Bowie, Smatchet, or Khukuri?

Loki

Loki

Joined
Mar 23, 2000
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740
Time to talk big knives. Looking at these three styles as defensive blades, I see pros and cons to each. The Bowie can backcut, the Smatchet can produce an awesome stabbing wound, and the Khukuri delivers a devestating chop. Is there a king of the hill or does personal preference make the difference?
 
A good bowie knife can do all three things , backcut , stab , and crushing slashes . All of the other knives specialize in just one catagory . But make sure you pick a good bowie . If you are wanting a fighter , get a Ontario Hells bells , or do a search under the name Bill Seigle , He makes a very good "Bagwellian " Bowie at a great price .
 
It depends on what you personally prefer and find most comfortable. I recommend that each person should choose weapon to use fore him self and not chose what someone else considers a perfect weapon. I am not a big Bagwell fan as he is not wiling to even consider anything except a bowie and considers it to be a solution fore everting. A man with a lot of experience can kill with a dagga just as well as a man with a bowie.:mad: :p :mad:
 
Don't count out the khukuri or the Smatchet yet!

A Smatchet will stab, slice and chop too. And, since it ahs 2 edges you can polish one up and leave the other one coarsely sharpened. That way, you have a push cutting and chopping edhe, and a slicing edge for fibrous material.

A khukuri can slice liek the dickens, and it will out chip the other blades. It does depend a lot on personal preference, and on style. I don't care how many advantages a Trailmaster bowie has over a Spyderco Ladybug folder, my girlfriend would find the bowie too large to carry, and wouldn't do it in the first place! All I'm saying is, if you are more comfortable and enthused with a smatchet, that will be the better buy than a khukuri or bowie. You really need to handle all 3. What makes it worse is that there are a zillion variation sof bowies and khukuris! By the way, I'd go look at the Strider AJAX model as well. You can see one at www.tripleaughtdesign.com

Personally, I have owned a Cold Steel LTC kukri, and I like khukris now. Khukuris are interesting weapons as well, as you can flip them over and deliver a tremendous strike with the spine. And, you can do a slapping strike with the sides.
 
First, I'll answer the original question directly: Personal preference is the deciding factor.

Next, I'll join larry in a chant: Bowie, bowie, bowie, bowie!!!! :)
 
For use only as a "defensive" weapon, I would also vote for the Bowie. I have a SOG Tigershark, and a customized Coleman/Western Bowie, and to my way of thinking, they would make a pretty darn good "defensive" weapon.
 
The Bowie is very versatile, it does many things well.

It can pierce as well as it can chop. It can slash efficiently also.

A huge advantage to well-designed big (9"-11") bowie is that it CAN be carried relatively easily compared to the big curved Khukuri or the broad smatchet.

I have been experimenting with some big 10-11" knives lately.
I have shocked some people with what I have pulled out of my pants.

Oh yeah, they were very impressed with the knife too :)
 
While being a khukri fan myself - a bowie is a heck of lot easier to conceal since they are generally straight. But if I was going to face multiple opponents with a knife (hopefully never), I'd still prefer the kukri for plain "knock down" power.

Just like there are specialised fighting bowies like the Hell's Belle, there are "fighting kukris" - check out the Himalayan Imports Kumar Cobra - I don't have one, but they give an OHB a good run in the speed stakes (18" OAL and 1lb of weight), but with massive chopping power. I do not believe than a bowie can out chop a >well made< kukri (eg one from Himalayan Imports.)

Each to his own...
 
Some people are choppers, others thrusters and slashers. My fencing background would have me holding my knife in a saber grip, which puts me into the second category. But hey, I'm a lover, not a fighter :)

-LOL @ Lombardo's comment.
 
Gotta be a Bowie!!! A Bowie with a properly sharpened clip will actually pierce more efficiently than a dagger, and you can chop or slash in addition to being able to backcut with it.
 
Daniel L,

I like khukuris a lot too. I have the HI Cobra to which you referred and I agree it is the fastest I've handled. However, the spine is still a lot thicker than a Hell's Belle style Bowie so it is significantly more front-heavy. Also, no sharpened edge on the back of the spine. Nonetheless, it would be my close second choice behind the Bowie.
 
Nothing against bowies or smatchets...I own examples of both.
But, consider the actual combat record of the khukuri. The little men from the hills of Nepal have been using it for centuries with great effect. Probably no other blade, with the possible exception of the calvary saber, has so many confirmed kills.
My bedside knife is an HI Gelbu Special (khukuri)...power and grace.

--Mike L.
 
Here's a quick shot of an 8 Dollar Mtn Foundry Smatchet and the Gelbu Special. The Smatchet has a 10" blade.
 

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I am a big fan of the Khukuri. It's about the next best thing to an ax for chopping. The bowie has its advantages, especially since it is more user friendly to carry since it is straight.

One knife that was not mentioned (although usually smaller than those mentioned) is the Bolo. The Bolo is a good all around choice. It has a good sharp point, the weight (esp. the old war ones) is pretty hefty for chopping....a great knife design
 
For self-defense I think I would grab my CS Trailmaster instead of my Ontario Bagwell Stealth. Why? After I fight off the intruder, then I will have to fight off the liberal lawyers and prosecutors who don't believe in self-defense. The Bagwell bowies are designed and named as weapons - solely intended for cutting people, while the Trailmaster is for cutting "trails" - i.e., a tool.

Another idea: have a custom maker build a good fighter for you, and engrave a name on it like "Weed Wacker", "Kudzu King", or "Firewood Chopper" - so you can claim you got it for utility.
 
Personally, I'd go with a bowie. Back-cuts, stabs, and chops.
I like Khukris a lot, dont get me wrong, but I'd still go with a bowie, as I consider it more versatile.

And I really dont care for Smatchets, never owned one, I think they are kinda ugly.
 
Hello satin,

Your German quote at the bottom of your message has aroused my curiosity. From the very few words of German I understand, I am guessing the last part says "I am good with a rifle." Care to translate?
 
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