18" ASTK by Bhaktta

D

dirtypaulie

Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Messages
352
Specs for this ASTK are Here
As some of you may know I have some Hairline cracks in the Cho' & started a thread about that Here.

My 1st review bare with me ;) (FYI; The tree in the pics is slated to be cut down, Thanks Amflud)

I was finally able to take the time to bring this baby out & do the whack test. I was also able to do a little bit of chopping but nothing extensive. Once i'm able to do a good bit more chopping I will add feedback to this thread, as well as pics.

My 1st thoughts on opening that triangle box from Nevada & holding this Khukuri was OMG. I was in awe. I had not ever held something that possessed a mixture of handmade art, beauty & ferocity at the same time. For those that will read this who have not held an Official H.i. Khukuri unfortunately you will not understand until you make that decision to purchase one. Which I highly recommended :D Although be warned there is something called h.i.k.v.
After pm'ing Howard Wallace & asking him what he thought was a fair amount of whacking to do last night I was ready. As you may already know I was in no way concerned about the cracks in the cho' after browsing through the archives on that subject. For those of you that are a little skeptical about these recurring cracks in the cho' you shouldn't be. Mr. Wallace recommended that I whack my Khuk as hard as i could at the blade, each side of the blade & spine 1 good time, because thats what he does & that's all it should take if the blade is going to fail. After my initial whacks I looked at this thing & said hell nah & proceeded to beat My ASTK against the tree. I did so on each side like I was doing a work out in sets, lol. This baby didn't budge & the cracks did not get any bigger. After that I did a little bit of chopping on the tree.

My Final thoughts are this Khukuri will out last me. These tools are handmade in Nepal by craftsmen who intend for them to be used everyday. They are built to last. Little hairline cracks in the cho' are no cause for worry or concern (If you are still a little worried I recommend going through with the whack test yourself, Auntie will give you permission). I feel i'm a decent size man in pretty good shape, Standing at 5'10" weighing 200lbs & I swung this Khukuri at the tree multiple times with the force & intent to try & break it. It wouldn't happen & those little cracks did not get the slightest bit larger ( I measured the largest 1 prior to the whacking). I highly doubt this tool will break in my lifetime, during normal use.

And Here are some pics.

164102_1271459123778_1748906282_519638_7896787_n.jpg


167710_1271459523788_1748906282_519641_4171242_n.jpg


165190_1271459323783_1748906282_519640_14864_n.jpg


167169_1271459683792_1748906282_519643_1602900_n.jpg


More than likely because of the cold 2 whacks chopped this in 1/2 it was about 4" in diameter
165764_1271459883797_1748906282_519645_3906270_n.jpg
 
Last edited:
I kinda did what my buddy Jay Goliath did with the foil

here's What it looks like now
165174_1271460043801_1748906282_519647_3976967_n.jpg


168175_1271460283807_1748906282_519648_6847972_n.jpg


163454_1271460563814_1748906282_519650_5148698_n.jpg


168744_1271460803820_1748906282_519652_1728259_n.jpg


Watch out for my attack dog Honey :D
162815_1271460923823_1748906282_519653_693054_n.jpg
 
Dear Dirty Paulie,

I used to be a regular in the HI Forum. My health has kept me from doing anything with regularity. Since I don't hang around I will be the one to drop a bomb.

I apologize a head of time if this sounds ugly.

Why did you chop on on what is apparently, a live tree?

Did you at least spray some pruning sealer on it?

I realize this is harsh, but the gash will be in that tree forever. And unfortuantely will allow bugs and bacteria into the tree's healthy "body".

Would you chop the head off of a live animal just to see if it would do it?

Why harm another sentient life form just for the pleasure of playing with a new toy.

I see you chopped on a dead tree limb. Have you read the SAFETY thread? (It may be better to secure whatever media you test on. Sometimes chopping on frozen wood is like chopping on concrete. And sometimes what you chop has a life of its own.)

I am happy you realize that your new blade is a serious tool and can be a gruesome weapon.

These kamis from HI build their swords,knives,khukuris for hard use. Their lives are not as easy or sterile as ours are. They know what it is to be on the "Teeth of the Wolf".
They do not produce the typical "tourist variety" product. (Thank God for that.)

Please honor them by accepting the responsibiltiy of using your khuk with honor.

Tests can be easily done on scrap timber, which can be found on most construction sites for free.

Old pallets can be had for free at alot of retail warehouses just watch for nails.

Please by all means buy hundreds of HI khuks. Every one has a life of its own.

I hope you won't be hurt, or feel anger by my post.

Yes, at my house we do talk to trees. Every animal I have harvested since I was 15, was prayed over. None more so than the two boar hogs I took with a knife.

We see life in all things. We try not to do harm where it is not necessary. And only then with reverence and gratitude.

If these words cause ire, please just consider me a jerk and forget about what I said.

Best wishes for your many new khukuris to come.

Shane

P.S. Please forgive me, and my lousy way of not being able to say things in a more polite way. I know the excitement of getting a new blade and carrying it around for days, while looking for something to chop. In that I am just as guilty as anybody.
 
No offense is taken at all Shane, you came across with nothing but respect & your points are understood. No offense is taken from you either JParanee, as I see you've given me a thumbs down. The whack test was said to be performed on a tree so I chose a tree where I could perform the whack test on where I would be on private property. I don't think it would be wise to take the Khukuri on any other tree. 1 because I would more than likely look like a mad man to most of these city dwelling New Yorkers 2 I would more than likely end up having the police called on me. I can not get into any trouble having my khukuri in my home or traveling with it in a vehicle from point A to point B. Whether from my apartment or my family's home or our land in the Adirondacks but walking the streets with it in NYC is a no no. FYI Shane, that Tree will be chopped down this spring because my family wants to do over the backyard. They've been wanting to tear it down for years.

Edit:
I apologize to anyone who I may have offended by chopping at a live tree. No offense was intended
 
Last edited:
well you picked one that was slated to be cut down - i hope all is going well
 
Nice review!

Was that tree a white oak?

I agree that the branch was probably frozen and brittle.

BTW, I'd suggest you save the tree after cutting it down this spring, as it will provide many, many weeks and months of fun and testing, and won't be too shabby for making a campfire if you're prone to backyard bushcrafting.

BTW, if you do hunt, it'd be nice to see a review of the kukri system butchering a deer or hog -- using the kukri or the little knife that comes with it, as appropriate.
 
Definitely a good Idea to save some of the wood from that tree & I can't remember off hand but I think that's a maple tree.
Thank you for the compliment on the review.
 
might be hard for me to tell with no leaves on it sorry i'm a city boy, lol

Edit: Yea it is an Oak, A red oak
 
Last edited:
When I saw the pics of your live tree demo, I thought "Uh-oh, he's gonna get flamed...". Maybe you should go back and edit your first post stating that the tree is to be cut down. I'm not judging, it's your tree.

Great review. I love my ASTK. It's stout, even for a Khukuri!
 
Ya hold it in your hand and a feeling indescribable flows to you from the blade :)

That was how I felt when I got mine, I felt I got an indestructible tool that'll be a family tool for generations!

But to be honest I felt it could still do the job with a little less weight, perhaps 1/5th off the thickness would do the trick. Rather chunky my ASTK, good thing I'm more than 3
200 pounds of solid flab so I can handle it.

No harm, the tree was slated to be cut.
 
Yea a pool is going to be put in the yard now, I'm trying to sway the idea of making the yard concrete & put grass instead. In NYC every where you see people covering up dirt with concrete. We want to put a pool & be able to bbq but I'm going to have a debate to try & keep the dirt & put a nice lawn. I'm going to have to demo an old shed as well, but I'm ready for that.

We're 1 of 3 houses on the block that has a tree in the yard left. It just costs alot to have 1 removed
 
my favorite part of the review is in the one picture with your dog looking up at you
 
That's my baby Honey a 7 & a 1/2 month old mini Dachshund with a personality that is so big
That little fluffy bed thing she drags around to where she wants it & then lays in it, its so cute
 
I'm fortunate enough to live out in the hills. My usual khukri targets are trees and/or branches knocked down by storms.

I also enjoy slaying multiflora rose with my Bura 20" Sirupati.

You really don't appreciate just how tough and powerful a well-made khukri is until you've used them for years to chop apart full sized downed hardwood trees and large branches. They are magnificent cutting tools, lovingly crafted by guys who take great pride in their work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top