Im planning on getting a friend of mine a khuk.. hes in a marines.. please advise

I have carried many knives during my military service, but never a kuhkri (not that it wouldn't be a bad idea). I have a BAS but would probably want a more "tactical" sheath (no shiney parts, better tie-down capability, etc.) What do you who have carried them in the field use for a sheath?

Bruce
 
they cover the sheaths witha neoprin (spelling?) camo sock and tape up with shiny parts of the handle iwth 100 mile per hour green tape (or equivalent)

also some people take a very fine sanding tool and take off the mirror shine off the blade in retrun fora less reflective satin finish... or they simply get the blade "blued"
 
Terry Sisco (Sarki Shop) makes covers for the sheaths, if you want more than a makeshift covering. He does very good work.
 
If I read correctly the Captain is an artillery Officer and will do most of his moving around in some kind of vehicle. I still would not get any khuk over 18". They still have 12" blades. For most convenience the 15" knife with the 10" blade is not too bad for sitting if the frog is adjusted so it rides a bit high. I hate all that slapping around on my leg. So all of mine ride with the handle above the belt and is easier with the cross draw too with one hand.:)
 
Does anyone know of a good kydex sheath for a kuhkri? Maker's name, photos, etc.

Bruce
 
Anybody that makes kydex sheaths could make one for a khukuri. I'm in the middle of one right now. However, my sheaths are different than the others. I don't use rivets. I like the sheath to be the same shape as the knife. This requires that I cover them with another material (which is fine with me :D ) such as leather or canvas or ... (can't bring myself to give away my current project....*groan* )

By next week's end, I should have a nice tutorial put together on how to make one on your own for less than $20 in parts. :eek:

Dan
 
i wish UB can drop a post on his opinion... but hes too worried abou his dad for this to happen right now... awe well :(
 
I would also advise a shorter blade, say a 15" BAS or Sirupati. I like my big khuks as much as anyone else, but in the military you have to carry around so much crap out in the field that every ounce and inch counts. That is a very thoughtful gift though, let us know what he thinks of whichever one you decide on.
 
FWIW (I'm hardly an expert), I'd recommend a BAS to start with, as well. All-purpose field service in a modern-day combat unit is what the blade is designed for, right?

Its size puts it in the middle of the spectrum, and so is a good compromise for every application. It's not too big to get in the way, but a BAS is a pretty big knife to everyone on this planet except for khukuri-heads.

The BAS also has the brass inlay along the sides, making it a nicer-looking gift from you. It's a great starter, and your friend can see if he likes it or needs something a little more "x" in which case every other model in the lineup diverges from the BAS as they get more specialized.

The only reason I'd recommend anything else is if he has really, really big hands, in which case a slightly larger-handled model might be good (check Pendentive's size chart in the FAQs). I'm not sure if there are a lot of Gurkhas who can palm a basketball.
 
Reference making a Kydex sheath, ask Steve. He's got it together in that department.

Ben
 
Opinions to consider: Pala says GS, Bill says WW2, Sarge used a WW2 in Afghanistan (right?) and a 15in Siru in Gulf 2, and Ankerson (a retired Marine) said GS if I remember correctly. I don't remember if Semper Fi put his vote in on that thread about military khuks or not. These guys are going to offer the best advice so I would seriously consider their choices. I think alot of it comes down to personal preference though, the above khuks are all very different after all.
 
Uncle Bill is most probably referring to the WW2 16.5". The 18" WW2 was a result of a mistake during a special order, one that proved felicitous. The difference between the two is mostly an inch longer handle.

Sarge's WW2 was a 16.5". He ended up giving it away, and later repented ( not too much though ) as did I. There is something special about a 16.5" WW2 that just makes it feel alive, and move swiftly but with more power than you realize.

I have a wood handled and a horn handled 18" WW2. I bought the wood one on purpose to see if it was what it should be. It wasn't quite, for my taste. The horn one was supposed to be a 16.5" but they werre temporarily out, so Bill sent the 18". It wasn't what I wanted but I couldn't make myself return it.

The 17" M43 is another almost perfect one. If something goes thump in the night I'll gladly grab one of the three.

The truth is, you shoot a deer well with a ( see below ) at a hundred yards, is that deer going to know the difference between 25-06, 260, 270, 7mm08, 7x57, 280 or 308, or 30-06? Probably not, given good bullet selection. I just happen to be in love with the 7x57, and when a factory load won't do what I need, I'll handload. W.D.M. "Karamoja" Bell felt the 175 grain ball was good enough to take hundreds of elephant with it.


Wait 4 more days until Uncle gets back. Prepare an email to go leaving the type khuk blank but otherwise complete, and then watch for a blem. You see what you want, fill in the email with the khuk wanted and hit send.
 
i wish UB can drop a post on his opinion... but hes too worried abou his dad for this to happen right now... awe well
Click to expand...

Family's just a bit more important than a khukuri or a scabbard. The scabbards HI khukuris come with are no different than the ones Ghurkha soldiers have carried their khukuris in all over the world. The quickest way to make one field ready is as follows; give the scabbard a good coat of Kiwi boot polish and don't bother buffing it. Take a roll of OD green duct tape and completely wrap the entire scabbard, this not only tones it down for operational wear, but also protects it from scuffs and scratches that are an inevitable part of field duty (the coating of boot polish will allow the duct tape to be peeled off later without harming the scabbard). Worried about the khuk falling out of the scabbard? Use an elastic boot blousing band available at any military clothing sales to secure it. Presto, bingo, there you go, simple solutions are a soldier's friend, he doesn't usually have access to means for more complicated fixes.:D

Sarge

edited to add: 15" BAS, 15" AK, 16.5" Chiruwa AK, 16.5" WWII. They're all well suited to military service so just write 'em down on slips of paper and draw one out of a hat. No losers in the bunch so you can't help but win.
 
An artillery officer is most likely going to be back of the front lines, plus the m.o. of the current military, bashing apart crates and setting up camp is going to be much more frequent than hand-to-hand combat. Given that, and all of the junk a marine has to haul around anyway, I'd go shorter. BAS or 15" AK. Either is more than enough to send a crate running for the hills, put a Kabar to shame, and not get in the way too much. Also, it takes a bit of practice to use a GS effectively - the blade is lighter and longer, so you have to swing it quickly and accurately for equivaltent chopping power to the BAS.

Besides, if he likes the first one, more will come! :)
 
Originally posted by Rusty
I have a wood handled and a horn handled 18" WW2.
I bought the wood one on purpose to see if it was what it should be.
It wasn't quite, for my taste.
The horn one was supposed to be a 16.5" but they werre temporarily out, so Bill sent the 18".
It wasn't what I wanted but I couldn't make myself return it.
Click to expand...

My younger and littler Bro Rusty has got me thinking again.:rolleyes: :eek: :p Had he of done it sooner I may, read probably, have already done it.
(The only thing of WW II likeness I have is the oopsie Hanuman Special, (of which there are only four in existence!!!!:D), that is a WW II blade with a Hanuman handle.)
Oopsie, forgot the WW II, that Bill sent along with another khuk that I had ordered, that the kami hadn't hardened properly as well as getting the edge MUCH too Thin.:(
It has a half moon mark with little rays around the top, is this one of Bura's?:eek:
Maybe one day I will get a round tuit and rework the edge into a proper convex and harden it up properly, but I will use oil and harden the edge from cho to the point and reverse, as like the Japanese style.
And properly harden the karda and chakma while I'm at it, so I may do all of the below one of these days.:D

Take the 18" WW II of your choice, horn or wood,Doesn't matter since you're gonna make a new handle anyway, and remove the handle and bolster. Remove the flat area of the habaki bolster, deburr and polish and set it aside.
Rework the tang down close to the cho like the old khuks were and how I like 'em as I believe they have a prettier as well as a more proper appearance.:p
(You can make the tang wider with a greater radius into the blade proper here, even better than original!!!!)
Then heat the tang so that it can be slightly bent into an arc, let air cool slowly.
Drill out the new slightly, or more as I prefer and like the old khuks, curved handle you have already made to fit the newly reworked tang
Then replace the reworked bolster, preferably a steel one, and the handle. Tape in place with masking tape, my preference, but duct or duck tape could be used.
Fill with a good epoxy, replace buttcap and keeper, again preferably steel. Tape up any necessary joints to keep epoxy in place.
Watch closely and when epoxy has set up firm, but still pliable, remove tape and with a very sharp knife remove any excess epoxy, set aside and let the epoxy cure solid.
Finish handle to your desire and then tape it to protect it while you're finishing the blade or visey versy.

You now have a beautiful WW II with a 4 3/4" handle, including bolster, with a 11 1/4" blade for an overall length of 16 inches!!!!
The 4 3/4" handle may not be for all folks, you can extend it if your hand is bigger, but don't make any judgements until you've gotten to hold an old antique khuk with the fully curved short handle.
They have a way of locking your hand in place so that you don't notice how short the handle really is.

They seem to me to be much, much more secure than the modern straight handles.:D
Anyone else believe the same?
 
Or if you're just plain lazy and want to shorten the 18" WW II you can simply remove the handle and trim the bolster end to a personal fit, again effectively shortening the 18" WW II to something more desirible if that is your wish.:p :rolleyes: ;) :D

To me handles are like something else we men discuss in that anything that doesn't fit in the hand is wasted anyway.:p :p :p :p :D
 
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