Secrets of the Khukuri Handle (With pics!)

[Khukuri Monster]

Today Jebediah_Smith came to visit, we planned on heat treating a Nessmuk knife he was working on. He wanted to use the handle from my broken Ang Khola to make "Himalayan Toothpicks," I wasn't planning on using it for anything so I let him have it. He pried off the buttcap, but the handle split in the process and so we broke it in half.

I was suprised to find that the tangs do not actually extend all the way to the buttcap, but the buttcaps are just nailed on. I suppose most people here already know this, but it came as quite a suprise to me. Before, I thought this method would be inferior to having the tang extend all the way through the handle. Given the low failure rate of these khuks, though, I see that if it's done right it will be more than strong enough.

Here's the whole thing.

Here's a close up of the handle.

This is a close up of how the tang looks. You can see that the tang does not extend all the way though the buttcap.

Here's a close up of the end of the handle (with the buttcap pried off)

Edited to add: It appears that all other HI khukuris aren't made this way, this one was some sort of fluke, just in case any new people see this post and don't read the whole thread...

 

[Roadrunner]

That's very strange; the only khuk I ever bought from HI that did not have a full-length tang was a villager, not made in Birghorka. I wonder why Bura did this one differently?

 

[Aardvark]

Hmmm. That's a little disappointing, somehow. The only handle that I've taken apart (bone) had the tang extending all the way through the buttcap.

KM, the pic is a little dark. Is it at all possible that the 'nail' is a part of the tang that broke off?

 

[Khukuri Monster]

Hmmm. That's a little disappointing, somehow. The only handle that I've taken apart (bone) had the tang extending all the way through the buttcap.

KM, the pic is a little dark. Is it at all possible that the 'nail' is a part of the tang that broke off?

No, not at all possible. They go into different channels in the wood and do not even meet. Also, if the nail was a part of the tang that broke off, it would not be tapered in the manner which it is.

 

[munk]

Good question.



munk

 

[Steely_Gunz]

That is odd. All of my khuks go all the way through. However, doesn't look like that seemed to matter all that much as the blade snapped at the blade/tang junction. Still i wonder why it was done this way? Could it be that the blade was forged a little to short for the handle? Hmmm, methinks i'll have to ponder on this one for a day.

Jake

 

[Khukuri Monster]

Could it be that the blade was forged a little to short for the handle?

That seems like a pretty reasonable theory, especially if most khuks aren't done this way.

 

[munk]

If there is enough tang to have supported a handle, the handle being made too big for the blade may have been what happened. So they stuck it on anyway. Either situation.

munk

 

[Khukuri Monster]

If there is enough tang to have supported a handle, the handle being made too big for the blade may have been what happened. So they stuck it on anyway. Either situation.

munk

There actually isn't enough tang to support a handle. The tang part connected to the blade is now longer than it was. I ground down part of the blade to remove cho creep, since I plan on fixing this one.

 

[munk]

That settles that. Interesting case. Really. Your pictures are great, and this has been instructive and entertaining. It's kinda like television at its best.


munk

 

[Jebadiah_Smith]

Hello, thought I'd chime in here.

I was over at KMs today and wanted to make his handle into HI toothpicks like he said. He was never able to get the buttcap off, but fortunately I was there to help. I deftly smashed it off with a screwdriver and hammer, and saw that it was just a little pin/nail holding the buttcap on. The hole for the tang was drilled all the way through, but the empty area was filled with laha. You can see the circle of laha in the last picture, with the nailhole above it. This suprised us and we decided to take pictures. We burnt the laha off and positioned the pieces for you to see as best we could. I was kind of disappointed, and I hope mine isnt partial, although, since the tang snapped before it failed, like any other tang would, I have to say, they seem to hold up better than I thought. And like KM said, the original tang was even shorter than in the picture, not even past the mid point. You can tell hes ground it closer to the cho.

A nice learning experience, and with UB's warranty, there isnt any reason for concern, unless youre in some sort of survival situation. And incase you didnt hear, UB has already replaced KM's khuk. Our intentions was not to start trouble or bash the khuks, and we both hope nobody gets that impression.

 

[ferguson]

That's very interesting. It's probably not the only one made like that. I've seen older non-HI khuks made this way that lasted 100 years, but I thought all the HI khuks had a tang that went all the way through. (excepting Berk Special, Jange, and a few others with no buttcap.)

Steve

 

[SkagSig40]

That is why I like Chiruwa handles. More steel in the handle is stronger. There is no getting around that.

 

[Thomas Linton]

The antique military non-chiruwa khukuris being sold by Atlanta Cutlery have short, thick, bluntly tapered tangs that do not run the length of the handle. They are/were selling blades only, so the stub tangs were illustrated in their catalog.

I have a couple of antique village-made khukuris that came with loose handles - also with tangs less than the length of the handle.

This would seem to be one traditional khukuri design.

As many of you know, Japanese traditional swords have tangs less than the length of the handles, secured by tapered bamboo pegs that run laterally through the handle and tang.

If it works, it works. If not . . . .

Edited to add:

Great pictures.

Nice to see that the tang/blade junction is radiused. A sharp shoulder produces a stress-riser.

 

[Jebadiah_Smith]

Its very important to note that KM ground the tang further up than it used to be, he did all of that rounding, and the tang was shorter than it appears now.

 

[munk]

Jebadiah, no one thought this thread was for trouble raising; we all were just as curious as yourself as to what was going on. This has been the most interesting thread in quite a while.

munk

 

[Jebadiah_Smith]

Thanks Munk,

We were both concerned, and wondered if we should even post this.

 

[ferguson]

Thanks Munk,

We were both concerned, and wondered if we should even post this.

No one here minds the truth, especially when it's presented diplomatically, as you have done. It is what it is.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Nasty]

Understandable...but you did a good job with the post and there was no unflavorable "tone" to it.

It's an older Bura too...right? Not one of the post surgery or team efforts...

 

[raghorn]

Judging by the mark, that's a more recent Bura (~2003).