Khukuris: Himilayan Imports vs EDMF vs Cold Steel

A

Anthony

Joined
Jun 11, 1999
Messages
47
Hello Everyone,

I'm interested in starting a Khukuri collection and was wondering if anyone had any experience/opinions to share on the different models from Cold Steel, Himilayan Imports, and Eight Dollar Mountain Foundery.

Which of the three makes the most functional and highest quality khukuris?

Are there any specific models from any of the three makers that you feel is well suited to martial arts work?

All opinions are welcome.

Thank you so much for the help.

- Anthony
 
I think you'll find Himalayan deliver the highest quality. I have WWII model that chops wood like there's no tommorrow.

Martial arts? Any khukuri will do! I'd like a pair to practice the Wing Tchun butterfy knives sequences with ;)

Kallisti.
 
Hey, Anthony-- check out the Himalayan Imports forum-- you won't be disappointed. HI makes some of the finest knives on the planet, and the customer service can't be beat.
--Josh
 
There is no place like Himalayan Imports. Their khukuris are the best around, bar none.:cool: You should check there. I have 15 or 16 khuks right now, and 11 or 12 of them are HI products. They are tops!! Plus Uncle Bill Martino is about the best man you could ever hope to buy from, or just talk to about khukuris. He is a wealth of knowledge and friendly support. He will help you into the right khuk for you! Good luck, but be warned, "they are addictive"!:D :rolleyes: ;)
 
Himalayan Imports all the way...Uncle Bill is amazing to deal with...products are outstanding with a wide choice to choose from...here is a pic of my 3..., top a 21" Chitlangi, middle a 25" Sirupati and Villager...within the the other day I bought off the Himalayan Imports Fourm a WWII and today a M43...like ArchAngel said,"they are addictive"
sweet-221.jpg
 
I like Himalayan Imports. If fact, I just got back from the post office with my latest HI Khukuri, a 18" WWII. I have a total of 8 HI Khukuris now, all bought within the last 6 months. They are awesome tools, and they are tough. And Uncle Bill is great to deal with. As mentioned before, check out the HI forum, a lot of information.
 
HI is hands down the best. And dealing with Bill Martino is a real pleasure. He is a first rate stand-up guy.
 
but Uncle Bill and HI are tops in my book. Great group of guys over at the HI Forum. For martial arts? Maybe a Kobra, Gelbu Special or a Sirupati. Those tend to be lighter/quicker. But there will be variation depending on the kami who made the blade. Don't rule out the heavier blades, though. The WWII and BAS have probably seen more fighting than any of the others. Happy hunting.

Frank
 
HI by far. From what I hear the kobras and sirupatis make the nicest martial arts blades. All of them are functional pieces of art, and the service is outstanding. I have two HI's currently, and I'll be adding more in the future. Check out their forum, there are always deals to be had if you're quick enough.
 
Best by far is HI,& Uncle Bill! Don't know how many I've purchasedbut no complaints & no regrets! No ,I haven't stopped buying Kuk's either!
jim:D
 
Wow!

Doesn't anyone own one from the other two companies at all?

Why is HI so superior to the other two?

This is starting to look like a rout!

- Anthony
 
Anthony,

I own a number of khukuries from just about everyone. The difference between the khukuries made by Cold Steel, Ontario, Blackjack, et. all, from those produced by HI and other traditional Nepal and India makers; is that while production companies grind the blade from a piece of bar stock. Himalayan Imports forges the knife from a 1/2" thick piece of steel.

When you grind barstock you end up with a good serviceable knife with flat sides. The finished product looks good and feels good, but the flat geometry causes the knife to stick badly when chopping. Go to a hardware store and take a look at the profile of an axe and you will see that the blade profile does present a flat surface. It is usually a very pronounced wedge shape.

You don't have to take our word for it. Buy one of HI's cheap blems and test it. You will be surprised by how different it feels on wood.

If you are not planning to chop heavy wood, then you don't need to go with anything that heavy. A cold Steel LTC makes an excellent machete for brush and quite a bit lighter on the belt.

n2s
 
I don't have any experiance with the HI Khukuris but I recently purchased a ColdSteel Gurka Khukuri from Cutlery Shoppe for $108 . I'm very happy with it , it's razor sharp and chops great. The black powder coated blade does't look as good as the HI does but overall I find it to be a very servicable bush knife . Hope this helps. btw the Gurka model has a 5/16 spine
 
HI kuk's are great, and traditionally made... But if you are looking for a forged American made psuedo-custom made khuk, in traditional style but modern metal... Alan's pieces are incredible. He not only forges out of A2, but he'll use what you want - 1095, etc... and he'll also forge the auxillary blades, too... mine were forged of L-6. On top of it all, his traditionally made sheath, of pine covered in leather, also includes two extra pouches on the front for a flint'n'magnesium and a diamond rod sharpener.

The only problem is contacting him... he wants to keep a low profile, but if you contact me, I can provide an email address for him. He also may be at the OKCA show in April in Eugene, OR. I, for one, hope to see him there...

Good luck with your search for the best Khukri you can find!
 
I have the LTC Kukri from Cold Steel.Well made and razor sharp.Very satisfied with it.I just need to get a kydex sheath for it.The smaller kukri form CS would be lovely to have:p
 
I'll try to shed a little light on why HI khuks are better in most people's eyes than other offerings, especially if you're interested in them as collector's pieces. HI products have a little something extra that goes beyond the sum of their parts. They are handmade, as was previously mentioned, and you can see that they were made with a lot of pride. They're beautiful in their own right, both as artwork and as functional, tough-as-nails tools. Each is different and unique, and I haven't encountered anyone who's seen one that wasn't immediately interested and impressed. They're the result of thousands of years of design perfection; and most importantly, they've got a bit of soul. You won't find the little extra things that make these so special and authentic in any factory made piece. Now, I have no experience with Eight Dollar Mountain Forge, and seeing that they are handmade they could quite possibly have something a bit extra, similar to HI. My experience is with HI and I haven't been dissapointed yet, even if you do have a problem Uncle Bill will take care of it ASAP. That's why I would suggest HI, because you'll get years of use and joy out of a Nepal-made khuk that factory knives just can't provide.
 
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