Advice for a new guy

A

Andre Simpson

Joined
Apr 19, 1999
Messages
122
Hi guys, this is my first post here but hopefully not my last.

I will be getting a khukuri in the next few months and need a bit of advice on the right model for my needs.

I do a lot of camping with kids in the Australian High-coutry and have recently had an emergency that convinced me I need a much heavier blade than what I usually carry.

I have been looking at one of the following:
15in Ang Khola
British army model
15in Sirupati
12in Sirupati

Essentially it has to be small and light enough to be carried for long periods in a (Large) day-pack and still cut like mad when its really needed.

It will also be put to general purpose use around our base-camp.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Andre




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"I'm desperately trying to figure out why kamikaze pilots wore helmets. "
 
Hi Andre,

How heavy is the blade you are currently using and what kind of activities do you foresee your knife doing.

There are a few competing factors here, for chopping you need weight. For cutting you want a thinner blade.

From the list you have the BAS at about 540 g would be a good cutter, resonable chopper and is also quite tough (> 0.4" maximum spine thickness). To cut like mad you should look at some of the post about course edge vs polished edge. A course edge and the recurve on the BAS will make it an excellent cutter.

The Sirupati is probably a better cutter than the BAS but is likely less tough and might not chop as well (I don't own this one). The Ang Khola at about 635 g is definitely a better chopper and is tougher than the BAS but does not cut as well.

My guess as to why kamakazie pilots wear helments.

1) To prevent them from being rendered unconscious by bumping their heads while flying through FLAK or turbulence.

2) Military tradition which does not always make sense.

3) Keep their heads warm, a place for ear muffs, and goggles.


Will
 
Hi Andre:

As I mentioned in my email to you most Aussie customers have opted for the 15 inch AK and swear by it. This knife plus scabbard will come in under two pounds and in an emergency it can save you life. It won't fail! Look around and read some of the test results and I think you may convince yourself.

Thanks for stopping by from down under.

Uncle Bill
 
Andre, I don't have the smaller sirupati's so can't comment on them, but I have both the BAS and the 15 inch AK. If I were to own only one it would be the 15 inch AK. In fact if I could only have one khukuri, it would be the 15 inch HI. It is nearly undamageable. The slightly extra heft gives more chopping power. You may sacrifice a little in the cutting and slicing arena, but the extra toughness is worth it. Is the extra quarter pound of weight worth it to you?
 
Andre, I have one Aussie customer who is a real life Crocodile Dundee and he owns both the BAS and AK but his favorite is the AK. If you want to contact him let me know and I'll send you his mailing address. He calls me from time to time to update me on his adventures in the bush.

When I reminded him his calls were pretty expensive just to call and chat he said, "I got nobody else to call in America except you, Bill!"

Spoken just like Crocodile Dundee!

Uncle Bill
 
Thanks for the input guys.

The main use would be for chopping.

The emergency I got into is as follows:

Two girls (age 15/16) got separated from their hike group. The rest of their group got to base and I recived a radio message as to what was happening (I was out in the field keeping an eye in the hike route). By the time I found them it was getting dark, it was raining and one of the girls was in the initial stages of hypothermia. We were not going to get back that night so I had to improvise a shelter using the tent fly one of them had (the tents gets split up between the group). I had to drop a couple sapplings, the knife I had - SOG Government, my normal hunting/utility knife - did it but it took a lot longer than I would have liked, especially as I had to get a fire going and take care of a couple scared/sick girls.

Anyway after a mildly uncomfotable night we all got back safe and sound but I have seriously re-evaluated my equipment needs.

Andre

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"I'm desperately trying to figure out why kamikaze pilots wore helmets. "
 
Now that is one heck of a good news knife story and you guys just missed it.
 
Hi Andre,

Just my 2 cents. I just recently bought a 15" AK. It is by far the best knife I own and I own some very good custom blades. Buy it and I garuntee that you won't be disappointed. Just yesterday I decided to see how it liked steel and tin cans. One medium powered swing cleaved the steel can in half cleanly, no crumpling! 2 minor impact points on the blade that I was able to polish out in a matter of minutes. Trees and brush are nothing! Good luck. I hope to hear some good outback stories in the future.
Mike
 
The AK is certainly the way to go if chopping is your primary goal (I have the longer thinner WWII) - but if you are very weight conscious (of your pack, not your belly!) and general camp useage is not intended, then why not consider a pocket chainsaw or wire saw. They weigh only ounces and should be part of your survival kit anyway. (Which reminds me that I need to test my wire saw...)

Of course it depends on how thick the wood you want to chop is. I think the wire saw would be better (less effort) than your SOG. The AK is not even in the same ballpark.

But if you wanted to be covered for all situations, any of the khukris you mentioned would probably be just fine as long as you were prepared to carry it.

2 pounds is a lot of weight for people who cut off the toothbrush handle!
smile.gif


Daniel.
 
Andre, the 15" Sirupati will easily outchop your SOG and even compares well against the heavier bowies :

http://www.physics.mun.ca:80/~sstamp/knives/face_off_II.html

While it does not have the excessive weight of some of the larger bowies, its center of gravity is further along the blade. This plus the blade curvature really helps chopping power.

The 15" Ang Khola is another class altogether.

http://www.physics.mun.ca:80/~sstamp/knives/face_off.html

Its chopping speed is 2-3 times the 15" Sirupati and fatigue is much less. It would also be much tougher due to thicker and much wider blade.

Daniel, I like the idea of those wire saws but broke the last two I tried out. They were not expensive ones though. Can you recommend a decent model?

-Cliff
 
Advice for a new guy? Hmmm.... how about this?

Don't play with sharp objects naked!!!
 
Rusty, you really do need to get back on your medication!

And you are dead right, Cobalt. That is a good news knife story and I'll post it myself later today with credit properly given.

Uncle Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 20 April 1999).]
 
Kamikaze pilots and helmets:

A guess, but...radio communications. I think most of the time the earpieces for the radios were manufactured into the helmets.

Which khukuri is best for a newbie:

I have no idea, being a newbie myself. I would highly recommend one of Cold Steel's blades, since they are the best in out there (the Cold Steel catalogue even says so!).

*WINK*

Seriously? I'm eyeing a 15" AK and the big Sirupati myself...time to start saving up...

Mike


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Hey! Uncle Sam!

(_!_) Nyah nyah nyah!

Refund! You lose! :)


 
Uncle Bill, I have no worries as long as I stay in Mineral County or on the Rez. After living here nineteen years, two-thirds of the people here who have the legal ability to institutionalize me are sane themselves because of their crying on my shoulder at one time or another. The other third remembers my legendary social work skills in blackmailing and extortion on behalf of the court, and they're too scared of me. Shooting in steel plate matches with the local judges and cops with one of my four 41's doesn't hurt either. Did I mention a friend gives me the phone directory for state worker's office numbers - many of whom also remember me well.
 
Rusty, as I told you via phone I seriously entertained moving to Mineral Co. Seems I'd fit right in!

Uncle Bill
 
Hey thanks for all that guys.

From what I've read here and the reviews I've seen, looks like the 15in Ak is the one.

Just have to pay off a few bills first(damned real world intruding again).

Andre

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"He who sees first, lives longest. "
 
Hi Andre,

Any of the khukuri's you mentioned would perform better than the SOG government model for chopping. I have the Mad Dog ATAK 2, Ka-Bar, CS-Tanto's in the 7" blade length and they all suck with regard to chopping compared to a BAS and are blow away by the Ang Khola. I can see why you are looking for a khukuri.

The 15" Ang Khola is the one to go with for the situation you describe but it is about 100 g heavier than the BAS. My Ang Khola is actually a little shorter than my BAS, it fits in my backpack better. Energy spent carrying the Ang Khola might be deducted from the energy saved in using an Ang Khola for chopping (camp prepartion?).

Cliff, I have the pocket chain saw and have not broken it yet. I recently saw a review for them at a survival site, a web search for Short Kutts, or pocket chain saw should turn up a variety. I have used it for about six 6" diameter trees. The holes where the metal loops for handle attach to are showing signs of bending. They are not as efficienct as your 20" Ang Khola, and I don't think they will even match a 15" Ang Khola. I had to finish off a tree I was working on with the pocket saw with my 20" Ang Khola. The tree sqeezed onto the saw and I could not move it. The khukuri recovered the saw and brought down the tree.

Will
 
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