carbon choppers which is best?

[psy-ops]

out of all the carbon choppers I am familiarwhich do you guys think is best?

 

[J. J. Magnum]

I own both the RTAK and the Anaconda and it was tough to choose between them. I chose the Anaconda because I have worked with it the most, and the angled handle is a bit more comfortable to use.

The Becker Brute is without doubt one of the toughest knives around and from all accounts one chopping son of a gun. I don't own one, but I have friends who do.

Too many choices

 

[psy-ops]

jj,

since you have both you think the anaconda is better for all around survival chores. I have almost all of rons videos and he uses it very well.
how about skinning? I guess you would have a small knife?


I think the anaconda is a really good knife, I am not sure about the tanto tip?

I voted for the rtak cause it seems like the one I would chose, but that brute always enters in the discussion.


too many choices too many knives not enough surplus cash!

 

[J. J. Magnum]

I have not used the Anaconda for skinning; however, if you use the lanyard/choke up method illustrated by Ron in Video #8 it should do a good job.

In the field I usually carry an assortment of other knives in addition to my main chopper. My TOPS CAT or Interceptor or WSI Ranger all make good skinners. For that matter my Arc Lite is a good game knife as well. One thing I learned this winter was that you need to wrap your skeleton handle knives with something to keep it from becoming afixed to your hand. That's what I get from living in SC for the last 15 years, you forget what COLD is all about.

 

[Raven's Beak]

I like carbon steel and knives that chop so the responses will interest me. But my pick is not listed, hence no vote to add. Any of my Himalayan Imports Khukuris will do the job.


Patrick

"too many choices too many knives not enough surplus cash!"

Amen to that!

 

[V Shrake]

Any "real" khukuri is going to outchop a similarly-sized "Western" blade. Even the so-called "lightweight" khuks do incredible chopping work and are very stout. My only khuk at the moment is a GH Bhojpure with a 10 inch blade, and I've used it to cut seasoned 6 inch pine and Juniper logs, and split them as well.

What I mean by a real khukuri is one made the Nepalese way, with a horn or wooden handle, and a thick spine with a differential heat treat. With a knife like this, the handle has to "roll" in your hand to get the best results chopping, and the checkered rubber grips on Westernized "kukris" would tear your hands up quick if you waern't wearing gloves. Also, the thich spine of a Nepalese khuk makes for a great hammer. And, basically, I just prefer the looks and history of a genuine Nepalese khukuri med in a charcoal fire and tempered with a tea kettle. These blades have "soul".

 

[SkagSig40]

I own several of these blades and I can tell you I have the best chopping performence with my 20 inch Ang khola and Salayan khukuri from Himalayan Imports. I have been using H.I. khuks for 10 years and have over 40 of them now! Even the small lighter khuks can out chop most of the other blades in this poll...the ones that I have used and seen for that matter. Some other knives will hold a longer edge but as far as shear strength and chopping goes nothing can beat a Himalayan Imports Khukuri!!! And they didn't pay me to say this either!

Great topic by the way!!!

 

[wabi]

How about a Busse?

wabi

 

[psy-ops]

I didn't include busse because he uses infi steel.

I think busse knives are great but I just wanted to limit this to carbon knives.

 

[Bill Siegle]

I went out last weekend for some camping and testing of my own blades. Since the knives I brought were 7in and 4in, I brought a Matindale Golok for a chopper. I was really impressed with how it performed. My friend was so impressed with it that he was chopping firewood just to have an excuse to hold the Golok. We were working with 5-6in diameter pole wood and the knife was like a small chainsaw. Another point I liked was the fact that it is pretty light for it's size. Next time I go out I plan on doing the same style of testing with my Livesay RTAK but I'm bringing my Golok as a back up

 

[Lukers]

Chris
From what I hear, INFI is a carbon steel. It has .5% carbon which is enough to have it considered carbon. 5160 is has .6% so is about as carbon as INFI. INFI techinically isn't stainless with 9% chromium(15% technically makes something stainless I think). Did you really mean your survey to include simple carbon steels like 1095(tops,rtak,etc, 5160(kuks,etc? I may be wrong but I remember reading something about it once.
thanks
Luke
P.S. Chris, How as the videos? I hope you still like em'

 

[psy-ops]

No I just thought infi was considered stainless, I just don't know much about it, thanks for clarifying.

but yeah I did want to keep it down to simple 1095, 5160 type stuff.

the videos are awesome I am a diehard hoods woods fan!

 

[not2sharp]

A Khukuri makes everything else seem really small.

 

[SkagSig40]

Nice pix N2S! Any info on the top khuk? Nice UBS by the way!

 

[not2sharp]

Any info on the top khuk?

The top khukuri is a nice mid 19th century hanshee type. It is unmarked and handled in wood.

n2s

 

[SkagSig40]

Is that a wide blade for a Hanshee? Thanks!

 

[not2sharp]

Chris,

Khukuries tend to vary, but that blade shape on the hanshee example is typical of the type.

n2s

 

[SkagSig40]

Thanks N2S! I've only seen a few of John Powell's.

 

[psy-ops]

I would of thought there was gonna be one clear winner. the khukri is in the lead by one vote then the becker patrol machete. I never would have guessed a tie between a cs trailmaster and livesay rtak.

this has been a fun one.

 

[SkagSig40]

Now how about a poll for folders?