Step 10 - Joining Blade with Handle
The blade is now joined with the handle. The heated laha/glue pressed inside the handle burns smoke as it gets in contact with the cold iron tang. This makes the laha dry up quickly and turn into solid and consequently holds the tang firmly. More laha is squeezed in if needed more.
Step 11 - Sharpening
A very traditional method is still performed to sharpen a khukuri. It is obviously time consuming but very effective. It requires two persons and a homemade wheel-chain body to complete this act. The wheel is made out of mixture of laha, sand and tiny particles of white river stones. The mixture is cooked and stirred for several hours until it is perfectly mixed up. Then it is spilled in a round iron frame and dried up until it is rock hard. Now the achieved wheel shaped mixture is brought to use. The master craftsman rubs the edge of the khukuri against the wheel on both sides to slim the surface and sharpen while his associate pulls the chain to spin the wheel. The edge is regularly checked and repeated until it is razor sharp.
Step 12 - Testing the Blade
During the sharpening process in a very traditional method the edge of the blade is repeatedly checked in order to achieve razor sharp result. The craftsman deeps the blade into the water and spills fine sand particles over the edge and again spins the sharpening wheel. It is regularly paused to feel the edge to find the optimum sharpness
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