Police/Military Blade Tactics

Dan, Do you have some pictures of the Kukri's you have made? I would also be interested if anyone knew the history behind these knives.

Nope
I sold everything I made. I never had to market since I could just bring knives to job sites and cut things and....poof!
I am making a matched set of Kukri for me and my son in a couple of months though. One out of Damascus and one out of high count layered sword steel with a hamon as well a new machete.
I have a beautiful matched set of highly figured Waterbuffalo horns for the grips. I'll try to get someone to do some decent pics and upload them.
I haven't forged in years due to an injury and I am just getting the shop back up.

Dan
P.S. Since they will not be for sale, maybe Jun won't mind if I post the pics on this thread. I can show the steel, then the forged blanks, then the finished blades and the handles and completed knives.

Dan Harden wrote: Since they will not be for sale, maybe Jun won't mind if I post the pics on this thread. I can show the steel, then the forged blanks, then the finished blades and the handles and completed knives.

That's a great idea, Dan.

I've seen khukris made in Nepal from the steel of leaf springs. Design and quality vary a lot. It'll be nice to see the forging work with high-quality metal.

Thomas Campbell wrote: That's a great idea, Dan. I've seen khukris made in Nepal from the steel of leaf springs. Design and quality vary a lot. It'll be nice to see the forging work with high-quality metal.

There was nothing wrong with their steel choice...not at all. Spring steel and track steel was fine. It was their heat treat. On their best day...the very best they are capable of..is sub standard to even what average American smith does with the same steel they use. Their heat treat was "good enough" for the softer agricultural all around requirements but it pales in comparison to what they could be doing with the same primitive equipment. They pour water over the bIade which surface hardens it, instead of soaking at heat and quenching in oil or water.
There is just no comparison to the final quality between their methods and the more correct one. Steel is steel, it's no mystery.
I offered to help the owner of Himalayan imports explain a better way to them (this after I showed him four knives I bought and tested all failed) but it came to not due to his health and not going back over there.
We can talk about this over dinner, most budo guys love talking forging and knives.
Dan

"P.S. Since they will not be for sale, maybe Jun won't mind if I post the pics on this thread. I can show the steel, then the forged blanks, then the finished blades and the handles and completed knives."

Dan, That would be very cool to see the transition into the finished product.