Another new HIKV victim

D

DocPat2511

Joined
Feb 15, 2001
Messages
340
Howdy, folks. I was in the market for a big knife and started looking around . . . then I ran across the HI website.

My first reaction (verbatim) "My God, that's BEAUTIFUL!" (Lemme tell you, folks; when you're a shrink, you say something like that, and your coworkers see a pic of an 18" knife on the screen, you get some looks.)

I'm doomed, aren't I?

Right now I'm looking hard at the UBE and the GS. I'm looking for a knife that can clear light-moderate brush (up to sapling size), that can serve reasonably as a weapon, and that moves quick in the hand. I have some freak genetic defect- I have good shoulder girdle strength but skinny little forearms. I dunno if I could maneuver some of the heavier khukuris.

I like the look of the GS because of that nasty-looking point, its light weight and hollow forge/grind, and just cuz it looks kewl.

I like the UBE for that big belly and the upswept point. I wonder a little whether the swept point improves stabbing performance, but it sure looks like it could make a nasty drawcut, and give the blade more versatility. I also wonder about the hardening; how far along the belly and up the tip does the hardening extend?

Anybody want to help me with my impending addiction?
 
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Welcome Doc!!!!
If you want a UBE you should hurry and get one that Uncle Bill has just posted!!! That's a helluva deal!!!
I don't care much for the chiruwa style much personally, But I do have to say they're stronger than than a granite bedrock!!!

As fr as the hardening up the point it depends. I have noticed on a lot f khukuris lately that it seems like it's going up there a good ways.
It's not something that needs worrying about because at 52 to 54 Rc they are still plenty ard, But More Imporantly they are TOUGH!!!
And that's what you want on the tips and in the recurve. Lots of good reasons the kamis make them that way.
smile.gif



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>>>>---Yvsa-G@WebTV.net---->®

"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.
 
Welcome Doc! Glad to have you here!

Either one would serve you well. The GS is much more "graceful" to swing, but the UBE is a good "stabber".

Rog
 
Boy, are you in trouble! I agree, claim that UBE that's on special. It's a lot ot Khukuri for the money. It doesn't matter which is the best, because you're going to buy another few anyway
eek.gif


Oh, and welcome to our abberation!! It's oh so bad on the bank account, and oh so much fun with these guys.



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Watakushi Wa Shinajin Desu
DeathDancer
 
Thanks for the welcome, gents.

That Chirwa UBS does look sweet . . . Something about that knife and a full tang just works for me.

This may be a separate thread but I'm sure somebody's thought of this before. When I first saw the UBE, I thought "If Rezin Bowie had been born in Nepal . . .?" I have seen the BirGhorka Bowie pix, but if I thought of a Khukuri-blade Bowie it'd look like a UBE with a brass S-guard and a false-edge/semisharpened clip. Has anybody else had the thought?

Even further off topic . . . DeathDancer, I'd reckon your signoff is a phonetic of an (American) Indian language-What does it mean?
 
Welcome DocPat2511!!!
The other fellas are right,it dosen't matter what U get, one Khuk leads to another! The chiruwa style is truly indestructable. Even if U manage to break the handle slabs U still have the full tang to hold on to. U will be very happy with what ever choice U make!!! Good luck!

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Chris B.
 
Welcome Doc,

As a recent sufferer of this malady, I can attest to how hard it can be to decide on your first.
I went with the YCS for my first HI Khuk.
It was a perfect starting place. You might look that one up.
I know that Yvsa would not blow his own horn on this design, but it is one of the finest feeling blade designs that I have had the pleasure to own. It handles very fast and seems very powerful. I have not as yet put it through it's paces, but swinging it is a pleasure. I does seem I started out spoiling myself. HeHeHe Where do I go from here? Only time will tell. Good luck on your search. Now the fun begins!!!!!!!!!

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Defeat the fear of death and welcome the death of fear. G.Liddy
 
Welcome to the Cantina Doc! and they're right, you're doomed
biggrin.gif
. I noticed in your first post that you want this knife for clearing light brush. I don't want to discourage you from getting your dream knife, but the UBE and the GS aren't very effective on really springy vegetation. I have GS which I've used on light, springy briar patches and while it will get the job done, it'll wear you out in the process. The GS is great on grapevines and small trees, or even large trees, but it doesn't have much reach for briars. Also, it's lightweight only in relation to other khuks. Mine is 1/2" thick at the spine. Back when I was looking to buy my first khuk, I wanted it to do the same thing you do, cut light brush. I asked Uncle Bill which model he would reccomend and he told me that the Sirupati would serve my needs. I ended up getting the GS because my machete works well on the briars and the GS takes care of anything that would break the machete. Now none of this applies if you're talking about heavier vegetation than briars. Then the GS would be ideal. Good luck choosing your first one, it won't be your last!
 
Welcome to the Cantina, Doc! Yes, you're doomed. If you hear any good or bad things on this thread, you'll soon find GS and UBE in your hands. Then you find yourself hitting refresh/F5 button on you PC to get a UBDOTD. Then... you'll know (or already know?) more khukuri will bring more happiness.

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\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/
 
A UBE with an S guard and double edged back from the point a ways? I've definately had that vision, and part of it is forged fullers as in the GS.

Uncle probably already has a headache starting!

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"To know and to act are one."
 
Roadrunner: Thanks for the tips. Actually, what I'm thinking about is helping out on the farm back home in S.C. When bushhogging or dozing tractor paths into woods I was stuck between a cane knife (Sorta like a machete, but with a much wider, cleaver style blade) and an axe. The cane knife is great for anything it can cut in one stroke (up to very small saplings, maybe 3/4" diameter) but it sticks in anything thicker. It has a spring-tempered blade so you can't twist it out, and if you stick it into young pine when the sap's running you may as well epoxy it in. An axe can cut the big
stuff, but is useless for anything else. A hand axe will break your back from the bending over, a full axe is just a pain to carry. I also need something for quick limbing when we're cutting firewood. I was looking for a compromise. Maybe the sirupati is more reasonable. I guess what I'll be doing is mostly limbing, cutting small trees and heavy vine, and a bit of bushwhacking. One thing about the cane knife; it's light enough to pack along with something else.

Finnean: Glad to hear from you; I hear you're the UBE guru 'round here. Can you give me some pointers on what it's best at? Is it a good pinewoods knife or better at heavy stuff? As to the Khukuri clip it seems to me this knife would improve the draw-cutting of the Bowie by the recurve and the chopping ability by the forward sweep. One thing I don't know about is what weight you would want . . . would it be a ton-of-bricks chopper that can slice, or a fast slasher? (We may really be talking about a small yataghan here.) And on the thought of a fighter; looks to me like some of the smaller-than average cho designs with narrow openings could be serviceable as a "Spanish" notch. 'Course, I wouldn't know how to use it, regardless.
wink.gif
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Hi Doc,

Thanks. "Guru" is a little strong. I am though, a sincere proponent of this style. The UBE is similar to the yataghan, and an almost identical blade was found at the Haldstatt dig in Switzerland dating to the Bronze Age. It's been around a long time for good reason.

This is first and foremost a chopping or cleaving blade. The way HI makes them they are simply a khukuri with an upturned point. They do all the stuff a khukuri does with an added advantage of being able to bring the blade on point with a more natural position of the wrist for transmitting energy through the blade for the thrust. When using as a draw knife, the upsweep of the point is more comfortable to hold. The balance is more distributed along the length, with the amount of point heaviness I personally prefer.

I loathe chopping pine, and frankly have never used a UBE for it. I have always used a little cherished tool for this,
whenever I could not get out of it.

Considering this blade for defense, the shape is ideal for cut and thust play, with the accent on cutting. It will work better than other khukuris with techniques where the blade is kept in play- such as slashing, and cutting with the tip. You're right about draw cuts. Overall, as much as I love the bowie, if I had to fight, the UBE would be the tool used if at all possible. A back edge would enable back-cuts but reduce the area back of the blade available for reinforced cutting techniques- not necessarily an even trade. I haven't used a Spanish notch, but prefer the Irish notch (useful for opening bottles of Guinness- religious sensibilities be trashed).

I prefer big blades, but recommend that you have the UBE in different sizes and weights. At any rate, with Uncle you're in good hands, and ultimately, I would defer to his advice- he KNOWS this stuff.

Uncle- I have to run just now, but later I will get to a picture of that case.

Thanks

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"To know and to act are one."

[This message has been edited by Finnean (edited 02-16-2001).]
 
For the sort of work you describe, which sounds a lot like what I mostly use my khuks for, and bearing in mind what you say about not being particularly strong in the forearms, I'd suggest that a member of the sirupati family would suit you better than one of the heavier khukuri designs.

I have chronic tendonitis in both arms. It's improved lately, but when I bought my first khuk, it was very bad indeed, to the point where I couldn't manage the cutting tools I'd been using for farm work at that time. I bought a lightweight 20" sirupati, a village model, and found I could use it all day without hurting. It handled every job I set it to, including cutting and trimming saplings and small trees, and it only got retired when I bought a 25" Kobra, which feels pretty much the same but cuts even better...

I'd recommend either a 20" village sirupati, as & when Bill next gets in a batch (the HI sirupatis made in BirGhorka are superb tools but a bit heavier) or a 24" or 25" Kumar Kobra. I can't advise about the fighting qualities of khukuris - our local undergrowth fights back by attrition rather than aggression - but my guess is that the excellent balance and handspeed of both of these khuks would make them outstanding performers in combat. Both the sirupatiand the Kobra are light enough to carry on a belt all day without noticing they're there, and the handles are nice and slim (an important factor, IMHO, in preventing hand and forearm fatigue)
 
That is an awesome looking knife! That scabbard is really nice also. Thanks for posting that link Finnean.
 
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