I have Kukri Fever.....

Looks like crimsonfalcon07 and i have something in the works... might be quite a while before it's a finished product, but if it turns out to be as good as i'm expecting, it's gonna be AWESOME

I'm going to try to talk him into making it a WIP over on the makers forum
 
I love my HI kukris but I also own a Becker Machax, Ka-Bar Kukri, and an Ontario Kukri. Of those 3 the Ontario is the closest to a real Kuk you can get and they only run about $60, made in the USA too. The sheath is garbage but I picked up a Camillus leather one for $20 and fixed that problem. The 1095 steel in the Ontario is tough and is also forgiving if it needs touching up.

I have one of the new for 2012 Condor Heavy Duty Kukris on order too.

I've heard good things about the SK5 CS Kukri but I don't own own yet...yet.

Personally I think you should try at least one HI Kukri. Buy a first quality polished CAK and you will marvel at the build quality. I can't believe these guys build these beautiful blades barefoot in a shop with a dirt floor and basic tools.
 
+1 on HI CAK.... it is a chopping beast! The only negative I can give the CAK I own is that the ridge in the middle of the buffalo horn handle can create a hot spot during extended chopping sessions. If you've ever used a kukri before, the HI CAK will take you to a completely different level, the edge retention and heat treat is superb.
 
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I've been trying to talk him into an HI for the better part of a year now. I still am not entirely sure what he doesn't like about them.
 
Well fellas I too have caught the Kukri fever. Im going with the Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri design. What are yalls thoughts on the PLUS model???? Is the guard functional for bushcraft and all purpose chores, or does it get in the way??? Im thinking safety is a good thing, but I would like yalls opinion if possible. Thanks DW
 
I have a KHHI American Eagle. I love the feel of this knife. Maybe not top notch in fit and finish, but I bet it will survive anything you can throw at it. And c'mon, $85 is a bargain:cool:
 
I'm going to get the Coldsteel gurka kukri as soon as possible. I don't think I have ever seen a bad review of one or a fail. Cold steel gets a lot of flack but There higher end bowies and kukris are in a class of there own in the production market.I still think that the natchez bowie san mai 3 is probably one of the best bowies ever made period.
 
The thread's a little old, but the info is valid. I will echo what has been said and advise not to discount the traditional khukuri, but this thread is about modern khuks. With that said, the CS Gurkha is an incredible khukuri. Period. The steel is great and the design is superb. It's a powerhouse for it's light weight (23 oz.). Mine works well on wood and wispy greens alike. To me it's versatility is it's greatest strength. It really is a great all-arounder. A recently resurrected thread in WSS by Horndog shows his CS Gurkha chopped on par with his Busse x-tra fat Battle Mistress. Honestly, I'm surprised it didn't out chop it altogether, as the khukuri shape is just extremely efficient at wood processing. I wish it had a micarta handle, but the rubber on my early 90's CS LTC khuk is still in great shape so it must be pretty durable. Take care.
 
JayGoliath said:
JDK1's endless jabbering on CS Khuk has got me peeking over some of it recently.
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Agreed, At first I wasn't as interested in it. When seeing all the good reviews and people talking about it my interest has really peaked on it.
 
JayGoliath said:
JDK1's endless jabbering on CS Khuk has got me peeking over some of it recently.
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Ah Jay, it is that good! It would do very well in your terrain, I believe anyway as I haven't actually been there:) Any khukuri fan will be missing out if they don't try the CS Gurkha. I agree with Bill that it's the cream of the crop for modern khuks. My LTC is a wonderful blade, but it's got a lot of machete in it's blood. The Gurkha is pure khukuri. Be safe guys.
 
The main drawback with the CS is that it's flat ground, not convex like a traditional kukri. This causes it to bind when chopping. The Ontario as well as the Becker Machax are also flat ground and neither one does not chop as well as the CS. I would recommend HI or even Kukri House. They both have "modernized" models and they are traditionally convex ground.
 
Maddogg774 said:
Check Ontario kukri
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Here is the tip of the week. OKC kukri was tested hard by me along side my Dogfather. They both hit some seasoned oak that was so hard it made a weird sound every time it was struck. It sounded like metal on metal. They both batoned very good too. at the end of the day, there was no edge damage and would both still cut computer paper effortlessly. This Kukri is made from the best 1095 I ever experienced in a production knife. The price was also about $60 delivered. I even got a C4 industries kydex sheath for it so now its perfect. (C4 sheath was for the Cold Steel Kukri Machete but worked perfectly for the OKC). I cant think of anything better even at the 100 to 200 range. OKC also has a great warranty and customer service but I only needed to use it once because their products are well made.

Unklfranco
 
Exactly... You get what you pay for. I think the Ontario Kukri is probably the worst performing "kukri" I have ever tested, especially for what it was designed to do. If you want $60 performance, get one. The CS runs circles around the Ontario but it costs WAY more. For $120 you can get a top notch tool from HI or KH. I also have the kydex sheath for the Ontario.... I wish I had saved the money because I never carry it........
 
I personally like the guard, especially when being used as a weapon as the CS model was designed as.... But it's still a flat ground tool. Traditional convex ground kukris are much more functional for what they were designed to do.
 
TotalDbag said:
I'm new to knives, but what so great about the Kukris?
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There's nothing great about it. It just happened that you popped into a discussion about Khukuris and you want some informations you haven't got.
Get one and try it out.
 
TotalDbag said:
I'm new to knives, but what so great about the Kukris?
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When you've talking about kukris, you have to remember:

They're for chopping.

In this capacity, the shape of the blade is what does the work: the concave shape (as viewed from the "wide side") makes sure the blade stays centered on whatever it hits. There is also some physics that happens at the moment of contact that makes a kukri easier to cut with, but it's complicated.

Kukris made in the tradition of the originals are also much thicker, with quarter inch spines on average, although bigger ones exist. They have about twice the weight of some of the "modern" kukris. Some "modern kukris" are more like kukri-shaped machetes.

The kukri's shape also concentrates a lot of that weight toward the point, further improving their chopping power.

As phenomenal as they are at hacking through wood and brush, kukris are not intended as precision tools. If you're doing food prep or fire making, the big blade is not your best option. It can do it, but that's mainly what the two small items are for. A traditional kukri comes with a Karda and a Chakmak. The Karda is sharpened for your precision cutting needs, and the Chakmak is not sharp, and serves a variety of functions, including as a sharpening steel for touching up the edges of the other two tools. It can also be used on a fire steel, and just about anything else you can think of.
 
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