Khukuri knife fighting techniques

On the battlefield, the only real advantage any man has is having a mind clear of any techniques or theories about what is going to happen and a good deal of luck.
I put 20$ on the farmer.

If we ever meet at a khonvention, I will be happy to let you see my nodachi (a Nakagawa made in 1971. I got it for 4000$ (cheap) because the Abbot of a shrine in my town needed money to pay off gambling debts.)

**Please ignore the maniacal smile I had that night I brought it home...
37" blade

newsword.jpg
 
A clear mind is important, but I think the path to a clear mind is when techniques become second nature, after a great deal of repetitions. A good swordsman will put in the time and repetitions as much as the farmer who lives with the knife.

And, dude. Seriously? Got a spare room there? I needs to go me some nodachi huntin...
I've never seen a shirasaya nodachi before. Have you ever thought of having it traditionally mounted? Or trying to sever a bull in half with one stroke?
 
Alas, mounting a big blade is no less expensive than buying a KIA. I joke, but really, I need to get picked up by a decent firm before I can afford 2000$ for the sword to be fitted. I will, I just need to be making a lot better money first. I have waited 4 years, I can wait a little more. To be honest, though, this is an O-dachi, not really a No-dachi. The actual difference: Religious intention of the sword as opposed to field use. The nakago on this one is covered with invocations and symbols.

I know some sword dealers in Japan and they can probably find a large katana for you, but you might have to be very patient to get an odachi or nodachi, unless you have the money to order one newly made, in which case you could get one in a month or so for about 700,000 yen (6500$)
 
IMO the farmer's advantage is he's not squeamish about death.
He's seen death and killed animals.
As a trainer I can teach skills but killer instinct,aggressiveness and courage have genetic limitations.
Those are the reasons the Gurkha are so respected, its because of the selection process.

Here's a video on techniques by Russian military with a spetznaz shovel
This is similar to what I learned in Chinese boxing SASG which is taught to the Chinese secret police.
They are adaptable to many weapons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsc52a2FUOk&feature=channel_page
 
a certain british general was fond of telling a tale of a gurkha vs. a japanese officer, the japanese struck at the gurkha with his sword and missed, then the gurkha got his swing in with his khukuri, the japanese said 'aha - you missed too!' the gurkha said 'try nodding your head'.

a number of the VC's won by gurkhas in ww2 mentioned that the recipient was charged by japanese, presumably with bayonetted rifles and the gurkha killed X japanese with his kuk, and i recall one in particular where it said the gurkha killed three with his khukuri prior to entering and capturing a machinegun nest, after killing the occupants (presumeably with the kuk) he then gave covering fire to his compatriots with the captured MG...

i recall reading about a gurkha corporal who had a close encounter with a sword weilding japanese officer, the gurkha lost two fingers but the japanese lost his head and sword to the gurkha's kukuhri. the gurkha brought the sword (and head) back to his british officer with a smile... of course, the japanese may not have been a proper samurai, trained in it's use.

it may not be a primary weapon, but it gets used in the tight spots. the last kukuhri only charge was by a company of gurkhas against a viet minh fortified position in vietnam, they killed 80 and took the fort. don't bring a knife to a gun fight? one might also say don't bring an empty gun to a kukuhri fight.

i have heard there have been a number of hand-to-hands in afghanistan where a large knife has come in handy as the talibunnies respect and fear a large knife but not a puny 9mm service pistol or clubbed rifle which just doesn't have the same pucker power (especially when out of ammo).

just for the heck of it as it was mentioned earlier in the thread, here's a burmese dha (top) i was told was brought back by a chindit who killed the japanese officer carrying it with his kukuhri. the japanese presumably had liberated it from a burmese and preferred it over his own issue sword - possibly due to the silver blade inlays...
sea4-1.jpg

the two smaller dha's below it are also burmese. (dha is a generic term not dependent on the length). Siamese swords are darbs, or dharb,
d639d9c4.jpg
 
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From a modern warfare standpoint, I'm thinking Gurkhas used in the great wars where gunpowder and logistics won the battles, I'd put my money on the farmer's son who has been chopping with, packing, and carrying for his khuk day in and day out from the time he could walk over just about any other infantry unit of the day (Admittedly I'm quite ignorant on the subject).

The reason, IMHO, hand-to-hand during those wars was up close and at times trench-based. It has to be an apples to apples comparison here. I'm not talking about that hypothetical historical warrior show that plays on Spike. From what my grandfather has told me about it, US hand-to-hand combat was basically taught to the grunts in such a way that they knew how to break a grapple, throw a grapple, know where to strike, and how to bayonet charge in such a way that they didn't pole vault over the poor sucker that they skewered. Even the Japanese had problems with soldiers believing the mythical stories of there magical katanas and breaking the handle fitting by chopping into wood with them. Granted, I would never wish to face a banzai charge with a Japanese officer wielding a sword, but I just don't see them having as much training (close quarters down and dirty anyway) or as much muscle memory as a Gurkha has with his khukuri.

IMHO, a lot of the Gurkha advantage was psychological. Here are these little brown soldiers shrouded in mystery with blades that curve the "wrong" way. They were fierce. They were loyal to the crown. When they charged up a hill or covertly took an enemy camp at night, they cleaved a path of destruction that cause the other side's imaginative mind to turn onto itself.
 
Admittedly the farmer vs. swordsman fight is left in modern times to a theoretical vacuum, as I'm sure using a true sword to fight is, at best, quite rare.
And SteelyGunz makes me ponder something. Was the khukri really the premier weapon for close quarters fighting? I mean, if Ghurkhas had carried barongs or bolos, would they instead have the legendary status of the khukri? Or did water seek its own level when the Ghurkas took their khukris into battle?
Thoughts?
 
the british fought the gurkhas and their khukuris and it was a close run thing, and the legend of the khukuri was born.

the spanish and later the americans fought the moro juramentados and their barongs/bolos and the legend of the .45 was born.
 
DannyinJapan said:
Not good stuff, IMO. Never good to just plant your feet like a statue and focus on the weapon.
Click to expand...

Really?
I don't think many people are going to advocate planting your feet in one place in a fight, then again I don't believe in dancing around like a ballerina either.The shovel techniques came from trench warfare.Not much room to dance around.

Correct Footwork is the hardest most complicated lesson to learn for most people.It was for me.It probably took 10 years for my lessons to sink in all the way.
However,You can't teach everything at once,certainly not years worth of training in one video.The one I posted is only one of 5 anyway.
Why don't you post an good example of how it should be done?
Then we can discuss what is good stuff and what is not.
 
Me, I do believe in dancing. Dancing is a good thing. Try the Tango.
If he doesn't like the way you dance, cut his throat.
I suppose we ought to consider that a few methods taught to troops for a few days during basic training in 1916 is not the same as a martial art which takes years to learn. I love trench weapons and am enamored of the Welsh Fusiliers Sword.
I would post a video, but most of them suck. Even the good videos of Hatsumi Sensei suck because the cameramen often make the same mistake as many teachers and students: They focus on the weapon or the upper body and you can't see his feet.

Let me just make one suggestion and you can try it and tell me how it feels.
For every technique, let yourself take at least 6 to 8 small steps.
(This is a very rough guide)
When he attacks, evade with 2 steps.
Redirect or counter with 2-3 steps
Finish him with 2 steps
 
I kind of agree with both. Dancing is an excellent prerequisite to the footwork of a fighter, and footwork is the most fundamental necessity of any fighter.
I do believe, though, that Musashi was a little bit simplistic in his footwork explanations in the Book of Five Rings.
 
i've always liked that one, danny. kinda like a proto-smachet. the folding guard, like those also on other british swords, i've always thought were a bit delicate tho. (the brits (and germans) liked them as when folded they did not rub holes in your fancy uniform quite so fast.)

i'd like to get a proper smatchet

- bit longer than my barong and double edged too. of course a larger barong would also do (mines only got a 12" blade).
barong.jpg


p.s. - here's the plans for yours from the patent application:
 
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for double edged close quarters there's always the Qama, a modern roman gladius.
Qama.jpg


or, full circle, one of the best edged trench clearance tools.
kukhris.jpg


FNG Kata for sharp pointy things:

offensive kata 1:

a. hold SPT by the grip end (for fng's - no, the other end - go get that hand sewn up 1st)
b. push pointy end hard into soft bits of enemy. extra credit for throat, solar plexus, groin (vena cava). pull back out.
c. strike enemy with sharp edge. try to aim for bare or lightly clothed bits. extra credit for drawing blade back to you at same time, like slicing a steak.

defensive kata 2:

a. use offensive kata 1.

notes for kata 2.

a. do onto others before they do unto you.
b. get there fustist wif da mostist.
c. the best defense is a good offence.

scoring:

100% - he's not moving, you are.
0% - he's moving, you are not.

add gold star if he has not put any holes in you, repeat until no more enemies.
if he has, shout 'corpsman', wait till holes go away before trying again.
 
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Danny,
That odchi is very nice. You look like you have lost some weight.
Terry
 
I gained some, I lost some. Right now, I am losing a lot. I eat 500 calories or less and walk one hour per day. Gotta get this weight off.
 
500 caloreies. Man that is low. You get dizzy walking? Have you found a dojo to work out at in Dallas?
Terry
 
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