Lets see, How did I come to love khukries..?

S

sams

Joined
Apr 21, 2001
Messages
1,446
Once upon a time, not so long ago in my memory,.....................

I was on active duty listening to an ex-Army Ranger, who re-enlisted in the Navy. I was sitting by myself, as usual because I don't fit in, and he made an effort to talk to me. I was on active duty in the fleet. Strange because I dropped out of college in my 3rd year after trying to enlist in the Marine Corp. and was turned down. I had / have a bad leg. Two years later, I enlisted in the Navy to become a Frogman, [even thogh I couldn't swim] to my surprise I snuck through the physical.

My test scores were too high and they put me in the nuclear weapons program along with "James". He was killer elite in Korea, but now in a position that Airborne Rangers would not seek. We were working on Nukes, me a wanne-a-be and he the real deal.

I was at Captains Mast, & constantly had extra duty, and he thought he should take me aside and talk to me. After my heart felt story and he telling me his.................he said, A SMACHET AND A KHUKRI IS WHAT I NEED IN COMBAT.

So there I started...............I bought many but never was satisfied until H.I.
 
I was looking for heavy choppers, and HI makes the heaviest choppers in the non-industrial parts world :D
 
My start was a love for axes and tomahawks. I never really understood why...maybe cause I used axes growing up cutting and splitting firewood. I also love knives but have never found that design that really fit my idea of the perfect knife for me....until I ran across a website that described modifying a cheap khuk into something nice. I bought a cheap one too (didn't modify it much but did try to use it). From there I found a couple companies that sold khuks but finally found my way here. I bought my first HI khuk (a 17 " ganga ram) and have completely found "my" perfect knife/axe/thing. I still get other blades (goloks, etc.) but the khuk is in my blood now.
DanR
 
Some friends and I were collecting wood to make a fire and drink a lot of beer around it. So we went to a new devlopment where they just let the trees they cutted on the road, dried by the sun. All I had was a hatchet my father keeps in his car since a beaver miscalculated a job on a fishing trip (but that's another story).

The hatchet was horrible, probably cheap. At the time I knew khuks existed, but never really wanted one.

I asked on this forum what was the best to cut, a big blade? Someone suggested the khukuri. Then I started seeking for a khuk, tought about getting a Cold Steel.

But I had so many good comments about HI that I came to take a look, asked a lot of question, read a lot about HI history, and waited to shark my perfect DOTD :D
 
I was on my way to a throwing hawk for fun and use when I stopped by this forum to look. When I saw the khuks, read the posts, I quickly realized the possibilities. I'd found the perfect wilderness blade. Just took to it like it was mine.




munk
 
I was teaching at a martial arts retreat and met a little old man that had a couple of large funny looking bent knives. I asked him how in the world do you use that? He showed me and I became his student.
 
Honestly? I bought a CS Trailmaster as a poor college kid and totally whiped out my checking account. It was a great knife, but I was always looking for a new "toy". I kept hearing about HI being the best. Then I heard about villagers being cheaper. One day, I got the notion to e-mail this "Uncle Bill" character. To my shock, Uncle Bill was a REAL person that REALLY emailed me back in less that 15 mins!:eek:
As fate would have it, I would stumble upon a fairly rare khuk, the villager model made by the kamis with real steel fittings. When I received it, it was a thing of beauty, and I was hooked. That was back in 2002, and no other place have I frequented or invested my dollar more than HI.
I found that not only did the knives rock, but so did the people. All the khuk-knuts were more than helpful. Uncle Bill and Yangdu were just as kind of people as everyone had said they were.
As long as there is an HI and I have a few dollars in my pocket, I will purchase most of my cutlery needs from Yangdu. This place is special, the people are special.
Not only am I richer in knives, but I'm richer in knowledge. I'm a better business person (taking notes from how Bill did things and Yangdu does things now), a better person of faith (I can see how all things not so tangible can work together for a greater purpose), and just a better person in general. I have seen what random acts of kindness can do first hand, and it all stemmed from a bent knife. I came for the khuks, stayed for the folks, and received wisdom in all facets in return. Who could ask for more?

Jake
 
I spent too much time in the HI forum, couldn't leave without one. Got one to try out, and loved it, bought a few more to compare sizes. I send them to friends as gifts. Everyone needs at least one.
 
bought a colsteel khukchete..... :)
then i obtained a KH wooden chainpure and the search began for a replacement sheath. i then found HI's website and contacted auntie yangdu for a replacement sheath... i ended up with more than just a sheath :D :thumbup:
 
I was twelve yr.old hitting the gun shops after school one day,and they hade a bargain bin full of knives and whoa behold ther it was a 12"India khuk! bought it and a kris knife for eight bucks. yea I knowe that was 29yr.ago back in the GOOD OL'DAYS!
 
I was eight, and the object of my love was a tourist-model made-in-india with the crappy lion's head on the buttcap and chrome on the blade.

I knew it wasn't "real," but the shape just looked so cool.

Fast-forward about 35 years, and I'm looking for a good outdoors tool. A little net research keeps popping up these astonishing, savagely brutal test reviews of something called an AK, sold by Himalayan Imports. A bit more googling ... and I landed in the lap of the Cantinistas.

Done for.
 
A very long time ago while a student in school, I read the WW2 history of the fearless Gurkha soldier and his formidable weapon. I vowed to one day own a piece of that history. Fast forward to today, I have more than a few good HI products, very happy to have satisfied my curiosity. Don't know about the weapon aspect, but they make for some great tools around the property.
 
I came across that site with the cheap modded khukuri. It looked cool, but cheap. Started looking around, found the HI main webpage, drooled over the main site pictures, found the forum, signed up for the forum, looked in here, found out what a "DOTD" was, drooled some more, smelled blood, tooks Munks arm, sorry Munk, E-mailed Yangdu, got a big knife in the mail, ordered another one,..........

Looking for a good straight razor setup now. This board is evil;)

9yr old daughter likes Khukuri's and wants one of her own. Smart kid!
 
My desire for kuks stems from my love of all things rugged. Hell, my wife played fullback for the Chicago Bears when I met her.

As an old street guy, over the years, most of my knives have been of modest size so that I could carry them concealed beneath a suit or sport coat. Then I picked up a BRKT Golok and began looking at other larger choppers. Started reading the HI forums and thought I'd give a few HI kuks a try. I know this may qualify as blasphemy on these forums but I also have purchased some Tora kuks and I like those very much too. There are aspects of both maker's kuks that I like.

I think what fascinates me about the kuks from these two makers is the quality. That a man can squat on a dirt floor with a pile of charcoal, hammer, leaf spring and a tea pot and turn out these great knives amazes me. Add to that the history of kuks and the Gurkhas and I am hooked.
 
I'm sad to say but Cold Steel's khukri like object is what got me interested. Then I found HI!
 
Two words: Cliff Stamp.

Was Googling for reviews of the toughest Bowies available, and started noticing that "sirupatis" and "ang kholas" were standing up to brutal abuse. Then, with timidity, bid on a first siru "deal of the day", and was quite impressed. Have since used them in several family survival kits--and chopped and split vast amounts of wood with them (most recently yesterday.)
 
My father served in Burma in the Chindits with Gurkhas & kukri.

I had collected 4 great antique ones over the years & then spoke with JP about them, He realy set me off to learn as much as I could about thier history, manufacture etc.& hopefully put together one of the best collections of them in the world.

Some collectors think I am there. JP thinks so. But Id say my collection is somewhere in the top 5 known myself.

And I am very happy with that. Its introduced me to many great people & some good friends & even taken me to Nepal.

Spiral
 
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