16.5- or 18-inch WWII?

namaarie

namaarie

Joined
Aug 23, 2004
Messages
1,499
Hey everybody!

I recently started a thread about the WWII vs. the Chiruwa AK. While the responses convinced me that I want a WWII, I still can't decide between the 16.5 and 18 inch models. I don't really feal that I would have any problems controlling a bigger knife, but if the smaller is more versatile, that's cool too. For general use, does either have an advantage or disadvantage? Bill, if you read this, what would you recommend?

Eventually I hope to own both, of course :D . The only question is with which should I start out?
 
The 18" cuts more wood. The 16.5" is not really a serious wood cutter- more of a make do survival. It's all relative. An 18" AK is a lot more of a serious wood cutter than the 18" WWll...and so it goes.

Didn't I tell you to get both, be happy and go forth? Get one of them, try it out, and decide if you need the other.


How tall are you and what do you weigh? I'm now 5'1O" and weigh 185. I prefer 18" blades. I am not 'strong' by any means.

Rusty, on the other hand, is an animal.

I know I'm not Uncle Bill, and this is liable to end up the same thread you just left- so email him. He cannot always get around like he used to. You may have to be a little patient with waiting for a reply too.

munk
 
Thanks, Munk.
I am 6' and weigh about 180. Does the large size of the 18 ever get clumsy? Despite the fact that the 16.5 can't cut wood as well, does its better control cancel out the disadvantage? I'm leaning towards the 18 now, largely thanks to you Munk. You've been really good about the quick, informative replies.

Many thanks from a Khukri novice!
 
I've mostly been good at quick propaganda!

This is what happened to me- my first khuk was a BAS, that is the British Army service. It is 15" and from 22 or so to 24oz. I loved it, but after hefting it knew instantly I had to go bigger. The 16.5" WWll is too close to the BAS; I went to the next logiical progression. The 18" was a dream. It swings fast and easy. It controls well, very well. It can cut, it can fight, and it can chop real wood.

AFter I got used to carrying khuks, I don't see much real difference in carrying a 22 oz khuk from a 27, 28 oz khuk.

Some folks don't like the longer khuks- they say the sheaths slap them on the side of the leg. I find after 18" khuks do become more difficult to carry easily. Fortunately, the 18" carries well, just below the threshold. EVen my 19.5 Chitlangi is more unwieldly to carry, and that's only an inch and a half difference.

I gave away my two WWll's to best friends. I'll get another at least as soon as I have some money. If I didn't have khuks in the same weight range and length, the replacement would have been imediate.

If I know I'm for serious wood cutting, I like the AK, or Ganga Ram. If I'm just going anywhere for anything- WWll 18"

You'll have to judge what your needs are. A 16.5" WWll is not going to look innocent to Sierra Club members, and if your're hiking amongst them you may want to think about it. I'm not sure how much more evil the 18" looks.

You might tell onlookers these tools replace axes. Listening to forumites, I've come to the conclusion that those who actually use the blade a lot like the 18's, and those with less substancial chores, like light wood and brush clearing, like the 16"s. This is not to say many don't have both, and even all, the fine tools offerred by HI and use them according to task.



munk
 
Ok, thanks!
I'm leaning towards the 18 hard now. Any opponents?

BTW, I used to be a Sierra Club member and still support them :D But just because I like the environment doesn't mean I hate preparedness. If the situation allows you to respect nature, as it should in most hiking cases, then do! But if survival is on the line, a hefty knife and good survival skills are only practical. Khukris and Sierra Club environmentalism don't necessarily have to run contrary to one another :)
 
I agree. Unfortunately, in Southern Ca, policies backed by the Sierra Club resulted in little triming and no lumber harvest- which meant an ecological catastrophy.
The khukuri is the only thing besides a firearm that I feel comfortable carrying in Cat country, to prevent another kind of ecological catastrophy; the loss of my own or one of my sons lives.


munk
 
namaarie said:
Ok, thanks!
I'm leaning towards the 18 hard now. Any opponents?
Click to expand...
Welcome Namaarie.:D

Personally I like the 18" GRS also known as the BGRS. I only have one WW II. It's a blem that Bill sent me long ago with an extra thin edge and I have never done anything with it because of that. I'm sure that if I ground the edge into a more serviceable profile that it would need to be hardened again. So that all adds up to the fact that I know little or nothing about the WW IIs.
The shape and weight of the BGRS fits me much better and I think it's more usable than a WW II but that's just a personel preference.
Since you're as big as you are I would definitely go with the 18" size khuks.
Bill sent me a 15" AK as my first khuk and I had already decided the 18" was for me.
I gave the 15" AK to my wife and it fits her just fine.YMMV.;)

PS I used to be the same size as Munk but 3 back surgeries and fusions has brought me down to 5' 7" and 275 pounds.:rolleyes: :grumpy: And I'm not strong by any standards either but I can still swing a mean khuk on a good day.:D
 
Thanks for the opinions.

No disagreement from me, Munk. I'm still leaning towards the 18. Glad to have another opinion that it's at least right size for me. Since I'm between the 16.5 and 18, that's what really matters.

But eventually I'll own both!! :D
 
Well, hell! I used to be 5'11 1/2" but lost an inch due to back injuries.
I'm just a 5'10 1/2" now...sniff; I was this close to being 6 foot. Sob.

I'm a heavily armed shorty though.

If you got a 18" WWll and wanted to cut more wood get a Baby Ganga Ram, or a 20" AK. Then if you really want to chop more get the Ganga Ram and the 25" AK.




munk
 
If that 23 oz. 16.5" Chiruwa AK from 10/25 is still available for $70, you ought to grab it!

That's like seeing a tight lightly used S&W M13 357 w/ 4" bbl and fixed sights on sale for $200! ( Sorry, I've a Colt on layaway and will try to pick it up tomorrow - not being able to grab those deals is driving me bonkers. Good thing I pick up more medication tomorrow, too! )
 
I wouldn't disagree with that. At 23oz, it's not going to feel like a true Chiruwa AK, but it will have the profile, the different tang and grip, and altogether be a useful khuk. It will also be somewhat unique, being related in size and length and weight more to the BAS and WWll 16.5" -but the different duck of the family.

We like different, here.


munk
 
Of course if you do drop the $70 for the 16.5 Chiruwa AK Uncle Bill will IMMEDIATELY post an 18" WWII as one of the next day's deals... :footinmou
 
Or to say it another way, the previous post was written by a guy with over 60 khuks. After all that time and items, he still sees things he wants.

This year there have been amazing items and sales.

We haven't talked about individual varience, or just random variety by the Kamis. You can order two WWll's and not have them the same knife by any means.

No other way to learn than swinging a few. When I first started I bugged Yvsa- where was the right khuk for me? I hope you don't think there's one khuk that will answer all your needs, he said.

munk
 
I agree with munk on this one. I'm right at 5'10" 185# and fairly strong for what most of you hulks here would consider a "lil' fella". An 18" Kumar made WWII feels just about perfect to me. It has enough heft to limb branches and chop through the kind of wood that it sounds like you will be cutting. However, it's not as hard to control as a forward heavy AK. I could be totally wrong on this, but didn't someone say that the difference between the 16.5" WWII and 18" WWII was that the 18" gained about 1/2" of blade and an inch of handle over the 16.5"? I thought i read that somewhere. i could be making that up though.

Jake
 
Cliff, thinning per fire control mostly means getting rid of dead trees, though around the home it alos means removing the dead 'ladder' limbs from a pine or other tree to prevent any fire from climbing. THinning also means removing excess trees when the health of the forest would be improved.
If you've ever felled a tree, with or without a khuk, then you know there is little better tool for limbing than a heavy khuk. The WWll is a little light for that.
But the WWll is a true survival tool. It will cut real firewood, not the sprinkling of sticks common to a picnic.

munk
 
I can fell green trees on my property, and have, with khuks only. And can legally take dead standing pine. Can't you legally take the same?


munk
 
I've got no problem with thinning out dead fire-risk trees, and I think that most practical environmentalists share my stance on this point. What I oppose, however, is clear-cutting of live forests and environmental policy that can promote global warming and thus endanger the entire ecosystem. I'm not really radical. I just see no need to cause undue harm to the scenery I love when technology exists to clean up our act. All I'm sayin' :)
 
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