Greetings and a Question

C

Cymro

Joined
Aug 28, 2005
Messages
34
Namaste, y'all.
My name's Michael, and I'm from North Carolina. I've always wanted a khukuri, and I've been reading your forum as research. I'm looking at the Ang Khola family. They look well made and I'm, well, legendarily hard on equipment. It would be nice to own a knife that even I can't break.
My questions for you are as follows: What size should I get. I want a khuk that does what khuks do: everything. It'll be living in my truck as my all purpose knife, and I intend to use it. I'm about 6'3", 230 lbs, and in pretty good shape, if that helps.
Secondly, are there any resources, online or otherwise, to teach me how to get the most out of my khuk? Utility and martial applications, I really want to use it like it was designed to be used.
Thanks to all of you, I look forward to reading your replies.
Michael
PS: Which handle material should I choose? How much of a difference does it make?
 
Welcome. I am about your size but 300lbs, I eat to much and work out to little. Any way, my go to khuk is an 18" AK. I've had 20" and 16" ones, but the 18" is just right. As for using it. Go slow and let the khuk show you how. Sounds weird, but that is the best way. Handle material is preference. Wood is probably a bit more durable and maintenace free, but I prefer horn. You are probably going to end up with more that one of these anyway. That's my take on it.
 
Welcome Michael,

If you ever get up towards High Point or Kernersville, I'd be glad to let you look at a few and even try some out.

My "do everything" khuk is a 16.5" Chiruwa (full tang handle with horn scales) Ang Khola. It rides with me in the truck or car. It's a little small for chopping down a tree larger than 6" if you're in a hurry. Since you're a big guy, an 18" WWII model might fill the ticket, or you could go with the 18" AK.

If I was going to be carrying one for long distances, I'd opt for 15" or 16.5, but you mentioned the truck.

Handle material is personal preference. Horn works well in high humidity, but tends to shrink some where it's dry. My chiruwa AK needed the tang filed down some after about a year, due to the horn shrinking. It hasn't shrunk any more since then. The horn looks great too.
Wood works well most everywhere, and some of the wood is absolutely gorgeous.

Others will give you more and probably better advice.

Steve

Oh, here's the FAQ http://www.himalayan-imports.com/faq/
 
Welcome - you'll get lots of responses.

The AK family is surely among the toughest out there ... but it's really designed as a chopper. If you're looking for something that will do equally well in a martial arts mode, I'd be inclined to go to the WWII. It's a bit faster in the hand, but if you get an 18" khuk, still has plenty of chop in it.

I've got a 16 1/2" WWII, and couldn't be happier ... but you're bigger than me!

Tom.
 
I'd get a 18" AK. Remember, though, that with a forward weighted AK you lose some quickness. It's a chopper. The Chiruwa Ak's are usually thicker, and I guess for all out wear that's the strongest, though the standard is plenty tough.

Welcome and thanks for the questions.

munk
 
Wow. Thanks for the quick replies!
This khukuri is going to be primarily an utility tool, so that's why I'm leaning more toward the Ang Khola. I'm a big guy, and pretty well versed in bladed weapons, so I figure I'll be able to make it work just as well if I have to.
As for the size, I'm just curious to hear everyone else's experiances and what has worked for them.
Damn. Those things are beautiful.
 
You really can’t buy one….you have to buy at least two. An Ak chopper and either a sirupate or Kobra both at 18” . Or look at the BDC. …well you can’t do that either ok make that three to start.
 
Welcome

You'll be happy with an 18" AK in wood
to start

Remember to add a Kumar Karda toenail cleaner to your list


:D



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Michael,

Peace and welcome!

My all-'round kuk is a 16.5" WWII. An 18" AK is not too big for me, though, (despite weighing about 70 lbs less) so it should be about just right for someone of your size and apparent development.

After you've had it awhile, you'll probably end up getting a bigger (GRS?) and a smaller (17" Sirupati?) kuk, as well.

Have fun, and be safe.

John

PS- I share your legendary toll on gear. Haven't seriously injured any HI product yet, despite destroying hundreds of dollars worth of other stuff!
 
Welcome to the Cantina/Psycho Ward!:thumbup: :D

Go with an 18"AK in one of the hardwoods like Saatisal, Hill Walnut, or even the Chandan. The wood handled khuks are the easiest to modify if need be and cause the least amount of trouble usually.:D :cool:
 
Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and the helpful information!

Right now it looks like a showdown between the Ang Khola and the WWII, both in 18". Bearing in mind that this is a general-purpose instrument, I"m leaning toward the AK. Largely because I want to see if I can break it:)

I can see how these things get to be such an addiction. Any sources on technique/use.

Bahut Bahut Shukriya, everyone!
 
Just to see if anyone with more experience with them has anything to add about them, I'll throw out two less common options that could fit the bill (my general do everything and anything is a 16.5" WWII villager, but I'm 9" shorter than you are)...

1) M43, mine at 20" is more choppy than my 16.5" WWII, as choppy as my 20" WWII (which weighs 37 oz.) and more balanced for martial strikes and parries than my 20" Chiruwa AK or even my 15" AK. It also has a handle without the traditional raised ring, which can be a little problematic when getting a grip, at least for me...my second and third fingers on each hand have khukuri callouses from the rings on different models.

They don't show up often in the forum, and I guess they aren't really traditional. (But, they do look somewhat like some of the older khukuris I've seen photos of.)

2) If another 18" UB Salyan pops up, you might want to go for it... I saw Satori mentioned his was going to be a user and mine likely will too. The last batch had long (5" of wood) handles which would be nice for someone of your size particularly if you want more control of the blade for martial moves...

Just some thoughts...

On the training side, I''d like to find something too. Bando uses khukuri - there's some stuff in the FAQ, also some traditional Nepali stuff but it's not really available in the U.S. as far as I can tell, and some Kung Fu forms that use weapons would seem like they would translate well....
 
Cymro said:
Bearing in mind that this is a general-purpose instrument, I"m leaning toward the AK. Largely because I want to see if I can break it:)
Click to expand...

My God man, don't TRY to break it. :) I don't think the warranty covers intentional abuse. You were kidding, right? :rolleyes:

Steve
 
Of course I'm not going to try to break it, any more than I would deliberatly attempt to destroy any other work of art.
However, as I mentioned in my original post, I am legendarily hard on equipment, going back to my time in the boy scouts and continueing to the present.I've taken advantage of more than a few lifetime warrenties, and I'm thinking that this may be the first piece of kit even I can't find a way to break.
So far I'm still leaning toward the AK, at least for my first khukuri (damn, the addiction begins). I'm open to arguements about the WWII and the British army model however.
Thanks so much, everyone, I"m looking foward to hearing more opinions.
Be safe,
Michael
PS: I'm poking around the Martial arts community where I live to see if there's someone who knows more about the martial applications for the khukuri. I'll let y'all lknow if I find anything.
 
There are very occasional blade failures, a rarity. Even rarer, there have been a one or two persons Bill Martino would no longer sell khuks to because they broke them all the time. I've seen people break new trucks too.

I also am very hard on tools. Happy to say that HI khuks withstand hard use. They of course, must be used as tools. If your life depended upon a tool performing beyond expectations these HI khuks are what I'd reach for.



munk
 
It probably covers the widest range of chopping needs that Khuks will be put to use for. Get horn handles. They provide the best grip. A good starter model is the 15" AK. I had the 20" model and my noodly arms just tired out after swinging it for more than ten minutes.
 
Maybe I shall consider the WWII as my 1st too................

I still prefer the slender fullered ones tho................ :o
 
Cymro as big an ol' boy as you are an 18" AK will be a great first khukuri. I'd stay with that choice.
Uncle Bill sent me a 15" AK thinking it would be the one that I'd like. I ordered an 18" AK before the 15" AK even got here because I *Knew* the 18" was the one I wanted.
When the 15" AK got here I gave it too my dear wife. It fits her perfectly!!!!:thumbup: :D
 
Astrodada said:
Maybe I shall consider the WWII as my 1st too................

I still prefer the slender fullered ones tho................ :o
Click to expand...

Have you thought about one of the 18" or 21" Chitlangis? I wouldn't do a 12" as a first personally (though they're really nice) but an 18" or 21" would be a great first if you're not looking to do heavy chopping. Price is great at 125 or 145...Or, a 21" Gelbu Special? But it's pricier at 195. You could always grab a chit to get that first really cool one and get a blem or village WWII or other worker/chopper model down the road or vice versa. Or, grab the Gelbu and have both pretty much covered if you don't mind working something that nice. Just some thoughts... I'm thinking of one or the other at some point... I think they both look great.
 
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