hiking and the khukri... backpacks/storage

My hiking gear is old Army surplus webbed gear with belt H-Harnes or Y-harness and a butt pack. A standard Fixed blade doesn't draw much attention riding next to my butt pack or hiding under it. I wore my SOG Tech I (Think 5.5" bladed Seal 2000 with Brass Guard) on my webbed gear to Zion National Park in October of 2004 and never had a problem. Other guests at the park and the rangers didn't seem to mind it at all.

Up here in Central Utah in the mountain on unpaved trails I normally have either my 15" Sirupati, 16.5" WWII or 20" Sirupati depending on what the country side is like. I've noticed that the farther back on my belt I keep the blades the less noticable they become. Sitting next to my butt pack or behind it, the 15" Sirupati is nearly invisible to the casual glance.

The larger ones do stick out more... So what I will do sometimes if I know more people will be around is drape a jacket over the handle or just ignore it's there and turn that side away from people that are passing on the trails.

In a semi urban enviroment, I think the best advice was already given by Nasty, a Pen knife or other small Khukuri. It's small and doesn't show up plus it works great for cooking. ;)

Heber
 
This probably explains why I get such strange looks when I carry my 18" WWII into Safeway. Going to have to go with something more discreet; maybe a 16.5" CAK? ;)
 
I have used heat to take off the brass tip of my favorite user khuks. Might eliminate the problem of the pointy tip. Also, for belt wear, it saves your legs from the poking!

Chris
 
Here's one of favorite and most used bush knives that I use for both hiking and camping, an HI 15" Ang Khola.

Some of the older posters here may have seen a couple of the tools in these pictures.

The sharpening steel (3" tool blade) is made from a Nicholson mill/bast@rd file. One edge has been polished to a very fine surface for blade sharpening. The other edge has been cut with a dremel with angled teeth to be a small wood saw. The end is shaped into a chisel/scraper. The sides have been left as files. the handle is oak.

The small knife has a blade that was originally the blade of a late 80's vintage Western L66 skinner that was a remanent from someone else's uncompleted knife project (I don't normally grind on and re-cut old Western brand knives). The blade is 3.75" long and the steel 0170-6 high carbon tool steel which is the same as what the Becker's are made out of and what Cold Steel's Carbon-V is generally assumed to be. The knife has an excellent temper and holds a hair shaving edge (I usually sharpen it with the sharpening steel I made). The Finnish pukko style handle with finger grooves I made out of a hickory hammer handle.

I love the older Western brand knives, especially their carbon steel blades, and I have several of them. The temper on the small knife blade is so good that during the longer cutting and chopping tasks with the khukuri, I'll sometimes stop to 'steel' the edge on the khukuri on the edge of the small knife blade's back spine to bring the khukuri's edge back up.

Also stored in the small tool area of the scabbard are a pair of good medical tweezers (an absolute requirement in Arizona) and a Coast lithium 50 hour LED light.

The wood and water buffalo leather scabbard was retained from the original scabbard and frog sheath arrangement. The scabbard was re-sewn down the back, nails were removed and parts glued into place and seams sealed with automotive super weatherstrip adhesive, and leather reinforcements added in the small tool area. The brass chape at the bottom was reshaped and a drain hole added.

The original leather frog was replaced by a nylon frog that I made. Attached to the front of the frog is a bundle of military paracord and a utility pouch which is tied on with paracord and held closed with velcro and a 3/4" fastex buckle. The frog is fitted with a military belt clip I scavenged off of a US military issue M9 pistol holster.

Attached to the side of the frog is a small loop on the side that holds a 2-1/4" x 3/8" magnesium firestarter made by Horseshoe Mountain - http://www.hmfire.com/

The utility pouch (I made out of nylon strap and waterproof codura nylon) contains a DMT coarse grit diamond hone in a dedicated small pocket in the front of the pouch compartment made for it. The small cord is attached for ease of routine removal.

In the pouch is a screw top aluminum cylinder that holds 10 needles and 27 fishhooks of various sizes from #12 to #4. The cylinder has a very good liquid filled compass in one end (scavenged from an REI compass/thermometer) that I used to replace the original one that it came with.

Also in the pouch is a steel sewing machine bobbin that has been tightly filled (using a sewing machine) with 50lb test braided Spiderwire, a whistle, a USGI issue P-38 can opener (also makes a good striker for the firetool), a medicine cylinder that has been refilled with 14 Aqua Pure iodine based water purification tablets, a pair of curved needles, a medical suture pack, and a Victorinox Classic model Swiss Army knife (with very sharp scissors). The small lanyard on the SAK is for ease of routine removal.

I normally use the khuk with my right hand and I carry the knife on the left side, edge forward.

kukri1.jpg

kukri2.jpg

kukri3.jpg

kukri4.jpg

kukri5.jpg
 
mrostov said:
Here's one of favorite and most used bush knives that I use for both hiking and camping, an HI 15" Ang Khola.
Click to expand...

sa-weet! that's nice! *drool* :) thank you for showing it

(now i want one)

bladite
 
for a lower profile accessory knife, i've been thinking either of a becker neck knife - it's basically a skeletonized handle, stout, and ready to go. one can wrap with paracord too.

also, the fallkniven line has full tang knives sold without any handles. various other swedish knives too - ragnar has tons - i imagine that would be fantastic, perhaps with a paracord wrap too. mmm.

bladite
 
+1 on that being a sweet rig bro...


That is similar to the one that is in my head right now...Thinking Kydex though for the Sheath and accessory..
 
My most used Khukri is an old beater Cold Steel made of Carbon V steel. Not as good as HI, but it has done the job. I usually secure it to my backpack on the right side in the side straps. What I really like is that with the way the Cold Steel sheath is made I can reach up, unsnap it and draw it out very quickly.
 
Sweet rig bro. I'm going to do a new rig with a sling, accessory knives in the frog, and a removable survival pouch also. Cool.
 
i just found this: http://www.knifeware.com/blsakit.html okay, ignore the metal parts, i want that SHEATH. yesssss. that's pretty close to what i'm thinking of.

mmmmm.

except i would add extra belt loop thang for "scout carry" perhaps as well. the retension system might get modded.

how hard is kydex to obtain is large bits? expensive? i was thinking a kydex inner liner, or something equally studly, but flexible - i would like it to not ever crack (cold), and a leather or super heavy nylon outer to hold it together - i might even opt for ranger bands. then positions for at least a puuko or non-handled/wrapped blade, then a slot for a saw as in mrostov's most excellent kit.

boggle. lots to ponder.

bladite
 
I don't like kydex, but that khuk is gorgeous. WOW~!!
 
Bladite said:
for a lower profile accessory knife, i've been thinking either of a becker neck knife - it's basically a skeletonized handle, stout, and ready to go. one can wrap with paracord too.
bladite
Click to expand...

I just received a Becker necker in a trade that fell through . The gentleman involved in the trade showed real class and the knife reflects this .

While it is still evidently a lower priced knife it has potential . I am going to do some batonning with it , some fire striking and otherwise put it through its paces . The only issue with it is a double stepped wire breaking notch in the pommel . As the handle is the tang this notch would be uncomfortable if your palm were to come into contact with it . I thought of grinding the notch down . I have small hands and the handle just fits my hand . Taking off even 3/16ths is not an option . If you have large hands the handle may become an issue . When I have batonned a few lengths of wood into kindling I will post in the Cantina .
 
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