Cold Steel's older HTC Gurkha Kukri?

[JD Spydo]

I've just got through reading 2 of the best threads I've read in quite a while here on BF. One was about Cold STeel TRailmasters and the other was about why people carry big knives on the survival slot in the Community section. I've always liked to fool around with big bowies and other big knives myself but I got one blade I even like better than them.

I was very lucky about 4 years ago and got my hands on a couple of the older Cold Steel HTC Gurkha Kukris out of the older Carbon V series. No I didn't mean to say LTC I truly meant to say HTC. The HTC has a 15 inch blade and they didn't make many of them I don't think. I haven't run across to many guys who have had them either.

Now I also have one of Cold Steel's regular Carbon V Gurhkas with the 5/16ths spine whereas the HTC has a spine that's just slightly over 1/8ths thick. My question to you guys is this: How many of you all have one of the older/bigger CS HTC Gurkha Kukris? And how do you guys like it? Also how do you all compare using Gurkha Kukris in the timber compared to big bowies and other big bladed knives?

Personally I have a blast in the timber with all of my Gurkhas but I sure like my Cold STeel HTC model the best for several reasons. But hey if you know of a better Gurkha we can chat about that one also

 

[Brad "the butcher"]

I have 2 sk-5 CS gurkha kukri's, bought the chinese ones before they ran out. Don't know about the htc but sounds good with dimensions. Is it the deep belly style like ltc?

I have 4 trailmasters and recently got an LTC carbonv. That is an efficient chopper at 3/16 and the big belly. Stupid of them to not make it in sk-5 as it is a more functional camp tool than the gurkha. The cheap machete version of the ltc is a serious performer for 20$, it is my beater for rough clearing and root chopping.
Yeah I like about half of CS, some don't but it is nice to see threads not fall apart with hate.
regards

 

[JD Spydo]

I have 2 sk-5 CS gurkha kukri's, bought the chinese ones before they ran out. Don't know about the htc but sounds good with dimensions. Is it the deep belly style like ltc?

I have 4 trailmasters and recently got an LTC carbonv. That is an efficient chopper at 3/16 and the big belly. Stupid of them to not make it in sk-5 as it is a more functional camp tool than the gurkha. The cheap machete version of the ltc is a serious performer for 20$, it is my beater for rough clearing and root chopping.
Yeah I like about half of CS, some don't but it is nice to see threads not fall apart with hate.
regards

Yeah Brad that's funny you would mention the "belly" part because yes indeed it does have a very deep, well defined belly on it. Whereas the other Cold STeel Gurkha I like to use with the really thick spine doesn't have a belly as pronounced as the HTC does. Plus the extra 3 inches in length with the HTC makes a much bigger difference than most of you might realize.

This HTC is truly like a high quality, medium sized, sword in some respects. I can tell you this much>> when I used to work in some wetlands up in north Missouri I could blow through wild grape and trumpet vines like they were pretzels. And for most of you who may not be familiar with our vines here in Missouri they are some of the absolute toughest and stringiest vines I've encountered anywhere>> and they don't cut easily either. But that HTC makes them child's play

Also when I used to have a Carbon V CS TRailmaster ( I knife I liked very well by the way) it didn't seem to have nearly as much leverage and thrusting ability as I do with this HTC Gurkha of Cold Steels. I'm just amazed that the HTC Gurkha didn't take off like a rocket because it's a very serious weapon/tool to be sure

 

[remmmm]

Interesting, I've heard of the ATC and LTC, but never the HTC. I would really like to pick up a ATC, which I believe was the heavier of the two (ATC, LTC) correct?

Any pics of the HTC? Google had not a single one...

 

[JD Spydo]

Interesting, I've heard of the ATC and LTC, but never the HTC. I would really like to pick up a ATC, which I believe was the heavier of the two (ATC, LTC) correct?

Any pics of the HTC? Google had not a single one...

Remmm I wish I could but I don't currently have a digital camera. And I also have tried to use several search engines to find out more about these elusive models of the Gurkha Kukri. The only catalog I've ever found of Cold Steels that had a picture in it was back around 2001-2002 and it was only in one of them as I remember. When I bought 3 of them at Cold Steel's Booth at the 2005 Blade show they were a discontinued item that they were trying to get rid of to make room for their newer stuff.

These models don't show up on Ebay very often either. I kept 2 of the 3 I bought and had to sell one for financial reasons I bet I'll regret that down the road Not many of Cold STeel's knives become collectible but I bet the HTC will be one for sure. I just wish they would bring it back in that SK-5 or VG-1 they are using now.

This 15 inch HTC is truly a brute and puts most any machete I've ever had completely to shame. I'm sure there are some guys here on BF who either have one or at least know about them.

I don't know if Cold Steel has anyone archiving their past catalogs like Spyderco and some other companies do. But if this model is to be found in a catalog it will be in the early to mid 2000s.

 

[jason boswell]

I believe I saw the HTC in a previous CS catalog going back, nice piece! Now the ATC, well thats an entirely different animal, haha.

 

[Buffalohump]

I scored a Mini-Kukri off their website some years back. It was a 'second' with a small notch in the spine.

Its Carbon V and its a superb chopper, particularly on softer vegetation, which we have in abundance in our sub-tropical climate.

Its got a 11.5 blade (although with the recurve its probably around 13,5 in actual real estate) with the more traditional kukri profile...

Awesome blade, wish they still made 'em!

 

[JD Spydo]

Buffalohump the one you have pictured there is more the style of their thick spined Gurkha. The HTC I'm speaking of has that big belly on it just like the LTC Gurkha of theirs.

I have 3 of Cold Steel's Gurkha Kukris and all of mine are Carbon V and I truly love all of them.

As far as I know this CS HTC model was the only one they had with a 15 inch blade. I sure wish they would bring it back.

 

[Halfneck]

Not sure which CS Kuhkri I have. I do know it is from the 1st batch of Kuhkris they ever offered. I chopped so many trees & planed with it so much the edge was finally beyond my ability to resharpen. Guys at Cold Steel did not want to mess with it, but luckily Tom Krein was able to bring it back.