BK&T meets HI!

J

James Mattis

Joined
Oct 3, 1998
Messages
3,264
<A HREF="http://www.chaicutlery.com/HimalayanImports/KumarSirupati-BKTMachax.jpg" TARGET=_blank>
KumarSirupati-BKTMachax-medium.jpg
</A>

On top (actually on the bottom, facing the glass), we have a Himalayan Imports 15" Sirupati by Kumar from the Bir Gorkha workshop in Nepal, a knife in a traditional style made from a recycled Mercedes Benz truck spring, brass, and buffalo horn.

And we have a Becker Knife and Tool Machax, from the Camillus cutlery factory in New York, a modern chopper-lopper designed by Ethan Becker, outdoor survival student and editor of Joy of Cooking, made from industrial tool steel and molded fiberglass-nylon composite.

Both are "virgin" and have not chopped or lopped anything, so I can only speculate on comparitive performance. The Machax weighs in at 23 ounces, balanced an inch or so in front of the guard area, and is 1/4" stock. The Sirupati is lighter at 15 ounces, balanced about 2" ahead of the bolster, and slightly thicker than the BK&T at the spine.

Different traditions, same objective.


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
Awesome!

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Hoodoo

Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?

The Merchant of Venice, Act IV. Scene I.
 
Yeah, I've been also wondering about how the Machax will compare in performance to a Kukri. I've used both a Machax and a Cold Stel Gurkha, my guess is that they would be on par. The Becker has a hands-down more comfortable handle than the Gurkha.

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AKTI Member # A000005
NC Knife Knuts Member
Living life "on the edge"
 
Thanks for the great picture, as usual, James.
smile.gif


I just got back from vacation & my neighbor brought over a package containing the Machax that I won here in the recent Camillus contest. I'll be heading back to my camp later this week & will give the Machax a bit of a workout. I'll include a comparably sized HI khukuri for some performance comparisons.

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Cheers,
Brian

He who finishes with the most toys wins.
 
I was hoping somebody would do some comparitive chopping with the Machax and an H.I. khukuri.
smile.gif


A Nepali khukuri will have a grip that will feel much different, for better or worse, from the Cold Steel kraton grip. And presumably forged 5160 that's been edged-quenched with a pitcher of water, will not behave exactly like anything out of a modern factory.

If you wander around the Himalayan Imports forum, you'll find that an all-out abuse-level blow, khukuri versus concrete or steel pipe, can produce a tip that looks a little like what BK&T intentionally designed into the Machax.
biggrin.gif





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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
FYI, I just posted a performance comparison between a Machax & a village made khukuri.

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Cheers,
Brian

He who finishes with the most toys wins.

[This message has been edited by bcaffrey (edited 09-25-2000).]
 
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