Choose my first khukri for me!

M

muszeuhs

Joined
Apr 21, 2012
Messages
71
Sup,

I've been lurking around the HI site for about a year and I think I'm ready to pull the trigger. However, I'm torn between a few different models. I'd be grateful for any input any of you may have that would influence my decision for my first khukri!

My current knife collection consists of a bunch of ESEEs: a Damascus Izula, -4, -5, and a Junglas. Also, a DPX HEST 2.0 folder for EDC. My favorite for a while was the Junglas, but the -5 has taken the top spot now. I'm a big fan of utility and aggressive looking blades.

Here's what's on my hit list:

- WWII (18" or 16.5")
- Chiruwa Ang Khola
- British Army Service
- 18" Ganga Ram Special

First consideration I gave mind to was the limited lifetime warranty. I want my first khukri to be a hard-use one that I can take camping (maybe a survival course here and there) and beat the hell out of within reason, of course (the CAK is interesting in this respect because it's warranted to use as a pry bar). I looked at this part of the LLW:

The following models are warranted for "Field Use" and are warranted against breakage during "normal use". They are NOT warranted against MISUSE or ABUSE (intentional or otherwise) as determined by/at the discretion of Himalayan Imports, Its owners and/or staff.

1) Chiruwa Ang Khola (the only khukuri warranted for use as prybar)
2) Ang Khola
3) British Army Sevice
4) World War II
5) M-43
6) Ganga Ram Special
7) Bonecutter
8) Pen Knife
9) Ang Khola Bowie
10) Amar Singh Thapa Khukuri
Click to expand...

I also want one that has a story/legacy behind it. All of the ones on my list are interesting in their own rights, but if any of you have a personal experience with one of the mentioned khukris that may sway me one way or the other, please share.

And finally, I want something that is god-awful beautiful.

Again, this will be my first one, I'd like it to be my favorite go-to one if I should ever have to choose which khukri I want to bring on a trip (meaning I'm intent on getting a few more in the future :thumbup:).

Thank you for any input y'all might have on my decision. :D
 
My favorite user out of 20+ kukris is my 16.5 inch WWII followed closely by my BAS. They are the easiest to use and carry. Do I have big blades too? You bet but while they are fun to show off and chop big stuff with they are just too heavy to pack around.
 
I agree with Dirtbiker that a 16.5" WWII would be an excellent choice. Any of the models that you list would do the job, but the WWII tends to run lighter for a given length than most of the others, and it is plenty tough.

That said, you should also consider a KLVUK (Keshar Lal Villager Utility Knife) or "Ugly Villager" as a first HI khukuri. Since you are "intent on getting a few more in the future," there's no need to start with "something that is god-awful beautiful."

Sometimes people buy a khukuri that is so beautiful that they don't want to expose it to the elements or mar the polished finish with hard chopping, so they choose another as their "go-to" khukuri. The KLVUK is perfect for that. You can't mar the finish because it doesn't have any. :) And they're much cheaper than other models of the same size, so if by some extraordinary feat of strength or misuse you mess one up, you can treat it as a relatively inexpensive learning experience and just buy another one. The "story" behind the KLVUK is simply that it is closer in fit and finish to what most Nepali people are able to afford, i.e., it is pure utilitiarian.

By the way, my own KLVUK (the new model was originally posted here as "Ugly Villager") is one of the most comfortable khukuris that I have held, and in terms of functionality it has its own kind of beauty.
 
I second the KLVUK. While it is not included in the field use warranty, for unknown reasons, it has field use written all over it. And warranty or not, I just do not expect mine to break.

The KLVUK gives a lot of khukuri for the money, is authentic, and it fits most of your criteria. It is up to you whether it looks beautiful or not. To me, it does, which explains my sense of beauty.

The other recommendation is the BAS, because it is a good beginner khukuri. I have been given this advice when I started collecting, and I am grateful for it. If you have a BAS, then you get an idea where to move on to. Some people criticize the BAS as not being enough of a fighter, but I am critical of the criticisms. Fight is the least likely use of a khukuri, and in the hypothetical case a BAS were not useless. There may be khukuris with more of a fighter reputation, but there are few knives in general which can compete with the BAS in this field. And it is a good tool, first and foremost. The aura of the Gurkhas does not hurt either.

That being said, both the BAS and the KLVUK are short - for a khukuri. I find lengths around 45cm (18 inches) more appealing, especially when the khukuri is on the heavy side. On the other hand, length, not weight, is my main obstacle for carry.
 
I strongly advocate the 18" WWII. It was my first, and IMHO best khukri. In my personal experience, if far outchops the BAS and 16.5" AK without being overly heavy or awkward to use. (I don't have a Ganga Ram). To me, the BAS is a good utility khuk, but light for chopping and heavy for machete like tasks. My AK is like a hammer or crowbar rather than a blade. All have their purpose.

I think that the first and best reason to have a khukri is because they are great choppers that can also do pretty much everything else. That's why I like the WWII. It hits that sweet spot. You will probably will end up with one of each.
 
I too would say that a KLVUK would be a GREAT starter khuk. They aren't finished to a fine polish so you won't fret over some scratches. They are a great size and weight for hiking/camping. At a little over an ounce an inch, they won't pull your pants down, BUT they will out chop most any other knife of similar weight. I just took apart another small fir tree with mine the other day. In about 5 minutes I went from a sickly 7' broken fir to a pile of brush. GREAT utility in the design for sure.

If you really want a khuk you can beat the tar out of, check out the ASTK. It's hella stout generally coming in at 1/2" thick at the spine/bolster junction. It's a GREAT prybar/bombproof khuk. However, I think for survival the KLVUK will out perform the ASTK 5:1. Seriously, how much demolition is needed to survive? How many super fine cuts are needed instead? When you've been wandering in the woods for 3 days licking dew off leaves for your only water source, I think you'll appreciate the 17oz 16" KLVUK a lot more than the 32oz ASTK.

Just my personal opinion. The good news...you can't go wrong. You ARE going to end up with more than one. Some people luck out and stop after two or three. Then you have hopeless cases like myself where 40+ is not enough;)

Welcome to the fold:)
 
I don't own a KLVUK but i trust the opinions of the members above.

It's really about finding a blade that "speaks" to you.
 
Thank you so much for all of your inputs - this is one hell of a community. Very much appreciated!

I was able to find some threads about other members' KLVUKs, and I definitely see the beauty in the blades. Unfinished yes, but still pretty damned lovely in its utility. I pinged Yangdu to inquire about a Villager late last night (was still doing research on HI and khukris at 3am) and was told that a few would show up on the blem list today. I'm hoping that one will resonate with and call out to me, and that I'll be quick enough to claim it!

Any keyboard trips and/or fumbles in response to the blem list later would be greatly appreciated :D

I really love seeing these personal takes on the different options. Please keep sharing if you've got more wisdom to impart!

Many thanks again to all of you for your insights. Like some of you mentioned, it's pretty unlikely that I'll end up with just one. Can't wait.
 
CAK 18" was my first khuk, it arrived just in time to be used to remove a pine tree from the roof of my home (dropped on it during a tornado), and has held up to everything I've done to it. Cannot recommend it more. It's led to just one other Khuk, almost a testament to how awesome it is!
 
Hans Asmussen said:
I second the KLVUK. While it is not included in the field use warranty, for unknown reasons, it has field use written all over it. And warranty or not, I just do not expect mine to break....
Click to expand...

I believe the KLVUK is a very new model. A few months ago Yangdu posted a few "unfinished" knives that she labeled "Ugly Villagers." They looked like the KLVUK except with a more rounded profile at the spine. Dark forging scales left on the blades, no polishing except the edge, an unpolished handle and a low price. More recently the KLVUK came out and seems to have been adopted as the HI low-end model khukuri, perhaps the final version of the Ugly Villager experiment. So it's not in the warranty for field use because, as a new model, it is still a work-in-progress. KLVUKs have become very popular on this forum.

Perhaps Yangdu can clarify whether we will be seeing more of the "Ugly Villagers" or is the KLVUK the final version of the UV?
 
Well, five Villagers were just posted on today's blems, and I picked one up to christen my collection. Opinion has been very high on these, can't wait to see it in person.

Also can't wait to pick out my 2nd khukuri acquisition :D
 
muszeuhs said:
Well, five Villagers were just posted on today's blems, and I picked one up to christen my collection. Opinion has been very high on these, can't wait to see it in person.

Also can't wait to pick out my 2nd khukuri acquisition :D
Click to expand...

Today's posting of the KLVUKs was very timely. I'm glad you got one.

I suggest that you do wait on your 2nd Khukuri choice until you get the KLVUK and have a chance to use it, even minor use or swinging it to get a sense of how it feels in the hand.

That will help you to decide what model, length and weight for your second khukuri. Keep in mind that a few inches in length and a few ounces in weight can make the difference between a frequent user and a wall-hanger. I was lucky enough to get a WWII model that could be both.
 
muszeuhs said:
There seems to be a lot of love for the WWII and BAS
Click to expand...

I feel they offer the best combo of size and weight. However the KLVUK you bought today is right in the length to weight ballpark. Spend the 20 and get a sheath from Yangdu with your order.
 
Done and done. The #5 offering is 15.5" at 18 ounces, added the sheath to it. Can't wait to receive her!

Coming into this thread, I was favoring the CAK... but all of this talk about the WWII and BAK have got me pre-emptively partial to them. Once I get some days in with the Ugly Villager, I'll be able to decide on which pretty blade will be my next khukuri.
 
Remember beauty is to the eye of the beholder and that Ugly Villager is stunning in my book, she might not be the prettiest khuk at the dance but she'll still turn a head or two.

Although I can't even impersonate an expert in the weakest form I have a WWII that I love to pieces. It feels very nice in hand. I'm giving it display status as it was early and made by Amtrak so it will be fondled much and abused none. The Trisuli Ghaule I got awhile back will take over for play. She's pretty too. Maybe I do really need an Ugly Villager to abuse till death do us part? What was I thinking.
 
I am struggling with your stated mission of buying your "first" HI knife. You said you have been looking for a year and a half - that is a long time to torture yourself with the question. 18 months and hundred of deal of the day that have gone by. Why I am struggling is that the HI knives are like potato chips - you are not going to buy just one. The majority of forum members started with the the same goal - which "one" to buy - then after 2 or 3 or 4 or more we are still looking for another one to buy. We change the terms to "add to our collection" but it is just like other hobbies - you probably don't have one fishing pole, firearm or pair of hunting boots. Select one that speaks to you - jump in and buy it - enjoy and start looking for the next one to compliment it. You won't regret it.
 
How true. With me it's more like how to convince myself not to buy this one or that one. No self control. If it weren't lack of fund the mail person would be dropping a knife off every day.

I think an intervention is in order.
 
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