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What do you guys think of the Khukris on ebay?
- Thread starter blgoode
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2002
- Messages
- 526
My opinion is there's a lot of junk...
or people not knowing what they have, and asking too much.
A lot of cleaned up (often ruined) old ones..
It's like anything else with eBay... it's rare to get a great item at a great price, but it does happen. Just be wary. Once you've looked at the auctions long and hard enough, you'll be able to tell the quality from pics, and from the way the seller advertises it.
If the seller claims that it's a magical blade able to chop off arms and legs with a single blow, and that it was used in every war since the birth of christ, and he's asking $65USD for it... and has about 20 other auctions claiming the same thing.. chances are it's not all that great..
I'm sure someone around here can tell you excactly what most of the ones featured on ebay right now actually are, where they come from, and how good they are.
or people not knowing what they have, and asking too much.
A lot of cleaned up (often ruined) old ones..
It's like anything else with eBay... it's rare to get a great item at a great price, but it does happen. Just be wary. Once you've looked at the auctions long and hard enough, you'll be able to tell the quality from pics, and from the way the seller advertises it.
If the seller claims that it's a magical blade able to chop off arms and legs with a single blow, and that it was used in every war since the birth of christ, and he's asking $65USD for it... and has about 20 other auctions claiming the same thing.. chances are it's not all that great..
I'm sure someone around here can tell you excactly what most of the ones featured on ebay right now actually are, where they come from, and how good they are.
JDP
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2003
- Messages
- 236
SilverLight has it right. I'd like to think it's a lack of knowledge on the sellers part rather than deception when it comes to stupid reserve prices and wild stories.
A good example is another "kukri bayonet" (2195657351 ). The seller did his homework and quotes a reference only he didn't go far enough to find out what he has is a fake. Someone will buy into it anyway.
To balance out the majority of crap offered there is an excellent dui chirra with a silver koftgari grip (2562634055). A great big old knife that would be worth a lot more than the reserve if it had its scabbard and by-knives.
CAVEAT EMPTOR
A good example is another "kukri bayonet" (2195657351 ). The seller did his homework and quotes a reference only he didn't go far enough to find out what he has is a fake. Someone will buy into it anyway.
To balance out the majority of crap offered there is an excellent dui chirra with a silver koftgari grip (2562634055). A great big old knife that would be worth a lot more than the reserve if it had its scabbard and by-knives.
CAVEAT EMPTOR
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2002
- Messages
- 526
Another point worthy of note is the fact that most ebay buyers (or people in general)
don't care that it's crap.
They want something (khukuri), and they want it cheap, or simply 'for a good deal'.
If they find an ebay auction telling them straight out 'it's the real thing' 'this is a steal!!'
Most people buying this crap probably won't ever know any different. They'll believe the story they were told because they want to... and they'll be happy. (ignorance is bliss).
so the market gets flooded... because this is what sells, what makes money... and it's also a heck of a lot easier to make stuff up than it is to come up with real informative answers.
Personally, I like to buy from eBay sellers who only offer a few items.. than a whole plethora... I swear some of em must buy whole wharehouses of this crap and ship the building from taiwan or china and put all the things in it up on ebay, individually.
ahhh, such a horrible mass-market disposable society we live in.
:barf: :barf:
If only everything was made with the same heart and soul as HI products, eh? That surely would be an ideal world.
don't care that it's crap.
They want something (khukuri), and they want it cheap, or simply 'for a good deal'.
If they find an ebay auction telling them straight out 'it's the real thing' 'this is a steal!!'
Most people buying this crap probably won't ever know any different. They'll believe the story they were told because they want to... and they'll be happy. (ignorance is bliss).
so the market gets flooded... because this is what sells, what makes money... and it's also a heck of a lot easier to make stuff up than it is to come up with real informative answers.
Personally, I like to buy from eBay sellers who only offer a few items.. than a whole plethora... I swear some of em must buy whole wharehouses of this crap and ship the building from taiwan or china and put all the things in it up on ebay, individually.
ahhh, such a horrible mass-market disposable society we live in.
:barf: :barf:
If only everything was made with the same heart and soul as HI products, eh? That surely would be an ideal world.
- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
I never go to ebay so can't comment.
as mentioned above most people will not know what they are buying. Even I was pretty darn ignorant about how to distinguish one of these blades from another. All I knew was that I wanted one. If it was not for the HI FAQ and this board I would never have learned the difference between a convex bevel and the straight ones.
Just this morning a chef I know showed me his chef's knife and was distraught about how the knife sharpening service had destroyed the bevel on his $140 knife. Even 2 weeks ago I would have been blind to the damage done.
So these people who buy on e-bay will probably not be destroying a well made knife which would be a shame.
Just this morning a chef I know showed me his chef's knife and was distraught about how the knife sharpening service had destroyed the bevel on his $140 knife. Even 2 weeks ago I would have been blind to the damage done.
So these people who buy on e-bay will probably not be destroying a well made knife which would be a shame.
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
- Messages
- 20,207
JDP, that sure is a nice Khuk that you referenced. $500 seems steep given lack of rest of suite and damage to hilt. But look at that butt: the Eye of Iskander.
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
- Messages
- 20,207
Also, Bill, is you were to look, you'd see that HI is often referenced as the standard ("compare to"). That would be the Gold Standard."
JDP
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2003
- Messages
- 236
Silver is right again. People believe what they want even after they are given the facts. No one wants to admit the bought a loser.
The kukri discussed is very nice and I wish I knew more about where and why this type grip came about. I have a few and they are quite similar and the silver models have very, very well made blades. A unique feature is that the scabbards are all standard. The fanciest one I've ever seen was a small version covered in velvet, but that may have been done later. If the kardas have the same type grip it goes into the very rare category. I have only seen a few sets of these.
Here is a shorter version at 17.5", but is 'en suite'.
The kukri discussed is very nice and I wish I knew more about where and why this type grip came about. I have a few and they are quite similar and the silver models have very, very well made blades. A unique feature is that the scabbards are all standard. The fanciest one I've ever seen was a small version covered in velvet, but that may have been done later. If the kardas have the same type grip it goes into the very rare category. I have only seen a few sets of these.
Here is a shorter version at 17.5", but is 'en suite'.
