioned badger hair shaving brush. Sanding, where necessary (if necessary) is done with the folded corner of a well-worn piece of 600-grit silicon carbide paper. The larger "rounds and flats" can be gently steel wooled with 0000.

To smooth some very small flats, I'm experimenting with damp toothpicks dipped in rottenstone (pumice). Tedious, but so far it seems to be working. The amount of rouge "on top" is minimal as the color seems to be that of the wood, just tinted a bit. Down in the carvings is what you might expect. I'm thinking very seriously about a one-coat finish of one of the WaterLox tung choices. If I use the Marine solution, I'll have to buy 50 or 60 more specials to use up the gallon. Gee.
:D
 
Congrats, Wal. Sounds like a beauty.

Blues
 
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