Can u introduce me to the Kuk?

L

loki88

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I just purchased a Cold Steel Kukri Machete, i know it's not a reference, but i like the shape and weight of the kukri. I am interrested in Kukri as SD tools. Wich HI would fit best my need for a basic, well made, SD Kukri ?

Any knowledgeble people out there?

Thx
 
Kobra - either 18 or 20 inch length.
 
Dan nailed it. The Kobra is the lightest, therefore the quickest. If you want just a little more weight, you could go with the Sirupati, Gelbu Special, or WWII. The Chitlangi would make a superb self defense blade as well. There is a wide variance in weight of the Chitlangi. You could ask for a lighter one. Occaisionally, Bill will get in a few Chainpuri, which is like a very light, very quick chitlangi. Dan has some very good drawings of the various shapes in the Khukuri dynamics page here
http://www.himalayan-imports.com/faq/physics/Khukuri_Dynamics.html
Welcome!

Steve
 
"Can u introduce me to the Kuk? "

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a blade of speed and grace
Been around for a long long time, helped many a man meet his fate
I was around in WW2 brought forth some terrible pain
Made darn sure the Gurkah's hacked head and sealed Nazi's fate.

Please to meet you.
Hope you guessed my name!
What's puzzling you is the nature of my game!

I worked with glee while the kings and queens fought for 10 decades
For the Gods they made.
And now whose buying Khukuris?
After all it's YOU and ME.

Please to meet you...
 
I would not go with a kobra. Most martial artists, from what I can tell reading the HI webpage and all other sources, go for a WWll Khuk or chitlangi or Gelbu special. This is just my opinion. But the Kobra lacks the cut. It will never carry the authority of a Gelbu, Sirupati, or chitlangi. It may be marginally faster in many cases, but not all, and gives up too much.

There are other opinions, and some Kobra fans. If you get a Kobra, you are getting a bent short sword.


munk
 
The weapon is the user. All else is supplementary.

I believe that the weapon has to fit the user, and not the reverse.

But what do I know?
 
There is no argument against what 45/70 has written, unless it is that there is no 'one' khuk to do it all, even for just one person. If you go Kobra, you forgo much of the chop the khuk is famous for. It is the lightest and fastest, and the shopping site states desirable for self defense or martial arts. The Sirupati is also listed as being for martial arts, though still capable of a days work.

In a perfect world, you could handle all the blades you've narrowed it down to for several weeks each and make your selection.

munk
 
I really like my 18" Kobra. Made by Bura, it weighs only 15oz, which is astounding for its length and considering that most khuks would be lucky to have 1oz per 1" of overall length.

myKobra4.jpg


This thing is very fast, and agile, but do not be fooled by it slim appearance, it is quite thick for a fighting blade. The secret is in the amazing distal taper that Bura worked into it, which starts at around the bend in the spine.

blade_spine.jpg


Balance is perfect, and the handle is very well made. For example, the khukuri will seat itself into my hand with just a twist of my wrist and a slight loosening of my fingers.

Snap cuts can be executed very nicely with this, as well as slashes and chopping motions. Turning the blade around creates a blunt instrument, using the spine of the blade - the balance here is still very good. Bura knows his stuff.

I can only speak for my khukuri, and not for other khukuris made by other smiths or even the same model by Bura. This one just fits right with me.
 
A nice sharp karda will do great. Make a little sheath and keep it next to your wallet. Hold it inside your fist and dont let the guy know you have it.
Ih he tries anything, cut him and let him rethink his decision.
 
I think that is three right this quarter!!

I agree with DIJ and the others, I'm not a knife fighter. I try not to fight at all, but historically Bell's fight with shotguns or pistols. It's a family thing...

Having said that, I think that most Kuhks would be quite dangerous in a fight, even my Baby Ganga Ram, (Tiny) would be a gruesome opponent...
 
Loki88 --

I also own a Cold Steel khukuri machete. It is nothing like a real khukuri -- it's not even really the same shape. The balance and feel are completely different. It is not a bad machete (especially considering the low cost) but it just does not compare to an actual khukuri. It is also a bit too short for working on blackberries. (My biggest gripe.)

As for the best khuk for defense, I keep hearing that the WWII ones are the ones to get. I will prove or disprove this to myself the next time a WWII Villager comes up for sale when I'm not at work. ;) In the meantime, different people will be comfortable with different things. If I were reaching for a sharp instrument to fight with it would not be a khuk in the first place (shame on me!), but I haven't handled the real "weapon" styles and, like I said before, different people will be comfortable with different things.

That said, spend some time with your machete. You've already paid for it and it is not a bad tool; I can maneuver mine much more quickly than any of my khuks. It won't chop down trees like an Ang Khola will but I doubt that a human adversary would really notice a difference upon impact...not that I'm willing to test that assumption. :)
 
The truth is that ANY khukuri would make a good wepaon, especially the one from HI.
I like one that is straight and fat or curvy and narrow.
(Like the chitalngis, gelbus and hanshees)

But They are all fearsome weapons.

The most important thing is training and learning how to move your body. Once you learn that, then any of them will work great.
 
i practice FMA (Inayan Style), so my main sharpend weapon is my Bolo, this one is also from Cold Steel, inexpensive, reasonable for the job. I bought a Kuk from CS when i was in the shop for some Sjamboks ;) and thought what the heck. But handling it i thought it was 'interresting" to doo some training with. It doesn't have the reach of a Bolo, but it's more like a "chopper", giving deep cut's. I don't like stabbing, i have seen people beeing stabbed, and they still where capable to fight (i am a LEO). I did see some machete wounds from "tribal" warfare in our chinese and black community. A good blow with a SHARP bolo, or Kuk to the weapon arm and knee of an intruder/adversary would fix a lot of problems fast, while partially removing limb they probably would not die from it as fast as stabs into the chest. The weapon is ment as for home/car defense. Portable defense is Spyderco Civilian ( same targets) and BM Nimravus (for penetration)

thx for the imput
 
I like the kobra as well, or the WWII. My Kumar WWII handles very well, my Sher Kobra not so much but it has potential. The kobra is much more powerful than in appears; it's still more than a pound and a half of sharpened steel! Even a misplaced blow from a khuk would inflict massive injury. Don't swing one at someone unless you mean to kill, because that's the likeliest result IMO.
 
The following is not mine and is paraphrased from an earlier discussion.

One of the best parts of a khukuri is the intimidation factor. Many people (would be attackers) see a bowie knife and think, "ok, big knife, lets do this" or something like that. They don't realise that a bowie can remove a hand very quickly. But even at the sight of a 12" sirupati they know that one chop can mean losing a limb.
 
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