Khukuri as machete?

NYCDanMan

NYCDanMan

Joined
Sep 18, 2011
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I have an incredible 18" rajkumar gelbu special.
I bought it because it was on super sale, and was surprised when it became my absolute favorite khuk.
So light, handles great, nice sharpness, and I even made a makeshift scout sheath for it.
I have an M43 and a AK that i use for camping, and have always considered the gelbu my "martial option".

Lately i have been looking into purchasing a camp machete, from cheap to custom.
I have found a couple customs that were well priced and well made, but it got me thinking...
My gelbu is similar size and weight to the machetes... just no where near as thin.

My question.

Anyone ever used a khukuri specifically with machete purposes?
I imagine it will be just fine, but would LOVE if anyone has any first hand experience. A story or tale?
Also has anyone used the 18" gelbu in the field? How does it hold up?

Thank you!
Dan
 
A khukuri is not a machete. That said, my lightweight udhaipur works well for many of the same tasks a machete does. Go to this old FAQ page and scroll down to udhaipur. Also see the linked review.

That udhaipur knife was the inspiration for the HI Gelbu Special, although the GS tend to be bigger and beefier. You can see the specs of the udhaipur at the link.
 
I've used a 20" kobra as a machete for years. However, it's not ideal. It handles woody brambles very well, but it just smooshes the lighter green vegetation out of the way. I like thicker khuk for major wood working. I like medium thickness khuks for general purpose. I like thin/fast/light ones for martial use. When it comes to a machete, you really can't beat the "real deal".

I'm planning on getting one from Fiddleback Forge sooner or later because I feel that having a nice semi-custom machete would make a welcome addition to my collection as I going to be heading down to my Uncle's property this coming summer to help clear some game trails. I won't be leaving any khuks at home, but having a dedicated brush slasher might be useful in addition to big limb loppers.

I think there is certainly room for both:)
 
Personally i like a little weight on a machette. It gives it presence. Let the blade do the work, don't hack it..
But i do like a little length so you can get low stuff without bending over.
 
I agree that none of the khuks are as good as a machete for grassy weedy stuff. They are too heavy and thick. They can't be beat for heavier woodier stuff. I have a lot of sumac at my property and the khuks are pretty much perfect for that, and for cedar and poplar growths.
 
I leaned over and gave a 1"+ dia Wisteria vine a gentle wave of my 21" Dichirra... and it passed through like it was made of cheese.
Blew my mind.
 
Unless you can sacrifice the edge thickness to paper thin for brushing off low vegetation, you will end up with a sore wrist and elbow and not getting much cut.
You have got to hit the "sweet spot" of the khuk for chop-slice action whilst the machete has longer belly that enables more time and contact surface with the medium of cut.
I chipped and rolled the tip of khukuri many times and got me thinking of using a thinner stock (3-4mm) of high grind for better purchase upon contact with messy branches and thorny leaves.
One of the hardest stalks to swipe through in the rainforest here is this:
jenkinsiana02.jpg


With the young "invisible" stalk at <2mm diameter branching out of nowhere,the thorns/back-hooks will stick to your clothing and exposed flesh when you go opposite direction. With a thick edge this is not possible to cut through.
 
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I use my Sirupati for everything I used to use a machete for, works fine on everything that I've used it on so far, others may have a better depth of experience, or more knowledge, but it has worked well for me and that is my experience.
 
JayGoliath said:
Unless you can sacrifice the edge thickness to paper thin for brushing off low vegetation, you will end up with a sore wrist and elbow and not getting much cut.
You have got to hit the "sweet spot" of the khuk for chop-slice action whilst the machete has longer belly that enables more time and contact surface with the medium of cut.
I chipped and rolled the tip of khukuri many times and got me thinking of using a thinner stock (3-4mm) of high grind for better purchase upon contact with messy branches and thorny leaves.
One of the hardest stalks to swipe through in the rainforest here is this:
jenkinsiana02.jpg


With the young "invisible" stalk at <2mm diameter branching out of nowhere,the thorns/back-hooks will stick to your clothing and exposed flesh when you go opposite direction. With a thick edge this is not possible to cut through.
Click to expand...

Holy cow, Jay. Do you live on planet Pandora or something. Whathehell is that spiny vine monster:p?
 
The spiny vine monster reminds me of a line from Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky"

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

This vine could be the frumious Bandersnatch. It certainly seems like something one would want to shun.
 
hickman1 said:
I use my Sirupati for everything I used to use a machete for, works fine on everything that I've used it on so far, others may have a better depth of experience, or more knowledge, but it has worked well for me and that is my experience.
Click to expand...

Same here! I've used my 20", 24oz Sirupati Lisa as a machete, off and on for the last 10 years. A few years ago, I got into Machetes. My favorite being my Ontario 12" Cutlass w/D-guard. It's quite blade heavy compared to my Tramontina's, which I like. The last 2 years, I've been rotating the Cutlass and Lisa. I have no problem using either one. . .

Last year, I used Lisa, my 15" Sirupati and a few Machetes to trim back my mom's Skunkbush Sumac [Rhus trilobata] Bush. All of them worked really well. Technique was very important with the Sirupatis. The Bush hadn't been trimmed, nor the area around it maintained since mom bought the house 10 years ago. . This year, there were a few branches that needed to be trimmed back. For the fun of it, I desided to use my Fast and Light 16.5" WWII. It worked, but not nearly as well as my Sirupati's or machetes. Honestly, I prefered using my Sirupati's and 12" Ontario Cutlass w/D-guard Machete, more then the WWII or 12" Tramontina or Fiddleback Machetes.

Right now, my go to blades for Machete work are my two Sirupati's and my 12" Ontario Custlass machete. The 18" USGI is a bit long for use around fences, IMO.
 
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