Well, I took the plunge...

Carter Leffen

Carter Leffen

Joined
Sep 21, 2005
Messages
105
Ayup, I did it... No regrets, and it's ALL YOUR FAULT!!! :D

As you're tired of hearing, I have a Chiruwa Ang Khola 16.5" Khukuri- and I'm very happy with it. I'd wanted something a bit more "svelte" that I could get a different scabbard for, to fit in my main gauche. Well, after asking you folks lots of questions, and reading lots of evaluations/reviews here on the Forum, I THINK I've done the right thing...

This morning, 10/14/05, I ordered an 18" Chitlangi, and a JKM-1... Well, the last one, the Puuko, I've wanted for a long time. The Chitlangi had lots of competiton. Gelbu Special, Sirupati, and Chainpuri... After reading the last two entries on my "Ping-pong" post, the Chitlangi won out...

Thanks Folks, for letting me have the benefit of your experience... You're certainly one of the finest groups of people- anywhere.

I'm going to have lots of testing to do when they get here... I STILL haven't been able to test out my CAK or my KH AKs... I can hardly wait...

BTW, how does one measure Rockwell? You all talk in the realm of 50-60 rc, and I have no clue as to how you do it...:confused: You mention files, but no file I've ever used measured anything...

Well, it's time for this geezer to hit the sack, and dream of lightning fast Khukuris... I may not be fast, but in my dreams I am...


Take care, stay safe, and have fun...

Carter

P.S. Thanks go to Arty and Astrodada... The gents that pushed me over the edge... Arty for his experience, and Astrodada for his unquenchable enthusiasm for the Chitlangi...

Oh, and the magnificent Khukuri FAQ Sheet...
http://www.himalayan-imports.com/faq/physics/Khukuri_Dynamics.html

Man o' man, Daniel Koster is "The MAN!!!" I can think of only a handful of sword experts that can do for swords, what he can do for knives... Truly OUTSTANDING!!! Thank-you, Sir! Out of the dark, comes illumination... You've done all of us a great service... Beautiful, and extremely well done... cfl
 
Congradulations on your adoptions. A good choice of new children there :) I hope you won't abuse them like Satori does. The Chitlangi will make a good companion for the AK, although the Sirupati, and Chainpuri would have been good choices as well.

Just remember as William Tell once was reputed to say "Apples and sharp objects are a dangerous combination." :D

Did Dave ever get back to you on the belt sander and grits to use? I just ordered a batch of 400 grit. 120 grit is waaaay too abrasive :( Not to worry, my HI Sirupati is undamaged and still capable of lethal blunt force trauma :p
 
120 grit? That might be a bit much...

I use 40 micron if the edge is completely trashed, 20 micron if it's just really hosed up, 15 micron if it's dull, and 9 micron if it's already formed properly. If it's already somewhat sharp I powerstrop it on a leather belt and strop by hand. If it's just regular field use, I work it with the chakma and strop by hand.

120 grit is more for knife makers than knife sharpeners IMO. (I found that out the hard way.)

Jerry, why am I always mentioned in the same paragraph as abuse? :p
 
Interesting in an earlier post jmings said "adoptions" when talking about acquiring khuks.

It would seem strange to talk about this on most forums, but we are dealing with some very special pieces here. These Himalayan Imports creations are much more than a piece of steel.

In Indonesia it is often said that you do not buy a keris, but you give a dowery. A bride price. Some of the more exotic keris are never sold. If someone wants one of the really special pieces, you make an arrangement with the present custodian wherein you buy a really poor quality keris for a high price and he "gives" you the one you want.

I am grateful that these pieces, khuks, swords, knives, etc, from HI come our way so reasonably. Everyone can have at least one, the only question is if you can stop with just one.

I am a hopeless addict for Himalayan Imports.
 
Good Morning, Gentlemen! (And any Ladies that look in... ;) )

Couldn't sleep after all... Can't wait for the new ones (18" Chitlangi and JKM-1) to arrive... :)

Jerry, I still haven't gotten my belt sander yet. Every time I get near Sears, Mom (who's 84 and a half- as she reminds me ;) ) suddenly gets other plans... Psychic and STILL rules the world... She wouldn't know a belt sander from a backhoe, but I think she knows that it'd be geared towards weapons... Ah, well... Until I do get one, I've got a 40 degree bevel on three of my Khuks... Courtesy of the Spyderco TriangleSharpmaker...

When the Chitlangi gets here, along with the Puuko, I'll get them "seriously sharp," and head for the Rod and Gun Club in North Berwick. Lots of trees that need pruning, and time to get my eye back into BoomUndBang stuff... Archery, too... Nice thing is, I won't have to clean-up all the chips...

I want to send my Chilangi to The Sarki Shop, and get a slender scabbard that will fit nicely into my Ravenswood Leather Main Gauche... It rides in the middle of my back, canted up left/down right, and currently holds an Ontario Knives Bagwell Hell's Belles Bowie...

It's a great knife, don't get me wrong... However, the curve of the Chilangi's blade would be ideal for parrying with the left hand, while using any of my lighter (2 to 3 pound) swords, single handed... If the Arms & Armor English Buckler were not available, (or one of my .40 S&W SA XD-40 Tacticals) the Chitlangi would be a viable option...

Dave, in an earlier post, you gave me lots of possibilities and alternatives to work-out with my Khuks and swords. I appreciate your expertise on these things. I guess what I'm trying to get is a better appreciation of what the Khukuri will do on "live targets." Certainly the PVC pipe, saturated newspaper, and duct tape should do the trick.

Hadn't really thought of that combination, but it's not far from what I used to do with jackleg ballistics tests I did when doing lots of reloading for various calibers... In those days, blocks of wet newspaper bound in twine, with a water mellon inside, and more blocks of newspaper behind... The stories I could tell of water mellons happily detonating in the hot Missouri sun... Ah, the .45-70 was a wonderful caliber... Alas, the divorce plucked me like a chicken...

I've been re-reading a book published by Paladin-Press, The Modern Swordsman. Realistic Training for Serious Self-Defense, by Fred Hutchinson... Basic, overlooked, and solid ideas that are generic, but well thougth-out... The folks at SFI panned it, not liking the fact that it WAS generic... Sad really. Lots of us don't have access or time to interact with others in training, but this little book DOES offer valuable training ideas...

Many of the ideas that are inside, are drawn from a multitude of disciplines, both WMA, JSA, and FMA... Good stuff. This book is going to be the beginning of what I'm going to do from now on...

I've decided to make a major sea change, and spend the rest of my life improving my life- and that includes getting back into shape, and maximizing my lethality... I'm already capable with firearms, qualifying as "expert" with numerous weapons. However, it's what I haven't done with silent weapons, or edged weapons, that really intrigues me...

Swords and knives are "functional art" to me... Their symbology grabs me by the "soul," and won't let go... Oh, I can wax poetica for hours about the sword, and not repeat myself. Same for the knife... Come to think of it, same for any weapon... They're basically physical extensions of our minds and souls... What we do with them can really make a positive difference- whether it be exercise, hunting, or self defense...

Laugh if you will, but I still believe that Chivalry exists... It may be moribund in places, or nearly everywhere for that matter, but it still exits... No less so, than "Duty, honor, country." I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution back in 1969, and nothing since then has voided, superceded, or changed the intent and purpose of that Oath. I'm as bound to it now, as I was then. I will be until I die.

I see the sword and the knife no less important to the Second Amendment, than the role and purpose of the firearm- ANY firearm... Same goes for any segment of combat arms, be it archery, pole arms, or anything that can be used for hunting or self defense. A wonderful bumper sticker said, "Fear the government that fears your weapons." I do.

I hate politics, and yet one of the wisest men that ever lived once said, "Politics is only slightly less important, than your own heartbeat." He was right- as ususal. His name? Robert Anson Heinlein...

I guess you could say he's my "guru" since my Dad died back in 1998... Funny, Dad, who had an IQ of 165, had met Heinlein, while in the Navy. I asked him what he thought of the great writer... "He's a very, very smart man." That was all he said. Pretty profound, considering all that Dad did during his Navy career... Now, whenever I read something of Heinlein's, I hear it in Dad's voice...

Well, the darkness of the early morning hours seems to bring out the tangled skein of yarn that comprises my thoughts... If I've bored or offended you all, I apologize. I'm me, and changes in me, are small, incremental, and agonizingly slow... In my span of 55 years, I've learned a few things.

This forum, and the people in it, are a "good thing." Representative of the individualistic nature of those who revere freedom- from every land, belief system, and background. Humanity has promise of survival in the people of this forum. Ideas can be exchanged without rancor, and everyone benefits.

The survival and expansion of the Human Race is dependent upon people like "here" and at other forums, where the virtues and necessities of freedom, dignity, nobility, and yes, chivalry, exist. Not in a vacuum, but in reality...

As long as forums like this exist, I have hope for the future. I know that if necessary, the people here, and elsewhere, will do what is "right" to keep humanity alive, and in so doing, keep "that which is good," alive as well.

I now frequent several forums, and in so doing, keep my hand on the pulse of humanity's best chances for survival. In those forums are scientists, engineers, pilots, military personel, housewives, farriers, blacksmiths, doctors, nurses, technicians of all kinds, students, teachers, and the list goes on... These are people from all walks of life, and from all around the world... It's not just our passions for something we like and have in common... It's the very soul of a section of humanity... The part that wants to live, and grow, and expand... To become more than they already are...

Well, you get the idea by now, if you haven't already turned me off...

I'd be interested in knowing what YOU think... After all, you've been "here" longer than I have. You have far more to contribute than I do... ;)

I've "talked" enough for now. It's YOUR turn.

Take care, stay safe, and have fun...

Carter
 
Hi Bill,

Great post. H-I's "functional art" is tops in quality and design. You're right, these works are at a fabulous price... NOW I've got it bad, and will be collecting H-I's works, I hope, for a long, long time... They ARE addictive, aren't they? ;)

Have a great weekend!

Carter
 
Carter?


You're in the right place. Thanks for post #6. Great reading.

I think every one of us here is a Robert Heinlein fan, for some unknown reason. There are a few odd things that we almost all have in common here.


Ad Astra
 
As long as forums like this exist, I have hope for the future. I know that if necessary, the people here, and elsewhere, will do what is "right" to keep humanity alive, and in so doing, keep "that which is good," alive as well
Click to expand...

I agree :thumbup: I know the moderators will back me up on this: don't ever worry about posting whatever pops into your head--as long as it's not nasty--well, you know mean nasty, not good nasty ;) :D


not to be confused with our own Nasty-don't ever make posts like his! :p ;) :D Just teasin! :D

Edited to Add: Congrats on a fine choice of khuk :thumbup: I have a beautiful 21" Chit. that I love. I bought it after Yvsa raved about his and as usual, his advice was dead on.
 
What Maui said. If we ever stop posting freely, the Cantina is under new managment, as it is not the Cantina any longer.





munk
 
Well Carter, congrats. :o

Please tell us about the chitlangi when it arrives. :)

p.s. Ain't me man ! *finger pointing all aound you,somebody pushed you over the edge but ain't me :D *
 
Dave Rishar said:
120 grit? That might be a bit much...

I use 40 micron if the edge is completely trashed, 20 micron if it's just really hosed up, 15 micron if it's dull, and 9 micron if it's already formed properly. If it's already somewhat sharp I powerstrop it on a leather belt and strop by hand. If it's just regular field use, I work it with the chakma and strop by hand.

120 grit is more for knife makers than knife sharpeners IMO. (I found that out the hard way.)

Jerry, why am I always mentioned in the same paragraph as abuse? :p
Click to expand...

Until I got the high-grit belts from Jantz supply for my 4X36, all I had were 120 grit belts. And on that machine 120 grit 4" wide is like a buzzsaw. Luckily I had one that had been heavily used on wood, so was pretty smoothed out. I used the 120, and then polished out the tooling marks with a leather belt, and then finished off with a buffer. Still left some marks down by the cho in the deepest part of the curve, but not too bad.

I'm hoping to get a 1X42 in the next month or so, and that will work a lot better.

Norm
 
Well I just grinded off my mirror finished Bura with some 1600 grit sandpaper coz of some rust spots developing . Samll little ones about 1/2 mm each. But after that, the spot that I'd polished, showed up slightly scratched against the mirror finish. that was done with mineral oil impregnated 1600 grit sandpaper !

Shall I use low viscosity mineral oil or high viscosity mineral oil to preserve the blade ? I have both.
 
Astrodada said:
Shall I use low viscosity mineral oil or high viscosity mineral oil to preserve the blade ? I have both.
Click to expand...

Astro, whichever sticks to the blade the best.:thumbup:
 
MauiRob said:
<snip>
Yvsa raved about his and as usual, his advice was dead on.
Click to expand...

Hey, man, if Yvsa said khukris could fly, I'd keep mine in a cage. :D

He and Antonio Cejunior are two of the wisest men I know.
 
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