Kukri, Make it and they will buy it! (Well, at least I would)

bmcneil

bmcneil

Joined
Apr 5, 2000
Messages
250
First, let me say that I don't own a Busse... YET! However, I have come to believe that Busse makes the best "high performance" knives out there. The Battle Mistress is on my list of things to buy.

With that said, I recieved a Cold Steel Gurkra Kukri in the mail Friday. Today I tried it out when I had to take out this rose bush that grew in a place it didn't belong. It was an awesome chopper, like nothing I've ever used. I can easily say I did 90% of the work with the Kukri and could not have done the job without it. I fell in love.

Now CS's Carbon V steel is good, and while I dont own a Busse yet, I know INFI and Busse's quality is far superiour.

Can you see where I'm going with this one?

Let me put it this way, if Busse would make a Kukri with the same quality and INFI steel they make their other knives with, I would buy it without even looking at the price.

Jerry, other knife enthusiats, what do you think?
 
bmcneil, My thoughts exactly. I have been thinking the same thing for awhile now. A Busse Kurki would be my next knife if they made one. I personally think it would be the best kurki ever made. I even thought about getting one custom made, but it would run about $2000.00. Too much for me. So my vote is in, Jerry, what do you think? Later, Jeff
 
The new "E" line makes a significant movement in the direction of khukuri chopping power with the dropped handle. It would be interesting to see a comparision between one of the new BM's and a decent khukuri on some large wood.

On small to medium wood the Battle Mistress (old version) can actually hold its own against a good khukuri. I have ran it against the HI 18" AK a number of times on various scrap and small seasoned logs (15' long, 3-4" at butt). The performance is similar with both blades.

Chopping is from the shoulder for the light wood, from the waist on the heavier stuff.
About a year ago I was much better with the khukuri and when I compared the same blades on larger wood last fall the khukuri pulled ahead strongly. However my grip has improved much since then and I can use the BM far better now.

-Cliff

[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 07-10-2000).]
 
Ahh Cliff, my sentiments exactly. When I get them, I'll be putting my BM-E against a Ghurka House WWIII.

Jerry, if you're reading this, stop smirking- I already know your opinion
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"Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n"
John Milton
There are only two types of people; those who understand this, and those who think they do.
 
Sounds good, what is the length and mass of the GH khukuri? Once the "E" start coming out, it will be interesting to see a comparison between them and the older models as well.

-Cliff
 
I agree with Cliff. I think Busse took the idea of the kukri and turned it around. they took the curve out of the blade and put it in the handle.
IMHO the curved blade slows the kukri down as a functional knife. The only thing it was good for was to chop. Now with the straight blade and curved handle you still get the downward chopping power needed with a more comfortable hand position and the knife can be used for other things later. I like Kukris too but I think the push to have Busse make one is comming mainly from you guys who just like the way they look. IMHO it would be going against what Busse tries to do with his knives to make a piece so limited in function. I mean, for those whose live's depend on their blade, who would want to carry around a 3 pound knife you could only chop with. Better suited for the custom shop.

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Everything is negotiable!
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/albumList?u=879893&Auth=false
 
Ryu.... Point taken. You would not probably want to take a kurki into battle as your primary tool due to weight and limited function. However I would like to take one camping or backpacking or deep into the woods that did not call upon a defensive or offensive roll as a number one priority. Busse makes what I would consider to be utility type blades anyway. Do not get me wrong. I think they would and do make great combat knives, it is just that 99% of the time if not more they are used as tools. I know that if Busse made a kukri it would outchop the Battle Mistress and most likely by a large margin. I personally dislike the way kukris look. I love the way they chop. You are right when you talk about limited function as a combat knife but most of us don't take our Busses to war. This is not meant to step on anyones shoes. Just my opinion on the subject. Take care, Jeff
 
The narrow focus of the khukuri is indeed one of the drawbacks, probably the only one actually. However for most of the traditional ones, it is not so much the shape but the weight that limits a lot of types of utility work. When the blade is about 3.5 lbs, it is fairly difficult to use it for light work.

There are of course lots of different types of khukuris, some of them very light and thin (relative to the larger ones, not bowies in general) and are better suited to lighter slicing type work. But for that type of cutting, I think there are better blade geometries.

As for khukuris and fighting, there are lots of people (Gurkhas) that do depend on their khukuris for exactly this. They don't tend to use the larger chopping models like the AK's though. Now the most common model has a much thinner blade, the SN-1 that GH sells for example.

-Cliff
 
I'm not sure it makes sense to think of a kukri as a regular fighting knife...think of it as a sharpened sledgehammer. You don't block it, you just dodge.
 
I didn't mean that kukris were limited just for combat. I mean in all practical purposes too. The only thing a Kukri is good for is chopping. I don't think Busse would make such a limited piece. I do believe a Kukri would out chop a BM, however, that is the only thing it would do better than the BM. My point exactly. I would rather carry the less effective chopper that can do sooooo much more, including skin in a pinch rather than a Kukri just becuase it chops better. Now if you are the kind of person who has a lot of chopping to do than a Busse Kukri would be the bomb. But I don't think there are enough of you to warrant a production model. Like I said... better left to the custom shop. i would avoid a Busse Kukri as I think it's limited and I have never met a tree i hated that badly.

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Everything is negotiable!
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/albumList?u=879893&Auth=false



[This message has been edited by Ryu (edited 07-12-2000).]
 
Busse bros and sistahs,

Kukris are fine choppers! My only concern is involves the leather strop. It is very hard to strop an assymetrical or a symetrical recurve edge! Personally I feel that the dropped handles is the perfect amount of kukri influence. The E line should chop better with improved thrusting as well!


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It is all Greek to me
 
Guys,

Do not forget that Kukris make fine Drawknives! I love my CS LTC But it is more like an E-machete! E-machetes huh? An infi machete with micarta would be nice!

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It is all Greek to me
 
Well, I can always pick up one of the bolo variants. Perhaps it would be the perfect balance for chopping, without limiting the cutting-slicing function too much. But... I still like the new E-Battle Mistress too. I think it is going to be a better chopping/stabbing tool than the previous model. A lot of good choices from Busse. Later, Jeff
 
I would very much like to see a INFI Kukri as part of the standard line. After all, Busse Combat is into making combat blades, aren't they? Kukris are much more than just choppers. In combat I would rather have a Kukri than any other blade. They excel and leave all other blades in the dust when it comes to combat. Just do a little research into the Gurkhas of Nepal, who are some of the best combat soldiers in the world, or look into the art of Bando, and you'll see what I mean. To state that Kukris are for all practical purposes, only good for chopping, is totally incorrect.

[This message has been edited by volvi (edited 07-13-2000).]
 
Kukri in battle now-a-days would be a mistake. Look at it this way. First I guy would have to find me, then he would need to hope I don't slit his throat in his sleep with a Badger. Kukris (WERE) so good in battle because they are good choppers. They took off arms and legs with no problem. They aren't slashers and it would have to be a pretty funny shaped guy before you could stab him. They are choppers first and foremost. They might work well for the Gurkhas but no one here is a Gurkha. Americans use an M-16 and a field knife. You were right when you said (Research) will show how effective they are, but you will find that new designs have replaced them. They were great in battle when 1,000 guys from each side charged each other. But those days are over. The charge is no more. Automatic guns have replaced hand to hand combat on a Grand scale. Now the only hand to hand a guy might get into in battle is with one other individual. And I would much rather have an E-handle fighter (that also cleaned my dinner, built my shelter, dug my cat hole, and chopped my fire wood, and is effecitvly able to defend my life) than a Kukri. It has been said that a fighter is best when it is fast and strong. Strong... Yes, But Fast... I don't think so about our friend the kukri. I am a strong guy but even I would be uneasy about taking a Kukri into battle when I could have had a fighter.

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Everything is negotiable!
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/albumList?u=879893&Auth=false

[This message has been edited by Ryu (edited 07-13-2000).]
 
To each his own! It is all about confidence. Take with you what makes you feel confident! If it is a kukri, TAKE IT! If it is a fighter TAKE IT! It is all about individuals and options. The extra ounces of steel are definetely worth tons of confidence for some.
Think about facing a madman with a kukri! Are you going to remind him that he brought the wrong tool?!


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It is all Greek to me
 
The Kukuri is not just a chopper, ask any Gurkha in your neighborhood. FYI the CS Gurkha Kukri is the official kukri of the American Bando Society and I think that they can use them for more then just "chopping" (heads,maybe). I have a CS G.kukui and it chops by using its weight and a wrist action and you don't have to beat with it like a sledge hammer. Its almost like telling your dog to "sick-um", just tell your kukri to "chop-um" and it does.
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Originally posted by volvi:
I would very much like to see a INFI Kukri as part of the standard line. After all, Busse Combat is into making combat blades, aren't they? Kukris are much more than just choppers. In combat I would rather have a Kukri than any other blade. They excel and leave all other blades in the dust when it comes to combat. Just do a little research into the Gurkhas of Nepal, who are some of the best combat soldiers in the world, or look into the art of Bando, and you'll see what I mean. To state that Kukris are for all practical purposes, only good for chopping, is totally incorrect.

[This message has been edited by volvi (edited 07-13-2000).]
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Ron
 
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