kukri's?

clampdaddy

clampdaddy

Joined
Aug 31, 2013
Messages
3,197
Been thinking about adding a kukri to my camping gear. I was looking at a few made in India and Nepal but most of those seem to be made of whatever old leaf springs are available so while I have total confidence in the design I'm a leary of the materials. Any thoughts? I've also been looking at some home grown versions by Ka Bar and Ontario. Does anyone know if they are full tang or a rat tail like many of their knives?
 
Cold Steel, Condor, Kabar, Boker and SOG all make a kukri style knife.
Cold Steel seems to have the greatest variety of styles.
Rich
 
I wouldn't worry about the durability or quality of steel of the Nepal made kukris they are tanks. I've personally owned a cs, condor, Ontario, and kukri house (Nepal made) kukris and all were extremely well made. I used them all for camping batoning etc.. And all held up fine. I had to resharpen the condor and Ontario during first uses but they were fine ever sense.
 
We have an HI Cantina here were they sell Kukri's and they are made by a some Nepalese families. There is nothing wrong with using truck springs to make a big heavy beater of a blade! They may not be pretty but they do their designated job quite effectively!

AS you may know there was a severe earthquake there and these folks could use some business. Also many are donating back their HI Kukris to auction off to try to help out. Take a look here. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/739-Himalayan-Imports
 
A kukri can be a good addition to camping gear, depending on the type "camping" you do. If you are just wanting your first "long" or "machete type" chopper for average campground or weekend woods gigs a bolo or true machete may be a better way to go. That said,

I own one of those old leaf spring, "hammer forged by an old man" kukris straight from a Nepalese village, that I've had since around 1970. It may be the best large blade I own. I know it's been the toughest. It's seen a lot of use in very wild places.

I'm a big believer in REAL, as in indigenous, kukri design made within the parameters around which they were originally designed. The bastardization of the real khukuri design over time has been abhorrent to me.​

You are going to get a lot of response....many opinions, some even by very knowledgeable people. If you've done a kukri search here you may have read one or two of my posts about the subject. Having already posted so much about my own kukri opinions in these pages, my only contribution here will be to caution you to stay as close as you can to the original design---said bastardization of true khukuris is amazing among some western companies--- and to say that you CAN get a good one direct from Nepal through a reputable retailer--incoming posts will confirm this.

A good, real one (as or close to those originally designed for the Ghurkas) can indeed be a good addition to your gear and a hell of a good large knife. I can't speak for some of the knockoffs though.

EDIT: I just read the posts before mine....I hope you will reconsider your resistance to a Nepali made kuk and check out the ones available at the links above. They need the money and, with diligent research, you can find a very good kukri easily I'm sure. The home made ones are no joke, believe me.
 
Last edited:
The HI Khukri are lovely. (Himilian Import). They have a sub forum on here. They are hand forged from spring steel (truck springs as you state).

Don't forget to take a look at Kershaw. They have at least one Khukri which was a decent design. I have chopped with it, and it was a good chopper.

Cold Steel makes machetes, and the Ghurka Khukri, and Ghurka Khukri plus (now they are using 01, and another version much more expensive uses laminated stainless). They are proven choppers!


I own a Busse KZII, CS Magnum Khukri machete, and a forged Khukri from Nepal.




 
EChoil, I hadn't really considered a bolo type machete. I pretty much went with the kukri style based solely on its reputation. After a little digging around I do kind of like the kabar Parangatang. Is there a specific reason why you'd recommend a machete over a kukri for a first long blade?
 
Spring steel is excellent for large knives, so you should have no worries on that front - it's not a compromise, and it's definitely not second best. As many others have said, you should definitely consider buying from Himalayan Imports - they made some of the best kukris out there, they use relatively tradition designs, and they treat their employees well. They offer both full tang (chiruwa) and the more traditional rat tail tang, but it's generally considered that the chiruwa option is somewhat unnecessary.

For your first kukri (and you WILL want more), most people recommend getting either a KVLUK, which is a higher quality (but still quite cheap) version of the typical villager kukri, or one of the all-around models like the WW2 or M43. If, on the other hand, you just want something for heavy duty chopping, you could go with the heavier Ang Khola model.

Having said that, it all depends on what kind of use you'll put it to. For clearing grass or really light brush, you'd probably be better off with a machete - kukris are wonderful all-purpose blades, but they're rarely as good as something truly specialized. A kukri can, in a pinch, take the place of a knife, a sword, a hatchet, and a machete, but it's not a miracle tool.
 
Really, what it would be is a "just in case" tool. An edged tool to keep in the truck with a few other "just in case" items that are always with me. Something that could chop up some emergency fire wood, quarter up a deer, whatever.
 
In that case I'd probably go with the 15" British Army Service model, the 16.5" WW2, the M-43, or one of the smaller (12"-15") Ang Kholas.
 
I love both modern and traditional. For modern my favorite is the CS Gurkha. To me, it's hands down the best. It may have a rubber handle, but it's design roots go back to the issue WWI/WWII British Gurkha khukuri. It's the khukuri I'd grab if I had to grab one and head into the unknown.
CSGurkha006_zpsa78d7b2c.jpg


Next, in the traditional (made in Nepal) category, would be my Tora World War Battalion/Regimental Issue. It is simply superb.
torareggie002_zpsad25382c.jpg


Another useful model is the HI WWII in 16.5" form. At 25 oz., it's quite handy and versatile.
WWIIPalmTree006.jpg


If you decide to go traditional, I recommend you think long and hard about what you want it to do. There are many coming from Nepal with huge spines and massive weights. They can make great choppers, if that's what you want. I prefer to keep mine under 23 oz. if possible to have a large blade adept at chopping and slashing green vegetation. If you go modern, the CS Gurkha will be tops. The Ontario Spec Plus is sort of a budget version and I've been impressed with my son's. So, that might be a great one to try at around $50. Good luck.
 
clampdaddy said:
EChoil, I hadn't really considered a bolo type machete. I pretty much went with the kukri style based solely on its reputation. After a little digging around I do kind of like the kabar Parangatang. Is there a specific reason why you'd recommend a machete over a kukri for a first long blade?
Click to expand...

Yes. A machete will prove to be a much more 'general' use blade and is good around the house too for things like grasses, certain light chopping requirements, etc. For all-round use, home or camping, I think most people should probably own a machete, or even a bolo before a kukri.

For camping and wilderness trips I use a bolo more than my machete as I'm usually in pretty harsh stuff when I'm out. Spring/summer is a bit easier so that's usually machete time (dealing with more grasses and weeds; plentiful woodfall with no snow cover). A bolo is better in ice/snowfield situations, and places where there is little fallen wood, than a machete. A bolo is a bit tougher and weightier too--a better chopper on the tough stuff when you DO have to take on the trees instead of being able to pick up woodfall. Similar criteria as where a leuku really shines over, say, a KaBar-type blade, on a smaller scale.

In your case though, clampdaddy, you should get a kukri. It sounds like you like them and want one. Don't let technicalities keep you from owning a knife you WANT. From reading what you've written you won't be disappointed. They're damn good tools and would probably fullfill the needs you state for your camping very well.

Only other thing I'd recommend would be an alternate, 'working' sheath as opposed to the wood framed goatskin "ceremonial" sheath and auxiliary blades your kukri may come with, especially if you buy a traditional. The stock sheath is a bit of a pain in the butt for camping or wilderness carry. I'd look into a nice light, flexible nylon or canvas sheath for trips and real use (I"m not big on Kydex for larger blades. It's hampering). Then store it in the original sheath once back home. There are some good second sheaths out there.​

All of this is primarily subtleties--the differences, uses, etc. I have four basic blade tools beyond the usual 'knives' for outdoor use: bolos, a rigger's hatchet, a kukri and machetes. While each can be referred to as a specialized tool in some regards, all will substitute well for the other for your purpose of general camping.

Pick a good kukri and you'll be glad you did. Most of those mentioned here are good ones. I know I really prize mine.
 
A riggers type hatchet has been my "just in case" for a while now. It's actually an old Plumb lath hatchet that I fit with a longer handle. Kind of like a tamohawk.
 
Last edited:
I am a kukri fanatic with the same history of collecting different models as JDK. I have old early 1900's military issue blades, high end HI and Tora models and a good deal of production and custom models from what most people on the lists call the "kukri houses."

I love them all and have used them all extensively except for the antique military issued blades. What you are asking for seems like a single purchase but most that looked at this thread know that this is a process rather than a single knife purchase and here is why. First, there is a learning curve. No matter how experienced you are with a knife or axe the kukri is diffenent and this difference turns people off and can even be dangerous. Next is the fact that saying you are going to get a kukri is like saying you are going to buy a knife, it could mean a million things. A kukri could be big, small, for hard chopping, light chopping, utility, modern design, traditional design, hand made, machine made, over built and under built.

In my personal opinion it is impossible for someone new to the kukri to appreciate or understand the nuances of the incredible Tora model mentioned above. If you were to buy the model mentioned from 3 kukri houses, HI, and Tora, all would be vastly different. All may be very nice kukri but also vastly different and range from "true to original military specs" to slightly overbuilt to sharpened bricks. And it would take buying and using all to appreciate what the original issue was all about. Even then, some may prefer the overbuilt model and many of the inexperienced will look at the sharpened brick and say; WOW, that's big!!!

So here is what I would do. I would get a BAS, also called a British Army Service, Service No 1, or BSI. You can get these from just about any of the makers mentioned above. My first one was from a kukri house and is still one of my favorite and most used models. They are relatively inexpensive and will take you through the learning curve.

The second choice for a beginner would be the CS Gurkha Kukri. This is my choice as the absolute "best of the best" as a user. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year of real regular use, the CS Gurkha Kukri will outstretch them all. Mine has been used as a tool for over three years and after a quick cleanup a few days ago it even shocked me that it looked "almost" new. The only reason I call this my second choice is that it is a big blade that is very sharp and can hurt a "wild swinger" that is not used to a kukri.

Hope this helps and good luck with your search.
 
I didnt see it mentioned, but Ontario offers a kukri made in the usa of 1095 at a reasonably price.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top