Camping/Hiking 12" AK vs 15" Siru

Triquetra

Triquetra

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
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759
I would like opinions or preferences on the 12" AK vs the 15" Siru for hiking and camping uses. I have both and see advantages of both but was hoping for more experienced opinions. I know the virtues of the WWII and others but just want opinions on these 2. The 12" seems more versital for general tasks such as skinning, both are light weight, the 15" Siru seems like it might be a better chopper because of added leverage although not as thick. ?????????????? :confused: :confused:
 
Take the Sirupate if they both weigh the same. The thicker blade of an AK is made for splitting and prying while the thinner blade of a Sirupate is made for severing. Were they axes, the AK would chop firewood while the Sirupate would take down the trees. Also, with the longer reach, the Sirupate should be better at clearing brush. Use the karda for skinning and related chores.

My worthless opinion.
 
I'd take the one that chopped better. If I got lost in the woods, it would most likely be for a day or so (I hope). I doubt I'd have to skin any animals (unless I resorted to canibalism). The better chopper would be better to build a shelter (most likely the 15" Siru).

I usually carry a 15" AK or BAS for hiking and such (I live in the city and try to stay indoors now).
 
Test them with your swing to see which is the better chopper...but I agree with Bruise :confused: ;)
 
BruiseLeee said:
(I live in the city and try to stay indoors now).
Click to expand...

:D That makes me think of the part in Logan's Run Where Logan and Jessica finally make it outside the domed city , and Jessica petulantly hollers, "I hate outside! I hate it! I hate it!" I have an increasing number of friends who don't venture outside unless it's absolutely necessary.

--Josh
 
Reminds me of a rescue mission in Alaska where this middle aged(40'ish) couple went out for a weekend to experience the wonders of nature.

We found them about 10 days later. She was overweight and as soft as a butterball. The bears had taken their food and terrified them for several nights. She had a bad ankle sprain and sobbed for a good hour after being picked up,so relieved she was, at being found.

Her husband had talked her into the adventure and she was blaming him for everything that had happened. From the conversation, I gathered she was a whacko disneyland environmentalist type that believed that communing with nature was going into her woodland nymph mode and dancing with God's gentle creatures. You talk about a belief system change---she was a fully converted believer that nature loves protein and will eat you at the first opportunity.

Between sobs she kept exclaiming that for the rest of her life, the furtherest away from her home that she was going to go, was her backyard.

The husband was lean and in fair shape and at least had a .44 magnum sidearm for protection. But subdued would be an understatement-- as he realized that he had taken someone out into the wilderness who had barely survived by extreme luck and the grace of God.

This is where they were found in the middle of the river, on a sandbar, near the glacial calving zone.
http://www.knikglacieradventures.com/

A memorable experience. Oh which to take the 12 or the 15 Siru-Maybe a good pocket knife for small stuff and the 15"Siru for the bigger stuff would work.:)

"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."
RD Laing.

"Last week I stated that this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister and now wish to withdraw that statement."
Mark Twain
 
Fewer folks will notice the 12in AK. Makes a little difference, but not much.

If you are only going once this year, you have a choice to make. If you are going to have more than one chance to go, alternate and decide yourself.

Very few things get skinned by AKs. Unless you are in a survival situation, you will skin your knuckles more than you will skin any wildlife.

What's easier? What carries/packs more easily? You decide. I live in Wisconsin, my choice is usually the 12in AK. But, as I've said before, if I could only have ONE HI khukuri, it would be my 15 in AK.

This is a first class problem. Enjoy. Take notes. Report back to the class.


Kis


(edit: This page from the link Clearblue posted just makes me sad.) :( http://www.knikglacieradventures.com/hunt_photos.html
 
I like something in the 15" range.

Clearblue,

Why didn't the guy take out a bear with the .44? They could have lived off of him till help arrived!
 
What kind of camping/hiking are you doing? I'm taking a light camping trip next week and i've lost several nights of sleep trying to decide which of my "children" i would take with me. My trip should be pretty light all in all. That really rules out the monsters of chop like the 18 and 20 inchers. I narrowed it down to a 12" siru, a Pen-knife, and my AK bowie. My final conclusion turned out to be the Pen Knife. Dan designed this puppy for camping and i trust his judgement and design. Its small, light weight, chops circles around most knives it's size, could easily skin something, and to be frank won't break my bank if i loose it...although i would be very pi$$ed at myself.
Back to your question. I'd take which ever one you like best. neither of them will fail you.


~Jake
 
I was going to say Pen knife...but he said he only wanted opinions on the other two :-( The Pen would be best choice IMO...so I'm with you SG!
 
Steely_Gunz said:
What kind of camping/hiking are you doing? I'm taking a light camping trip next week and i've lost several nights of sleep trying to decide which of my "children" i would take with me. My trip should be pretty light all in all. That really rules out the monsters of chop like the 18 and 20 inchers. I narrowed it down to a 12" siru, a Pen-knife, and my AK bowie. My final conclusion turned out to be the Pen Knife. Dan designed this puppy for camping and i trust his judgement and design. Its small, light weight, chops circles around most knives it's size, could easily skin something, and to be frank won't break my bank if i loose it...although i would be very pi$$ed at myself.
Back to your question. I'd take which ever one you like best. neither of them will fail you.


~Jake
Click to expand...

I'm going this coming weekend and I'm taking my 16" Bonecutter on this one and I think the Pen Knife on the next one.
 
hollowdweller said:
I like something in the 15" range.

Clearblue,

Why didn't the guy take out a bear with the .44? They could have lived off of him till help arrived!
Click to expand...

I can't say for sure but I surmised that the bears came in at night for their rampages. I did not observe any evidence of a camp fire as they both had gotten soaked getting over to the sandbar where they hoped to be seen, and I suspect they had no fire starting, backup sources.

The size of those bears is something that has to be seen to be believed and
intimidating would be a vast understatement. Most fellas I had contact with carried 12 gauge pump shotguns with 00bucks and slugs with a .44 mag backup.

Mark Twain issued this snippet of sarcasm about the unfortunate appearance of fundamentalist Mormon women in a screed attacking polygamy: "My heart was wiser than my head. It warmed toward these poor, ungainly and pathetically homely' creatures, and as I turned to hide the generous moisture in my eyes, I said, No' – the man that marries one of them has done an act of Christian charity which entitles him to the kindly applause of mankind, not their harsh censure – and the man that marries sixty of them has done a deed of open-handed generosity so sublime that the nations should stand uncovered in his presence and worship in silence."
:D
 
okay, i now have both, so i can give my opinion :D

definitely the 15" sirupati. if weight is a serious issue, then the 12" ang will definitely get the job done, but for chopping id probably go with a pen knife.

but if weight isnt to much of an issue, the siru rig will ad about 3-6oz over the ang, then definitely the siru. its what i consider to be the perfect hedge trimming size knife. big enough to get momentum and force into log chopping (and long enough to help with batoning), and well balanced enough that it wont cause instant fatigue. to be honest, i feel that you will get more done with this with less fatigue then the ang. it will be a more acute fatigue, your arm and forum are will get tired, but the ang will cause your entire body to get into it, aerobic for the ang, anarobic for the siru.

gotta say, even though its a blem (first one for me :) (even though the tiny cracks in the horn are just that - TINY)) its the best feeling khuk ive bought so far. 15" siru is my new favorite :D
 
Thanks for all the great advice. I guess the best thing would be to try them both out. Gives me an excuse to go out more. I do like the 12" AK when more people are around because it isn't as noticeable for those that offend easily, especially with the denim cover that I put on it.
 
Between the 12" AK and the 15" Siru, I'd think the Siru more versatile, especially if hiking/backpacking. A lot depends on the type of camping/hiking, where you're going, how long you'll be gone, and what you will be doing with the khuk. Either blade will out-knife most others in your party.

For years I hiked, camped and hunted with a pocketknife and a 5" Randall, or when "camping" with the military, a 5" USAF survival knife. I might like a fixed blade for cooking, and fuel gathering where permitted, but I usually carry a small stove and shelter with me and don't need a tool for that. The days of woodcraft are over in most popular hiking camping areas, and we've all seen too many pristine campsites desecrated by some hyperactive brat with an unsupervised hatchet:mad:. I've also seen a survival tool turn an outing into a survival, med-evac emergency (the scout axe-into-foot scene sticks with me). I’m probably a bit retro by still caring a fixed blade, in an age where the go-light crowd would eliminate anything but the lightest pocket knife. So here are my personal preferences today:



  • Most used blade: the karda (3"-5" blade kept razor sharp).
  • Blade I like around a campsite or hunting camp: Pen knife
  • Blade for a day hike where I don’t want to advertise, or weight is a critical issue: 12” Siru
  • Blade for backpacking: 15-18” Siru or Chitlangi (I’m partial to a 17” village Siru :D).
  • General purpose, all-around workhorse: 16.5” WWII (especially if I’m going into rough backcountry for a week or longer :cool:).
  • Expedition blade: If I was going into the Alaskan bush, or Africa, South America, etc., I’d want the 18” WWII. Especially if dangerous critters are larger and meaner than North American Black Bear. Who knows, the .45-70 or .44 magnum may anger the beast.
  • The blade in the Jeep, cabin, or base camp: 16.5 Chiruwa AK, for splitting logs, ringing the dinner bell, etc.
Others have different personal favorites and variations on a theme. Long ago I dropped the hatchet from my essential travel list. For tropical use I carried a Golok, WWII bolo, or Parang as a big blade. In the past few years, before I discovered HI, I carried an old WWII K-45 as my third blade. My present preferences for field use are the Pen knife and three HI village models (12” & 17” Sirus and 16.5” WWII):D. I may have both Pen and 17" Siru or WWII. Too often I’ve seen tenderfeet in the bush with a big Bowie, when a 4-5” blade would serve better on the trail or in camp. The Siru might reach the bottom of the peanut butter jar better than the AK. Carry the tool you will use! I used to think a Randall was essential for SCUBA too, but now with hyperactive kids desecrating coral reefs and wreaks, even gloves are frowned upon. When I fly, I generally travel with only one carry-on, whether for one week or four, and HIKV is not an airline acronym:rolleyes:. -- Jim !!!!!

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