From what I have seen in my limited online research, it seems people recommend a thinner blade when getting a Khukri for combat purposes. I assume this is for stabbing/thrusting the blade? It seems to me, though, it would make more sense to get one that has a thicker blade, but not not too thick, because it would be easier and cause more damage to chop an opponent with a Khukri instead of stabbing. Maybe I am missing something, though.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Khukri Fighting
- Thread starter krakerinc
- Start date
- Joined
- May 9, 2002
- Messages
- 12,666
I think the it has more to do with mass, velocity, change of direction, etc. In all honesty, I wouldn't want to get hit with any of them.
For combat purposes you need something that you can move fast. As much as I like bigger and heavier blades, I wouldn't choose them if I were to go to harm's way. Why? Because there, the #1 factor that will keep you alive is speed! Not mass, not weight but speed! On the other hand, wood chopping has nothing to do with cutting up human beings. Wood chopping is much more challenging for a blade than human flesh or, even bones are. It is very easy to cut through flesh with a properly made and fully sharpened light-weight khukuri. Sush a blade will zip through a human target as if it's not there. Not the same with a tree log though.
Last edited:
Years ago, one of the guys in the barracks was into Kung Fu. My roommate had been mocking him publicly, so Kung Fu called him out. I answered the door and told my roommate that Kung Fu was outside with a sword, and wanted to kill him. My roommate said, "just a second." I told Kung Fu to wait a minute and closed the door. My roomate grabbed a folding stocked Rem 870 from a false compartment in his wall locker. I stood to the side and opened the door. Kung Fu's mouth dropped open, he dropped his sword and ran. Couple minutes later the base Master at Arms showed up at the door.
All he found was one cheezy chinese sword with Kung Fu's fingerprints all over it and a baseball bat.
What am I trying to say?
I don't know, the thread just triggered the memory.
What blade would I buy?
Both, the heavy one for a chopper, the light one for a wall hanger.
Oh, I forgot: I'd also have something that went bang.
All he found was one cheezy chinese sword with Kung Fu's fingerprints all over it and a baseball bat.
What am I trying to say?
I don't know, the thread just triggered the memory.
What blade would I buy?
Both, the heavy one for a chopper, the light one for a wall hanger.
Oh, I forgot: I'd also have something that went bang.
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2003
- Messages
- 5,594
I like that. Good signature...
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2002
- Messages
- 3,229
With a khukri with a blade of about 12 inches or more, first strike wins. All other things bieng equal , light is faster.
But today knife fightings mostly for films & martial arts.
Most people are stabbed or hacked without seeing the knife. Stealth wins evry time. But thats a knife attack not a fight.
soldiers, women & convicts all know that. Some men dont.
spiral
But today knife fightings mostly for films & martial arts.
Most people are stabbed or hacked without seeing the knife. Stealth wins evry time. But thats a knife attack not a fight.
soldiers, women & convicts all know that. Some men dont.
spiral
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2006
- Messages
- 7,035
Just remember a kukri is a tool first, weapon second.
ANY kukri can run a person through easily, the technique isn't difficult to learn, and the width of the blade will make one Hell of a bigger wound than any knife stab. The kukri stab also mitigates a lot of the speed advantage of the lighter blades for striking.
The reasont he Sirupate and Kobra are better for fighting is:
1.) You get more reach per unit weight.
2.) You can change direction faster (real nice for parrying).
Any of the larger kukris will either kill you or take off what they hit without breaking a sweat, so you really don't need a monster chopper to fight with.
ANY kukri can run a person through easily, the technique isn't difficult to learn, and the width of the blade will make one Hell of a bigger wound than any knife stab. The kukri stab also mitigates a lot of the speed advantage of the lighter blades for striking.
The reasont he Sirupate and Kobra are better for fighting is:
1.) You get more reach per unit weight.
2.) You can change direction faster (real nice for parrying).
Any of the larger kukris will either kill you or take off what they hit without breaking a sweat, so you really don't need a monster chopper to fight with.
Always try to avoid a fight, any fight. Knives or guns can get someone killed. Avoidance is the smarter route.
Having said that, I sleep with a BAS in my night table drawer. Better than a shotgun in the close quarters of my condo. Sometimes avoidance isn't possible but I am under no illusion that a BAS will help me at 15 feet from a pistol and I can't imagine a knife fight, only a fight for survival.
Having said that, I sleep with a BAS in my night table drawer. Better than a shotgun in the close quarters of my condo. Sometimes avoidance isn't possible but I am under no illusion that a BAS will help me at 15 feet from a pistol and I can't imagine a knife fight, only a fight for survival.
You know something, A friend of mine is a doctor in a Hospital in a very very bad neighborhood, and the other day he saw one of my Khuks and said, I`m happy the guys I keep sewing up with knife wounds every day don`t use these things, they would all end up dead.
So man, knife fighting still happens, and happens a lot........... don`t think that just cuz there are guns people don`t use knives. A gun is only a gun if you can get a bullet out, and as long as that doesn`t happen is nothing more that a big paper weight.
So if krakerinc believes a Khuk can serve a combat purpose let him have one. BTW go with a light and long blade.
I myself have a 12 gauge, a 9 mm and a khuk for self defense at home.
And NO i`m no expert, I just live a a very dangerous country. also i`m with Canadaman avoid the fight, violence is stupid. I remmember my martial arts master (military, special ops, etc) saying that your first weapons where your legs RUN!!
So man, knife fighting still happens, and happens a lot........... don`t think that just cuz there are guns people don`t use knives. A gun is only a gun if you can get a bullet out, and as long as that doesn`t happen is nothing more that a big paper weight.
So if krakerinc believes a Khuk can serve a combat purpose let him have one. BTW go with a light and long blade.
I myself have a 12 gauge, a 9 mm and a khuk for self defense at home.
And NO i`m no expert, I just live a a very dangerous country. also i`m with Canadaman avoid the fight, violence is stupid. I remmember my martial arts master (military, special ops, etc) saying that your first weapons where your legs RUN!!
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2004
- Messages
- 828
IMHO...
When choosing a khukuri for combat, find something that comes in 45 caliber.
The Jury will look at you a lot differently if you shoot the b%#@! rather than chop him up into bloody bits.. Of course, I'm assuming a rightful case of self-defense here, like home invasion.
Of course, I reckon sometimes anything that you can get your hands on will work. I remember growing up, one guy ripped off a car antenna and used it like a whip - and it worked. cut the other guy up.
Pardon the ramblings, my greying hair is representative of the rest of me nowadays...
When choosing a khukuri for combat, find something that comes in 45 caliber.
The Jury will look at you a lot differently if you shoot the b%#@! rather than chop him up into bloody bits.. Of course, I'm assuming a rightful case of self-defense here, like home invasion.
Of course, I reckon sometimes anything that you can get your hands on will work. I remember growing up, one guy ripped off a car antenna and used it like a whip - and it worked. cut the other guy up.
Pardon the ramblings, my greying hair is representative of the rest of me nowadays...
I completely agree. After rereading my original post, I think I may have come across a bit "knife happy". I'm certainly not looking for a fight or to hack someone up. I meant my original question in a more philosophical/hypothetical discussion. However, A khukri seems to be a tool that could also save your life. That said, I think one of our culture's (USA) main problems with knives and sharped-edged tools is they immediately think it is a weapon, yet they ignore other more common tools and household items that could inflict the same, if not more damage than a Khukri or any knife for that matter.
[end rant, you may continue with your originally scheduled discussion]
- Joined
- May 9, 2002
- Messages
- 12,666
Don't sweat it at all, friend. Khuks have been and will always be combat and self defense blades...just as they will always be tools for farming. There are many martial arts that use them in their techniques. Myself, I have several by the bedside for "bump in the night" duty. I'm not trained per say, but think that I could defend myself with one if need be.
That said, I would pick one that you can use well for your needs. If I am going to fend off an home invader, then my Cherokee Rose fits the bill. If I am fighting a black bear in the mountains, then pass the 22" Ganga Ram Special
As an "all 'round fighter" I have to give the nod to the 20" or 25" Kobra. One is fast and one could dismount a barbarian on horseback
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2006
- Messages
- 1,414
Khukri vs. light and fast in a knife fight...
consider the 9mm vs .45 debate, or 9mm vs. 12ga.
you want to not only leave a mortal would, but put the guy down right now... too many stories of poorly placed 9mm rounds, or charging crazies who are shot 6 times and still put their screwdriver into the cop...
Sure a dagger will hit the heart, lung, etc... but the attacker can still swing his blade many times before bleeding out/suffocating. My Ultimate Fighter Kukri really is a 12ga of a fighter... a forward stick would open up something fierce... and a slash would cut a man in half... instant incapacitation...
to a degree, a broadsword rather than a foil. Both deadly, but one only one will drop you with its brute force.
consider the 9mm vs .45 debate, or 9mm vs. 12ga.
you want to not only leave a mortal would, but put the guy down right now... too many stories of poorly placed 9mm rounds, or charging crazies who are shot 6 times and still put their screwdriver into the cop...
Sure a dagger will hit the heart, lung, etc... but the attacker can still swing his blade many times before bleeding out/suffocating. My Ultimate Fighter Kukri really is a 12ga of a fighter... a forward stick would open up something fierce... and a slash would cut a man in half... instant incapacitation...
to a degree, a broadsword rather than a foil. Both deadly, but one only one will drop you with its brute force.
Khuks are beautiful fighting knives... that much is apparent in their historical context and in the hands of the nepalese people, have become synonomous with the 'other guys' taking to their heels rather than come into contact with them. Any Khukri will approximate a fairly lethal tool, but how many of us (as much as I love the thought!) can walk down the street with a 20" Kobra at their side? I believe 'fighting' arts/fighting knives and self defence can be two very different things. I have a fairly dangerous occupation and frequently work in with Police and Detectives on the job. I also travel to remote communities in the job and have been unfortunate enough to have to use force to get out of trouble once or twice. My weapon of choice in these encounters? A half full pcp (plastic) soda or cool drink bottle (600ml). None of my assailants even associated it with a weapon so I was able to use it to some good effect. This scary and powerful weapon is able to give a good wallop, enough to knock someone out and very effective for chest and rib strikes with the end.
My point? I guess I'm saying that a fighting knife can remain that without ever being tested in the field and that is fine. I love mucking around with my Wing Chun butterfly knives, but would not use them to defend myself.
Weapons for self defence usually are available at hand and often the attackers pick up something on the ground or at hand to attack.
However, if you are contemplating self defence, I would concentrate on techniques that work empty hands vs knife, then worry about the knife gained in the encounter.
PS Kobra all the way for a 'fighting' knife!
My point? I guess I'm saying that a fighting knife can remain that without ever being tested in the field and that is fine. I love mucking around with my Wing Chun butterfly knives, but would not use them to defend myself.
Weapons for self defence usually are available at hand and often the attackers pick up something on the ground or at hand to attack.
However, if you are contemplating self defence, I would concentrate on techniques that work empty hands vs knife, then worry about the knife gained in the encounter.
PS Kobra all the way for a 'fighting' knife!