Cold Steel " Ghurka kukri "

C

cabala

Joined
Oct 8, 2008
Messages
316
Blade is really excellent. Size, shape, weight, balance, steel is absolutely perfect. Made in China is no problem at all. Sheath is really OK. For Military maybe custom sheath is better ( like original Ghurka sheath ). It cuts everything!
 
Cold Steel's Ghurka Kukri is a pretty good design. I like my mini-version for outdoor work and wish I had bought a full-size version.

The knife used to be reasonably popular, but that seems to have fallen a bit. I guess the "kukri" phase in knife design is on the wain.
 
Have you tried chopping hard with it? You will discover two things:

1. The handle texture will give you blisters (unless you wear gloves or have calloused hands!)
2. The blade gets stuck / wedged on heavy chops into wood. This is because the flat V-grind will cut deep, but then get stuck. The convex grind of a genuine khukri (like from Himalayan Imports) does not get wedged as often and helps to break wood.

However, the CS Ghurka Kukri does look cool and handsome - but I like to use my knives.
 
Hello Daniel. You are right about chopping very hard wood but try with smaller pieces and cut on a log. Every time when i hit ( and point ) like with axe, it cuts without stopping. Outdoors i cut branches thick 10 cm and more allmost in one cut. Knife realy stops because thoesn't have shape like axe, even cutting angle to split wood and most inportant, properly balanced weight only for cutting logs.
This is, however, very well combination of weapon and tool ( knife, machete and axe - all in one ), civilian and military use, but can't replace folding knife!
 
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Daniel L said:
Have you tried chopping hard with it? You will discover two things:
1. The handle texture will give you blisters (unless you wear gloves or have calloused hands!)
2. The blade gets stuck / wedged on heavy chops into wood. This is because the flat V-grind will cut deep, but then get stuck. The convex grind of a genuine khukri (like from Himalayan Imports) does not get wedged as often and helps to break wood.
Click to expand...

I wrapped tennis racket tape around my Carbon V LTC Khukri handle and sealed the ends with glue so no flying debris gets underneath, it works great.

Once I sharpened the edge on a slack belt grinder it rarely binds, and Carbon V chops like it's hungry.
 
Something like " Roger Federer " khukri?! It seem OK. I have one in SK5 (Chinese) but is really good and sharpen them on Spyderco triangle sharpmaker. It takes time but can be very sharp.
 
I have the San Mai 3 version of the CS Gurkha Kukri. It has a convex edge and is true that when chopping in, it bites deep and does not get stuck as often as the hollow grind models ( SK5 and Carbon V). Tried it once on 9 inch tatami mat, one strike, one clear cut.

SK5 and Carbon V are both good steels to me. Tough and rigid, though not flexible and less corrosion resistant due to the high carbon content and almost no chromium to prevent rust.

I am now waiting on the launching of the satin polished SK5 models to be released.


My 2 cents.
 
Well, i am middle strength man, but believe me, i cut really big broken branch with few max blows. This " knife " is truly useful in wood.
 
Don't worry about flexibility, it's outstanding ( SK5 ). It stuck over a bump in log and bend about 30 degrees, so i couldn't pull it back for almost 10 minutes and when it goes out, it straightened like a spring.
 
Daniel L said:
Have you tried chopping hard with it? You will discover two things:

1. The handle texture will give you blisters (unless you wear gloves or have calloused hands!)
2. The blade gets stuck / wedged on heavy chops into wood. This is because the flat V-grind will cut deep, but then get stuck. The convex grind of a genuine khukri (like from Himalayan Imports) does not get wedged as often and helps to break wood.

However, the CS Ghurka Kukri does look cool and handsome - but I like to use my knives.
Click to expand...

I too prefer the Himalayan Imports steel to that of Cold Steel's design.

On another note---in regards to handles on choppers---I tend to wrap quite a few of my knives with wide athletic tape. It takes an edge off tacky Kraton or hard FRN plastic, and minimizes the sharp edges on guards and etc. It's not the prettiest thing in the world compared with factory handles, but it is effective. Your standard grip tape will also get the job done, but seems to sometimes "buff" down your palm like high-grit sandpaper.
 
Well, this is only my opinion of this knife, not even my " review ". But this knife ( short sword actually ) is excellent for any kind of outdoor use, except, maybe, for preparing a food and opening a letters.
 
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Those CS "kukris" are nice but I recently bought a Himalayan Imports
15.5 in. Chiruwa here on this board and I can't believe what I've
been missing. Take my word for it, buy one, they are something special. :)
 
Daniel L said:
Have you tried chopping hard with it? You will discover two things:

1. The handle texture will give you blisters (unless you wear gloves or have calloused hands!)
2. The blade gets stuck / wedged on heavy chops into wood. This is because the flat V-grind will cut deep, but then get stuck. The convex grind of a genuine khukri (like from Himalayan Imports) does not get wedged as often and helps to break wood.

However, the CS Ghurka Kukri does look cool and handsome - but I like to use my knives.
Click to expand...


This is EXACTLY why I dont use mine. I had two, sold one off. It just was not comfortable to use with the Kraton handle as when I was doing real chopping with it I experience hot spots and blistering which other Khuk's like HI's dont give ya. Still a cool Khuk and its fun for some camp chopping and light clearing but I use HI's for long term chopping when I want a Khukri.

Like Dan said the HI's chips the wood instead of sticking into it. If you have used many HI Khuk's you know what I mean. The blade geometry on the CS lets it bite deep but you dont get that wedge seperation which allows you to withdrawl the blade with relative ease like you do on a HI or other Good Convex Khukri.
 
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