Thunderstorm lightning special Reti

Yangdu

Yangdu

Himalayan Imports Owner ~ himimp@aol.com
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Apr 5, 2005
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14.5 inch 9 ounce Reti by Ram Kumar. Horn handle. Leather sheath. Lighting fast Knife at $95. *SOLD*

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Email to himimp@aol.com to order
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I am really loving all the horn handles we have been seeing recently. That is a pretty one. I have a reti almost the same size and weight. Ndog said his favorite Reti was about this size so I got one to see what all the fuss was about. It is definitely my sharpest khuk. The steel is different from other HI knives because it is file steel. It has a little more carbon. This little snake is super sharp and thirsty for blood. I didn't respect her like I should've and she bit me good. I mostly use mine to remove little limbs from branches and as a draw knife to remove the bark. It also slices melons very well. Very light and fast and easy to carry if you wanted to use it for protection but, it also works well slicing through green wood. I like to sit back and wonder how many knives this knife has sharpened in its previous life. It is a special knife for sure.
 
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Yep! Im a sucker for them Retis! Your right about the history of them files. I haven thought of it that way but you know they have kissed a many blades in their lifetime. Great to see them still in the ultimate service. You really can feel the difference in the steel especially sharpening them. They also hold an edge nicely. I hit mine with a few strokes of the ceramic rod but thats about it. I dont think ive sharpened them more than once and prolly wont have to for a long time. Grats man! Thats a really nice one!
 
Though I’ve made Nordic knives for years, I don’t know much about these Reti knives. So I have a quick question: Re sharpness I know they’re like a razor, but is the blade differential hardened like the 5160 HI blades?

PS: Connection made. Funds sent as directed.

BLACK LIGHTNING HAS STRUCK!
 
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Blackhorse said:
Though I’ve made Nordic knives for years, I don’t know much about these Reti knives. So I have a quick question: Re sharpness I know they’re like a razor, but is the blade differential hardened like the 5160 HI blades?

PS: Connection made. Funds sent as directed.

BLACK LIGHTNING HAS STRUCK!
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Welcome aboard Blackhorse!

Yes, the blade is deferentially heat treated on mine. The edge in the chopping spot is between 60-65. The edge near the tip and handle are between 55-60. The spine is between 50-55. I don't pretend to know a lot about steel, but my brother is a metal fabricator by day and blacksmith by night. I swing by his house to have him put the Rockwell Hardness files my knives, so that's how I know. You are a knife guy and you are probably already aware, but I'll still warn you.. These things are incredibly addicting.
 
Excellent. Thanks Eric. Can’t believe I stumbled onto this ad and got my email in first. All things considered the value here is insane. Very, very few blades out there are differentially treated...many Japanese blades, a very few Nordic, not much else...and these. It’s not required for a good, functional blade, but adds immeasurably. To me, it’s the line beyond which art exists. Here is a knife made by a Master, no other just like it in the world, and it’s under a hundred bucks. I know the work that goes into an item like this. Crazy. Crazy GOOD!
 
Welcome Blackhorse! Your right. Their mastery of these knives is incredible and for the price it cant be beat. Ive always been interested in Japanese, Nordic, and even stone knives. I find it incredibly fascinating how much skill goes into making a certain style of knife. Who would have known that someone would dedicate their entire life to mastering the skills. These Khuks are no exception. Grats on your Reti. I have several and they are one of my favorites.
 
Arrived today. Very nice indeed. Very good representation of a one of a kind item made by a highly skilled artisan. As such there are little things here & there to attend to...like any conscientious owner should do. Brass butt cap edges are quite sharp...easily fixed with abrasive paper likely starting with carefully applied 240 then 320 & 400 grit. Edge is almost sharp enough. I have a convex edge sharpening pad that should be good starting with either maybe 1200 grit or just go to a strop using Flexcut Gold compound. Then instead of oil I’ll use two applications of Marine Tuf Cloth to keep it rust free. It’s what I use on my ESEE 1095, Bark River A2, Nordic Silver Steel blades, etc. It works very well. But yes, very pleased overall. Wicked little beastie. Now if I could figure a way to stop it from rattling in its sheath...ah well, can’t have everything.
 
Many folks peel back the top of the sheath and add a strip of leather or something to add a bit of bulk then fold the top back over and no one knows its there.
The Reti being thin and such makes it challenging to get a good fit, most I've seen are slightly loose.
Not a difficult fix.
 
The rattle isn’t so much near the hilt where the blade fits into the sheath, it’s down inside closer to the tip. The channel the blade sits in is too wide and gives the blade forward and back as well as some side to side play. But it’s loose by the hilt too and your “fix” sounds good for that. It’s not a big deal. Just something to tinker with.
 
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Hit it with three compound grits using my trusty “Stropman Triad” the last two of which were the FlexCut Gold and then Bark River Green. I don’t think the Triad is available any more but I love it cause it’s three leather strips set onto a 10” long 2” diameter dowel, so each strip has an arc shape and fits into the Kukuri blade form perfectly. The little assassin is now beyond scary scarp.
 
Hey blackhorse! I wrote up a method that I use to repair if it is loose at the entry. If its too tight just do the opposite and sand off some wood.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/how-to-fix-a-loose-fitting-scabbard-sheath.1137621/

If its loose at the tip I suppose you could probably jam a small piece of leather down to the bottom so the tip will not flop around? Maybe even a piece of paper? You could always fish it out with a coat hanger wire or something if you didnt like it.
Another option is send it to Pugs for some fancy new pants! Thats what I would do with a knife that fine!
 
ndog - Thanks much. Excellent presentation. Re securing the tip area...I was thinkin’ about stuffing Pug hair in there. We usually have drifts of the stuff blowing around here like tumbleweeds. Seriously though, your direction is appreciated.

I moderate a forum on a vastly different topic and the gang over there has much the same vibe as here. Great buncha guys. After executing a few of the troublemakers we’ve had very few problems.
 
Very kind. Yes, I have been there and prowled around. Of the links pull down, the FAQ is the only one that will open for me. Many of the links are dead links. Some “forbidden” whatever that means. But the main page opens and most other things as well.

Q: 1. Does one need to be a GOLD level poster to allow posting photos?
Q: 2. Is it possible to post photos that are saved in the photo files on my computer (iPad in my case) but not on an external site, and having a url, etc.?

Thanks again.
 
I'm not certain, probably should be but I'm not. Most forums require around 30 post before you can post pictures directly without an external site. Picture other than HI product reviews should be posted in the Cantina. The HI forum is Yangdu's show room so we prefer not to clutter it up.
The Cantina however is fair game for any subject matter.
 
Blackhorse said:
Very kind. Yes, I have been there and prowled around. Of the links pull down, the FAQ is the only one that will open for me. Many of the links are dead links. Some “forbidden” whatever that means. But the main page opens and most other things as well.

Q: 1. Does one need to be a GOLD level poster to allow posting photos?
Q: 2. Is it possible to post photos that are saved in the photo files on my computer (iPad in my case) but not on an external site, and having a url, etc.?

Thanks again.
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I’m thinking you’re correct about the gold membership. I think I tried to post at basic but it will tell you in the membership section
 
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