12 inch Khukuri Comparison

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

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Jun 4, 2002
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Test subjects, 12" Sirupati by Kumar, 12" AK by Sher, 12" Pen Knife by Bura. Tests involved cutting (rope, leather, etc.), slicing (vegetables, cardboard, etc.) and chopping a basswood board.

The Pen Knife was very notably a better performer in all the tests I conducted, followed by the AK, and the Sirupati, in that order. The most obvious reason I could see for the difference in performance is that the Pen Knife has a thinner blade that cuts more efficiently. It's just an observation, but I'm thinking if the smaller khukuris were made with thinner blades and a convex bevel, they'd be just as awesome in their respective roles as their big brothers.

I'd like to hear if anyone's had similar or varying results with their 12" Khuks. Maybe we could get Uncle to try and convince the kamis that they're perhaps overbuilding the little khuks in the interest of durability. Then again, maybe not.

Sarge
 
Hi Sarge,

Off topic, but I heard on the radio today that y'all are getting a new CO out at Ft. Hood...
 
I have a 12" sirupati that is slightly straighter than most and a little thinner than most. It dosent really a convex edge, but still a mean contender for a full sized normal persons "fighting knife".

The horn handle she has is just big enough to fill my medium sized hands and do grip reversals because of the small pommel area.

My suggestions for "a thinner blade w/convex edge" is to send it to the Sarki Shop, or to try it yourself. May I suggest a UBDOTD?
 
I don't have the other 12" Khuks to compare to but my LCS Khuk out performs my 15" Siru. They are very close in weight but the weight is spread out for 15 not 12" like the small AK. It seems that the 12" AK's sweet spot is concentrated it a small enough spot so, when that wrist action comes at the end of the swing causes the smaller knife to cut better than the longer one.

Slicing comes out pretty close because I keep them both as sharp as I can. The longer blade might do better than the AK with something like a heavy roast. I am going to try them out on a turkey in a couple of days. I'll let you know how it turns out.:)
 
I found the Pen-knife to be the most useful of my 12" khuks. The thin, deep blade chops well and is very well suited for butchering deer. I carry it constantly in the field.

The 12" Sanu AK has a beefy spine and a very sharp edge to it. It's a great knife but the larger AK's suit me better for the same tasks. It's perfect for my wife and she uses it extensively in the garden.

My 12" sirupati has a very thick spine for its size and an almost convex edge. In a longer blade it would be an awesome chopper, but it's just too darn stubby to be very useful. The 15" sirupati I have is much more along the lines of Dave's "fighting knife," - fast, slim and razor sharp.
 
DHuff: Yup, sorta kind of, our current commanding general is moving on to a new job over in europe. They're bringing a general down from Ft Carson, Colorado, which also falls under III Corps, to be the acting corps commander until they pick the new commander of III Corps.
Believe it or not, that selection requires congressional approval.

Pappy: I hope nobody read me wrong by my comparison, I do like my 12" Siru, and I carried the little 12"AK with me 24/7 on my last field problem, but neither one of them works as good as my Pen Knife. It's just as good at chopping down 3" saplings as it is slicing tomatoes for a sandwich. I've got a 12" Siru by Sher on it's way to me to replace my Kumar Siru, which is going on a special plaque on the wall (it was my first HI khuk). I plan to very carefully thin down the blade on the new Siru and see if I can make it a more aggressive biter. Enjoy your turkey and have a great Thanksgiving.

Sarge
 
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