18" Ang Khola/16.5" Chiruwa Ang Khola Questions.

C

CalmAsHinduCows

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Dec 26, 2014
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Hello everyone.

After doing tons of research, Himalayan Imports kept repeatedly showing up as the go-to place for an authentic and nearly indestructible Khukri. After narrowing down my choices, I've settled on the Ang Khola family of blades. I will actually be using my khukri and most of the time, it will be used incredibly hard. Not torture test hard, but tons of chopping, slight prying, stripping branches, and pretty much everything my hatchet or small axe would be used for.

I just can't decide on which one I should get.

The standard 16.5" Chiruwa appeals to me more because of the 1/2" thickness of the spine and is intended to be nearly indestructible. Does the 18" Ang Khola have a 1/2" spine thickness as well? Is there really a noticeable difference between 18" and 16.5 inches in terms of chopping power, fatigue, or usefulness?

Which would you choose? I'm leaning heavily towards the 16.5" Chiruwa at this point.
 
The CAK comes with a full tang (Chiruwa) handle and is warrantied for use as a prybar. AK traditionally does not have a Chiruwa handle and is not warrantied for prybar use.


FWIW, my next purchase will be a CAK in the 17" / 32oz range. It'll be my "chopper" kukri.
 
guruguru said:
The CAK comes with a full tang (Chiruwa) handle and is warrantied for use as a prybar. AK traditionally does not have a Chiruwa handle and is not warrantied for prybar use.


FWIW, my next purchase will be a CAK in the 17" / 32oz range. It'll be my "chopper" kukri.
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Are the regular Ang Kholas not full tang? And we can get a Chiruwa in a different size?

Sorry for some obvious questions. The HI is great, but leaves out a lot of details about the knives. Even doing lots of Googling, I couldn't find a lot of the answers.
 
CalmAsHinduCows said:
Are the regular Ang Kholas not full tang? And we can get a Chiruwa in a different size?

Sorry for some obvious questions. The HI is great, but leaves out a lot of details about the knives. Even doing lots of Googling, I couldn't find a lot of the answers.
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If the AK came with full tang handles, that would make it a CAK. I think regular AK have a stick tang.

CAK are not always 16.5", they can vary. Some custom orders are 20" or more.
 
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The CAK's also are generally about 1/2" thick and come in different lengths.

I think your on the right track pondering the 16" to 18" length version.

The longer version has a bit more chop but as you mention you'll fatigue much faster too.

I'd honestly have no issue with the AK (rat tail tang) or the CAK (full tang). I have both and both are ready to work.

You can email auntie and see what she has on hand if anything. Much quicker and cheaper than special ordering one but if you must, it's well worth the wait too.
 
Thank you all for the quick replies.

Based on what I've read so far and what has been replied, I'm going with the 16.5" CAK. I like the full tang and the pry bar warranty. I will definitely keep looking around and seeing what else is available, but I'm 90% sure I'm going with the 16.5" CAK. :thumbup:
 
CAK is a solid choice. I find 18 inch in various models better balanced and they easier to chop with. The KLUVK and DBVUK are a little different. They have narrower spines so the shorter blades tend to be better balanced. I have a 16.5in 23oz DBVUK and a 15in 20oz KLUVK that are VERY handy. They pack light and chop with authority.
They have a steeper angle to the convex. The steeper angle and narrow spine has some benefits, they are lighter and most importantly... They don't stick! Thicker, heaver blades tend to stick more when chopping wood. The KLUVK releases from the wood very nicely and you can chop longer with less fatigue.
They are not meant for prying, your best bet for the is the CAK... The shorter the better due to the weight in that bad boy.
 
Bawanna nailed the two main points: An 18" CAK will have more chopping power than a 16.5" CAK, but will also cause more fatigue. To get the best advice, you should give a bit more information about yourself. If you are a large, fit person with strong hands, I'd recommend an 18" CAK. If you are more of an average person, I'd recommend a 16.5" CAK.

For chopping down trees or large logs, the 18" model is probably better. For all day use, or hours on end, even a big guy might be better off with the 16.5" CAK. Some people find the 15" CAK adequate for almost everything. You mention "stripping branches." An 18" CAK might be too heavy and unwieldy to do that comfortably.

These knives are hand forged with traditional tools and methods. Therefore, spine thickness will vary somewhat even for the same model and same length. Edge geometry for chopping is as important as spine thickness, and chopping technique -- how you hold and swing the khukuri -- will differ from most western type knives.

If most of your information is from the HI web site, be aware that there are many more models than you'll find there, and that even the more common models, such as the CAK, come in quite a range of sizes and weights. Unless you're in a huge hurry, I'd recommend that you take some time to look at Yangdu's DOTD offerings on this forum. You can check out what she's offered in the past few weeks to get more idea of the choices.

Also, be aware that HI gives lengths as overall length (not blade length), measured from the tip of the blade to the middle of the end of the butt cap. This is different from much of Bladeforums, where western type knives are usually posted with blade length.

Someone mentioned the KLVUK model. KLVUK stands for Keshar Lal Villager Utility Knife, where Keshar Lal is the kami who makes most of them. It is lighter weight than a CAK or AK of similar length, not the best choice for heavy chopping, but great for everything else, and a lot more convenient if you'll be carrying it on hikes. Also much cheaper, since less work is put into the cosmetic aspects, but this is a comfortable and very strong blade. If funds are not tight, I'd recommend getting a CAK and a KLVUK, and use the KLVUK for everything except the heavy chopping, and to carry when hiking.

Welcome to the forum, and let us know what you get, preferably with photos. :)
 
gurkha berserka said:
CAK is a solid choice. I find 18 inch in various models better balanced and they easier to chop with. The KLUVK and DBVUK are a little different. They have narrower spines so the shorter blades tend to be better balanced. I have a 16.5in 23oz DBVUK and a 15in 20oz KLUVK that are VERY handy. They pack light and chop with authority.
They have a steeper angle to the convex. The steeper angle and narrow spine has some benefits, they are lighter and most importantly... They don't stick! Thicker, heaver blades tend to stick more when chopping wood. The KLUVK releases from the wood very nicely and you can chop longer with less fatigue.
They are not meant for prying, your best bet for the is the CAK... The shorter the better due to the weight in that bad boy.
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Edit - Answered my question in above post. :p
 
davidf99 said:
Bawanna nailed the two main points: An 18" CAK will have more chopping power than a 16.5" CAK, but will also cause more fatigue. To get the best advice, you should give a bit more information about yourself. If you are a large, fit person with strong hands, I'd recommend an 18" CAK. If you are more of an average person, I'd recommend a 16.5" CAK.

For chopping down trees or large logs, the 18" model is probably better. For all day use, or hours on end, even a big guy might be better off with the 16.5" CAK. Some people find the 15" CAK adequate for almost everything. You mention "stripping branches." An 18" CAK might be too heavy and unwieldy to do that comfortably.

These knives are hand forged with traditional tools and methods. Therefore, spine thickness will vary somewhat even for the same model and same length. Edge geometry for chopping is as important as spine thickness, and chopping technique -- how you hold and swing the khukuri -- will differ from most western type knives.

If most of your information is from the HI web site, be aware that there are many more models than you'll find there, and that even the more common models, such as the CAK, come in quite a range of sizes and weights. Unless you're in a huge hurry, I'd recommend that you take some time to look at Yangdu's DOTD offerings on this forum. You can check out what she's offered in the past few weeks to get more idea of the choices.

Also, be aware that HI gives lengths as overall length (not blade length), measured from the tip of the blade to the middle of the end of the butt cap. This is different from much of Bladeforums, where western type knives are usually posted with blade length.

Someone mentioned the KLVUK model. KLVUK stands for Keshar Lal Villager Utility Knife, where Keshar Lal is the kami who makes most of them. It is lighter weight than a CAK or AK of similar length, not the best choice for heavy chopping, but great for everything else, and a lot more convenient if you'll be carrying it on hikes. Also much cheaper, since less work is put into the cosmetic aspects, but this is a comfortable and very strong blade. If funds are not tight, I'd recommend getting a CAK and a KLVUK, and use the KLVUK for everything except the heavy chopping, and to carry when hiking.

Welcome to the forum, and let us know what you get, preferably with photos. :)
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Thank you for the detailed reply, David. :thumbup:

I'm 6'2, 185lbs. Not an overly robust fellow, but I'm not a twig either. I'm doing graduate work in sustainable fields such as renewable energy sources, sanitation, and permaculture infrastructure. I spend time in various impoverish areas around the world trying to implement these ideals and gaining research for my thesis. My blades get extended workouts, all day, every day.

Honestly, any of the CAKs between 16-18", with a 1/2" spine, seem like they would be perfect for me.
 
Hi, Calm:

I honestly think that for use "all day, every day" an 18" CAK would be too heavy. The 16.5" CAKs usually weigh around two pounds, give or take a couple ounces.

You might want to find a chunk of steel about that weight and length and try swinging it for an hour or two, to get an idea. In the end, you're the one that has to be comfortable with it.

Also, I really wouldn't worry whether the spine is a full 1/2" or maybe 7/16" or thereabouts. The spine on these knives aren't uniform anyway. They are usually thickest near the handle and gradually taper toward the tip. There is very little danger of ever breaking one of these knives, and if it did break it would be because of some hidden flaw in the steel (which is rare), not because of a slightly thinner spine.

By the way, most of the HI models have a V-shaped spine profile. That can be used for things like breaking bone, where you wouldn't want to risk the edge.
 
davidf99 said:
Hi, Calm:

I honestly think that for use "all day, every day" an 18" CAK would be too heavy. The 16.5" CAKs usually weigh around two pounds, give or take a couple ounces.

You might want to find a chunk of steel about that weight and length and try swinging it for an hour or two, to get an idea. In the end, you're the one that has to be comfortable with it.

Also, I really wouldn't worry whether the spine is a full 1/2" or maybe 7/16" or thereabouts. The spine on these knives aren't uniform anyway. They are usually thickest near the handle and gradually taper toward the tip. There is very little danger of ever breaking one of these knives, and if it did break it would be because of some hidden flaw in the steel (which is rare), not because of a slightly thinner spine.

By the way, most of the HI models have a V-shaped spine profile. That can be used for things like breaking bone, where you wouldn't want to risk the edge.
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Most of the construction work/jobs I've done involved 3-5lbs sledges that I used 10-12 hours a day, haha. I've actually used a HI Kukri before down in Costa Rica. A fellow farmhand had one that was 10 years old and still going strong. I fell in love with that blade and its usefulness. I just can't remember the size, but it was between 16-18" and wasn't a CAK.

Alright then, I think I'm going to try an order a 16.5" CAK. :D
 
For your size, fitness and intended usage I would recommend the 18" Chiruwa Ang Khola.
At your size a 16.5" khukuri will seem a bit on the small side and an 18" should be no problem for you to wield.
 
Karda said:
For your size, fitness and intended usage I would recommend the 18" Chiruwa Ang Khola.
At your size a 16.5" khukuri will seem a bit on the small side and an 18" should be no problem for you to wield.
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Wonderful! Since I didn't see an 18" Chiruwa Ang Khola listed on the site, I figured they weren't being made. If there are any left in stock, I will gladly pick one up.
 
CalmAsHinduCows said:
Wonderful! Since I didn't see an 18" Chiruwa Ang Khola listed on the site, I figured they weren't being made. If there are any left in stock, I will gladly pick one up.
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You may rather wait for one to pop up here on this forum or you can email Auntie Yangdu at himimp@aol.com to see if she has exactly what you are looking for in stock at the moment
 
Karda said:
For your size, fitness and intended usage I would recommend the 18" Chiruwa Ang Khola.
At your size a 16.5" khukuri will seem a bit on the small side and an 18" should be no problem for you to wield.
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Totally agree... I am 6'5 285lbs, the 18in models are perfect for me. I can also handle a 20inch model fairly well.

You said you were 6'2 185lbs, you should have plenty of strength to use an 18in model. I much prefer having the extra leverage and blade length than saving a few ounces. I have a 18 WWII @ 30oz that is very comfortable.

The 18in has more to offer IMHO. You can really see this when you hold a 16 and 18 side by side. The 18in is much easier to use if you are strong enough to wield it. Everyone is different but you sound like a strong lad.

FYI... there is a 16.5in 20oz model available on last nights DOTD. I would grab it just to have it and grab the 18 to compare. HI kukris are like potato chips... one isn't enough.
 
Even at 6' and 145 I can use the 18" models without much fatigue, but of course these blades do quite a bit of the work you just need to tell it where to go. At 38 oz my m43 is a darn hefty blade, but my favorite chopper.
 
I was surprised how much of a difference the point of balance makes, though, in how a blade feels; this is also something to keep in mind when talking about fatigue.
 
So, I emailed Auntie Yangdu and she informed me that they only have a 19.5" CAK available now.

But, she also let me know that the M43 and the Baghe also come in Chiruwa style with the full, thick and heavy tang. I was really looking at the M43 before but was leaning more towards the CAK because of the thickness and full tang.

Now, I might be looking at an M43. Wow, this can get out of control quick, haha...
 
CalmAsHinduCows said:
So, I emailed Auntie Yangdu and she informed me that they only have a 19.5" CAK available now.

But, she also let me know that the M43 and the Baghe also come in Chiruwa style with the full, thick and heavy tang. I was really looking at the M43 before but was leaning more towards the CAK because of the thickness and full tang.

Now, I might be looking at an M43. Wow, this can get out of control quick, haha...
Click to expand...

Like I said, they are like potato chips... one isn't enough. I though I was only going to buy a WWII about a year ago now. I think I am up to 16 HI kukris, 3 HI knives, and 4 HI swords. They are addicting hence the HIKV designation :D.
 
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