Well, my favorite three HI Khuks of the moment are these...
Two at once here, top is a 22" Sgt. Khadka Bone Cutter
below is an 18" ASTK Villager finish by Dil
next, sticking to Khuks strictly would be this one, the UBE
Top one is a Villager made by The Tiger and the bottom one is made by Dil
The Uncle Bill Especiale's or UBE's are great in the kitchen, which is where the little guy spends all of his time. The larger one spends time there as well but also heads out to the yard with me. I find the point invaluable for digging out those nasty weed roots. Plus the blade has nice chopping ability and isn't too heavy, even though it was made by Sher, who is famous for his thick, heavy blades. The fuller on it really lightens this one up and make it a great one to use. These have been rare of late but maybe Yangdu will bring them back for us. I hope so for all of your sakes since they are nice ones plus they are single edge so with some states disallowing double edged blades, these would be fine ones over the Ultimate Fighters. I imagine the shape of the blade also lends itself to self defense if this is a concern as well.
Now then, if we consider the entire line of HI products, I would add a couple more favorites to the list for you. Most folks do not consider the Tamang a Khukuri in the strictest sense but I think of it as just another variant myself. These are the hands down favorites of mine so far. They chop and baton well enough for my needs plus they would be a fine all around camping and bush craft knife IMO. The lightness and shape of this blade also lend it to being a great self defense weapon and finally I like the scabbard too. It holds the knife closer to the body to keep it from snagging on things and the frog is more of a typical type in my way of thinking for a field knife. I have three Tamangs, one with a Neem handle, one with a Dhar handle and this one with a Satisal handle s the one I tend to use most. I have wrapped the handle of this one with a bit of hemp cordage to make the diameter a bit bigger so it fits my hand better.
all three of my Tamangs were made by Vim
You can also go and check out the Giant Seax, made by the Tiger's nephew Santosh, I just received in the photo thread I
posted here. The more I handle this one, the more I am sure it is going to become one of my favorite users. Last, if you want something with more reach, check out the Tarwars that Young Sher Bhadur makes for us. These come in two sizes, the regular Tarwar and a Mini sized one. My Mini Tarwar has a Teak handle made by Yangdu's father, Pala, on it which makes it an extra special one for me. This picture was taken before I oiled (BLO & Tung) the wood to protect it and make it even nicer looking. I really need to do the same to the Satisal handle on the big one now.
So Iron Mike, you have a lot of choices before you. Himalayan Imports makes a
LOT more than just the best khukuries anywhere. They make a whole line of knives (which I didn't really touch on), swords, an axe or two, and a number of other specialty items and edged weapons that sort of defy classification. Look through the
Link Library to find a lot of reviews, and other ways to see the HI line so you understand just how large and comprehensive it is, this is in the first sticky. Also be sure to read the
Saftey Information Thread. This is in the other sticky. You will be amazed at what you find and I am sure you will find all of us helpful and a lot of fun to read.
Welcome to HIKV Madness! :thumbup:
I'm already looking for the next one I need.
