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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 02-24-2013, 11:09 AM
Imakethings Imakethings is offline
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How a 'proper' kukri is made

I'm fond of the knives, and still quite impressed with the people that use them.
Anywho, I discovered that there is a company that has taken the time and effort to post their process for making their blades.
It's shockingly similar to what I do (except the differential HT using water on 5160, and I don't use my feet to hold my work in place).

http://www.thekhukurihouse.com/Conte...gs/Khukuri.php

Just work around the grammar as best you can.
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Old 02-24-2013, 12:52 PM
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ricky_arthur ricky_arthur is offline
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Interesting, thanks for the link.
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Old 02-24-2013, 08:38 PM
Imakethings Imakethings is offline
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I got a kick out of it, esp the stuff with the guys using their feet to hold and manipulate the blades.
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Old 02-24-2013, 10:30 PM
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My dad brought back a kukri from Nepal forty years ago. He traded his sherpa something else for it - couldn't have been much... I have a new appreciation for it now, seeing how much hand work goes into making one...
Thanks for the link!
Chris


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Old 02-25-2013, 12:25 PM
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That definitely breaths an entirely new thought process into the making of a Kukri. Wow and we wonder whether we can get our labor back out of the price of a knife!

I do say that takes talent to hold that blade with your feet while hammering away at it. Hell, I couldn't even get down there like that let alone hold the blade while I was hammering at it. Don't even think I want to try!


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If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner!

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Old 02-25-2013, 12:50 PM
Imakethings Imakethings is offline
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I contacted the company to satisfy my curiosity about a couple things in their process.

Firstly, they are indeed using a flavor of 5160 from those leaf springs, and they know it.

Secondly, they are using water to harden an oil hardening steel. I have no idea how they manage this, but I'd really like to know how they manage to offset the stresses from this rapid cooling (probably has to do with the rate of cooling). No way in heck I'm going to even try that.

I was thinking about getting one from their company for the novelty, but it turns out shipping from Nepal is a bit expensive, coming in equal to or greater than the cost of their knives ($40-$50 bucks), so I think I'll hold off.
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Old 02-25-2013, 01:07 PM
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If i read their website right, they water quench, but not by submersion. they pour water over the blade, which would allow some control over cooling rate with experience.
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Old 02-25-2013, 05:56 PM
Imakethings Imakethings is offline
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Still impressive that they can do it that way.
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Old 02-26-2013, 07:46 AM
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"Firstly, they are indeed using a flavor of 5160 from those leaf springs, and they know it."

Could you expound on this statement a bit?
My Uncle, who served in Burma, traveled extensively throughout the middle and SE Asia. He had a fastenation for the hand made metal work and collected quite a bit of unusual items. He told me the smiths making these "preferred" Mercedes truck springs, but used whatever they could acquire. They would pay little boys to watch their vehicles at night.

I agree, I don't think I could sit and forge like that. I'd have to get someone to get me up and teach me to walk after each session. It is amazing how no matter where you are you find people that have adapted to available resources and get the job done.
My nephew is currently over in China working on his phd. He promised when he gets a spare moment he will search out some of the village smiths, takes some pics and take some notes. I taught him a little bladesmithing so at least he has an idea what to ask (I hope).

Thanks for sharing.


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Old 02-26-2013, 11:49 AM
Imakethings Imakethings is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crex View Post
"Firstly, they are indeed using a flavor of 5160 from those leaf springs, and they know it."

Could you expound on this statement a bit?
I contacted their customer service and poked questions at them about the steel they use and the rest of their processing.
The person I spoke to knew a hell of a lot and was wonderfully forthcomming.
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Old 02-27-2013, 05:48 AM
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Hmmm....wonder if Mercedes would be forth coming on their specs? They were supposed to have very exacting specs on all aspects at one time. Nowdays, not so sure.


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Old 02-28-2013, 08:17 PM
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There was a Nepalese seller on ebay who also freely posted a lot of pictures and process info. I saved a pic somewhere of one of them forging squatted on the ground on a tiny block of metal. The seller claimed the blades had three different hardnesses from edge to spine. Another thing that really threw me is how thick some of the blades were (some 3/8" or more at the spine. Apparently there is some sort of sap they assemble them with that is supposed to harden similar to epoxy.
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Old 03-02-2013, 07:04 AM
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I made one once, but guess I didn't do it "right" according to the powers that be. It was an adventure for sure.....had a lot of trouble zone quenching with a tea kettle.....but it does have a buffalo horn handle.


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Last edited by Crex; 04-11-2019 at 06:40 AM.
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