Comparsion: HI AK and El Cheapo

E

elbowtko

Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Messages
42
I'm currently trying to get a nice kukri, but ever since I lurked around these boards it seems nobody will settle for anything short of a HI model (with slight exceptions given to KH and the CS Gurhka.)

I can't imagine spending 120+ on a tool i'm just going to chop wood and go camping with. Well anyways, back to the topic.

I came around this interesting comparsion reveiw of a 16.5 HI AK and kukris found from http://www.khukuriknife.com/ does anyone have feedback of this website?

Anyways... heres the reveiw

http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=296
 
I've only handled HI but I'm sure somebody who's handled both will come along soon. I can attest to the quality of HI products, though. Very tough, will take a very sharp edge. They're not just lookers. If you wait around here for Yangdu's Deal of the Day you can get khuks for a lot less than they sell for on the web site. But you have to be quick;)

Frank
 
Welcome.

I've handled a few other khuks. None are as tough as the H.I. models. Not to say that the ones in the link you provided aren't good, but remember that the knives from HI are guaranteed, and the distribution center is in Reno, NV. In the unlikely event that you need to return it, the shipping won't kill you.

If you do choose the other site, make sure you understand the shipping charges. If they're from abroad, the shipping could easily cost more than the khuk.

Also, if you keep checking in for Deals of the Day, you can get a great blade for a lot less than $120.

Good luck.
 
Sure, the other guys do have servicable khuks. Sure the other guys have a few khuks that will match HI khuks in quality and finish.
NONE of the other guys offer the same high quality of customer service and guarantee as HI. NONE.
Go where you want, I'll buy my khuks (and a few other style of blades) from HI.
 
I've learned that you pay one way or another when you "save" money. I have each of the knives shown in his review, and IMO there is no way the nice little 20 oz. ganjawal can rate with an AK. To me, $120 for a knife for "just chopping wood and camping" is a great deal. When I hit a piece of wood I'd like it to split, and not hear a dull thump as the blade turns. And, if he can sharpen the blade on his KP with a burnisher, then the steel is way too soft.

But, you don't need to spend a lot. I have seen dozens of excellent knives, BGRS's, BAS's, AK's, WWII's, Foxy Folly's, Sirus, etc., etc., etc., sell here for $75 to $90 that will last a lifetime.

The ganjawal is a very nice little $65-$70 knife. By the time I got mine in hand I had paid $125 for it because of the high shipping costs. HI never charges for shipping, and if you have a problem you get a new one. It's that simple.



Norm
 
My 16 1/2" WWII was a DOTD - about $70, IIRC. It's been to hell and back, and I love it. I've never had any issue with it - from blade hardness, to handle quality, to balance and feel in use. Simply, one of the best tools I own - and the best edged tool. It's well, well worth the money.
 
You can easily spend $120 on an HI khukri and its money well spent. But I got my WWII 18" for $69. I've spent everything from $25 to $210 for HI stuff and its all been very well made.
 
I have a bunch of KH Khukuri's and have been please with the quality, performance and overall C/S in have been giving. That said and in all fairness to HI and some members on another board I am waiting on a 12 inch Ang Khola bought on the Daily HI Specials post last week.

I wasn't aware at the time the 12 inches was OAL so it will be on the smaller side of things but I also have a Mini Jungle KH that is the same size for a comparision.

In the past I have been burned buying what was said to have been genuine only to find out it was maked in Pakistan or somewhere else and intended for the tourist trade.

A few things I have found to avoid at knives with silver or brass lion headed pomel, knives with India etched in the blade, heavily decorated horn handles as these are signs of wall hangers and most don't even have sharp blades.

Be very careful about buying Khukuri knives on Ebay as half the supposed vintage blades people don't know what they are selling to start with and about 98% are fake or tourist blades.

The balance of new blades on Ebay are either just cheap knock offs made in China or Taiwan witht he exception of a few vendors that are buying a quanity of KH and bringing them in and one Ebay seller named McCurdy that has KH Custom make a 100 at a time to his spec's.

Best advise I could offer and I am sure there are any number of folks here more knowledgable than I am is to buy HI or watch the daily posts and see if you get lucky. Or buy a few from KH all at the same time to keep the shipping costs down.

At least with sticking with HI or KH you are asurred you are buying the real deal from people that are keeping the old school tradition of hand made knives alive and not getting some piece of junk with a chrome plated blade.

Just my thoughts.

Karsten
 
Does anyone have feedback on the CS Gurhka kukri aside from that one from cliff?

Are they more corrosive/rust resistent than HI kukris?
 
elbowtko said:
Does anyone have feedback on the CS Gurhka kukri aside from that one from cliff?

Are they more corrosive/rust resistent than HI kukris?
Click to expand...

You get a pretty servicable (and expensive) machete with the CS Gurhka. It must be all the marketing that Cold Steel hammers into the blade;) I kid. However, anything that CS offers is not a khuk. We call them KLO's (Khuk-like objects). It has the shape of the khuk, but none of the flava. Also, CS sold it as "the thickest khukri on the market":rolleyes: Bologna. I have a kobra (one of the lightest khuks HI makes) that is thicker than that;)
I had the CS Gurhka Lite that they offered a few years ago before I bought my first HI. Not a bad knife, but not a khuk. I ended up giving it to a co-worker. They bite deep, but bind pretty readily. As far are rusting goes, they will stave it off longer than an HI, but that is because they have that ugly tactical black finish baked on. They are constructed out of Carbon V which if left unprotected will rust just as quickly as the steel in HI's khuks.
This is really a non-issue. Scrub your khuk down and oil it after each use (a "use" could be an afternoon of chopping or a weekend camping trip;)). If it gets wet, dry it off. As long as the scabbard and blade are dry, storing it in the scabbard will help to protect the blade from rust and spots. Also, etching or graying the blade with an acidic compound tends to help keep rust from forming.

Oh, and by the way, WELCOME!:)
Jake
 
I had two KH khuks. I beat the hell out of both. Gave one away. The other is in unservicable condition now due to my knocking the scales off and intending to rehandle, but not getting to it. They don't inspire me, but they are servicable.
 
I think several manufacturers can turn out good kukri, most of them also have a variable percentage of rogues. Himalayen imports strongest point is the 100% gaurantee. If anything is wrong they will replace it. {It also of course has a strong customer base who love ther products, & will offer advice etc.}

Nepal to Europe or US postage can be a killer.:(

But Personly I reckomend buy 4 of any kukri you like & keep the one that suits you most & sell the other 3.

It might cost you a little more on the new to seconhand loss but wow, will you love the kukri you keep. ;) {Said having bought about 485 kukri. in last 5 years. still got about 95 of them ;) {admitadly probably 90% were antique well at least 55 plus years old.}{American definition of antique I think? Its 100 years in the Uk}}

Id love to do the same when I buy a new car. :D or anything else for that matter! :p

Spiral
 
Spiral:But Personly I reckomend buy 4 of any kukri you like & keep the one that suits you most & sell the other 3.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. The khukuris being such a handmade thing vary and once you find one that really agrees with you then KEEP IT.

I'd have to say if I had to get rid of all my khuks but a few my GK Bonecutters and my HI 17" Foxy Folly would stay. They are the best. Next for me would be the Ganga Rams but out of the 3 I have 1 is the one I'd keep.
 
the author of the article Jean Marc, used to be a member here, IIRC, and he is not unfamiliar with HI's products. He is a good fellow with a great interest in ethnic blades.

I have had great khuks from both KH and HI. KH used to make khuks for HI back in the Shop 1 days, IIRC. I think that we sometimes forget that the kamis at KH and at other "factories" come from the same tradition as the HI kamis. Many of these kamis have generations of experience making khukuries in their families (just like the HI kamis). The fit and finish on my KH knives is servicable, but not of the same standards as HI blades. The KH knives hade the traditional bolsters.

I would not hesitate to buy a khukuri from KH if I were buying more than one blade. For an individual knives, the shipping makes the costs pretty much comparable to HI. KH also has a guarantee on their blades, but IIRC you must ship the blade back to Nepal for replacement. That alone can make the HI knives a better deal, especially the DOTD knives. Then there is the way HI takes care of their kamis and customers. Top notch.

Pat
 
I am sure to be Banned but I gave my honest feed back to a member of another board and figured I would post it here as well.

I told you I would give you my thoughts and I was trying to find the Khukuri post but it is gone.

I nabbed a 12 inch Ang Khola on the DOTD post for $60.00...I thought I was buying a 12 inch blade and not a 12 inch OAL knife......live and learn to pay better attention.

No biggy, as a have 3 smaller KH knives for a comparision and the KH knives were from $19.00 to $24.00 plus shipping.


Overall HI

High Polished blade with a little figure in the horn grip. Already a gap between the Horn and the Pomel and the brass bolster came split along the top. Deco work along the top spine looks very rough and crude like it was done by a beginner.

Frog is thicker than KH for the most part and is leather laced in front (these in time will work loose and you will lose the knife)

Say the KH Nepal Army, Horn grip nothing special but it has no gaps and could be polishe I guess. Blood groove across top is a clean line, came High Polished but has seen some Scotch Bite Pads. Blade is the same .75 inch longer and thicker at the spine. Frog is made of one pice loops and riveted with no stitching to loosen of dry.

Cost of the above Nepal Army I think was $24.00 plus shipping.

8 inch Jungle Almost the same knife as purchased from HI at the cost of $20.00 came with Rosewood grip, solid brass bolster and same style Pomel as HI 12inch Ang khola but no gaps between grip and pomel. Frog is a thinner leather but still the 2 piece riveted type.

3rd Khukuri from KH would be a 10 inch Sirupate at a cost of $24.00. Over all a long and thicker blade, Rosewood grip and no gaps at either bolster or pomel.

KH uses a fine grain leather on the sheath body and gets a finer stitch down the back than the leather used on HI sheaths. HI does use the thicker leather on the Frogs than KH but the stitching in going to come loose at the worst time.

I have also mentioned the thin leather Frog to those in charge at KH and hopefully something can be done.

Over all I can buy 3 knives from KH of equal quality (or better) for the same price as a Blemished knife at $60.00 from HI and that is just the smaller offerings.

I don't even want to try to buy something for $125 plus on the DOTD to size up to say a $40-50.00 large KH knife (which I have a bunch of) when for $60.00 I got a letter opener/display piece.

I have a few I used as test blades to Acid Etch and even came out with a Copper clad motled pattern on a few higher priced blades $29.00 to $50.00

I short, I can't see the value or where HI is all that better than KH...In fact the HI blade at $60.00 is of a lower quality than 3 KH blades I have here.

I figure the Blade Forum Moving Van is just around the corner and I will be Banned soon for speaking my opinion.

Karsten
 
KKHansen said:
High Polished blade with a little figure in the horn grip. Already a gap between the Horn and the Pomel and the brass bolster came split along the top. Deco work along the top spine looks very rough and crude like it was done by a beginner.

Frog is thicker than KH for the most part and is leather laced in front (these in time will work loose and you will lose the knife)

KH uses a fine grain leather on the sheath body and gets a finer stitch down the back than the leather used on HI sheaths. HI does use the thicker leather on the Frogs than KH but the stitching in going to come loose at the worst time.
Click to expand...


I am surprised that the horn has already started shrinking, though I guess if its been dry out it could see it doing it a little.

Are you sure the bolster is splitting and its not just the solder seam?

I have never had the laceing on any of my HI come lose, and I use them quite a bit.

Just from zooming on on the picture of the 12" AK it looks like the lines on the decroative lines are great (though of course they may be different in person, and may be as bad as you say).


If you are really unhappy with it send it back to Yangdu and she will make it right.
 
wouldn't those blades you mention cost more because of the shipping?

Also, if many of you think that CS and other "kukri shaped knives" are just well... kukri shaped knives. Then what would define as a kukri?
 
KKHanson: You won't be banned from here for speaking your mind. You seem to have done it honestly and respectfully. You should contact Yangdu about your blade if you think its not good quality. She will make it right.

Also, can you tell me what the shipping charges are? You were saying that you only spend X$ plus shipping. I'd like to know how much the shipping generally costs.
 
Well I think you've skewed the review by not including the shipping in your prices from KH. I paid ~30 dollars for my mini-panawal, then paid 35 dollars to have it shipped. My Panawal was 40 dollars and 35 to ship. So we're looking at $60 - $75 per knife really. This makes me question your review. I don't see how this was done unintentionally, but I don't know you, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt. I hope you haven't skewed your review 'on another board' in this unfair manner.

Second. You're wrong about the frogs IMO. The stitching is stronger than the cheap brass rivets they use in nepal. The HI Superfrog is a much better design made from 1 piece of thicker leather. But then, what the hell do I know about leather, right?

I'd like your review better if there were any kind of functional testing. This will not void your HI warranty, so why not give the knife a go. I don't have anything by Dil, but I've never had a KH blade outperform an HI. It, to me, is a shame to not chop with a khuk.

Oh, and, horn moves. Its a natural material. This movement isn't company specific, rather its environmental, and is common. The scales on my Mini Panawal from KH actually cracked down the middle and fell off. Its in my rehandling bin now, I'll get to it eventually. The Panawal Special I gave away to an uncle.

The main thing that stands out to me is that for very closely priced knives (if you include shipping which is only fair) you can send this one back and get a replacement, in common Yangdu style, with no hassles and great class. Maybe you don't find value there, but I certainly do.
 
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