I've been lurking around for a few weeks, really enjoying the site with all the reviews and tips and stories. I was wondering what everyone thought about having a Khukuri as a camp/survival knife. Seems to me to be the ideal chopper/all purpose, but nobody has talked about them in great detail. Anyone have any experience with them? I want to get a nice high carbon steel one, preferably with differential tempering. Does anyone know a good place to pick up one? I've looked at the ones here and also here. They seem to be just plain steel blades, nothing particularly fancy and priced right to hack around the woods. Any comments? Suggestions? Directions to better made/higher quality ones? Maybe with a nice micarta handle and kydex sheathe?
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Khukuri as survival knife
- Thread starter Darteres
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Welcome to the forums!
The best place to look into Khukuris on this forum is the Himalayan Imports section, it is in the manufacturers section. Lots of great information and some awesome deals pop up every few days. Check them out, you will be glad you did. Yangdu is a great lady to deal with, and the HI warrenty is second to none!!
You are also correct. A khuk is a great woodsy tool to have out in the brush. I use one of mine when I go out and it works great!!:thumbup:
The best place to look into Khukuris on this forum is the Himalayan Imports section, it is in the manufacturers section. Lots of great information and some awesome deals pop up every few days. Check them out, you will be glad you did. Yangdu is a great lady to deal with, and the HI warrenty is second to none!!
You are also correct. A khuk is a great woodsy tool to have out in the brush. I use one of mine when I go out and it works great!!:thumbup:
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I don't have one from this maker, but alot of folks here swear by Himalayan Imports khukris. The have their own forum here.(edit:damn B10)
The Khuk I have is from khukrihouse.com and is rather nice, especially for the price. Chops like there is no tomorrow. I don't think you can go wrong with a Khukri in the woods.
The Khuk I have is from khukrihouse.com and is rather nice, especially for the price. Chops like there is no tomorrow. I don't think you can go wrong with a Khukri in the woods.
Hey, thanks for all the info! I'm going to head that way now. A little info on me would be fitting, I suppose. I'm 25. Went through the scouts all the way to Eagle. Been hunting/fishing/camping down here in Louisiana for most of my life. I've recently started taking my son out in the woods. We went on a canoe trip on the Buffalo River in Arkansas last year and this year I'm going to take him to California. He loves matching leaves up with my handbook and I've even got him tying square knots! This site brings back a lot of my wanderlust for the woods. Thanks for the help and the great posts!
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yup. HI is good stuff. My wife five foot six inch wife commandeered my 18" Chiruwa Ang Khola on our last camping trip. I would complain, but truth was it looked kinda sexy swingin' from her hips. wadn't no problem at all walking a few miles behind her....
Anyhoo...I've become a big fan of khukuri's for the outdoors. They chop like a pack of beavers on meth (before the teeth start falling out) and do a great job of clearing out grassy areas enough to camp in. (don't wanna swing one all day though) Mine does well enough for around the camp fire starting, etc. and becomes less clumsy with every outing. (although like most choppers, it won't take away from your appreciation of your common folders and little knives)
I'll probably get roasted for saying this, but here goes:
the H.I stuff is top notch for us tinkergnome types that have the time and tools to sharpen it up to a good sharp edge, work on handles that produce hot spots, etc. and will often tend to reward your efforts ten fold. It's really fantastic stuff, but fit and finish can vary quite a bit. Once you get one tuned in perfectly, you will never want to let it go.
If you don't have the time, patience, tools, knowledge, etc. for a bit of customizing and refining, I'd suggest you look at the Ka-bars. Of course, you can still either buy a used HI, that's been worked over, (voided warranty though) or send one to some of the forumites such as Dan Koster to have the work done. In any case, I would highly suggest giving one a try.
Just my mere .02 cents worth....
Anyhoo...I've become a big fan of khukuri's for the outdoors. They chop like a pack of beavers on meth (before the teeth start falling out) and do a great job of clearing out grassy areas enough to camp in. (don't wanna swing one all day though) Mine does well enough for around the camp fire starting, etc. and becomes less clumsy with every outing. (although like most choppers, it won't take away from your appreciation of your common folders and little knives)
I'll probably get roasted for saying this, but here goes:
the H.I stuff is top notch for us tinkergnome types that have the time and tools to sharpen it up to a good sharp edge, work on handles that produce hot spots, etc. and will often tend to reward your efforts ten fold. It's really fantastic stuff, but fit and finish can vary quite a bit. Once you get one tuned in perfectly, you will never want to let it go.
If you don't have the time, patience, tools, knowledge, etc. for a bit of customizing and refining, I'd suggest you look at the Ka-bars. Of course, you can still either buy a used HI, that's been worked over, (voided warranty though) or send one to some of the forumites such as Dan Koster to have the work done. In any case, I would highly suggest giving one a try.
Just my mere .02 cents worth....
Brian Jones
Moderator
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- 7,560
Back in 1999, or 2000, I gave an H.I. Ang Khola 15" Khukuri to a close friend of mine who lives a rustic homestead lifestyle (read: no elec, running water) year-round. He has used it hard for all these years, for multitudes of hard and soft cutting and chopping chores. When I saw him last week, the khukuri from H.I. looked as new as the day I gave it to him. Not a scratch, nothing. Perfect. Most knives would wear out from the things he put it through. Not the H.I. He made me a shaman's drum, using only the khukuri and karda (small knife). He took a deer for the skin, and skinned, cleaned, butchered, scraped, and tanned it using only the H.I. stuff. I'll take a pic of the drum and post it.
So, yes, it has proven itself as a superb wilderness survival blade.
So, yes, it has proven itself as a superb wilderness survival blade.
Glad to hear all the good points. I've spent a good bit of time today (when I should have been working) looking at these wonderful blades. I recently came into a bit of money and plan on getting buying one within the week if I can. Then the pictures will come flying in as I use it in the outdoors.
Brian Jones
Moderator
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Excellent! Welcome to the forum!:thumbup:
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Dude. . .lol.
Everyone's already sent you to the HI forum, so. . .
Kukris are absolutely FANTASTIC tools for outdoor chores. I looked and drooled at the HI site for a long time before I pulled the trigger on one. My first is still my favorite, I special ordered a 20" Chiruwa Ang Khola. Now this is a big, heavy kukri, no two ways about it. But I bought it to specifically replace the hatchet/small axe in my loadout. The hatchet I used to carry is a Snow & Neally Penobscot Bay kindling Axe, like this:
It's 18" long and has a 1 3/4 pound head -- it's a bruiser. Yet the CAK out chops it in both hardwood and softwoods.
Another bonus of the HI kukris is they come with the Karda and Chakma, which are a small knife and a steel used for striking sparks and realigning a rolled edge. It's kind of the Nepalese version of the "Nessmuk trio".
THIS STATEMENT IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS!!!yup. HI is good stuff. My wife five foot six inch wife commandeered my 18" Chiruwa Ang Khola on our last camping trip. I would complain, but truth was it looked kinda sexy swingin' from her hips. wadn't no problem at all walking a few miles behind her....
Not going to roast you, but Ka-Bars (and Cold Steel, and S&W) are bent machetes, they do not chop as well as a real kukri. Unfortunately, all of the real kukris (Like Himalayan Imports, Tora! and Kukri House) are hand made affairs (some claim made by the same people), and will need a little working on. But once they're "there", like you said, they're with you for life.I'll probably get roasted for saying this, but here goes:
the H.I stuff is top notch for us tinkergnome types that have the time and tools to sharpen it up to a good sharp edge, work on handles that produce hot spots, etc. and will often tend to reward your efforts ten fold. It's really fantastic stuff, but fit and finish can vary quite a bit. Once you get one tuned in perfectly, you will never want to let it go.
If you don't have the time, patience, tools, knowledge, etc. for a bit of customizing and refining, I'd suggest you look at the Ka-bars.
IMO the quality and customer service at HI are more than worth it for me to keep doing business with them.
To the original poster: beware, there's real danger with HI kukris.
You see, once you buy one, you'll need another. . .and another, and another. Then you'll start "needing" their knives, and swords, and, and, and. . .
Oh, and if you have a wife or kids that will go outside with you, you'll lose at least one per person.
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Take Uncle Bills advice.
"Get deeper in debt. It's the American way and patriotic."
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Right on ilbruche and Cpl,
I thought I had a collection of HI khuks, it turns out I was the quartermaster for our family unit. Now that they have their own kits, they have preferences as to what blades they/we/I need to to acquire next. No shelf queens here, the tree-ents are cringing this spring!
mark
I thought I had a collection of HI khuks, it turns out I was the quartermaster for our family unit. Now that they have their own kits, they have preferences as to what blades they/we/I need to to acquire next. No shelf queens here, the tree-ents are cringing this spring!
mark
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- Nov 10, 2007
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- 2,337
HI Khukuris are additive.
Be careful.
Be careful.
Hi Dar,
bout two years ago I was browsing a box of blades at a pawn shop (great way to find deals) and came across one of the older expensive Cold Steel Khukuri's. Asked the counter guy "how much?" he said "For that machette..25 bucks" I said keep the change.
They are great tools for deep woods and clearing, Ive lashed that one to my pack I use to hunt for new camp sites. While I am partial to Bolo style blades, the khukuri is tried and true.
Several years back Cold Steel made a khukuri model that was only about 8 inches. I held one once and it felt GREAT! still looking for one.
bout two years ago I was browsing a box of blades at a pawn shop (great way to find deals) and came across one of the older expensive Cold Steel Khukuri's. Asked the counter guy "how much?" he said "For that machette..25 bucks" I said keep the change.
They are great tools for deep woods and clearing, Ive lashed that one to my pack I use to hunt for new camp sites. While I am partial to Bolo style blades, the khukuri is tried and true.
Several years back Cold Steel made a khukuri model that was only about 8 inches. I held one once and it felt GREAT! still looking for one.
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I've got quite a few HI khuks, and this one is my favorite:
It's an HI Pen Knife, about 18" long. It is one of their thinner, lighter models. This particular one is a "Villager" model, which means it is not as highly polished or well finished, but it also means that it comes sharpened and ready for work.
The Villager models are also a bit less expensive than the more finished models, so as far as I am concerned, just bonuses all around!
Andy
It's an HI Pen Knife, about 18" long. It is one of their thinner, lighter models. This particular one is a "Villager" model, which means it is not as highly polished or well finished, but it also means that it comes sharpened and ready for work.
The Villager models are also a bit less expensive than the more finished models, so as far as I am concerned, just bonuses all around!
Andy
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- Sep 28, 2005
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- 4,527
OK so you made me do it:
My first survival knife- I have used it for shelters, fire making (ferro rod), cutting veggies, filleting fish. Got it from a local guy (Kukris Dude) who gets it from his in-laws in Nepal. So it is traditionally made without being traditional.
BTW there is nothing wrong with the Cold Steel versions even if they are not traditional. My brother has used his at least 6 years and it has never let him down. Side by side comparisons of the two show that the traditional knocks off bigger chips but his cuts through limbs in one swing better- and is lighter (and almost bifurcated his big toe). It is all a compromise, but all good at the same time.
My first survival knife- I have used it for shelters, fire making (ferro rod), cutting veggies, filleting fish. Got it from a local guy (Kukris Dude) who gets it from his in-laws in Nepal. So it is traditionally made without being traditional.
BTW there is nothing wrong with the Cold Steel versions even if they are not traditional. My brother has used his at least 6 years and it has never let him down. Side by side comparisons of the two show that the traditional knocks off bigger chips but his cuts through limbs in one swing better- and is lighter (and almost bifurcated his big toe). It is all a compromise, but all good at the same time.
I own a HI, but rarely use it (mainly keep it as a collectors item). I do, however, own and frequently use my cold steel kukri machette. At $30, it is a steller knife that will outperform much more expensive knives. Sorry, I have no pics loaded as of yet to show it in action.