Jason Knight Khukuri Reviews and Competition

Kailash Blades

Kailash Blades

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Nov 21, 2015
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Recently some of the admins of the various Khukuri facebook groups got together and hatched a plan to run a competition where the various nepalese manufacturers could put forward their best work and have it independently judged to see who the best maker of 2019 was. It's a pretty small community and the initial reception was pretty lukewarm but after it was announced that Jason Knight was on board to judge it got a lot of tails wagging.

The organisation of the competition up until this point hasn't been flawless and it's clear that Jason hasn't got been given that much info on the various maker's or their knives but after this video has been posted the organisers and makers have gotten into gear and it's all looking smooth from here.


It's fantastic to be able to take part in this competition and a huge thanks to Jason for lending his expertise and platform to it. Nepal has an amazing bladesmithing culture and hopefully doing something like this helps generate interest within a wider audience and maybe convince someone to take the leap into getting their first traditional khukuri. This is the first of a series of videos he'll be doing and I'll be posting the rest for discussion here as it goes along.
 
We're the manufacturer of the first knife shown here and I'll give a bit of info about us and why we submitted this knife here.

We employ three full time blacksmiths and this particular knife was made by Mandip Rasaily. He's an extremely talented man who comes from a large family of khukuri makers. His considerable skill level with not only traditional blades but more modern designs makes him a real star and we're very lucky to have him on board.

Our choice of putting forward a khukuri with a stacked leather sheath and handle is perhaps a bit of an odd one, especially when sitting alongside such rigidly traditional blades. All of the blades that we make are either semi custom or full custom and we specialise in blending traditional techniques and patterns with modern heat treat and materials. While the sheath and handle stick out as more modern options all of our steel is oil quenched and given a professional temper which should help it stand out when it comes to the testing stage. The knife that we chose to submit is far from the most typical and traditional nepali blade, but it's one that should perform and function excellently while also doing a great job of representing the kind of work that we do and the kind of makers we want to be.

When approached about entering this competition there was a degree of pressure into submitting a replica of a particular historical piece- a quite large, old dui chirra angkhola. The thinking behind this is that with all makers producing essentially the same design that the differences in fit, finish, grind and performance would stand out strongly. This is a part of the reason why most of these knives look very similar in shape, size, fullers etc. While this is certainly a valid approach we think that the design and size of the blade itself is just as much a measure of the quality of a manufacturer and can't be overlooked. Furthermore this suggested replica is of a style and size that's far from typical for what most nepali makers usually make or sell. With this in mind we chose not to go with a replica and instead went with one of our most popular stock patterns- the 15.5" Mutiny. We did this to make sure the knife we submitted best represented the kinds of designs that we actually specialise in as well as ensuring that the quality and fit of this competition piece is done to the exact same standard as the blades that are available for purchase usually, rather than a super high grade one off. We're extremely stoked to see the wheels turning on this and are very excited to see how the testing goes in future as well as hear any feedback that Jason has for us to improve on. Take care, Andrew and the Team at Kailash Blades.
 
Who are the blade makers in order on the video? I wish Jason was better prepared for this video, for his sake and ours.

It would have been good to know the maker, model, length, weight, thickness, and material used because these are the things that make one blade a useful tool and piece of art, and another “similar looking blade” a sharpened lawnmower blade.

I look forward to Jason’s testing video and getting his insight on their performance. If possible please be sure he has the stats on each blade so we know what is being tested.
 
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shortwinger said:
Who are the blade makers in order on the video? I wish Jason was better prepared for this video, for his sake and ours.

It would have been good to know the maker, model, length, weight, thickness, and material used because these are the things that make one blade a useful tool and piece of art, and another “similar looking blade” a sharpened lawnmower blade.

I look forward to Jason’s testing video and getting his insight on their performance. If possible please be sure he has the stats on each blade so we know what is being tested.
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Here's some information straight from one of the comp organisers
"1st Khukuri - Kailash Blade - Andrew Lucas & Bisnu Thapa
2nd - Khotang Khukuri Handicraft - Barun Baraili however l believe it’s just the scabbard from Barun, khukuri been mixed somehow because (GGK) is for Great Gurkha khukuri House made by Purna Darnal and by looking at the pommel l am sure it’s from Purna.
3rd Khukuri - The khukuri House Thamel - Sanjay Dumzon
4th Khukuri - Gorkha Kalila Handmade Khukuri- Raju Baraili 5th Khukuri - Gurkhablades - Neem Tenji (not Celtic filigree it’s from Nepalese symbolism specially influenced from newari/buddish culture.
6th Khukuri- scabbard & small knives from Great Gurkha khukuri House made by Purna Darnal and Khukuri itself is from Khotang Khukuri Handicraft - Barun Baraili ( it’s a mixup with number 2 khukuri)"

I'm sure he'll do some weights and lengths as he goes into greater detail reviewing these knives down the line,
 
Following this thread.

I've had opportunity to own and use a few different manufacturers khukris.

I had a chance to get in on Jason Knights run of forged Khukris, but I had to pass, as I had money tied up in other knives and was not sure I could move them quick enough to get money to make the quickly filled list.

I have owned a Busse Khukri, a no name khukri (unsure of maker, very rough, and soft), and two HI khukries.

I am very interested in Kalish khukries as they have received glowing reviews.
 
shortwinger said:
And........ Did this get cancelled?
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A great question that's on a lot of people's minds. The official word from him and the organisers is that it's still on and he's chosen a winner but just needs to make the video and announce it. However this has been said for quite a while now with no movement on that front.
I'm unsure of the reality of the situation but will certainly update this thread when there's any progress or greater clarity.
Take care,
Andrew and the team at Kailash Blades
 
Bigfattyt said:
Also, Jason Knight has a lot going in his shop. I'll wait patiently.
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Absolutely. This was a point I made to some of the other involved parties that were getting impatient- He's an extremely busy dude with his fingers in a lot of different pies and this khukuri situation is unpaid work for a niche community. It makes sense that he prioritises things aead of it and gets to it when he gets to it.

We do really appreciate your support by the way. What would you be looking for in your next khukuri? Maybe we can offer a bit of guidance and help put the perfect knife in your hand.
Take care,
Andrew and the team at Kailash
 
fishface5 said:
Dang I'm bummed that HI is not in the mix! Looking forward to the ultimate results!
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Yeah it's a funny one huh. I think this contest was organised mostly though groups on social media, facebook/instagram etc and so they might not have even been aware of it starting up. Alternatively they might have objected to the way it was hoping to draw large conclusions from these one off designs being sent out specifically to be judged. Some of the knives in the original video are much nicer than the maker's original output and the consistency and reliability of HI doesn't stand out much in that context.
 
So let me process what I think I’m hearing. There are other things that people consider more important than a kukri?!?! Hmmmm. Just when you thought you’ve heard everything.
 
shortwinger said:
So let me process what I think I’m hearing. There are other things that people consider more important than a kukri?!?! Hmmmm. Just when you thought you’ve heard everything.
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Even more bizarre- they consider these things more important than eight khukuris!
 
What I would truly love to see is a series of tests done by some people that are expertS “using” a kukri. Preferably these people would have knowledge of traditional models, their intended uses, and an understanding of how a well made kukri feels and behaves in hand.

The test needs to make sense within the kukri world, meaning you can’t do a chopping comparison with a run of the mill Khukuri House Service No 1 and a “high end makers“ Bonecutter or other heavy chopper. It would be great to put a call out to all reputable makers to submit a few models for testing; (This would be my top three choices)
1. A Service No 1 because it is a popular first choice and if well made can be a real workhorse. I would prefer the “Original Pattern” over the current model but that may be difficult for some makers.
2. A standardized village chopper that each maker can copy, something like what HI would call an AK or Bonecutter. Personally I would prefer the Bonecutter at about 24 oz (680 gr).
3. A WWII MkII weighing in at no more than 24 oz.

The tests should be done in both a sterile testing environment and out in the woods. For the sterile tests you can chop 2x4’s, Manila rope, hose, break a cinder block and brick, etc. I know some may get a little throw-up in the back of their throat if I refer to the CS tests but if you watch the old Gurkha Kukri and TrailMaster videos it would be fantastic to see a traditional kukri do all those tests and see how they hold up.

For the real world tests I’d love to see a complete camp set up including a nice shelter, light fire wood processing, and food prep.

The criteria would be as expected; feel in hand, edge holding, effectiveness chopping, handle comfort, etc. if the right people conduct the tests it would a supreme treasure to the kukri community, especially new buyers and the manufactures.
 
So... in May 2020 he had choosen a winner, well now its passed May 2021. I can start to see a number of things going wrong with this one, perhaps from the beginning. It really seems badly handled for a while now. :thumbsdown:
 
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