Khukrui addiction progression - How did yours go?

[Mindz_I]

Rather than 'what should I buy' I'm curious how others buy after they've first got 'a taste'. I freely admit I have addictive personallity, whereby I tend to start collecting everything there is to something, especially when it comes to artistic items which actually have a purpose.

The 'excuse' that always goes through my train of though is something along the lines of "but this one is good for chopping, I 'need' another that's good for clearing .....".

Do alot of people find this sort of mental justification happens? If so how did your collection / addiction progress and how did you 'justify' them ?

Do you simply buy to add to your collection (beit through beauty or function)?

Thanks

 

[ric0shay]

Hello...My n n n name is R rick...I'm a (gulp) shiney thing addict...

For me it's both. I havn't used the BGRS yet but I will. The smaller WWII has been used in the yard and making supper. I couldn't believe how well it carved the ham! veggies fall away from the blade rather than sticking to the flat grind blade of a chef knife. I chase the Mrs out of the kitchen for cutting chores. Onion, green pepper, roasts, great! Cutting the cheese though, she didn't like that one bit ! "My God" she says..."The fine china!!! "

So that stupid rooster that's been waking me up at O dark 30 saying "coca-doodle-doo. I'll fix him on thanks giving with my..any-khuk'll-doo

Rick

 

[Fiddleback]

Khukuri virus progression in order of purchases...

1st...Khukuri House Panawal Special and Mini Panawal. These knives were purchased before I found HI. Nice knives. I've reviewed them here and that thread may be found with a search. Had just learned about Khukuris and needed no justification whatsoever.

2nd...Chiruwa AK by Kumar with a horn handle. Still my favorite knife. Kumar's blade is unbelievably well made, and chops like a dream. Its considerably lighter than the Panawal Special and handles like a dream. Chops just as well too. Kumars signing is as perfect as the one recently shown. Justified it so I could compare the brands.

3rd...Badune special by Bura, 12" with Chandan handle. Sweetie. Light as a feather. When you swing it it sings through the air. Handle is a little small for me, otherwise...perfect. Justified it with the price...$45.

4th...GRS by Bura, 18" with Chandan handle. Here I wanted a chopper with regular sytle handle so as not to transmit as much vibration. Only complaint is some cho creep which I now find useful. When doing light work I find its comfortable to choke up on the knife, with my hand just behind the cho, and do light strokes.

5th...Karda by sher. One of my favorite knives now. Wanted a rehandling project. E-mailed Yangdu, and she sent me an antler handled beauty that I dare not rehandle. If you don't own the small HI knives you are MISSING OUT!!!!!!

6th...Sarge knife and JKM. Sarge by bura and JKM by Kumar. Just so impressed with the karda that I had to round out my small knife collection. E-mailed Yangdu and she had two, both in antler. Can't resist the trifecta antler small knife squad.

7th...Sarge by bura. The other one had a defect that I thought I would not like. I bought this one from the DOTD to replace it with, then learned to love the defect. Now have two.

Really not too bad. I've special ordered a FF from Yangdu (18-19", dark wood handle, min cho creep) that I think will be my dream knife, and last evening I caved and e-mailed on the M43, but I think Ricoshay beat me. No biggie. I carry almost the whole collection with me everywhere so I can pet it a lot.

The Khuks are'nt the main difference in my life since HIKV. This forum has affected me deeply and I'm not the same man I was two months ago. Before here I was coasting along in this dead end job. Happy with the security and the lazy atmosphere. Next Friday I fly to Baltimore to interview for a real dynamic position with a GREAT company. Suddenly I have the desire to succeed again, and I'm even willing to move from my beloved South. It may be coincidence, but these changes have happened since I began posting here. I love this place.

 

[cliff355]

---deleted---

 

[munk]

The first was small, a BAS, but I knew as I held it there had to more. The reality of the knife overwhelmed me. I could not believe the craftsmanship and the strength of the blade. There was probably some mystical woo woo energy too but as I'm untrained that's all I know.





munk

 

[MauiRob]

There was probably some mystical woo woo energy too but as I'm untrained that's all I know.

That made me giggle like an idiot. I'm glad there's no one else in the office at the moment.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

My path down the path of khuk is pretty much the norm for most around here. I was a senior in college looking for a camp knife. I had already bought a CS mini Gurka Lite and had enjoyed the way it chopped, but not the way it bound in wood.
After a little research, I found that HI was supposed to be the best there is. I e-mailed Uncle Bill and asked him if he had any villager models in stock, because me=college kid=broke. He said he had a few offered up for the DOTD. I scored a Kumar made Villager model. 15.5" with a nice thin edge and great wood handle. AND it had real steel bolster and buttcap. Little did I know that these BirGorkha villagers were a prized item. You don't see many "villagers" these days. They are villager models of Ang Kholas or BAS' or Sirus, etc. This one is not a BAS because it is heavier and doesn't have the SoS. It is not an AK because it has no fullers. It's just a villager, and it hooked me.
Next I bought a 15" AK that someone had returned because the edge was monster thick and convexed. They couldn't sharpen it with a sharpmaker. It was a great khuk that was dashed, smashed, and crashed through everything. I rode in my truck for about 3 years before it found a happier home.
Soon, I had picked up an AK Bowie, and a WWII with some tax money. Then I was out of college working making more than 7 and hour. I could pick up a khuk here and there. The nail in the coffin was my promotion to sales manager. I was out of the field and now in the office. Doomsday. I could catch every DOTD and had a little extra scratch to snag them. PLUS, my fiance' was still out of town. I had no one to answer to. My collection ballooned from 7 or 8 to 20. I gave a few away and bought more to replace them.
Now I have a trunk full of them. I have a khuk for every situation. I only shark now to pick up something unique, something I have given away but want another of, or just to keep my teeth sharp
With about 30 or 35 HI products in my collection, I am a happy camper. I can see myself snapping up another 30, but it'll be awhile.

Jake

 

[Fiddleback]

Nice Jake. I think thats a very reasonable collection. My wife may not agree. She has let me fill the shop with expensive tools though. She, however plans to get furniture out of me as payment for that. She has gotten a few things so far. I gotta figure out how to make furniture with my Khuks.

 

[kronckew]

i too am an addict to sharp pointy shiny things. i manage to control my kukhri collection by also buying unusual folders, bowies, swords, katana, goloks, parangs, klewangs, kopis, gladii, spatha, spears, kindjals, yataghans, choora, khyber knives, axes, pesh kabz, zira bouk, talwars, daggers, hunters, fighters, navajas, machetes, shamshirs, shashkas, languioles, barongs, and anything else that screams out 'adopt me'.

only a few kukhris to date, but i keep drooling over the dotd's & waitng for just the right one before someone else sharks it.

a. damascus kopis at top (the original 'kukhri' ala alexander)
b. kobra
c. dui chirra m43 variant
d. ww1 model
e. old-timer adopted from ebay

 

[Hamon]

I started off with an 18" AK, which I then felt was a little too big to carry everywhere, so then I got a BAS... Then I decided that it would be best if I had one for each inch, so the quest began, starting with the 9" Bilton up to the 25" kobra, to get a khuk for each inch. Obsessive compulsive? I think so.

Travis

 

[munk]

I'd never heard that- one khuk for each inch. I guess you gotta start around 9" and go as high as the longest sword....
I'd think 23 and 24" khuks would be hard to find. You know there's a 25" AK and even a 30" if my memory serves...

munk

 

[Shann]

I'd never heard that- one khuk for each inch. I guess you gotta start around 9" and go as high as the longest sword....
I'd think 23 and 24" khuks would be hard to find. You know there's a 25" AK and even a 30" if my memory serves...

munk

Munk, you forget about the kagas katne . Okay, the bilton might be the smallest "real" khuk, but I've got khuks ranging from 6 to 30" (sirupati), just not one for every inch!

 

[Shann]

First, I just got a 18" WWII, because I was looking for something missing from my life and Uncle Bill told me it was a WWII I then wanted something more "weapon" like, so I got a 21" Chainpuri.

Then I started buying the smaller ones (bilton, jkm, kumar karda) because they were cheaper and I could satisfy my HIKV with a box every week.

Then I saw some unusual things, like the AK Bowie, the Seax, the kerambit. Then I saw fancy things like the YCS that I just needed.

My wife has put a stop to the worst of it, but the antler handled stuff still calls to me.

 

[Svashtar]

Do alot of people find this sort of mental justification happens? If so how did your collection / addiction progress and how did you 'justify' them ?

Do you simply buy to add to your collection (beit through beauty or function)?

Thanks

My "justification" exercises such as they were ended long ago! "Well dear, you see it's like this: I _need_ the 25" Kobra with wood handle for clearing weeds and brush, but I need one in horn as well for...the other hand. Yeah, that's it...! Two hands are faster. And I _need_ one of each in 20" as well in case my arms get tired!"

After a while even your subconcious doesn't buy the BS! But owning them for their function and esthetics and working on them / playing with them is justification enough.

Everyone has their hobbies, and this one is my big one now, and other hobbies have taken a back seat to finance this one.

Norm

 

[Svashtar]

i too am an addict to sharp pointy shiny things. i manage to control my kukhri collection by also buying unusual folders, bowies, swords, katana, goloks, parangs, klewangs, kopis, gladii, spatha, spears, kindjals, yataghans, choora, khyber knives, axes, pesh kabz, zira bouk, talwars, daggers, hunters, fighters, navajas, machetes, shamshirs, shashkas, languioles, barongs, and anything else that screams out 'adopt me'.

only a few kukhris to date, but i keep drooling over the dotd's & waitng for just the right one before someone else sharks it.

a. damascus kopis at top (the original 'kukhri' ala alexander)
b. kobra
c. dui chirra m43 variant
d. ww1 model
e. old-timer adopted from ebay

Those are beautiful Kronckew. I love "a", and "c" looks wonderful as well. Wish I could find something like that last one on ebay.

 

[Yvsa]

When I first came to HI I read all the archives
and then caught up to the current posts before I finally registered so I could post.
Like all the noobs I asked which khukuri would be best for me and Uncle Bill thought it was the 15" AK but by the time he had sent it I decided I wanted an 18" AK as I thought the 15" too small.
I was right and gave the 15" AK to my Barbie.
I got one of the newly formed Shop 2's 18" AK's and the rest is history.
My goal was to find the perfect khukuri for me and I think I have finally found it in the 17" Foxy Follys.:thumbup:
I also love the villagers from Birghorka and Sgt Karka as they also represent what the khukuri should be, an honest working knife with no frills.
The 17" Foxy Follys are the epitome of what a khukuri should be IMO.:thumbup:

 

[SASSAS]

I picked up a 20" 37 oz. Chiruwa WWII for my SHTF kit, then realized it was too cumbersome to carry around (it made me walk like a pirate when it was hanging on my belt).

So I went with a 15" carved handled AK, which was too nice to beat up and a little short (and it has a red sheath.)

Next up I added a 16.5" chirwua WWII that is just right. But, the problem was already starting to surface...though I was fighting it.

e-mail sent on 16.5 inch 23 ounce chiruwa horn handle Villager WWII by Bura. Extra sharp blade. $75 YBB.

Maybe it's the first... I figure if it hasn't been bought by now, it's meant for me.

I was thinking of holding off for a wood handle, but I think that's a slippery slope to go down... "I don't have that shade of a neem handle." "Wow that's a really different grain on *that* neem handle." "Sure I have two 16.5" WWIIs, but I don't have two with neem handles." **SHUDDER***

So what is the best method of khukuri display in a cardboard box? Like the one I'll be living in eventually...

Then, the next day, I got the 20" M43, which was absolutely too cool for words - that was the one that really hooked me. The pictures posted before the listings and prices went up and I ordered it without asking what it cost...or really being sure what it was.

e-mail sent on the black one on the far left (bottom picture)... WTH...

20 inch 33 ounce Superb M34 by master Kami Bura. Perfect Rig. Your's for today $175 ***** *SOLD*

I was still in control though, up to the point that I bought six of ten from the Uncle Bill's Birthday Special...

 

[Mindz_I]

I'm glad to see it's not just my idled brain that isn't the only one which does this when buying khuks

I have to say, lurking on the HI forum is just making it worse Now lusting after a YCS Karda and I only bought my second khuk this week :S