What do YOU feel when you swing a Khuk?

B

Bill Marsh

Joined
Mar 26, 2002
Messages
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Just saw "Fellowship of the Rings." The swordmaster Bob Anderson, has been directing swordplay for a long time. He was Darth Vader in the swordfight scenes. He says:

"Using a sword is like good sex. It's all a matter of balance, leverage and timing."
--- Bob Anderson

That says it for me. I began wondering what do other Forumites feel when YOU hold a sword or khuk? That electric thrill of moving with a handcrafted, well-balanced edged weapon? Do you sometimes imagine charging up a hill, khuk held high?

Chopping Orcs?

I have to admit that I held one of my favorite edged weapons in my lap and even held it up unsheathed during some of the fight scenes and felt myself as one of the good guys defending Middle Earth from the Orcs, Ringwraiths and other assorted bad guys.

Glad that I was watching a DVD at home!
 
Good one Uncle Bill.

I saw both the first and second movie. Really enjoyed both of them. I was very impressed with the fight scenes, especially with the cave troll. The elf archer Legolas is really amazing, he takes an arrow and stabs an orc in the throat with it (or eye, don't remember) killing him, then nocks the arrow and fires killing another in about 3 seconds. In the second movie, Aragorn has an incredible looking elven long knife. I understand United Cutlery is making reproductions of all the blades in the 3 movies.
 
It feels like fun chopping those bushes. I'm lucky my bushes need constant attention. They grow like weeds. I would have been outside now but it's raining. I guess I'll just sit inside and talk about khukuris.... or maybe I should start "swinging in the rain"?

:D Sam
 
I feel the mass, the weight. That tells me a bit about how to work with it, When I'm swingin them, it is usually with calm restraint and focus, since the balance, weight, and edge tell me this thing means business. I think most khuks need a little reining in, for unleashed they can be a terrible thing.

That HI Falcata you sold me, Bill Marsh--I like swinging that. It does get a bit 'bloody minded' I perceive, so I let few if any handle it, and I make sure the area I swing in is really clear. I keep her on a short leash.

My AK is the friendliest of the HI khuks, even with its menacingly blued blade and gold embossed SoS. It is kinda the enthused pup of the collection, happily trouncing any target I put in from of it.

When I mess with my latest HI acquisition, the AK Bowie, I marvel at its wonderful balance, its flow, the way it likes to snap out if you torque it just right. It has the most neutral spirit of any HI product I have, but maybe I'm just not familiar enuf with it, Or perhaps its neutral balance gives it a 'centered' spirit.

Well, short of going thru another 5 funn to handle swords, axes, and spears, I'm thru.

LoTR rocks. Check out 13th warrior if you havent already, Bill Marsh.

Keith
 
1. peace, love and joy
2. empowered
3. wrathful
4. sexual energy
5. you know I'm kidding right?

Actually, It is kind of peaceful because I know that if I don't respect the blade and pay attention, then I could loose valued body parts. Even though I have all the children that I want, that's just not an option. Why is that peaceful? The heightened awareness that I have to have wakes me up a little, and after I swing a few times, my focus is sharpened, I find more clarity in myself.
 
The "right" khukuri makes me feel.......

1. Empowered

2. Invisible

3. Invincible

4. reflective

Not necessarily in that order nor all at the same time.

The "right" khukuri is not a 12" or 25" model, but somewhere in between, balanced you might say.
 
I feel good, no other way of saying it.

At the same time I also think, "I'd hate to be on the business end of this thing."
 
The big WWII is the friendly one. "Let's go", she says. No job too big or too small. The wood handled siru is more purposeful, less playful. Hard work only. She seems to say "Don't bother me with the small stuff". The horn handled siru says "Kill kill kill. Blood makes the grass grow". How do I feel? Confidant with the WWII, focused with the wood siru and apprehensive with the Black Eel.

Frank
 
How do I feel? I swear this is for real the truth, I couldn't make this stuff up.

I had rented Braveheart and had just finished watching it. I got up and hit rewind, and I was walking around the living room stretching when the beautiful brown truck stopped at my door and came out with a box almost as tall as me, let me sign for it. It was the MRI Ravenna sword. And it was out of the box before the movie finished rewinding. Not only that, my wife has never said a word about the marks on the ceiling.
 
For me a good bladed weapon must feel right to me. It is not a question of balance, weight, or craftsmanship. There is no real scientific explanation, but for me a properly made bladed weapon has a spirit that you can feel when you do not hold it. When I say right, sometimes that spirit doesnt like you, sometimes it does. If it doesnt like you, then that piece isnt meant for you.
 
heehee. I know that routine well. There are no questions asked in "the study"

Ravenna: I like the proportions of that one. A&A makes a similar blade, thot about checking it out. I like the 5 footers. they're what I call a "Tourney great," meaning a cut down version of the two handed greatsword for use in tournament and small melees (rather than full scale war).
Studied the use of greatsword for four years, in armor, 2-3 times a week. Most folks think it should be wielded like a pole arm, just to smash at the shield wall. Boy, were they wrong! After studyinng under a few folks who knew all the cool quillon locks, pike grips and reverse grips, point up and down, etc, I became dnagerous and confident with that thang. Not much use for the biggers swords these days, but they are fun for martial exercise and discipline. The greatswordsman must be able to run backwards and sideways as well as he does forwards.

Keith
 
I'm with everybody else when they say that different Khuks speak to them in different ways. All 3 of my HI products are right around the 15-15.5" range and weigh within 3 or 4 oz. of one another.
My first was a 15.5 inch villager model from Kumar. "Jane" as i call her because she is very plain almost feels like she has lofty ambitions of being a war blade. When i swing her she feels very neutral and gives me the cliche' extention to the arm feel. A good stroke on the steel makes her sing beautifully.
My 15" AK i tongue-in-cheekly call "Mr. Personality" because it took a long walk off a short (but steep) cliff is my go to guy for work. He seems to call out for chores. It resides in the toolbox of my truck and used to take out roots or chop off binding wire. Very happy to do it's job and has a very heavy and beefy swing to it.
My latest product is a 15" AK bowie. I'm still getting used to this one but after swinging it for only a few minutes I knew it would be the strong silent type. That said, i lightly blued the blade and gave it the name "Judge". When swung it makes me feel very in control and powerful. I have the feeling that it will be it and not me that would cast judgement on any opponent i should face. Will he loose an eye? a tooth? his life?? I think only Judge knows;)

~Jake
 
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