Looking for a Chopper

oldschool45

oldschool45

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
1,211
I've looked at pictures, I've compared spec's and I've read reviews. I want, can't say I need, a big honking chopper. I enjoy chopping & limbing trees:D
I've got it narrowed down to 3 maybe 4 options; 20" AK, 22" GRS (Ganga Ram Special), Large Bonecutter or wait and order one special.
Anybody that has more than one of these I'm very interested in you opinions on the differences where it comes to chopping.
Before anybody says M43, I understand that these things are massive and hard to handle. I don't want a good rounded performer I want a BHC (Big Honkin Chopper). I have 2- 4foot/5# bars of Aldo's 1084 steel in the garage, I could grind & harden an edge then cord wrap a handle but I'm looking for a little more finesse than that;)
 
OldSchool,

KhadkaSamsher.jpg


Period.

Sgt. Khadka's Chandra Shamsher. Some called it SMASHER.:D
 
Man you can really tell a khukri was made by the Sarge just by looking at it. BEAUTIFUL!
 
oldschool45 said:
I've looked at pictures, I've compared spec's and I've read reviews. I want, can't say I need, a big honking chopper. I enjoy chopping & limbing trees:D
I've got it narrowed down to 3 maybe 4 options; 20" AK, 22" GRS (Ganga Ram Special), Large Bonecutter or wait and order one special.
Anybody that has more than one of these I'm very interested in you opinions on the differences where it comes to chopping.
Before anybody says M43, I understand that these things are massive and hard to handle. I don't want a good rounded performer I want a BHC (Big Honkin Chopper). I have 2- 4foot/5# bars of Aldo's 1084 steel in the garage, I could grind & harden an edge then cord wrap a handle but I'm looking for a little more finesse than that;)
Click to expand...

Anything over 20" is going to be a handful and tiring to swing for long periods of time. I prefer most of my users to be 16"-18" OAL, that size chops well without being too tiring.

The M43 isn't IMO any more of a handful than any other khuk, so don't rule it out. IMO, if you really want a dedicated chopper, look for a 20" Ang Khola. Not a CAK, just an AK.

Andy
 
I've used my 20" AK and larger 20" M43 to chop up and clear downed trees and limbs for hours at a time.
 
I built two log cabins with my M-43. It chops better than most axes. And far from being hard to control (which is a result of work with a tool) the M-43 is extremely lively in the hand.

The design of the M-43 is all about increasing its chopping performance as well as its weapon use ( it thrusts better than most kuks).

I wouldn't rule it out especialy if you are going to be using a kukri all day long over extended periods.

However if what you are wanting is just a big brute chopper with lots of mass behind it. Then you'd be well served with an 18" or 20" Chiruwa Ang Khola or traditional Ang Khiola.

One of the new Amar Singh Thapa Kukri's in the 18" or 20" length would ropably serve you as well.
 
Thanks for all the input I'm still leaning towards the 20" AK or 22" Ganga Ram Special. I'll probably get a mid-range between my 12" CAK that I am re-handling right now and the no excuses chopper I am going to get next. If I were to limit myself to 1 more it would probably be an M43. But With HIKV these things are like Lay's potato chips "you can't have just one."
 
Amen on that HIKV. I'm lookin at gettin another as well.

I'd check with Yangdu on the availability of the 20" GRS. You may have better luck with picking up a 20" CAK or AK.

Bit more of a longshot but if Yangdu had either a Murali or better yet Sgt. Khadka Bonecutter may be a great choice as well.
 
I think you may have something mixed up: the M43 is not hard to handle, in fact, it's the perfect all-rounder of the bunch.

IMO the top two for "all-out chopper" to look at are the AK/CAK (CAK especially if you might need to do some heavy prying, as it's the only beast warrantied for such), or the M43. Ganga Ram Special would be my #3 pick. Bone cutters -- some seem to have a more obtuse edge, which would make them an excellent splitter, not so great a chopper, while some have a more acute edge. TO be honest, the Bonecutter never did anything for me, but some love them.

Unless you are getting a model with a 3/8" spine, I wouldn't go over 20", and in any case, for a monster chopper I'd not go under 18", with 20" seeming to be the ideal.

I always recommend you start with the one that calls to you. You probably favor one over the others already, and despite other's opinions, often the one calling to you is the best for you. For some, the M43 can't be topped, for others, the Chitlangi, for me, the CAK.

The reason I picked the CAK I did, was that the Ang khola called to me the first time I saw a picture. The 20" model especially. But I wanted a Chiruwa handle. First reason is because my woodworking skills suck, and I cna come up with some slabs of wood to pin on as a replacement handle if I have to. Properly mounting the hidden tang is beyond my skills. Second, because this was to be my Big Blade, my "there can be only one" blade. It had to maximize toughness above any other consideration.

I chose a 20" because of two requirements:
1.) It had to chop as well or better than my previous darling -- a Snow & Neally 18" Penobscot Bay kindling axe. Being that some of the weight of a kukri is distributed back toward the handle, especially a Chiruwa handle, it would, by necessity have to be longer.

2.) It had to be long enough to double as a machete.

It chops much better than the Pen Bay, in fact, it chops better than any other one handed chopping tool, and as well as my Hudson bay 3/4 axe, although I'll tire faster with the kukri.

It does well as a machete as well. Even though it has a spine a little over 1/2" thick, it has the patented Bura edge angle, which is obtuse enough not to just fold over when chopping hardwood, but acute enough that I can drop it from shoulder height and just let momentum cut through light vegetation. It's absolute murder on wood.

Plujs, worse come to worst, it makes one dandy of a battle blade -- a bad guy won't want to suck up even a half-hearted swing from it.

With that being said, no matter what you choose, READ THE SAFETY THREAD!!! These won't think twice about lopping off one of your body parts if you do not handle them with respect and care. Hell hath no fury like a kukri handled sloppily.
 
oldschool45 said:
Thanks for all the input I'm still leaning towards the 20" AK or 22" Ganga Ram Special. I'll probably get a mid-range between my 12" CAK that I am re-handling right now and the no excuses chopper I am going to get next. If I were to limit myself to 1 more it would probably be an M43. But With HIKV these things are like Lay's potato chips "you can't have just one."
Click to expand...

With that in mind, IMO get the CAK or GRS for the big chopper, and you can't do better than an 18" M43 for a mid-range all-rounder.
 
wildmike said:
I built two log cabins with my M-43. It chops better than most axes. And far from being hard to control (which is a result of work with a tool) the M-43 is extremely lively in the hand.

The design of the M-43 is all about increasing its chopping performance as well as its weapon use ( it thrusts better than most kuks).

I wouldn't rule it out especialy if you are going to be using a kukri all day long over extended periods.

However if what you are wanting is just a big brute chopper with lots of mass behind it. Then you'd be well served with an 18" or 20" Chiruwa Ang Khola or traditional Ang Khiola.

One of the new Amar Singh Thapa Kukri's in the 18" or 20" length would ropably serve you as well.
Click to expand...

Any chance we could get a couple pics of the cabins you built, or of one akin to them? I don't mean to question your claim; I just think it'd be interesting and useful to have pictures of some of the things that are capable with khukuris, and right now I sure don't have the time, let alone the empty land, to try it for myself.
 
I have a 22" GRS that I consider more of a wall hanger than a worker due to the effort required to swing it more than once or twice. I also have an 18" Ang Khola and an 18" Hanshee that both make excellent heavy choppers. So my suggestion is to select the style that most appeals to you and buy one in the 18" - 20" length range.

Enjoy! :thumbup:
 
I don't own a camera.

The cabins were small trappers cabins. The largest was around 8' by 16'. The first was smaller around 8' x 12' it was destroyed in a flood which covered the island it was built on.

The second was bulldozed by the state of Washington DOT around 2-3 years ago from what I have been told. All that remains is the doorframe and door. Most of the logs used were 8-12" in diameter. The first two thirds of that cabin I chopped everything and it was a lot of work. The last part (kitchen area) I crosscut the logs to length with a swede saw and purled the logs. Purled the logs for the roof as well. The cabin was bult into the side of a small hill. The DOT collapsed the hill over the cabin to destroy it as it was built too strong to just pull down. From what I understand from folks who were present it had them cussing a bit. I had built it as strong as I could to prevent it being broken into and robbed while I was gone during the day.

Wish I did have pics but when ypour livin out of a pack you own only what is absolutely essential. The M-43 was essential.
 
wildmike said:
I don't own a camera.

The cabins were small trappers cabins. The largest was around 8' by 16'. The first was smaller around 8' x 12' it was destroyed in a flood which covered the island it was built on.

The second was bulldozed by the state of Washington DOT around 2-3 years ago from what I have been told. All that remains is the doorframe and door. Most of the logs used were 8-12" in diameter. The first two thirds of that cabin I chopped everything and it was a lot of work. The last part (kitchen area) I crosscut the logs to length with a swede saw and purled the logs. Purled the logs for the roof as well. The cabin was bult into the side of a small hill. The DOT collapsed the hill over the cabin to destroy it as it was built too strong to just pull down. From what I understand from folks who were present it had them cussing a bit. I had built it as strong as I could to prevent it being broken into and robbed while I was gone during the day.

Wish I did have pics but when ypour livin out of a pack you own only what is absolutely essential. The M-43 was essential.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the elaboration, anyway. My interest lies in finding, at least as far as any discussion here is concerned, the best combination of cutting tools for spending extended time in the woods. Unfortunately, I don't have the time right now to test anything out, but the time is coming sooner rather than later.

You say you cut the logs to length with a swede saw... I'm not familiar with the term; Would this video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnMS9lg9Iu4, give a fair representation of what you mean by 'swede saw', or was the saw you used quite a bit smaller?

Last question (for now), would you mind listing off the cutting tools you brought with you on those trips?
 
Now That's a swede saw!

Mine was a 32" length that one looks like a 48" blade.

32" and 36" are commonly available at most hardware stores. They are fairly inexpensive and cut like a dickens. I made up my first one from just a blade I purchase and a couple screws and scrap wood from a pallett. But that was more properly called a frame saw.

Nowadays when I head into the woods I carry a pocket chainsaw and if I need to do a bunch of crosscutting I fit it up into a framesaw in the field. The sdame can be done a swede saw blade as mentioned bove but great care must be taken in wrapping the blade to prevent damage to your pack.

The cutting tools I carried were as follows. My M-43 kukri from H.I.: a 5" bladed sheath knife (during several years it was a Camillus USAF survival knife with a convexed edge). Many other 4-5 inch bladed knives will work as well. Te swede saw in the last months to year of that time (I fitted up a frame saw several times with just a blade as a blade was all I could afford)limited the frame saw to firewood work. I did pick up a drilling hammer to use splitting the purls (it was given to me otherwise I would use a baton and wedges cut with the kukri). In bulding the final cabin I also had the use of an entrenching tool and it was absolutely invaluable in digging the holes to plant posts as well as digging out the side of the hill to site the cabin.

I'm happy to share any info I can which may be of help. Email me through my avatar here on the thread if you need to know more. That way we can keep the thread on topic.
 
There's probably a cheaper version somewhere, but Duluth Pack offers their Dustrude folding saw:
1259.jpg_1.jpeg


1259_0.jpg_1.jpeg


It folds up small, and at least gives you a usable size saw, rather than a crappy little pruning saw. Kind of a backpackers's Swede saw.
 
Shree Ten Chandra Samsher is a favored chopper for me.
Overall length -- 21''
Weight --49 oz
Spine thickness --1/2''
White metal bolster, buttcap and tip,Satisal wood handle.
She is somewhat of a monster, but a great chopper!
A solid chunk of khukuri as has ever been made.:thumbup:
 
Cpl Punishment
Thanks again for the input. I think the 4 rules of gun safety can be applied to Khuk’s;
1. Treat them all like they are loaded/sharp/
2. Do not point/swing at anything you do not intend to destroy
3. Keep your finger off the Trigger. Keep all body parts out of the swing arc.
4. Be sure of what is beyond you target /swing Arc.
And my own
#5 Stop before you get too tired or start drinking as loss of fine motor control (either way) will probably get you or somebody else hurt.

HighDesertWalker
I kind of suspected that about the 22”GRS

That looks like it narrows it down to the 20” AK or CAK or wait and order a 20” über AK
 
I have an 18" ASTK with 1/2" spine and ~36oz and i still prefer a BoneCutter /
Ganga Ram Special for an all day chop.
I really don't want to be hit by an ASTK. General Singh doesn't like to talk much. He wants to work hard and go back to his sheath quick.

I read somewhere that a GRS has the longest sweet spot and having a curved profile comparing to angled one, i would think the motion of chopping bites into the wood and auto-curl your wrist forward, taking out huge chunks of wood.
More like bite, clean, bite, clean.....

Cotherion's 12" Bonecutter surprised me a lot despite thinner spine and lighter in weight but it still deliver a quick job to finish a log. It would be wonderful if it was 16-18".I'm spoiled for 18".

Somehow Murali and Sarge heard this and speed up...;)
 
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