First Kukri - need a jungle brush clearer

M

Maya_steel

Joined
Jun 28, 2014
Messages
53
Hello BladeForums!

I've finally decided to register for this site after spending a lot of time reading threads, reviews, and advice from the community here.

I am buying my first kukri and my research (largely on this site) has convinced me to go in for a Himalayan Imports blade. I recently returned from an archaeological field season in the Guatemalan jungle, where I found myself lacking and in need of a large utility knife. It may be more than a year before I return to the field, but I would like to be prepared the second time around. I believe an HI kukri would be a highly functional, durable, and unique addition to my field kit.

My kukri needs to be able to cut through springy and sometimes dense brush as well as occasional heavier chopping of vines and small trees. I really want something that handles well and feels good to swing, as I am often out all day cutting through the jungle. I am 6'2" and of medium/thin build, so I could use a longer kukri (a little reach would be nice for brush clearing), but I want something portable enough to be carried around.

I narrowed my top picks to the Chiruwa Ang Khola and the 16.5" WWII. I like the full tang of the Chiruwa Ang khola - it seems like the toughest option. However, I'm not sure if I need that much chopping power and I'm wondering if the WWII model might be lighter and more balanced.

As per advice on this forum, I emailed HI. Yangdu responded promptly and told me that the CAK is my best option, although they won't be in stock until July. I was leaning towards the CAK - it's an indestructible chopping monster and a beautiful piece. Ideally I would love a CAK with steel bolsters and some kind of dark/red wood handle, similar to the one in this video (but with steel bolsters):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppen_Yf2BZs

At any rate I wanted to get some perspective and ask if anyone has experience using a kukri as a utility knife/machete in a jungle environment? Does anyone recommend a different model HI kukri?

I've read reviews and they all seem like winners, so I'm really just asking for personal experience. Any and all help is greatly appreciated, thank you!
 
sirupati with mirror finish for jungle I would think, they are tough, just dont use them as prybars
 
I would go with an 18" WWII. It's still a brute of a chopper. However, the longer handle gives you more of a option to choke up or down depending if you need to generate speed and/or force.
 
I have to agree with Steely_Gunz. The WWII would fit your needs perfectly.
 
While I love HI blades and have owned many . . . there's a reason they use machetes in south america. Thick & heavy is for chopping, thin & light is for slicing through jungle brush.
 
fishface5 said:
While I love HI blades and have owned many . . . there's a reason they use machetes in south america. Thick & heavy is for chopping, thin & light is for slicing through jungle brush.
Click to expand...

But... the customer came here specifically asking for input on the Himalayan Imports Product.
 
I have many HI kukries, including the CAK. The CAK is a magnificent chopper and even in the world of HI kukries, it rules supreme as a chopper. However, I live in a subtropical area and have yet to find a kukri that is good for the springy type vegetation of tropical jungle/rainforest. As mentioned by fishface5, machetes rule in that type of vegetation. You would have to thin the edge out significantly on any kukri I have ever come across. If you find a suitable one, I would love to buy it also because I love the quality of HI kukries. I think it is like the last scene from the movie Rob Roy where Rob engages in a duel with his big heavy claymore (or whatever), built for battle, against an opponent with a far lighter, agile dueling weapon. The opponent ran rings around Rob. Just in case you haven't seen the movie, I won't tell you the ending but the moral of the story is to have the right tool for the right occasion.
 
I would recommend the 18" Kobra, hands down. An excerpt from the H.I website: "The Kumar Kobra is the lightest, quickest khukuri in the world. This 18 inch model weighs about 18 ounces." I think such a lightweight khukuri would your best choice, IMO
 
I love my 25 inch sirupati for this kind of work in south Florida. It can get heavy though if you are swinging all of the time, but it will go through light jungle like butter.
 
The HI Parang would be my choice for the work/environment you describe. They don't come around often these days, but would serve superbly for brush up to and including small(sapling)trees.
 
I would suggest a WWII, for the same reasons as Steely suggested.

I'd also suggest an 18" Kobra, Sirupate, or Chitlangi. They are lighter, and are good for brush clearing. I've seen a Sirupate vs 2 other well known Khukri manufacturers from Nepal (they used chopper models), and the HI Khukuri still out chopped the other 2 "choppers", this is significant, considering that HI consider the Sirupate a "light" blade, for martial arts.
 
Since you are "often out all day cutting through the jungle" and "want something portable enough to be carried around," I don't think a CAK or AK (or any of the HI heavy choppers) would be the best choice, especially since you "could use a longer kukri."

The more common CAKs are in the 16-17" overall length range, and tend to weigh around 2 lbs, give or take an ounce or two. Most people would consider that too heavy to carry around all day, let alone cut through the jungle for hours. And it's not very long. The longer CAKs are much heavier. Just today someone posted about his new CAK that's 27" long and weighs 5 lbs. A good conversation piece and you can use if for weightlifting exercises, unless you're buit like King Kong.

I agree with those who recommend a Sirupati or maybe a Gelbu Special. You can get a much longer blade at less weight.

The WWII is somewhat lighter weight than the CAK, but still probably too heavy for your application, in my opinion.

Another option to consider is a KLVUK. They run around 16" long but are lighter weight and very comfortable for hours of use and can handle everything except heavy chopping. They are less expensive and have the forging scales left on, which means you don't have to worry as much about rusting. That might be a big issue for extended jungle use.
 
yeah very cool-- should be some HI mandau, HI kachin dha, and HI parangs some time soooooooon ( like 2 years)-- auntie shoos me away when I start getting complicated on my requests, as she should, but eventually I will throw enough money at her to get some of these made.
 
Thank you all for your speedy input.

A little clarification: while on excavation we always have a healthy supply of thin, light, central american style machetes that make short work of the jungle brush. Those of you who said that the kukri is less than ideal for clearing brush are absolutely right - the machete is a better choice. These machetes are readily available all over central america, and so it isn't necessary for me to travel with one to the field. Quality utility knives on the other hand are another story.

I may have over estimated the need for my jungle blade to act as a machete, instead I want a reliable utility knife capable of clearing any brush left behind by the machetes and chopping through obstacles (vines, small trees) that are too thick for the light machetes to handle. Other than that this will be a knife to use around camp for much simpler and easier tasks.

I like the idea of an 18" WWII. The website says it weighs 2 lbs, but since it's a bigger knife it seems like the weight distribution may allow for a more balanced feeling blade. I have seen the WWII cited as a good "all around kukri", which sounds promising.

On the other hand, the longer blade may be cumbersome to pack in my field gear and could be overkill for smaller "utility knife" tasks.

So many choices…why do I get the feeling that this is how you end up with half a dozen kukris and no paycheck money left :P
 
Maya_steel said:
So many choices…why do I get the feeling that this is how you end up with half a dozen kukris and no paycheck money left :P
Click to expand...

Half a dozen? You must be kidding! :D

Different khukuri of different sizes and weights accomplish different tasks. That alone is justification for multiple purchases.
Most of our friends here can attest to the fact that half a dozen khukuri is woefully inadequate and being unprepared.
We have many friends whose collections range from half a dozen (at a minimum) to members with several hundred in their collections.
At present, I myself have about 30 on hand after selling a bunch to try to save up in case of surgery for my dachshund.
all told, between my collection, the repairs and warranty service I've done, I've probably had 750+ khukuri come thru my hands since I joined this fine place.

At 6' 2" medium build I think you'll be fine with an 18" khukuri. You could get by with a 15" khukuri, but I think you'll sacrifice the chopping power you'll want out there.
 
In light of your new information, I am very comfortable suggesting a 15" to 18" WWII.

A KVLUK would also be a very good choice, practical, and easy on the wallet.
 
A KLVUK is an excellent option-you have to try to get the forge scale finish to rust, and mine is a powerful chopper-but only 18 oz. Mine bites very, very deeply with good technique, and it's not a nuisance to carry.
Karda, I know what you mean about the dog surgery-I almost took another job in Iraq for a similar reason a couple years ago, but the little dude didn't make it. Hope Señor Dachshund is OK.
 
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