question for the experts

S

Steve G.

Joined
Jun 16, 2002
Messages
8
Hi everyone, I wonder if you can shed any light on this for me.
On p99 of Bill Bagwell's book "Bowies, Big Knives and the best of Battle Blades", Mr Bagwell is discussing a 19th century village khukuri owned by his friend, Bill Guthrie. I quote:

"The forging is skillfully done and the horn handle is obviously made for a right handed person".

Mr Bagwell does not elaborate any further, so I am wondering how one can tell whether a particular knife was made for a right or left handed person?

Many thanks.
 
Strange - it may be that the handle (unlike HI khuks and others I know) is asymmetrical. THough the first thing which came to mind was the design of the scabbard actually..
 
One of the Paper cutters I got has a twisted handle. I think this pure accident, but might be good for access while hanging off the neck..Still, Kami's might make one right handed, eh?

munk
 
I have a sirupati that is not quite symmetrical and fits the left hand better than the right. I don't think it was planned that way, it just fits like that.

I'm not an expert, but I play one on TV. :)
 
Guys,
Bagwell,for Custom Knives wants ,your hand size,inseam size,waist sise etc. HE thinks it makes a dif. in the way you would handle a Blade! I like my friend & Knifemaker "WILD BILL CALDWELL" thinks it's a bunch of crap!Hype to sell Custom Knives!!As I stated,"my opinion"!
jim(Saint):cool:
 
Jim,

Don't hold back, tell us what you REALLY think!


BTW, All that stuff seems inconsequential to me when compared to hand size and intended use of the knife.
 
I've had one Khukuri, a horn-handled WWll, with an offset handle. It was one of the best of the KNNs I've seen, and so well done that it had to be deliberate, IMO, and not a fluke. There was enough materrial in the handle to have made a correction, had it not been intentional. The offset made little difference in general handling, but did seem to line up wrist-grip-edge geometry in a direct chop, and eased the strain a bit on the forearm.
 
Thanks for the info, guys.
Walosi, interesting comments regarding your KNN made khuk. The handle on my GS by Bura is dead straight, but my 25" Kobra (again by Bura ), has it's handle very slightly offset to the right ( as I look down the knife, handle towards me). Maybe on a longer knife the kamis think this is necessary or advantageous. The Kobra does seem to strike exactly where I want it to when chopping so the whole package works very well. I did think it strange that a craftsman like Bura who obviously takes great pride in his blades, would not take equal care with the positioning of the handle, or would the handle be done by an apprentice?
 
I agree with you about the meticulous nature of Bura's work. Bill says everyone has good and bad days, but with Bura, this usually shows up as a cho that has a little bit of slag left in it. His handles are pure Bura - I still haven't figured out how he cuts the grooves by the ring. An apprentice may be allowed to do some of the "clean up" trimming, etc., but Bura does his own handles. The HI Khuks are made to a standard, for use by us "general public" types, and the BirGorkha crew is very aware of what we want, and what we have become used to. That is not to say that there are no "Nepali variations" in the construction of handles, scabbards, bolsters, etc., that are for local tastes, applications, etc. that we have not seen, simply because they would have no meaning to our usage. Maybe a "right handed" or "left handed" Khuk slips through, once in a while.
 
Here's another "twist". I have a 15" Sirupati-pre-marks/habaki bolster. That actually twisted while I was using it to chop some hard dried Eucalyptus. Now its perfectly torqued to fit my right handed hold.:) Sometimes change is good.
 
not to slight experts...my two cents is a human being can adapt to a lot of difference. That doesn't mean offset isn't good, but these knives are all good. This topic reminds me of guys who just can't shoot right if the stock is an inch too short, the comb too high, the trigger too light or not light enough. Some people won't touch a Ruger because they 'can't deal' with the trigger.

I'm a barbarian and shoot many different tools well.

it might be neat to have a Kami take the measure of my arm and make a blade just for me...

munk
 
I'm no expert so I can't comment except to say the kamis do some very strange things for equally strange reasons.
 
I enjoyed Bill's book, it is a very interesting read. I can understand his assumption regarding this particular villager, and it may very well be exactly as he proposes; but, I seriously doubt that it came in a box marked "Kukri model ##### (Left-handed)". It is just as probable that the handle had been modified after production by one of it's owners, or even worn down to it's present condition through extensive use.

The handles on my khukuries vary, and it is obvious that they were hand forged and fitted. Even so I have as yet to find an example that is so far off as to materially favor one hand over the other.

n2s
 
It is a REAL issue Gurkha(Brit.) Khukuri and its handle is asymetrically shaped such as to perfectly fit a right handed grip. I don't know if it was made that way or modified by its previous owner. It also has a nice distal taper to the (Chiruwa) tang thinning toward the buttplate. It's my homliest khukuri but well hardened and nicely balanced. I call it Raven's Beak and it is strictly buisness in personality. It was given to me by a friend who trained with the Gurkhas in Hong Kong while he was in the army. He traded a Zippo lighter and sundries for it. The Gurkha he got it from said it was just an issue khukuri and others are far nicer.:D ;)

Pat
 
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