Kukuri as an Axe

G

GeordieMuppet

Joined
Apr 15, 2005
Messages
10
Hi I was wondering the general opinion on the use of a Kukuri as an Axe?

I wilderness camp quite frequently and as the season is starting to come around again, I'm just pulling my equipment together. Right now I'm carrying a 6.5" Bowie type knife with a small saw tooth section and a small Axe. I find these a good combination for clearing, and all the little jobs one needs to do around camp and on wanders.

I was wondering though if I could consolidate these two tools into one by using something like a 11 or 12" Kukuri?

Any opinions would be appriciated.

Dave
 
Welcome, Dave.

I don't know what you mean by 'small axe'. What's the diameter of the trees or limbs you typically cut, and the outside range of what you'd have to cut in an emergency? ( I guess that might depend upon the size of the tree that fell on your truck.)

You'll want at least a 15" Khuk. Real cutting ability starts at 16.5" with the Chiruwa AK.

I think your idea of carrying one tool instead of two is good. And the khukuri is great.


munk
 
Welcome GM. If the bowie and small axe have worked for you in the past, it sounds like a Pen Knife Villager (originally designed by our very own Daniel Koster) would be right up your alley. Dan designed the PK specifically as a camp knife/khukuri in the smallest practical size.

Yangdu, the head of HI in the US, is leaving Monday for Nepal and won't be back for a while (about a month IIRC). After she returns, you can keep an eye out for the Specials that come up about every day around noon or so and see if a Pen Knife Villager is offered (but you have to be quicker than the sharks around here). ;)

Bob
 
I use my khukuris more as axes than anything else.

What Munk said is pretty right on for me. The smaller khukuris 12" and such will chop pretty well, but you need something in the 15 to 17" range to really do well. A Pen Knife is excellent when weight is really important.

For me for some reason this is the way it seems. If you are talking something that is a pound or less I think an axe will out chop a khukuri. Although in my opinion the GB Mini and the Pen Knife are really close. The mini has a little edge for the really hard stuff but the Pen knife has the edge for dual purpose.

In the pound to 2 lb range hands down a khukuri is better than an axe because there is actually more cutting surface, plus you can use it more like a machete than you can an axe. I have a GK Bonecutter that is 16" and about a pound and a half and a couple of HI Ganga Rams that are 17" and 23,24 ozs that are hands down the best chopping tools I have ever used.

In the say 30oz to 2 lb range an axe is better for me because the heavier khukuris wear my hand out more than an axe. Also for me a lot of the larger khuks have really huge handles which cramp my hands. Like if I'm chopping a 12" log I'd rather use my GB Hunters axe than my YCS or 18" AK
 
Geordiemuppet;

What is the combined weight of your bowie and small axe?
You might be able to even save on weight and still come out ahead. Remember, a Khuk has a karda, a small knife which can do many small chores not suited for the larger blade.

But on cutting ability; there is no question that that larger khuks cut better.
I would personally urge you to get at least an 18" khuk if you really want to start chopping. With the exception of the 16.5 Chiruwa AK, that is the start of the real chopping khuk.
There is a classic divide on the forum; those who state the Pen and 15" AK or 16.5" WWll will 'chop', and those who do not. It all boils down to what is being cut. The term, 'camp chores', and 'light chopping' come up in regards to the smaller khuks.

As for handle size, I rather wish this was not brought up in context with a newbie- it'll just leave you confused. Khuks used to have too little a handle- the Nepalese people have small hands. They enlarged the handles for this market. One thing is certain; if a handle is too big, it can be sanded down without too much difficulty. A small handle cannot be sanded 'up'.

In my experience, and I have average hands based upon Dan Kosters chart, most of the handles are about right with more being too small than too big.


I think what you should be thinking about is how much and what you want to cut, and how much weight you want to carry. Weigh the two tools you have. I'll bet you can get a khuk in under that weight and do more work besides.


munk
 
This thread once again illustrates the great divide between khuks and knives generally. In the knife world, a one pound knife with a 9" blade is a great "chopper." Folks even discuss the chopping merits of knives with 7" blades. Here, as you see, such blades are regarded as letter openers or butter-spreaders. (Note "slight" exaggeration. :D )
 
Thanks for all the feed back guys, you've basically answered all of my questions. I'll start looking at Kukirus I had my eye on something more along the lines of the smaller 10" blades, but having heard details regarding chopping I may consider something a little larger.

I never really chop anything much thicker than about 3 - 3.5 Inch Diameter so I'm not felling trees, I could and have used the Bowie, but it is slow and the Axe makes much quicker work of the job. Making prop polls and firewood are probably the most common jobs.

The Bowie I currently carry is a CRKT 2000 Sawtooth Bowie (A)
- 6.5 Inch Blade Lenght
- 2 / 16ths of an Inch Blade Thickness
- Rubberised Handle
- Carried in a Drop Leg Sheath

CRKT Big Sky Hunter Collection

The Axe in question is a Kershaw Camp Axe
- 3.5 Inch Edge
- 1 lb 2.6 Oz Weight

Kershaw Camp Axe
 
My man, you have to see the HI AK Bowie. That's a knife. :D

You would find the Pen a great improvement in chopping power over the CRKT model.
 
Welcome to the forums! :) I agree with my fellow Khukuri nuts, a 15+ inch Khukuri will do great. I've downed and limbed small trees with mine. The 16.5" WWII would also make a good Bowie/Hatchet replacement.

Feel free to stick around and enjoy in the fun! :)

Heber
 
You would find the Pen a great improvement in chopping power over the CRKT model >>>>>> T Linton

I can't easily think of any like-sized and weighted knife that would do as well as the Pen in chopping. The Pen is a khukuri.



munk
 
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