Kukri / Khukuri question

IMHO unless you are willing to spend big money on a custom Khukuri from a well known maker in the states and you want a genuine well made Khukuri HI is the Ticket

I have more than a few of both and the HI stuff is a very good value
 
My two day research has limited me to Himalayan Imports and Tora. Tora is more traditional while HI seems to be more evolved. I'll probably end up with some of each.
 
Personally after a mix of in hand use and online reviews if you were to be using a khukuri for bushcraft and camping I would recommend the Tora over the HI.
They are much better balanced blades with a lighter weight, (that doesn't make it any less efficient).


I have handled and the goorkhali by tora, a world war 2 by HI and own a world war 1 historic by EGKH

The finish of HI and Tora is a tie, and the EGKH is a bit lower but through certain dealers they are much more affordable and abusable.
 
Dobe_1 said:
My two day research has limited me to Himalayan Imports and Tora. Tora is more traditional while HI seems to be more evolved. I'll probably end up with some of each.
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Posters at another forum report that the founder of TORA, Simon Hengle, is leaving, and quality seems to be an issue lately according to others posting there. THE TORA forums have been closed.

My two TORAs were purchased years ago and are fine. I have many more HIs as I have been more attracked to HI's offerings.
 
FleetFeet said:
Personally after a mix of in hand use and online reviews if you were to be using a khukuri for bushcraft and camping I would recommend the Tora over the HI.
They are much better balanced blades with a lighter weight, (that doesn't make it any less efficient).
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Many things khukuri wise seem to be counter-intuitive.
For chopping wood, a heavier khukuri will always bite deeper than a lighter khukuri of the same dimensions just because of the mass behind the cutting edge driving it. For lighter khukuri to bite deep you must increase velocity, which increases risk during any deflection or mis-strike. It's a matter of physics.
I personally find my own sweet spot for weight Vs. Chopping power to be an 18" khukuri at 28-30oz's. A smaller person will prefer shorter, lighter khukuri while a larger person may find a 20"- 30 to 40+oz khukuri more suitable for their needs and physicality. It is up to the end user to do research, ask questions and find what size and weight suits them best and matches the task that it will be most used for.
 
Two out the three Tora kukris I own had major heat treatment and blade geometry issues. The were beautiful to look at but wouldn't work worth a damn.

I have owned 50 plus kukris from vintage to modern and from all manufacturers. HI offers the best quality traditionally made Kukri on the market today. Plus Yangdu will fix whatever problems you might encounter just be reasonable and give her time as she is a one woman show. She is the only U.S. Distributer.
The only other Kukri manufacturer I'd recommend is GK knives here on the forum. They are very small and low volume plus most of their blades are villager finished but excellent build quality.
 
I just ordered my first kukri from Himalayan Imports. If it is the quality I am expecting, I can think of at least three others I would like to have.

I rarely buy wall hangers or safe queens. I'll put this one through the test. I'll be chopping with it, after it arrives.
 
What model? Post in the HI subforum as it is filled with really helpful, good people who love HI products. You'd be amazed at the kinds of blades HI has made over the years.
 
It's a BAS blem., and I have been posting there. That is where I found the blem.

I'm looking at a 15" Ang Khola, and a Sirupati for future acquisitions.
 
Just an FYI

I have a Khukuri Imports Operation Enduring Freedom model. It doesn't look that much like the photos.
 
I have purchased several Kukris over the years from Khukuri House Thamel, and I have been pleased with the tools. We use them for brush clearing and wood processing. I have needed to further sand and polish the handle scales due to a fit issue but it was very minor. from what I hear, the HI products are better in that regard. I have an 8 inch "kukri" and its fun to use for smaller campsite shores and stripping bark, etc... but it's not a chopper...
 
I purchased a kukri from himilayan imports, the 15" sirupati, while considered a lighter version, it still eats wood like a lunatic.
And himilayan kukri are ugly, compared to the custom kukri I see on here, but they're made to be used, not looked at.
 
Dobe_1 said:
It's a BAS blem., and I have been posting there. That is where I found the blem.

I'm looking at a 15" Ang Khola, and a Sirupati for future acquisitions.
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Good choice, I have one on my boat and use it all the time. Not too big and it cuts bait, knock fish in the head, and at times dig with it in the sand. I also keep an 18 inch Ang Khola for camping on the "spoil" islands. It chops drift wood a little better due to its size.
 
Dirtbiker said:
Two out the three Tora kukris I own had major heat treatment and blade geometry issues. The were beautiful to look at but wouldn't work worth a damn.

I have owned 50 plus kukris from vintage to modern and from all manufacturers. HI offers the best quality traditionally made Kukri on the market today. Plus Yangdu will fix whatever problems you might encounter just be reasonable and give her time as she is a one woman show. She is the only U.S. Distributer.
The only other Kukri manufacturer I'd recommend is GK knives here on the forum. They are very small and low volume plus most of their blades are villager finished but excellent build quality.
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I heartily +1 the GK khuks. Pradip does good work.
A lightweight khuk with the right geometry will chop (not split, mind) on par with a heavier blade if you have the skillset to run it-they're also easier to hump, especially belt carry. The HI KLVUK's are usually pretty light, at least mine is-other that that they're knda a custom proposition unless you get lucky.
I ended up with the two Toras Dirtbiker referred to- one I had to reharden and retemper, the other had a twist and I almost ripped my post vise off the wall straightening it. They both run fine now, but if I wasn't a maker I don't know what the heck I'd have done with them.
 
J W Bensinger said:
I heartily +1 the GK khuks. Pradip does good work.
A lightweight khuk with the right geometry will chop (not split, mind) on par with a heavier blade if you have the skillset to run it-they're also easier to hump, especially belt carry...
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+1 on the effectiveness of lighter khukuri. The design is efficient and doesn't require the mass of a giant blade for a lot of duties. A buddy has a khuk of about 42 oz. (I believe that's the weight anyway). We tried it out on tough oak logs and we're both larger than average guys (6'+ and neither of us has missed a meal) and the weight seemed to work against us. My buddy did a test one day comparing it to a mid-20s oz. WWII model and found the WWII to get through the log about as well or better when time, fatigue, accuracy of hits, etc. were considered.

Also, those GK khuks look nice. The reviews so far have been excellent. The Bonecutter seems to be their bread and butter and it seems a solid field design. I'm curious to see if they experience the chipping which at times plagued the old ones.
 
Update
I have now purchased 6 khukuris from HI. They are beautiful well made knives, and I'm sure I'll pick up more.
 
jdk1 said:
Also, those GK khuks look nice. The reviews so far have been excellent. The Bonecutter seems to be their bread and butter and it seems a solid field design. I'm curious to see if they experience the chipping which at times plagued the old ones.
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I've used my bonecutter to chop up a LOT of 2-5" beech limbs (had to run the woodstove well into May, and it didn't warrant real logs) and as a denogginizer slaughtering lambs for a friend of mine. Zero chipping, including shearing through beech knots and sheep vertebrae. It's a 17.5"...kinda wish it was a 16", it would get more use.
 
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