- Joined
- Aug 4, 2003
- Messages
- 302
I have to say up front that I am carrying an enormous level of guilt at the moment. I bought a 2-for-1 deal on two British Army Service models, but the condition was that I was to subject one of them to a grueling test and then write about it.
Unfortunately, that was about the time my agency got clobbered with the recent Blaster/Sobig/Nachi virus attacks and I haven't had a real day off in going on, oh, heck, I dunno, since 8/12/03 or so - however many days that is.
But I also have to say that I've gotten so attached to "my" BAS (my daughter staked a claim on the other one), that I am real reluctant to beat the heck out of it. Of the eight Khukuris I've bought from Uncle Bill, it is my second favorite. I did whack some 2x6 boards with it and its cutting ability is nothing short of amazing. I still can't believe what a "mere" 15" 20-oz implement like this did to that wood. It easily splits the 2x6's length wise. I split an 18" long stretch of one with a rather leisurely-delivered blow.
But again, if I can find more than 30 minutes of free time during daylight I'll see what else I can sic my BAS on.
In the meantime I hope I can make things somewhat right by reporting on activities like last night's cutting session.
Every now and then my daughter and I go into the garage to slay some evil Box Orcs, normally using about four of the couple dozen swords we own. Last night however, my daughter wanted to try out the Khukuris in addition to her Lord of the Rings-inspired Gus Trim/Christian Fletcher "Sword of the Ranger", and two of my rather less flashy Medieval styled swords.
Our opponent this evening was a rather large brute of a Box Orc, standing some 6' high. I think it contained some chaise lounge chairs at one time.
The Khukuris are designed for cutting/chopping substantial targets such as wood or maybe animal limbs or bodies, as a result they tend to just beat flexible yielding targets like cardboard around while not inflicting true cuts or chops per se'.
However, if you anchor the box down and make your strikes against corner edges and such, you can get a bit of an appreciation for the Khuks' handling and cutting abilities. Also, when cutting against the wide flat faces of the box, a bit of snapping motion from the wrist just before blade contact allows the Khukuris' blades to bite deep into the cardboard instead of simply bouncing off.
My kid did a fair amount of cutting with her Sher BAS, struggling at first, but once she got her distance and timing down, it was an awesome cutter. After warming up a bit with that she picked up her Shankar-made 20" Kobra.
Now, THAT was something to see. That Khuk and my kid bonded in a way I haven't seen in a long time. Watching her at work with that Kobra I can see why it is favored by martial artists. It is a dynamic and explosive cutter, and it displays remarkable agility. My kid was able to execute a series of triple cuts with speed and accuracy. Any living organic critter that received those blows would have been in some seriously deep trouble.
Every now and then my kid would turn around and grin at me and say something like, "This Khukuri is MINE!" or once, "Dad, it would have broken my heart if you sent this back or sold it."
I've got to be forthright here and state up front that that 20" Kobra and I just don't fit. I don't know why exactly except to say that it just doesn't feel right for me. So I had considered swapping it for something else or selling it. But I learned long ago that what is one person's poison is another person's nectar, so I let my kid heft it a bit and she was instantly grabbed by it. So it now had a new master and all of us were happy.
Feints delivered high (to the head or throat) followed by a quick change of direction to strike instead at thigh level were effortless and decisive. I recall that one particularly well-executed cut that blew a gash some 12-18" across the lower part of the box spawned one of those wide toothy grins and a phrase of praise from my daughter.
I'd like to take a moment out here to make sure that folks realise that neither I nor my daughter are Ninja wannabes, or picture ourselves as Ramboesque characters, nor as something out of Lord of the Rings. I'm just a father who wants to make sure that my kid is never going to be a helpless victim of assault as long as she has weapons or even hands and feet available.
When my kid and I enjoy the satisfaction of a well-delivered cut, we aren't picturing limbs sailing off into the brush or founts of blood gushing forth or ropes of wet intestines uncoiling onto the ground. What we enjoy is the satisifaction of a well-executed technique, while using a tool so wonderfully suited for its purpose.
But we do on occasion take a moment to analyze the attack and consider what the possible outcome might have been had it been a live human attacker.
As I dug through my box of Khukuris, the "small" 15" Raju-made Sirupati emerged. I really like this one myself, but I don't think it's heavy enough nor has enough blade presence for my kid. She took a few strikes at the box, inflicting cuts that surprised both of us in their depth despite this one having the least sharpest blade of them all. I just haven't had time to sharpen that one yet.
I finally got my chance to try out my 18" Kumar-made Gelbu Special (my favorite Khuk of the group) and this too exhibited the characteristics that make it a favorite: it feels a lot lighter than it is (20-oz in this case), and it cuts a lot better than one would expect. I left this one with more of an ax-like edge because that is how I intend to deploy it versus say in a defense role. But even so, against the somewhat "bouncy" cardboard box, this Khuk was an explosive cutter, literally blowing through the front and sides of the box with a loud sharp ripping pop.
I too found myself grinning broadly and staring fondly at it.
Next was my 18" Kumar-made Chitlangi. This one initially disappointed me. It's light weight and rather axe-like blade geometry did not allow it to cut as well as I'd like, but I had to take a moment to remind myself that I am unlikey to ever be attacked by a large cardboard box, and I could tell by studying the "wounds" on the box that against a flesh and blood assailant that although I most likely would not be severing limbs with it, it would most certainly inflict debilitating wounds. Clearly the removal of an entire muscle group is not out of the question with this blade, but most likely it would inflict more typical knife wounds (versus sword or machete or axe wounds), but, very severe knife wounds considering its light weight.
Khuks seem to be able to pack a 15" knife blade's worth of cutting power into a blade 2/3's that size.
Plus, the Chit's light weight tended to make the weapon want to twist in my hand on impact, and also causing minimal cuts in the box.
I took a few moments out to study my flawed technique, and then back at the box again. This time the results were the more spectacular ones I initially expected. The Chitlangi inflicted long, but relatively shallow (ONLY an inch or two deep - ouch), and razor thin cuts. Where the cuts were directed against the face near the corners of the box, which was more rigid and less bouncy, the Chit seemed to virtually "zing" through the cardboard and out through the corner, scarcely slowing at all.
This was a most puzzling blade really. When cutting, it lacks that almost-blunt-trauma concussive force one experiences with a heavier, wider bladed Khukuri. It's cutting action feels very much instead, more like that of a European short sword. A VERY short, short sword (grin). But the impact forces on the hand feel very similar. Less of a jarring, beating, chopping sensation and more of a gently nudging slicing sensation.
I must say that I am very intrigued by a 20-21" Chitlangi. I think that will be my next addition to the armory.
Ah, my 18" Sirupati. Almost forgot about that one. Ya know, I had decided a couple days ago to sell that one. Just couldn't see the sense in having a Khuk that basically did what my Gelbu and Chit do, but weigh more and don't balance quite as nice to boot.
I've always loved the workmanship on it, but I'm reaching a point that nice workmanship is not a good enough reason to keep several dozen sharp pointy things around.
But, I gotta say, the moment I made the first cut with that Khuk I melted inside. Like Dean says, make sure you cut with them before making any firm decisions pro or con. He was right. All I can say to describe the way this Khuk cuts, is that it cuts "with authority". It presents a feeling of confidence to the hand that is lacking in the lighter Chitlangi or Gelbu Special I own. I love the Chit and GS, and they feel great in hand, but they feel almost....I'm struggling to find the word....insubstantial, in a way, compared to the heft of the 18" Siru I own (made by Kumar).
I would not want to say which cuts better against cardboard, my Gelbu or my Sirupati. Though if I am objective I think the Gelbu cuts a tad better, but this might just be the difference in how sharp the edges were. But I will say that the confidence of the Siru's heft is most astonishing. I mean, you just KNOW that you are going to cut where you want, exactly as deeply as you want, and as hard as you want. It somehow imparts a sense of absolute control or precision of control.
I know I am doing a lousy job of explaining this. All I know is that this 18" Sirupati surprised me very much. I had no doubts it would cut well. But I did not expect it feel so positive during the cuts themselves. I had originally listed my 18" Sirupati as my fourth most favorite Khukuri, behind my Gelbu, BAS and Chitlangi. The BAS and Chit are in a tie for 2nd place. But I need to consider re-evaluating that ranking now. I just might be seeing an upset here for Number 1, or else a three-way tie for 2nd Place.
During the course of this I tried my trusty !-made BAS (doesn't anyone know this guy's name??? Cripes, he's made one of the nicest bladed tools I've ever owned in my life and I don't even know his name. I don't mind not knowing the names of the folks who made my Glock pistol, but this is different!).
As can be expected, no where near the cutter the Gelbu, Chitlangi or 18" Siru was, but a good, positive cutter none the less. I would not feel cheated in the least if I had this in hand in a self-defense situation (well, yeah, I would, if the choice was my BAS or my Glock 23 or Colt Lightweight Commander, but, you know what I mean).
I have a 2-lb Ang Khola. Completely inappropriate for this target type, so I didn't cut with it this time. This one needs a semi-hard target to be fair to it, and its wide edge is clearly ax-like. It wouldn't be fair to try it on a bouncy flimsy cardboard box.
All in all, from a martial arts standpoint, I am as happy as a fellow can be if his weapon choices are edged weapons with blade lengths of less than 28". My affection for these Himalayan Imports Khukuris is indescribably strong.
Don
PS: I've noticed that since I got HIKV that my lexicon has changed a bit. I find that I am unable to call a Khukuri a "knife" any more. It is clearly more than that. I know that the uninitiated split blades into roughly: swords, knives, machetes and axes.
I find that a khukuri is so different from all four that I can no longer call it by any term other than khukuri.
Unfortunately, that was about the time my agency got clobbered with the recent Blaster/Sobig/Nachi virus attacks and I haven't had a real day off in going on, oh, heck, I dunno, since 8/12/03 or so - however many days that is.
But I also have to say that I've gotten so attached to "my" BAS (my daughter staked a claim on the other one), that I am real reluctant to beat the heck out of it. Of the eight Khukuris I've bought from Uncle Bill, it is my second favorite. I did whack some 2x6 boards with it and its cutting ability is nothing short of amazing. I still can't believe what a "mere" 15" 20-oz implement like this did to that wood. It easily splits the 2x6's length wise. I split an 18" long stretch of one with a rather leisurely-delivered blow.
But again, if I can find more than 30 minutes of free time during daylight I'll see what else I can sic my BAS on.
In the meantime I hope I can make things somewhat right by reporting on activities like last night's cutting session.
Every now and then my daughter and I go into the garage to slay some evil Box Orcs, normally using about four of the couple dozen swords we own. Last night however, my daughter wanted to try out the Khukuris in addition to her Lord of the Rings-inspired Gus Trim/Christian Fletcher "Sword of the Ranger", and two of my rather less flashy Medieval styled swords.
Our opponent this evening was a rather large brute of a Box Orc, standing some 6' high. I think it contained some chaise lounge chairs at one time.
The Khukuris are designed for cutting/chopping substantial targets such as wood or maybe animal limbs or bodies, as a result they tend to just beat flexible yielding targets like cardboard around while not inflicting true cuts or chops per se'.
However, if you anchor the box down and make your strikes against corner edges and such, you can get a bit of an appreciation for the Khuks' handling and cutting abilities. Also, when cutting against the wide flat faces of the box, a bit of snapping motion from the wrist just before blade contact allows the Khukuris' blades to bite deep into the cardboard instead of simply bouncing off.
My kid did a fair amount of cutting with her Sher BAS, struggling at first, but once she got her distance and timing down, it was an awesome cutter. After warming up a bit with that she picked up her Shankar-made 20" Kobra.
Now, THAT was something to see. That Khuk and my kid bonded in a way I haven't seen in a long time. Watching her at work with that Kobra I can see why it is favored by martial artists. It is a dynamic and explosive cutter, and it displays remarkable agility. My kid was able to execute a series of triple cuts with speed and accuracy. Any living organic critter that received those blows would have been in some seriously deep trouble.
Every now and then my kid would turn around and grin at me and say something like, "This Khukuri is MINE!" or once, "Dad, it would have broken my heart if you sent this back or sold it."
I've got to be forthright here and state up front that that 20" Kobra and I just don't fit. I don't know why exactly except to say that it just doesn't feel right for me. So I had considered swapping it for something else or selling it. But I learned long ago that what is one person's poison is another person's nectar, so I let my kid heft it a bit and she was instantly grabbed by it. So it now had a new master and all of us were happy.
Feints delivered high (to the head or throat) followed by a quick change of direction to strike instead at thigh level were effortless and decisive. I recall that one particularly well-executed cut that blew a gash some 12-18" across the lower part of the box spawned one of those wide toothy grins and a phrase of praise from my daughter.
I'd like to take a moment out here to make sure that folks realise that neither I nor my daughter are Ninja wannabes, or picture ourselves as Ramboesque characters, nor as something out of Lord of the Rings. I'm just a father who wants to make sure that my kid is never going to be a helpless victim of assault as long as she has weapons or even hands and feet available.
When my kid and I enjoy the satisfaction of a well-delivered cut, we aren't picturing limbs sailing off into the brush or founts of blood gushing forth or ropes of wet intestines uncoiling onto the ground. What we enjoy is the satisifaction of a well-executed technique, while using a tool so wonderfully suited for its purpose.
But we do on occasion take a moment to analyze the attack and consider what the possible outcome might have been had it been a live human attacker.
As I dug through my box of Khukuris, the "small" 15" Raju-made Sirupati emerged. I really like this one myself, but I don't think it's heavy enough nor has enough blade presence for my kid. She took a few strikes at the box, inflicting cuts that surprised both of us in their depth despite this one having the least sharpest blade of them all. I just haven't had time to sharpen that one yet.
I finally got my chance to try out my 18" Kumar-made Gelbu Special (my favorite Khuk of the group) and this too exhibited the characteristics that make it a favorite: it feels a lot lighter than it is (20-oz in this case), and it cuts a lot better than one would expect. I left this one with more of an ax-like edge because that is how I intend to deploy it versus say in a defense role. But even so, against the somewhat "bouncy" cardboard box, this Khuk was an explosive cutter, literally blowing through the front and sides of the box with a loud sharp ripping pop.
I too found myself grinning broadly and staring fondly at it.
Next was my 18" Kumar-made Chitlangi. This one initially disappointed me. It's light weight and rather axe-like blade geometry did not allow it to cut as well as I'd like, but I had to take a moment to remind myself that I am unlikey to ever be attacked by a large cardboard box, and I could tell by studying the "wounds" on the box that against a flesh and blood assailant that although I most likely would not be severing limbs with it, it would most certainly inflict debilitating wounds. Clearly the removal of an entire muscle group is not out of the question with this blade, but most likely it would inflict more typical knife wounds (versus sword or machete or axe wounds), but, very severe knife wounds considering its light weight.
Khuks seem to be able to pack a 15" knife blade's worth of cutting power into a blade 2/3's that size.
Plus, the Chit's light weight tended to make the weapon want to twist in my hand on impact, and also causing minimal cuts in the box.
I took a few moments out to study my flawed technique, and then back at the box again. This time the results were the more spectacular ones I initially expected. The Chitlangi inflicted long, but relatively shallow (ONLY an inch or two deep - ouch), and razor thin cuts. Where the cuts were directed against the face near the corners of the box, which was more rigid and less bouncy, the Chit seemed to virtually "zing" through the cardboard and out through the corner, scarcely slowing at all.
This was a most puzzling blade really. When cutting, it lacks that almost-blunt-trauma concussive force one experiences with a heavier, wider bladed Khukuri. It's cutting action feels very much instead, more like that of a European short sword. A VERY short, short sword (grin). But the impact forces on the hand feel very similar. Less of a jarring, beating, chopping sensation and more of a gently nudging slicing sensation.
I must say that I am very intrigued by a 20-21" Chitlangi. I think that will be my next addition to the armory.
Ah, my 18" Sirupati. Almost forgot about that one. Ya know, I had decided a couple days ago to sell that one. Just couldn't see the sense in having a Khuk that basically did what my Gelbu and Chit do, but weigh more and don't balance quite as nice to boot.
I've always loved the workmanship on it, but I'm reaching a point that nice workmanship is not a good enough reason to keep several dozen sharp pointy things around.
But, I gotta say, the moment I made the first cut with that Khuk I melted inside. Like Dean says, make sure you cut with them before making any firm decisions pro or con. He was right. All I can say to describe the way this Khuk cuts, is that it cuts "with authority". It presents a feeling of confidence to the hand that is lacking in the lighter Chitlangi or Gelbu Special I own. I love the Chit and GS, and they feel great in hand, but they feel almost....I'm struggling to find the word....insubstantial, in a way, compared to the heft of the 18" Siru I own (made by Kumar).
I would not want to say which cuts better against cardboard, my Gelbu or my Sirupati. Though if I am objective I think the Gelbu cuts a tad better, but this might just be the difference in how sharp the edges were. But I will say that the confidence of the Siru's heft is most astonishing. I mean, you just KNOW that you are going to cut where you want, exactly as deeply as you want, and as hard as you want. It somehow imparts a sense of absolute control or precision of control.
I know I am doing a lousy job of explaining this. All I know is that this 18" Sirupati surprised me very much. I had no doubts it would cut well. But I did not expect it feel so positive during the cuts themselves. I had originally listed my 18" Sirupati as my fourth most favorite Khukuri, behind my Gelbu, BAS and Chitlangi. The BAS and Chit are in a tie for 2nd place. But I need to consider re-evaluating that ranking now. I just might be seeing an upset here for Number 1, or else a three-way tie for 2nd Place.
During the course of this I tried my trusty !-made BAS (doesn't anyone know this guy's name??? Cripes, he's made one of the nicest bladed tools I've ever owned in my life and I don't even know his name. I don't mind not knowing the names of the folks who made my Glock pistol, but this is different!).
As can be expected, no where near the cutter the Gelbu, Chitlangi or 18" Siru was, but a good, positive cutter none the less. I would not feel cheated in the least if I had this in hand in a self-defense situation (well, yeah, I would, if the choice was my BAS or my Glock 23 or Colt Lightweight Commander, but, you know what I mean).
I have a 2-lb Ang Khola. Completely inappropriate for this target type, so I didn't cut with it this time. This one needs a semi-hard target to be fair to it, and its wide edge is clearly ax-like. It wouldn't be fair to try it on a bouncy flimsy cardboard box.
All in all, from a martial arts standpoint, I am as happy as a fellow can be if his weapon choices are edged weapons with blade lengths of less than 28". My affection for these Himalayan Imports Khukuris is indescribably strong.
Don
PS: I've noticed that since I got HIKV that my lexicon has changed a bit. I find that I am unable to call a Khukuri a "knife" any more. It is clearly more than that. I know that the uninitiated split blades into roughly: swords, knives, machetes and axes.
I find that a khukuri is so different from all four that I can no longer call it by any term other than khukuri.
