Khem Singh Knife blems and real bargains for 10/4

Man! Late to the party! Darn work had me hopping today.

Congrats Dave, I wanted that Hanshee, perhaps next time! That price is unbelievable! What a deal.
 
Assuming they are still available, I am interested in either:

19 inch 44 ounce Char Chirra by Ram Kumar. Grain mark on handle and rusty blade. $85 YBB
Or
17.5 inch 30 ounce Ang Khola by Lachhu. Red grain mark and hairline crack on horn handle. Karda, Chakma are missing and sheath if bit loose. $60.

Can anyone tell me what the difference will be between these in terms of what type of use they are designed for, handling, durability, etc? I am still new to the world of Kukri's and couldn't find much info on the Char Chirra.

Thanks in advance for the help!
 
James Sharpe said:
Assuming they are still available, I am interested in either:

19 inch 44 ounce Char Chirra by Ram Kumar. Grain mark on handle and rusty blade. $85 YBB
Or
17.5 inch 30 ounce Ang Khola by Lachhu. Red grain mark and hairline crack on horn handle. Karda, Chakma are missing and sheath if bit loose. $60.

Can anyone tell me what the difference will be between these in terms of what type of use they are designed for, handling, durability, etc? I am still new to the world of Kukri's and couldn't find much info on the Char Chirra.

Thanks in advance for the help!
Click to expand...

Right off the bat, I'd say that if the knife is meant to be used, and if you are not brawny and you don't have big hands, then I think the Ang Khola will serve you better for general all-around use. This is based on the photo showing the two specific knives (along with the actual weights and lengths), not a blanket statement about those models.
 
Steve Tall said:
Right off the bat, I'd say that if the knife is meant to be used, and if you are not brawny and you don't have big hands, then I think the Ang Khola will serve you better for general all-around use. This is based on the photo showing the two specific knives (along with the actual weights and lengths), not a blanket statement about those models.
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, I am about 5'10" and 225 lbs, so I am a bit "brawny" and have pretty good size hands (I wear XL size gloves). I own a cabin and would mostly use this for cutting trees on my property. Thanks again for the help!
 
Some more comparisons:

This Ang Khola has a full-length stick tang, which is plenty strong for normal uses. This Char Chirra has a "chiruwa" full tang which is considered to be even stronger. The trade-off is the "chiruwa" full tang tends to transmit more vibrations to the hand while chopping, while the stick tang is surrounded by wood which tends to dampen the vibrations. For extreme uses (that border on abuse), a "chiruwa" full tang will probably outlast a stick tang.

The weight difference between these two knives is significant. The Char Chirra weighs 1.5 times the weight of the Ang Khola. This of course is noticed more when packing on hikes, compared to carrying around the backyard. The extra weight will obviously be noticed more during long sessions of chopping.

The "Char Chirra" name refers to the four (Char) fullers (Chirra), which I think has more aesthetic appeal than functionality. The chirras tend to lighten the blade while leaving thicker portions to maintain stiffness (like an I-beam).

(Edited to add clarifications about the stick tang being full length...)
 
Last edited:
James Sharpe said:
19 inch 44 ounce Char Chirra by Ram Kumar.
Or
17.5 inch 30 ounce Ang Khola by Lachhu.

Can anyone tell me what the difference will be between these in terms of what type of use they are designed for, handling, durability, etc? I am still new to the world of Kukri's and couldn't find much info on the Char Chirra.
Click to expand...

Since it's for cutting trees:

The AK model is designed as a heavy chopper, and this one is a good size for that purpose. If you are unusually strong, you might go for a 20 inch AK or CAK, or one of the other HI models designed for heavy chopping, such as the Bonecutter or Ganga Ram Special. Maybe an M43 or WWII model if you want something that can handle heavy chopping but is a little more versatile.

I have one of Ram Kumar's Char Chirras, same length and weight as the one posted today. In my opinion this is more suited as a showpiece than a work knife. I don't have it handy at the moment to look at, but I believe the edge profile is too thin for a heavy chopper, and swinging those 44 oz would get tiring no matter how strong you are.
 
Payment sent for 19 inch 44 ounce Char Chirra by Ram Kumar.

Glad I was finally able to get in on one of these deals before they sold out. First HI for me.
 
Thank you for the advise guys! It sounds like the Ang Khola will fit my needs better and Bikerector got the Char Chirra anyway.

EMS sent for 17.5 inch 30 ounce Ang Khola by Lachhu. Red grain mark and hairline crack on horn handle. Karda, Chakma are missing and sheath if bit loose. $60.
 
James Sharpe said:
Thank you for the advise guys! It sounds like the Ang Khola will fit my needs better and Bikerector got the Char Chirra anyway.

EMS sent for 17.5 inch 30 ounce Ang Khola by Lachhu. Red grain mark and hairline crack on horn handle. Karda, Chakma are missing and sheath if bit loose. $60.
Click to expand...

I debated but I really like the look of the fullers. Hopefully I don't throw my shoulder out chopping trees or splitting wood. I think it will be like trying to one-hand my S&N hudson bay axe based on weight and leverage differences.
 
You may be pleasantly surprised. The kami's have some magical way of making a heavy blade not seem so heavy. All balance or something. It's a beautiful knife no doubt and everybody loves fullers. Can't go wrong.
 
James Sharpe said:
Thank you for the advise guys! It sounds like the Ang Khola will fit my needs better and Bikerector got the Char Chirra anyway.

EMS sent for 17.5 inch 30 ounce Ang Khola by Lachhu. Red grain mark and hairline crack on horn handle. Karda, Chakma are missing and sheath if bit loose. $60.
Click to expand...

Hi, James:

There are various ways to tighten a loose sheath. Since it is only a bit loose, it might work to just put a couple of pocket knives or other small tools in the slots for the missing Karda and Chakma. That will press against the main blade compartment and might be enough to tighten it up. (Conversely, if someone has a too-tight sheath, sometimes it is enough to remove the Karda and Chakma.)

If that doesn't work, search Bladeforums for a posting by ndoghouse that has a little tutorial on how to tighten a loose sheath. You can find it more quickly by adding keywords like "loose sheath". The "Search Forums" link is in the upper left area of this page. You can specify the Bladeforums name of the poster, the forum to search, and keywords to look for.
 
davidf99 said:
Hi, James:

There are various ways to tighten a loose sheath. Since it is only a bit loose, it might work to just put a couple of pocket knives or other small tools in the slots for the missing Karda and Chakma. That will press against the main blade compartment and might be enough to tighten it up. (Conversely, if someone has a too-tight sheath, sometimes it is enough to remove the Karda and Chakma.)

If that doesn't work, search Bladeforums for a posting by ndoghouse that has a little tutorial on how to tighten a loose sheath. You can find it more quickly by adding keywords like "loose sheath". The "Search Forums" link is in the upper left area of this page. You can specify the Bladeforums name of the poster, the forum to search, and keywords to look for.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice! I really appreciate it. I will be sure to look into this once I get my new Kukri. Yangdu contacted me and I made payment earlier today and she was even nice enough to include a Karda and Chakma that she had extra. This really is a great community and I appreciate all the help and hope to be able to give Yangdu more business in the future!
 
I'll take this:

17.5 inch 30 ounce Ang Khola by Lachhu. Red grain mark and hairline crack on horn handle. Karda, Chakma are missing and sheath if bit loose. $60.
 
pbubsy said:
I'll take this:

17.5 inch 30 ounce Ang Khola by Lachhu. Red grain mark and hairline crack on horn handle. Karda, Chakma are missing and sheath if bit loose. $60.
Click to expand...
It looks like James already emailed about and paid for the Ang Khola.
 
Chainpuri got here yesterday, feels great in the hand and looks pretty slick! The only downside is that it's already got me wanting to buy even more and see how the bigger blades compare. This must be that HI fever I've heard about!
 
James you are one lucky guy! I had my eye on that as I was reading the thread but by the time I got to the end of it.... I saw.
I'm glad it's going to a good home, that is going to work -awesome-. It's going to serve you very very well.
 
I've been away for a few weeks while life was keeping me busy... and to let the khukri fever die down a little bit (not really). I have to say, these deals are unbelievable. I forgot what insane value these are. I've paid the same price for a 4" knife, let alone a 17" M43 which can cut down a forest. edit: (brb selling all my pocket knives for khuk money)
 
stwm said:
I've been away for a few weeks while life was keeping me busy... and to let the khukri fever die down a little bit (not really). I have to say, these deals are unbelievable. I forgot what insane value these are. I've paid the same price for a 4" knife, let alone a 17" M43 which can cut down a forest. edit: (brb selling all my pocket knives for khuk money)
Click to expand...

Then you may not want to miss the most recent sale thread started yesterday with an M43

https://bladeforums.com/threads/deals-for-10-11-pix-blems-and-awesome-buys.1525979/#post-17522055
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top