Himalayan imports machete-Jungle knife?

Minnesota

Minnesota

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Hey, I see this machete pop up for sale every now and then: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=744513 (top left). Obviously some of you have it. How do you like it? Compared to other machete like tramontina in that size range? What are the specs of it? It looks to me like it could have a 12"-16" blade. A pic of it being held would really be cool. Thanks.
 
Well, most machetes are thin, light, stamped out of uniform sheet metal, and are relatively soft (low-mid 50s HRC). The same applies to tramontinas. With the HI jungle knives, you've got a 1/4" (or thicker) spine, a good bit of heft (about 1.25 lbs) and deferentially hardened steel with an edge that's most likely 58+ HRC. What this all pretty much means is that while a machete won't fair well for anything past light vegetation, the HI jungle knife will perform machete tasks while still being able to bite chunks out of hard wood.

Oh, and I believe that HI jungle knives tend to be about 16.5" overall (which equates to probably a 12" or so blade)
 
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There are a couple of machete like HI offerings...

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This is the Annapura Bowie
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in hand...
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This is the Jungle Knife
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in hand...
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They preform like short and a bit heavier machetes that will also do things like baton easily and split wood in general. Thy can chop a lot better than a machete can because of the thinker, heavier blade too so you can remove some hatchet sized, woody plants with them too. Of the two, I like the Annapura Bowie a bit better in the overall.

Hope this help and if you want further info, ask. :)
 
Hey warty, any chance on the specific spine thickness? I don't think I've ever seen it posted on the DotDs... I think I read 1/4" somewhere, but not owning one, I wouldn't know for sure

Thanks man! :thumbup:
 
well, do these pix help?

Annapura Bowie
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Jungle Knife
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I will go and take the measurements of them if these aren't enough.
Right now though, now feeling good so I would ask for a day or two to do this for you.:barf: :D
 
I'm really glad I saw this thread, I've been thinking about ordering a custom jungle knife lately, but now that I'm reminded of the Annapura Bowie I think I would rather have something like that. Thing is though all these HI models seem too short to manually bend over obstructions and whack things out of the way when using it to cut a path.

I wonder if I could get the Kamis to make a version with an eighteen inch blade, and perhaps slightly less beefy. (Still twice as thick as my crappy army machete though)
 
when the new kamis are all settled in, no doubt varied versions can be ordered Empire_ian.

I have pix of all the stuff I buy, just in case of these q's and of course, my insurance man loves the way I keep my inventory too.
 
Gotta make lots of money this summer...

Kamis seem to make their swords all pretty short, I would also love an extended edition Tulwar with a 27 inch blade and a two handed grip like I'm used to in iaido. That or just an extended Everest katana. I am torn on that one, I like traditional laminated katana much more but I can't afford one, I can't decide if I want to get an alternative kinda weapon or just a cheaper katana-like-object such as bura's fine examples.

I wonder what my sensei's friend the registered sword polisher would think of the Everest Katana.
 
warty said:
well, do these pix help?

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I will go and take the measurements of them if these aren't enough.
Right now though, now feeling good so I would ask for a day or two to do this for you.:barf: :D​
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A picture is worth a thousand words warty! Many thanks! Looks to be 1/4" more or less - no real need for precise measurement as the knives will obviously vary slightly in thickness anyways.



Empire_ian said:
Gotta make lots of money this summer...

Kamis seem to make their swords all pretty short, I would also love an extended edition Tulwar with a 27 inch blade and a two handed grip like I'm used to in iaido. That or just an extended Everest katana. I am torn on that one, I like traditional laminated katana much more but I can't afford one, I can't decide if I want to get an alternative kinda weapon or just a cheaper katana-like-object such as bura's fine examples.

I wonder what my sensei's friend the registered sword polisher would think of the Everest Katana.
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Well, lamination involves sandwiching a high carbon steel in between medium carbon steel to get a soft side and back while still keeping a hard edge... Although not laminated, HI katanas are deferentially hardened which essentially accomplishes the same effect: a soft back to absorb the shock and a sharp edge to keep a keen, resilient edge. That said, an HI katana is still going to cut quite well and stand up to some hard impacts - I know of several people who have taken them up against fair sized tree limbs and have attested to their durability and functionality

I also seem to recall a review done by someone on here here who practiced kenjutsu (though I can't for the life of me seem find it). He owned several $500+ folded/laminated katanas yet was still very pleased with the HI katana's performance - especially at the offered price range.​
 
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I have handled the Annapura Bowie, but not had a chance to cut with one. A nice feeling, do-it-all, working tool. If I were flying over woods/jungle I would keep one in the plane. Just in case :-)

Dino in Reno
 
Like I say, I do prefer the APB to the JK if I was told to bring but one with me. Ir can chop quite well, not in the Khukuri league but still a good trade and it has good heft to it but remains at that point where it is still light enough to want to carry. They both have similar sheaths, another couple pix for this to be clear...
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I guess there is also the Bamboo Cutter (mine is a Young Sher) to consider in this conversation too...
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These though are pure chopper. I haven't attempted to use it like a machete but no doubt someone here has...
mine is for lopping stuff off of stuff. It will do nearly anything I can think of to do with a hatchet or hawk and look better doing it. ;)
 
Warty, really appreciate your 'in the hand' photo's as they give me a much better idea as to scale and fit. Thanks, and I hope you find the time to continue doing more in the future. :thumbup:
 
warty said:
These though are pure chopper. I haven't attempted to use it like a machete but no doubt someone here has...
mine is for lopping stuff off of stuff. It will do nearly anything I can think of to do with a hatchet or hawk and look better doing it. ;)
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Guilty! Got mine from the 6/2 DotD on the 4th and put a shaving sharp convex edge on it that very day! Went out back and hacked through a few scrap pieces of wood and junky 2x4s, whipped it into a tree to produce a satisfying "thunk!" and a deep bite, then trimmed a shrub and took a few swipes at a patch of pretty tall grass (with very satisfying results). Put it up against a light directly after and only saw one very minute glint that indicated a slight roll - literally 5 passes on 1000grit and 5 passes on a chrom oxide loaded strop and it was shaving sharp yet again!

While it's definitely more heavy duty and thicker than the JK and APB, with a decent edge put on it, it's still quite capable of going through lighter vegetation without much hassle
 
B.C., in hand pictures are something I always feel are pert of any photo spread or review,
They help me get the scale right a lot better than the ruler shots do too.
 
Of them all, my favorite was the shorter Mountain Bowie but we don't see them offered anymore.

That's ok, I'm holding out to see the HI interpretation of the Golok anyway.:D
 
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