How to Turn a Ghurka Khukri Into a Very Formidable Field Knife

This guy is pure dee full of crap as far as I'm concerned. He advocates taking cheap POS khuks and putting a false edge on the top.
He also goes on to say that Cold Steel khuks are really good khuks when all of us here know they are mediocre compared to the HI Models.:rolleyes:
Putting a false edge on the front part of the spine of a khukuri isn't hardly worth the effort anyway as that area of the khukuri is pretty much dead soft and won't hold an edge long.
It's alright if someone wants to do it but it is pretty much moot.
If you swing at someone with a khukuri and connect there generally isn't any need for a back cut.:rolleyes:
 
Wow, I seen that site ona search for Khukuris. I thought it was ineresting...In truth I think if you want to turn a khukuri into a formidable field knife

step 1

Order a (in my humble and minimal experience) a BGRS Or WWII in about 18"

step 2

go out and get familiar with your choice


thats it! these things have a voracious appitite for apple tree limbs +or- an inch. handy too. sharpen with anything (like a rock). I already have 3 I call my own and my wife and two kids each have one. My wife is sooo cool :cool:

Katana...tooo big (but man are they cool!)
Chinese war sword....who needs a power trimmer!
Khukuri is so okay even the post man still delivers letters (the Chinese war sword and katana made niebors and post man real nervous :eek: )
 
I don't think the guy's found HI yet. The generalities he mentions about khukuris are true... Because he's so "woodswise" he just had to customize the thing.

Sheath mods give me some ideas, though.


Ad Astra
 
Making my Chitlangi "field worthy" involved 10 minutes and black grip tape. If I'd wanted to go the extra mile, I could've also degreased the blade, taped the edge, and spray painted it the same color as my E-tool.

Thassit.

J
 
Spectre said:
Making my Chitlangi "field worthy" involved 10 minutes and black grip tape. If I'd wanted to go the extra mile, I could've also degreased the blade, taped the edge, and spray painted it the same color as my E-tool.

Thassit.

J
Click to expand...


Agree with the taping handle idea ! :)
 
Yvsa...I agree with what ya saying to a point...I will say that at one time I thought Cold Steel Khukris were the "Bee's Knees"!!...Now I think of them as "OK" if ya dont have anything else...

The sheath design is ok, but to me it doesnt distribute the wieght of the knife as much as it should...Cross draw rigs and HI khukris were made for each other, especially if ya are a bit rotund in the middle:D

I like the cargo pouch as well...Survival sheaths should do something like this but in Kydex

Merry christmas;)
 
Actually that site is how I learned about Khukuris. His description of their woodland functionality is what lit the fire in me. I ordered a couple of the ones he mentioned (there is a 2 knife minimum), and they are Indian Khukrappies for sure. Way below windlass quality. When they arrived I could see right away they sucked. Did more research and ordered two KH panawal type and a Chiruwa AK from Yangdu. The rest is history. Later I e-mailed the guy to tell him that he should check out better knives. Never got a response. Yvsa is right though. The knives he uses are JUNK!!!!!!!!!! I like how his sheath allows a forward draw, but IMHO the nicest sheath I've ever seen for a khuk is Yvsas FF sheath. If you want to upgrade your sheaths try to find the post where he showed it off. Its da bomb!
 
I had been planning on ordering a pair of those khukuris and testing them to failure some time back but I never got around to it. Sarco didn't have an online ordering system in place and between the three hour time difference and my work schedule, it turned out to be too much of a PITA to bother with.

After what Aproy said, I'm glad things turned out this way. Not that I had been expecting much for $15, but my curiosity is now satisfied.

Aproy, can you tell me anything about the blade steel? I'm particularly interested in the heat treat (or lack thereof) that they're using.
 
Dave?

I was given one of those by a neighbor. There is no heat treat. They make them out of clay, then spray paint them silver.

OK, maybe not. Softest metal this side of lead you've ever seen.

Truly garbage. It is now somewhere in Illinois, rusting on top of a woodpile a friend uses at his cottage. He uses it as a wedge for already-cut wood.
 
This guy started with a pos knife and made it into a servicable tool. The handle mod is required because those handles as sold are terrible. They will really rough up your hands. They are not like HI handles.

I think anyone following the path that this guy lays out would come out the other end knowing a lot more about khukuris, and what is important for him in a knife.
 
the Chinese War Sword really does make short work of the trees out back :) . I like it, it is agile for a two handed sword. Cuts to big branches with one swipe and damage to the edge. I really don't look foreward to sharpening it though. Cold steel actually does a good job for the price. After hacking at 3 1/2" -4" dia branches the guard became ever so slightly loose (the handle is still tight though) :(

The sword is great fun but when I use it I'm limited to just cutting. At first I was ammased at how easy it cut through branches...and the sound! :eek:

having said that, the Khukuri is more of a constant companion that will always be there when I need it. :D

rick
 
I have seen too many khukris on e-bay and the local surplus/pawn shop. It seems like they are made from recycled Hot Wheels...don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Hot Wheels. :p

I'll stick with what I know and People that care about thier product. :D


Rick
 
In terms of a "field knife," sharpening the top of the end means one is less able to baton the knife if that is needed to split wood. The sharpened edge chews up the piece of wood used for the baton.
 
I did his rehandle project. Put on two slabs of white oak. First knife handle I ever did. Threw away the scabbard on that one. The goat skin scabbards are like construction paper. I plan to keep that knife just for the hell of it. I really do owe my Khukuri enthusiasm to him, so I don't have any negative feelings about his site. I also used some of the items in his survival kit in my bug out bag.

Satori, I'll send you the other of the twain if you e-mail me your snail mail address. You can etch it and beat the hell out of it as long as you post pics. I can tell you that there is no heat treat on the tip of the knife because both tips were bent on arrival. I'd love to see what happens when you beat up a cinder block with it!
 
Yvsa said:
This guy is pure dee full of crap as far as I'm concerned. He advocates taking cheap POS khuks and putting a false edge on the top.
He also goes on to say that Cold Steel khuks are really good khuks when all of us here know they are mediocre compared to the HI Models.:rolleyes:
Putting a false edge on the front part of the spine of a khukuri isn't hardly worth the effort anyway as that area of the khukuri is pretty much dead soft and won't hold an edge long.
It's alright if someone wants to do it but it is pretty much moot.
If you swing at someone with a khukuri and connect there generally isn't any need for a back cut.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

In his defence, I must say that the soft metal problem is NOT a problem with the Cold Steel ones...
The actual link to the page is called Turn a $20 Ghurka Knife into a Respectable Survival Knife, so he is not talking about doing these things to a GOOD khukuri...
The guy is NOT a knife expert, be he is quite well respected on a lot of forums...

Go to the root of his pages and look around... http://www.m4040.com/
I think you will find some interesting things...Though you may not always agree with him...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top