GK Bonecutter Khukuri

H

hollowdweller

Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
13,182
I just got one of these this evening in the mail:

http://www.knifeforums.com/ubbthrea...=304577&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1


The seller said they use them at religious festivals to cut goat bones.

Fit is excellent, but finish seems to be more along the lines of the pix of the village models you guys post pics of.

Knife is 16" weighs about a pound and a half.About 3/8" thick. Blade shape is similar to my 17" Ganga Ram, but maybe less bend and the edge is not as thin. I don't think the edge will roll on this one. Nice and sharp all along the whole blade. Not polished like a HI blade. More satin. Lots of Nepalese writing on the blade. The wood handle is fitted well,and nice shaped, but not polished like a HI knife. About the size of a Foxy Folly handle. No butt cap, just a little diamond on the butt. Steel or white brass bolster.

Scabbard is brass bound wood with a bunch of Nepalese? writing on the brass on the scabbard and on the blade. Wood handle. No frog, belt loop made on back out of brass. The little auxiliary knives aren't that hot and are tiny. Scabbard is kind of cool looking though with the wood and brass.



Haven't tried it on any heavy chopping, but did chop a 3" dried black walnut with very little effort and no loss of blade shape or edge. I think this one could be one of my favorites. It has the best edge of any of my knives except my Sher BAS.

Cost was $75 so I don't feel so bad about it not being all polished up.
 
Does that brass belt loop look like soemthign to use to hang the Kkuk on the wall - keyhole shaped hole?
 
No. More like something you'd slide your belt through. To hang it on the wall I had to loop a string through the belt loop. This is the sharpest Khukuri out of the box I have ever purchased. I have sharpened for hours on some of my other ones to get them right. This one was sharp, not shaving out of the box. I stropped it for about 3 minutes and now it will shave all along the length of the blade.
 
How did you manage to email the co and buy the bonecutter? I emailed, and it bounced back - could not be delivered.
 
Anyone know anything about this company. I went to their web site and they claim to have a guarantee, diffential harding and convex edges. Reading other comments, communication doesn't seem that good which makes me nervous. Some of them looked like old HI knives. They also say that they not only use spring steel but railroad steel which they claim is harder and more durable. Any comments or experiences. Prices seem awful cheap and a lot of companies "claim" a lot of things.
 
Originally posted by cucharadedragon
Anyone know anything about this company. I went to their web site and they claim to have a guarantee, diffential harding and convex edges. Reading other comments, communication doesn't seem that good which makes me nervous. Some of them looked like old HI knives. They also say that they not only use spring steel but railroad steel which they claim is harder and more durable. Any comments or experiences. Prices seem awful cheap and a lot of companies "claim" a lot of things.
Click to expand...

HD seems pretty happy with his GK Kukri. And the fellows on the other forum also seem happy with theirs and have nothing negative to say about the their GK Kukris.:D
A guy, or gal, could buy one of the cheaper ones and check it out as to quality. You sure wouldn't be out much that's for sure!!!!
I like what they have to say about the differences in the two steels, and I really like the fact that the spring steel ones come with an un-shiny finish!!!!:D
 
I agree. I may be run off of the formum, but there seem to be too may comments lately about knives being dull out of the box, soft edges, broken tangs, or lack of convex edges. I don't want anyone to misunderstand. I have a lot of respect for HI and Uncle Bill. I have several knives and plan to buy more as money, and my wife permit. However, I don't have the skill to reshape, sharpen, harden, modify or anything else that many of the other formites have the ability to do. I try donate to the Kami and soldier fund and support the causes presented here, but I think that the best way to insure that the Kami's are supported and the HI continues for a long time is if the Kami's listen to the desires and preferences of the loyalist(formites). Desired edges, hardness, satin finishes, bolsters, etc. I believe that HI is the best around and that Uncle Bill has a great character but it is much easier to knock back into shape or resharpen a $40 or less knife for those of us who have to save up to buy the knives dear to our heart. The Khukuri feels more natural to me than any knife that I have handled, but I wouldn't have even looked at another site if it wasn't for the problems brought up on the site lately. My intentions are well meant and I hope that I have not offended anyone. I guess that I just needed to vent my opinion and felt that I needed to voice my opinion to insure the long term success of a great group and great Khukuri makers. Also, I thought that this was on place that an opinion might be listed to. I know other makers probably wouln't care about the lone voice.
 
The one I got is the only one from them I have ever had. I can't find anything wrong with it and it is definately the sharpest brand new one I have ever owned. Love the shape too.

On the other hand mine is just one. We don't know if all are that nice. Mine may just be a real good one. Only time will tell. The knife is not all polished like a HI one though. Also like you say when you e mail them you don't get a response back in 5 minutes like with HI. Like somebody else said though for the price you could probably get a couple and keep the best one, or just get one and beat the crap out of it to how tough it is.
 
I've dealt with GK and will agree, the finish is more that of a tool, than as a decoration. I'd say these are old school khuks, and quite tough. I have two full size and one little biltong, which is small, but in no way lacking the quality of it's bigger brothers.

I have to agree that GK's communication is really off and on lately, it comes in brief spurts lol. I've had great success dealing with them, but i wish they were more "present". I'll attempt to get in contact with em and bring this issue up. Their shipping times have been great in my experience.

I do know Praj works 50hrs a week and does some gunshows on weekends, perhaps life's demands are a little heavy at the moment?

I can say i recommend the knives. The prices are good, and the guarantee is also good, they want you to be happy with their knives. I guess patience with communication is the key.

BTW, I've practiced sharpening, bluing, and sanding on these knives, and it's built up my confidence for future work on more costly pieces. The "lack of" final cosmetic finish on these knives is actually a bonus for a guy like me. I enjoy working on a knife.

add: i could'nt say i've found anything -wrong- with these, either.
 
That bonecutter looks like a 16" Ganga Ram Villager with a partial tang. GK doesn't have any for sale on their website though, and I'm just wondering what they cost compared to HI Villagers.

Partial tangs probably work just fine, but I would be inclined to install a "pin of pessimism" just back of the bolster to prevent the handle from becoming a khuk launcher if the laha gives way. This would negate the idea that it is ready to go right out of the box. It may be a dumb idea, but on the other hand all competition axes are required to have the head pinned on the handle. In my experience if a thing can come loose, it will.

If GK khuks have a perfect Pendentive/Yvsa convex edge on them as shipped, they must have at least one belt grinder in their shop. If that is not the way their edge is then I would end up grinding on it anyway and total time savings would be minimal.
 
Cliff,

16" Ganga Ram Villager. That's a good analogy.

I am not hip to the lingo on the tang, but on the one I have it has no butt cap. Where the tang sticks out of the butt of the handle there is just like a diamond of metal about half the size of a postage stamp over or under(?) the tang. About the size of the "iris" of the eye on the back of a HI buttcap.

Price was $75 including shipping. The one thing I like about this knife is when I have chopped dried hard wood the edge does not bend and have to be pushed back into alignment like I have to do with my 17" Ganga Ram. I believe this is due to the fact that on the Bonecutter the edge is much thicker. It is a heavier knife than my BGR.
 
HD:

Thanks for the details. If that tang sticks out the end of the handle and is peened into a keeper, it is a full-length tang and there is no need for pinning.

Getting the right hardness on those edges has got to be a tough job, and maybe a little hit or miss. I have two by Bura and they are very well tempered, but one will roll a bit if an extremely hard knot is hit. The other will not roll, but is so hard that tiny chips will develop in the hardened zone. Both have convexed and polished edge bevels, so that is not the issue.

On the other hand, my 16.5" Kumar AK behaves just like that Bonecutter in terms of edge retention in hard wood, but even he can goof up an edge occasionally.


Rather than duplicate HI's line, (GK Panawal AK = HI Chiruwa AK) it would be nice if GK came out with something different. If they started making duplicates of those old Army khuks with the curved handles that would be interesting indeed.
 
Cliff,

My Ganga is a Bura one also and the edge problem is exactly the same one as you describe. In fact I lost a small part of the edge when pushing it back into alignment. It chipped out. So if I keep sharpening mine using the strop and sandpaper will I eventually take the edge back far enough to where it won't bend? You know what I am saying? To the thicker part of the blade? Has that been your experience? Is that what you mean by it not being an issue? I hope so, cause I really like the knife.

I don't think the Bonecutter is really a Ganga clone if that's what you mean. It has the big belly, but the blade doesn't curve as much, the Bonecutter is thicker at the spine, the handle is smaller, and it appears the blade has less curve than a Ganga Ram. See my pic over there with them side by side.

I do think the Bonecutter is like a Ganga Ram from the aspect of being real comfortable for me to cut with. Hits where I aim it. I have an AK I really have to think about where I am hitting with. With the Ganga and Bonecutter it more just ends up there.
 
HD:

I'm certainly no authority on sharpening and either Yvsa or Pendentive's comments would be alot more instructive. However, it seems to me that repeated sharpenings which reduce the angle of the edge bevel almost have to result in a stronger edge (albeit with less slicing ability). Depth of the hardened area would be reduced somewhat, but there should be quite a bit to work with.

That Bura khuk I have which rolls occasionally is a WWII with a very thin blade at the edge. There isn't alot left to grind, but the problem isn't severe either. It will cut green wood all day with no problem, but seasoned oak across the grain will result in some chakmak work. It is still a very useful khuk, but if I'm planning a day at the woodpile it is not the first one I'd grab.

If I didn't already have that bullet-proof 16.5" AK, I'd be giving that bonecutter a close look though.
 
I'll keep stropping.:) Mine seems plenty hard. Even after chopping the Ganga is real sharp, just wavy. Doesn't dull much. That's what makes me think that it is more just the edge being thin. You'd think if the blade was soft it would get dull too.
 
Originally posted by hollowdweller
I'll keep stropping.:) Mine seems plenty hard. Even after chopping the Ganga is real sharp, just wavy. Doesn't dull much. That's what makes me think that it is more just the edge being thin. You'd think if the blade was soft it would get dull too.
Click to expand...

My large standard, 22 inch, GRS chipped out a piece of steel about 1 1/2" long and 3/16" deep the very first time I used it!!!!:(
I was worried about the thin edge to begin with, but it still came as a shock!!!!
That's when I started bitchin about the god damned thin assed edges there are no excuses for!!!!:grumpy:
But in the spirit of HI I ground the broken spot out by grinding the rest of the blade to it and it's not noticeable anymore. Neither has it chipped or offered to bust out anymore.
My thinking was that the blade was too hard for being that thin and that a true convex edge would fix it at the cost of sacrificing some blade width.
It did.
By all rights I should have sent the kukri back, but the chances of receiving another the same way was just to great to go to the hassle.
All of the HI kukri's I have received since that I was planning to use I ground a convex edge on first.
That seems to solve the problem, but they should be workable right out of the box like the used to be!!!!:grumpy:
The very first YCS did the same damned thing and I fixed it the same way.
The BirGhorka Village kukri's seem to be a bit thicker at the edge and although I still convex their edges before use there are a few that I probably wouldn't have needed to.
That's why the BirGhorka Village kukri's are my favorites, one reason out of several anyway.:)
 
Yvsa,

Thanks for giving me hope for mine. That's the reason I didn't return mine. The edge seemed to be hardened perfectly. I don't mind taking it back some to get it to be a durable edge. Judging from the pix some people have posted of the tempering(sp) areas you could take it back pretty far and it would still be hardened steel I am guessing.
 
Received biltong from Praj today.

It appears well made, and if not to HI standards, at least quite close. There are a couple of very small rust spots at the base of the blade. It's not razor sharp, but it IS sharp. It's cute. :) The frog is not to HI sturdiness; looks like it'll wear out fairly easily. The scabbard otherwise is tight and looks well made, with brown showing through the black in a few spots. I wanted to get a much smaller kukri for a friend I gave an HI AK to, two years ago. I figured I could spend $18 to see how I liked this company.

So far, so good. Note included from Praj, saying he wanted me to like my kuk, and let him know if I did. I also received an email from him a few days ago, saying my package had been returned. He included a pic showing my package, which had a sticker from PO saying my forwarding had expired- return to sender. :rolleyes: Don't know how many packages and letters I've lost because of this, but I only found out because he emailed me. Appears to be a very good value.

John
 
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