15" opinions, support, dissent

Triquetra

Triquetra

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
759
Just looking for opinions or support for more models. For myself, the 15" sized Khukuri's seem to be just the right size for everyday use or for compact martial arts use. Light, fast, and compact. Some of the models on my wishlist are the Gelbu Special, Kobra, and the Chainpuri. I think that these would be perfect in that length. I am a great fan of the 18 inchers but I think that they serve a different purpose. One day I plan on getting a 15" AK, but I am not really into chopping wood except to test the chopping ability of a particular knife. I know that we have the 15" Sirupati and I plan on getting one of those next but I would really prefer to have a 15" GS or Kobra. Just looking for comments or opinions from those with more experience and more knives to compare to. Maybe if enough people requested a shorter model of a particular knife it would become a reality. I think that a 12" GS would also be a wicked blade.
 
I hope that my comments in light of my newbiness doesn't offend the old hands here, but here goes.

I just received two 15" British Army Service models a week or so ago. I let my daughter take her choice, and as it turned out, I liked the one I was "left with" better (grin).

Someone, I believe it might have been Dean, said that the problem with BAS was that it didn't quite know which niche it wanted to fit in. Another person said that he always felt that with a 15" Khuk that he was always just about an inch too short of making good cuts.

I filed those comments until I had gotten my own BAS's.

First, I have to say that I simply adore my 15" BAS. I think in terms of an overall piece of multi-purpose gear, it would be hard to beat it. I love its balance and heft, and in the little bit of cutting I did with it, it was nothing short of awesome.

However......

I kinda of understand Dean's and the other fellow's comments a little better now. My experience with blade weapons are with swords, specifically 18th-19th Century European sabers, Japanese Katana, and European Medieval swords, so perhaps I'm used to wielding a handle with 30-37" of sharpened steel sticking out of it.

But I too, always kinda of feel like my reach with this 15" BAS is just about, an inch or so too short. Again, maybe it's my sword background that keeps me from moving in closer before I cut.

Anyway, I love my BAS and there's no way I'd ever get rid of it. I just need to train myself to close the distance and get better acquainted with this piece's design characteristics.

Having said that, I can't shake the feeling that for me personally, the 18-20" Khuks are more to my style. I just like the extra length I guess. So I ordered three 18-inchers yesterday because I couldn't decide which one to get (Chitlangi, Gelbu Special, Sirupati), and a 15" Sirupati for my daughter.

I'm thinking that by the time I get through working with my BAS and these three 18-inchers (and my daughter's 15" Siru - if she'll let me - grin) I will have pretty much figured out what "works" for me. But before it's over I figure I'll also get a 19" Mala, and at least one of the 20-21" Khuks as well.

Don't think I'm much interested in anything longer than that. But on the other hand, if someone told me two weeks ago that I'd be buying six Khukuris over the next ten days I'd have laughed at him.

But getting back to your original question, I find my 15" BAS (actually about 15.5" really) a very handy size. I like it a lot - but....sometimes think maybe I might like the 16.5" WWII better. That extra inch you know (grin). But on the other hand, my 15.5" BAS has a kind of well-balanced sleekness that I think is lacking a bit in the WWII model (bigger grin).

Don
 
I too have become very fond of my BAS. I think that I have downplayed it qualities and feel in the hand mainly because of the extolled virtues of the other models available and discussed by others on the forum. It seems like the BAS is sort of the stepchild compared to the others. It doesn't whistle like my Chitlangi and doesn't give me quite the feeling of power and confidence that the WWII would if I were going into battle. However, when I took a second look the other day, it is really pointier than I gave credit and mine actually pretty fast in the hand. After a little sharpening session, it's slicing ability is a little scary. All this in a much more compact package that the others. I really thing that this one, at least mine, is a little underestimated. That's another reason that I think that something like a GS in a 15" would be a true fighting "knife" opposed to a fighting "sword" or substitute axe. If I was actually going to be employed into a hostile environment, I would still go with the 18" though.
 
You might be right. The BAS doesn't seem to "get the glory" as much as the others (laughs).

I admit that it isn't nearly as sexy as the Chits, Sirus and GS's, nor does it have the pure gorilla like machismo of the Ang Khola (LOL)!

But I, like you, can't help but admire the BAS's rather utilitarian "tidiness". Being a former military guy, I truly respect tools that do a lot of things at least passably well, and that is clearly the BAS's strong suit.

But also, again like you, I think that if I were going into a place where things might get real ugly, real up close and personal, an 18-incher would probably be my first choice too.

Don
 
Forumites, There is a lot of experience on this forum that puts me to shame. I have tried to make up for the lack of that experience by using and handling khuks every day from the first two that Uncle Bill sent me. They were both 15" knives and I still have both of them and I don't think I will get rid of either one of them. At my age I don't think I would take my 18" WWII to a fight. A two pound knife is just too much to get moving fast. It will pick up speed and do some wild things but, from the dead still it is too slow. My BAS has been out at night as much as any of my khuks. In this old man's opion the 15" knives can not be beat for speed of movement. The 15" Sirupati is not a chopping blade. It is just too light. One hail of a fighter though.

I would even take my 15" AK to a fight before I would think of taking a 2 pound knife or heavier.
My 16.5 WWII has allmost as long a blade as the 18"er but, the handle is shorter. making the balance feel closer to the hand than the 18. It sounds strange to say it but both of my WWII's blance the same distance from the bolster. The 16.5" will give you a bit moral support when going out at night and you don't know what you might run in to.
Two good self defense weapons are the 12" Siru and the AK. They will both get the job done. Even the Bilton would be a good last ditch defense knife.

I'm not advising any one on what to use. Some of the younger and bigger folks on the forum seem to love the big knives. All I can say is what works for me.:) :D
 
Originally posted by Pappy
I have tried to make up for the lack of that experience by using and handling khuks every day from the first two that Uncle Bill sent me.
Click to expand...

Cutting stuff almost every day counts for a lot. In my opinion anyways.
 
Originally posted by Pappy
At my age I don't think I would take my 18" WWII to a fight. A two pound knife is just too much to get moving fast. It will pick up speed and do some wild things but, from the dead still it is too slow.

I'm not advising any one on what to use. Some of the younger and bigger folks on the forum seem to love the big knives. All I can say is what works for me.:) :D
Click to expand...

Hi, Pappy;

Something to keep in mind about heavier edged weapons is that they work best when you never let them come to a dead stop. The trick is in keeping the weapon moving, this way when you do decide to strike, you only have to redirect and accelerate the motion you already have going.

Now, I'm not talking about waving the knife around the way people wave their arms around when imitating Bruce Lee (grin). What works for me is either a gentle up and down motion or drawing a small horizontal figure eight with the tip.

My background is with swords, and my favorite one-handed weapons are 18th-19th Century European sabers and Medieval European style "broadswords". These typically weigh 2.0-2.8 pounds.

You are right - from a dead stop, you aren't going to get where you want very quickly, but when you keep the tip in motion you'd be surprised how quickly the blade can strike.

The other thing is conditioning. When I first got back into this a couple years ago, my arms would burn like fire after even ten minutes of "dry fire" drills.

So I began a regimen of working out with the heaviest, most far-balancing sword I had (a Type XIIIa by Arms & Armor. They call it their "12th Century Sword). It weighed 3.5-lbs and balanced 6.5" from the guard. Needless to say, this was a real muscle wrecker at first. But I started out slow and easy, with short workouts of only a few minutes, gradually increasing the intensity and length of the sessions.

Did this every night for about eight weeks. By the time the eight weeks had passed, I found that my 2.5-lb swords that balanced 4.5-5.5" from the guard felt like yardsticks.

I also did a weight lifting regimen starting with 5-lb dumbbells and then shifting over to 10-pounders.

The important point when using either swords or dumbbells, especially when your joints start misbehaving like mine of late (I'll be 48 in December), is to keep the exercises and drills under control so that you don't hyper-extend anything, or strain anything, or cause it to flex outside the normal pivot plane.

And like you, amigo, I can only offer up what's worked for me. Thanks for your thoughts on this. I'm filing them away for future reference.

Don
 
C-dragon, hold off worrying about it until you get your 15" Sirupati. Once you've handled it I think you'll understand why Kobras and Gelbus don't come in that size, they'd be too light to be useful. Unless I entirely miss my guess, you're gonna love the 15" Siru, it's the one I'll be carrying if I get to go again.

Sarge
 
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