Lightest 18"+ HI blade

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bloodwraith

Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
66
Hey guys,

been a while since I posted here. I am just wondering which are the lightest (relatively speaking) HI blades of 18" or more? I have always wanted a couple of the HI khukuri but they need to be a carefully planned purchase because of all the time and effort that goes into purchasing one. I am considering taking the time to purchase one at the moment but not sure which one is a good, light starter.

Any advice appreciated.
 
`kobra tends to be a favored martial arts blade,but best depends on what you want it for ..personally i like heavier blades for work knives...
 
If you are looking for a khuk that would be very useful for hacking through light to medium vegetation, check out the siru or gelbu special.

However, if you are looking the lightest khuk, go with the Kobra line. Please keep in mind, the Kobra is really a sword that looks like a khuk;) They are not really designed to take the abuse that a thicker, heavier khuk is. I usually don't push my Kobras beyond 1.5" of wood. Generally, a good one comes in right around an oz an inch. That makes for a good fast blade:thumbup: I find that the 20" and shorter models tend to follow this pretty well. When you get up into the 25" models, they tend to become MUCH heavier and more Siru-like;)
 
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bloodwraith said:
I am considering taking the time to purchase one at the moment but not sure which one is a good, light starter.

Any advice appreciated.
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Hear you but it is not going to stop at one.:D

Pick what catches your eye and once you have used it you will be in a better position regarding your next purchase.:cool:

I started out biggish (20ich/40ounce CAK) then went light (15inch 19ounce Chitlangi) then mediumish (17inch/23ounce Foxy Folly) but I no longer expect 1 khukuri to fulfill the different jobs I want done.

Enjoy the journey, the folk here are great and Himalayan Imports are 1st class all the way from initial inquiry thru purchase and life-time product support. :thumbup:
 
I just got my 18" siru by Sher. At 26 oz, it's only 2 oz less than my 16.5" WWII by Tara Bhadur, but it feels like a lightsabre by comparison. I can't fathom wanting a lighter knife, even as a weapon of war. The only advantage I could see in a kobra is that it might have the same weight and balance with more blade length.
 
MagenDavid said:
I just got my 18" siru by Sher. At 26 oz, it's only 2 oz less than my 16.5" WWII by Tara Bhadur, but it feels like a lightsabre by comparison. I can't fathom wanting a lighter knife, even as a weapon of war. The only advantage I could see in a kobra is that it might have the same weight and balance with more blade length.
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Once upon a time, when the Kobra was new and all the rage;), the talk of Kobra vs. Siru was quite fierce. I think it came down to a Siru delivering more of a punch per strike, where as the lighter kobra could deliver a volley of fast well-placed lethal cuts.

As a non-martial guy, I just appreciate the Kobra as a very stout machete. I have a beloved 20.5" 20.5oz one made by the Amtrak Kami. I semi-abuse it taking it out in the bushes and thickets as it really is more of a sword than a khuk. I understand that if I break it on a tree, it is my own fault and not HI's. That said, it's just too darn useful to leave at home:D Maybe one day if it fails, I'll replace it with a quick Siru, but for right now it does everything I need:thumbup:
 
I have a Kobra made from a file. I haven't weighed it, but when I bought it, Uncle Bill described it as 18" long and 12 ounces. I believe him, that knife is crazy fast for a khukuri. But it is very limited in its application, I don't think it'll last very long if used as a tool.
 
I just got my 18" siru by Sher. At 26 oz, it's only 2 oz less than my 16.5" WWII by Tara Bhadur, but it feels like a lightsabre by comparison. I can't fathom wanting a lighter knife, even as a weapon of war. The only advantage I could see in a kobra is that it might have the same weight and balance with more blade length.
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I have a "longleaf" type kukri from the late Victorian period, which was likely to have been carried as an upgrade on the standard military model of the time. It has a 15" blade, a 4.75" handle and weighs 22oz.
It's fast, a formidable weapon.... don't forget that Gurkha soldiers of comparatively modern days were and are riflemen, not axe-men, and a heavy kukri would not be such an asset if it had to be carried all day and long distances - over bad terrain and maybe extreme weather - along with a rifle (itself heavy), ammunition plus bayonet and other kit.

However, the specifications of earlier fighting kukris also seem to be orientated more towards speed and cutting-power, than reliance on weight.... probably because armed enemies, unlike tree-trunks, tend to take evasive/offensive action and therefore reaction speed has to be quicker than a heavy blade would allow?

Where working with kukris is concerned, I mostly use two sirupates for brush clearing and branch trimming -- one has a 15" blade and weighs in at 30oz, the other has a 16" blade and is 21oz. The lighter one only loses out to the other on chopping ability... but unlike with the heavier blade, extensive and continuous use doesn't tend to injure elbows.
 
I'm not saying I'd want a heavier knife, just not necessarily a lighter one. Unlike tree trunks also, an enemy might also want to swing back and I want something stout enough to take a hit, should they set their sights on my weapon, or should I be so inclined to hit someone with the spine of my knife.
To anneal some of my wording, though, I don't think 22 ounces would be too light for a fighter, and I do love those longleaf khuks.
 
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