Khukuris, Goloks and Parangs

Hibuke... I'll check out the link you supplied, and look for old posts by both Howard Wallace and Tom Holt.

Golok... Thanks for the "insider info" as to the quality of goloks readily available. I'm sure I'll eventually get one of them too, after I do my homework, which is half the fun. Thanks again. :)
 
Originally posted by Drdan
Hibuke... I'll check out the link you supplied, and look for old posts by both Howard Wallace and Tom Holt.

Golok... Thanks for the "insider info" as to the quality of goloks readily available. I'm sure I'll eventually get one of them too, after I do my homework, which is half the fun. Thanks again. :)
Click to expand...

In terms of getting a quality Golok and/or Parang, there are two sources that I know of:

Valiant Trading Company. That's where all them people at Outdoors Online Magazine get theirs...
http://www.Valiantco.com

OR

The Australasian Knife Collectors. I'm a member. Seems like it's a necessity with all them idiotic, groundless sheeple anti-weapon laws they have here in Australia. Their Parangs are $10 cheaper, they only have 1 style. They only have a single type of Golok, but theirs is a more traditional shaped and i'd venture to say beefier...
http://www.akc.iinet.net.au/knives.html#SICUT





Enjoy
 
Originally posted by Hibuke
I dunno, but I beg to differ there, as I know some others would...



I know Tom Holt is probably *THE* Kobra Advocate, favouring the 25"-er. He finds it to be *THE* trail clearer. He's found nothing better... His reasonably comprehensive field report showed that a 25" Kobra is not just a people-scaring, flesh-cutting sword, but a very useful and worthwhile tool. Anyone heard from him as of late?

I know Howard Wallace has done blackberry picking/trail clearing with an 18" GS-prototype Villager...

Even I have had experience w/ a few Khuks and one of Valiant Co.'s Goloks, this time, against a large tenacious patch of ivy infesting the fence of my ex-girlfriend's mom's place...

I've found with practice proper training, a Khuk is an incredibly useful and powerful trail-clearer, provided you hit with the "sweet-spot", something that takes practice to do consistently. Tom Holt told me once that the 25" Kobra is very intuitive to use in this regard (hitting with the sweet spot)...

I'm not sure why, but my guess is that the long length and the general profile allow for a longer sweet-spot and a greater margin for error...

Here's a link to Howard's blackberry/trail-clearing adventure. It's near the bottom of the page...

http://www.himalayan-imports.com/faq/Styles2.htm
Click to expand...

I guess we'll agree to disagree. I have a greate deal of respect for Howard. He lives not too far from me and we've chatted once on the phone, though have not managed to get together in person. I've always found Howard's poasts to be intelligent and well informed. His post is what got me to try the various 20" blades in the first place.

I think there's a difference between short recreational trips and work on the outdoors. Any tool is fine for a day or two's work, but I spend 70-150 days a year clearing paths, and the weight of a khuk, combined with the books and other field gear I have to schlep around, topped off with rain gear, just isn't practical.

As far as the 25" kobra, I'd have to say that I've never tried one (not that I would'nt like to). Personally, I find that any knife on my belt with a blade over 18" gets tied around by knees when I have to climb fences or struggle through dense brush, making it impractical. Taller, longer legged folks here at my office prefer blades in the 22-24" range.

Oh, one more word of caution: I've found that most accidents with trail clearing knives occur towards the end of the day when people are more tired. Take breaks and quit for the day when your tired.

Pat
 
Agree with Redvenom & Golok.

Thanks Hibuke for the link http://www.akc.iinet.net.au/knives.html#SICUT. The link shows the correct items with the correct names. The long one is parang and the short one is golok. When I was a teenager I used to do long grass (i.e. lalang) clearing using a parang .. start from about 7:30am for about 3 to 4 hours with 30 minutes rest in beween .. meaning that I have to use a long but light version of parang .. otherwise it will a very tiring and unproductive session! Pls do not use golok to cut long grass .. your hands will get hurts and itchy! In other words .. 20" and less Khuk for long grass clearing is not practical .. choose the longer and the light one .. the 25" light Sirupati or 25" light Kobra is OK . I have personally tried the 25" light Sirupati (i.e. 1.75 lbs) for a long grass cutting .. short session for about 30 minutes .. is OK. Anyhow .. comparatively .. which one is better .. a 25" light Khuk or 25" light parang .. I personally don't know .. it has to be tested!
 
We can agree 2 disagree...

Originally posted by Outdoors
I guess we'll agree to disagree. I have a greate deal of respect for Howard. He lives not too far from me and we've chatted once on the phone, though have not managed to get together in person. I've always found Howard's poasts to be intelligent and well informed. His post is what got me to try the various 20" blades in the first place.

I think there's a difference between short recreational trips and work on the outdoors. Any tool is fine for a day or two's work, but I spend 70-150 days a year clearing paths, and the weight of a khuk, combined with the books and other field gear I have to schlep around, topped off with rain gear, just isn't practical.

As far as the 25" kobra, I'd have to say that I've never tried one (not that I would'nt like to). Personally, I find that any knife on my belt with a blade over 18" gets tied around by knees when I have to climb fences or struggle through dense brush, making it impractical. Taller, longer legged folks here at my office prefer blades in the 22-24" range.

Oh, one more word of caution: I've found that most accidents with trail clearing knives occur towards the end of the day when people are more tired. Take breaks and quit for the day when your tired.

Pat
Click to expand...

Agree with you totally on the rest break thang. Most essential!

Granted, you have had your bad experiences. Maybe an 18" GS is such a khuk to use? Chainpuri? Uncle Bill has mentioned that Pala asserts the GS should be the standard issue to all Ghorka troops... If they can handle it.....
 
Dang it, Hibuke, I am NOT going to thank you for that AKC link! You're going to wind up costing me more money!
 
Originally posted by Hibuke
We can agree 2 disagree...



Agree with you totally on the rest break thang. Most essential!

Granted, you have had your bad experiences. Maybe an 18" GS is such a khuk to use? Chainpuri? Uncle Bill has mentioned that Pala asserts the GS should be the standard issue to all Ghorka troops... If they can handle it.....
Click to expand...

Hibuke, I wouldn't call them bad experiences, I just haven't found a khuk that does what I need it to do in this role. I do love a good khukuri, just not for the type of trail clearing I do.

I believe the chainpuri is essentially the same as the cheetlang I have, right? I don't have a GS, but would surely be willing to try one if someone would kindly send one :)

Pat
 
Originally posted by Outdoors
Hibuke, I wouldn't call them bad experiences, I just haven't found a khuk that does what I need it to do in this role. I do love a good khukuri, just not for the type of trail clearing I do.

I believe the chainpuri is essentially the same as the cheetlang I have, right? I don't have a GS, but would surely be willing to try one if someone would kindly send one :)

Pat
Click to expand...

Weeeeeeeell, from what I've been told, a Chainpuri is actually *LIGHTER* than a Chit. But isn't a Chit supposed to be lighter than a GS? And yeah, I too am one of those that really wants to try out a GS...
 
personnaly I've tried golok and parang from www.valiantco.com I have several blades from HI (18 AK, M43, BAS).
I think that it's hard to compare khuk versus parang or golok
because the weight is similar but the difference of the lenght is important.
but both of them are good choppers but I think that the golok tiredness less.
about the link of "outdoors-magazine" golok and parang are compared with a chiruwa by HI.
personnaly I love khuk (especialy M43) and golok for the confort when you use it but in february I go to french Guyana and I will compare an HI M43 versus a valiantco survival golok M in the real and hard condition of the tropical forest.

bye and sorry for my spelling mistake
 
Originally posted by drymarchon
personnaly I've tried golok and parang from www.valiantco.com I have several blades from HI (18 AK, M43, BAS).
I think that it's hard to compare khuk versus parang or golok
because the weight is similar but the difference of the lenght is important.
but both of them are good choppers but I think that the golok tiredness less.
about the link of "outdoors-magazine" golok and parang are compared with a chiruwa by HI.
personnaly I love khuk (especialy M43) and golok for the confort when you use it but in february I go to french Guyana and I will compare an HI M43 versus a valiantco survival golok M in the real and hard condition of the tropical forest.

bye and sorry for my spelling mistake
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great time finally get a Valiant Co a head-to-head with something remotely similar from HI. Please, do keep us informed as to how they both perform!

On a side note, though I have nothing but compliments regarding the fit and finish of my one-of-a-kind- Valiant Trading Co. Golok (which one of the forumites graciously posted a pic of somewhere), the edge hardness seems to be just a tiny smidgen too soft. I did a particularly hard cutting session when I was fuming mad (more on that in the "Red Mist" thread) on a bunch of saplings maybe up to 3"+ and the edge rolled in several places...

Yeah, there is only *ONE* such Golok that was made and it's *MINEMINEMINE!!!* :D:D:D
 
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