- Joined
- Aug 16, 2014
- Messages
- 1,602
Hey guys and gals... Well I guess I should of listened to Karda. I ordered another companies kukri a few months ago and received it a couple weeks ago. I wanted a lighter, fighting style kukri and their Goorkhali looked to fit the bill. I received the kukri and its was pretty good. The blade itself had a nice hollow ground and handle was nice. The sheath appeared nice but after further inspection I found card board and old wet newspaper inside the sheath to keep the kukri held tighter. I can look beyond that I guess.
What really got my blood boiling and what caused me to write this post was the "chap" himself. I was on the "forum" if you want to call it that and someone had asked the question "HI or Tora". I had made some comments in response sighting the differences and the attributes of each one. I state that the instructor in Bando uses an HI WWII and recommends it. I even explained on of the blocking techniques used in Bando.
Well.. that must of pissed of the poor ole chap because he started to berate and belittle me. He said that Bando was rubbish because then don't use Gurkha techniques. I replied to him saying that I didn't care how the gurkha's used them I was more concerned with any information on their use and application. I don't think he appreciated it because he deleted every post I made explaining my points. I explained that styles and techniques change through the years and new things are learned, styles change and adapt and we must adapt as well. He wasn't hearing it, he went on to say how dumb Americans are and how HI is misinforming them on their uses. Misinforming them on their uses? WTF was he talking about. Use them how you see fit, who the hell cares how they used them 200 years ago.
It took me a little while to realize what jerk he was I guess. I bought into his "historical" garbage and for that I am ashamed of myself. I even quoted Bruce Lee many times to try and explain my point. He is a Sensei and I thought he might take something from them. I used quotes like...
"Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind."
"Obey the principles without being bound by them."
"Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own."
I was trying to illustrate my point about being flexible in ones style and adapting to the situation. He wasn't having it, all he said was... The gorka's didn't use them like than over and over again. Like that make a difference to me! Plus I dont think the gurkhas put their techniques in writing for people to follow. They used what worked at the time.
I buy kukris for their beauty, I buy kukris for the use, I buy kukris because I have a passion for them. I don't appreciate being called a "dumb American" in so many words because I look for knowledge outside the small scope of how the "Gurkhas used them".
I even made a nice example that even the "chap" could understand. I starting talking about the Revolutionary war and how the Americans defeated the British because they were so stringent in the form. They would stand row by row getting shot and not even try to get out of the way. The American guerilla warfare put and end to that style of British fighting just like modern fighting techniques with the kukri and surpass the old ways. He still couldn't seem to understand what I was saying. I don't know if he didn't understand what I was saying or he just could bring himself to except someone else's views and ideas.
I feel like a fool defending his stance in the past. I feel like a fool for buying one of his products and contributing to the madness. A kukri can be anything you want it to be, it doesn't need to be used in a historic manner. The kukri can and should be use for anything and everything under the sun. I think the other forum is more of a ego booster for the "chap". I think its more about him than it is about the kukris. I can forgive some cardboard in the sheath, I can forgive a slightly dull edge, I can forgive a scratched blade, but what I can not forgive is being belittled for having a different opinion. I also cannot forgive censorship, all of my opinions, all of my quotes trying to illustrate my point were erased. He wont get another dime from me.
What really got my blood boiling and what caused me to write this post was the "chap" himself. I was on the "forum" if you want to call it that and someone had asked the question "HI or Tora". I had made some comments in response sighting the differences and the attributes of each one. I state that the instructor in Bando uses an HI WWII and recommends it. I even explained on of the blocking techniques used in Bando.
Well.. that must of pissed of the poor ole chap because he started to berate and belittle me. He said that Bando was rubbish because then don't use Gurkha techniques. I replied to him saying that I didn't care how the gurkha's used them I was more concerned with any information on their use and application. I don't think he appreciated it because he deleted every post I made explaining my points. I explained that styles and techniques change through the years and new things are learned, styles change and adapt and we must adapt as well. He wasn't hearing it, he went on to say how dumb Americans are and how HI is misinforming them on their uses. Misinforming them on their uses? WTF was he talking about. Use them how you see fit, who the hell cares how they used them 200 years ago.
It took me a little while to realize what jerk he was I guess. I bought into his "historical" garbage and for that I am ashamed of myself. I even quoted Bruce Lee many times to try and explain my point. He is a Sensei and I thought he might take something from them. I used quotes like...
"Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind."
"Obey the principles without being bound by them."
"Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own."
I was trying to illustrate my point about being flexible in ones style and adapting to the situation. He wasn't having it, all he said was... The gorka's didn't use them like than over and over again. Like that make a difference to me! Plus I dont think the gurkhas put their techniques in writing for people to follow. They used what worked at the time.
I buy kukris for their beauty, I buy kukris for the use, I buy kukris because I have a passion for them. I don't appreciate being called a "dumb American" in so many words because I look for knowledge outside the small scope of how the "Gurkhas used them".
I even made a nice example that even the "chap" could understand. I starting talking about the Revolutionary war and how the Americans defeated the British because they were so stringent in the form. They would stand row by row getting shot and not even try to get out of the way. The American guerilla warfare put and end to that style of British fighting just like modern fighting techniques with the kukri and surpass the old ways. He still couldn't seem to understand what I was saying. I don't know if he didn't understand what I was saying or he just could bring himself to except someone else's views and ideas.
I feel like a fool defending his stance in the past. I feel like a fool for buying one of his products and contributing to the madness. A kukri can be anything you want it to be, it doesn't need to be used in a historic manner. The kukri can and should be use for anything and everything under the sun. I think the other forum is more of a ego booster for the "chap". I think its more about him than it is about the kukris. I can forgive some cardboard in the sheath, I can forgive a slightly dull edge, I can forgive a scratched blade, but what I can not forgive is being belittled for having a different opinion. I also cannot forgive censorship, all of my opinions, all of my quotes trying to illustrate my point were erased. He wont get another dime from me.
Last edited:
i've only seen it a few hundred times. i've got my iklwa and iwisa by my side. justincase.