Kukri design vs Bowie design

[SnowmanBob01]

I know that there is no "do it all" blade, but in you guy's opinions...which design is more versatile overall? And if you can't decide on a better design, then what design is better for what application?

 

[fishface5]

a kuk is a great chopper but I would prefer a bowie if I also needed to: skin game, whittle, do food prep, or try to use it as a draw knife.

 

[GrinderMcgee]

I'm a bowie guy.

 

[t1mpani]

Many khuks have straight sections after the bend that are as long or longer than most bowie edges and can do draw knife chores just fine, so it really depends on the design, of which there are many. For that matter, some bowies have big, wide full-flat ground blades excellent for utility, and others have narrow blades, or narrow with a deep hollow grind really specialized for fighting, and on and on and on.

Between them, almost any khukuri design is going to be reasonably adept at chopping, whereas only some bowie setups are suited for it. Bowies, for the most part, will be lighter than an equivalent khukuri, and so would be my preference in a fight ("preference" in that my legs have already been crushed by a steam roller, making running like hell impossible).

Either one beats the hell out of nothing, neither beats a skinning knife at skinning, a fillet knife at filleting, or a plane at planing, but both can do these things in a pinch. I used a small HI 15" AK to skin a deer a few years ago just for the hell of it. When my usual group goes hunting, I ALWAYS get stuck with cleaning the things up, so I make my own fun. Anyway, it was awkward and tiring, and would have done much better had I profiled the belly ahead of time with slicing in mind. It did work, though, and the wide, not very point tip helped make sure I didn't poke through the hide. I'd almost thrown one of the 18" versions into the truck instead of the little guy, and if I had I doubt I would have tried it.

 

[stasbz]

i like more Kukri

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[wildmike]

I used one of H.I.'s M-43 kukri's extensively during a long term survival period. I used the knife for everything from harvesting firewood, bedding materials, building shelters, making traps, and even building a few trappers cabins. It not only performed all these and many more tasks but did them very very well. It absolutely worked wonders as a drawknife as well.

Befroe getting ahold of a kukri I was an advocate of the large bowie, but froma survival standpoint the kukri is a far better performer as well as extrtemely versatile.

Now from a defensive point of view I would still choose my bowie for it is much faster in the hand and is better designed for that work.

While I can and have skinned game with both. I much prefer a small knife with no more than a 5" blade for that task, and much prefer one with around a 3 12" to 4" blade for that application.

 

[DennisStrickland]

stasbz welcome to the forum its a great place for knifers. bowies are more usable for the average guy. kukris are like machates in that a person trained with one can accomplish almost anything. but lacking extensive use with a kukri the average guy is beat served with a bowie