Looking for advice regarding what to buy.

B

bobwill

Joined
Feb 10, 2001
Messages
147
First off, thanks everyone who was willing to take the time to read this post and actually willing to give me the time of day.

I've been admire just about everything in Himalayan Imports for the past few days now, and would love to pick up one of these beautiful kukris. I was wondering if anyone could help me decide what would be best for my needs. Right now, the two knives I've really been considering have been the 20 inch Sirupati and the 20 inch Kumar Kobra but I've been keeping the Ang Kohla in the back of my mind as a possiblity.
I'm looking for something that would combine ballance with speed precision and draw cutting ablity with the raw chopping power one tends to think of when you mention the word kukri. Given everyone on this forums greater level of experience with these knives I would love to hear what you would recommend.

BTW, a guy at a local knife store told me some tale that any time a kukri is drawn by a gurka that it must draw someone's blood, and that the little notch, cho???, at the base of the blade was put there so a Gurka could prick himself rather than slice into his arm. Is this true, or is this guy as full of crap as he usually is? :-)

Thanks for your time,

Robert Williams
 
Bobwill,
Welcome to Uncle Bill's Cantina.
smile.gif


I would suggest the 20" Gelbu Special. The blade is very lively in ones hand and could also chop stuff better than the Kumar Kobra. I personally like the 20" Sirupati also (this is the first Khukuri that I got from Uncle Bill).

* 20" Sirupati = excellent weapon and can perform light to medium chopping.

* 20" Kumar Kobra = excellent weapon and can perform light brush clearing tasks. Very, very fast and agile as a weapon.

* 20" Gelbu Special = excellent weapon and can chop things very well, wider blade than Sirupati, but very fast as a weapon.

* 20" Ang Khola = excellent heavy chopper and prying tool. Slow as a weapon, but if you nail someone, they are down for good. I use my 19" Ang Khola as a camp tool and all around chopper for everything.

Stay tuned, there will be more help and opinions coming soon!
 
Bobwill,

It really doesn't matter what you buy. If you hang out here for very long, you'll end up owning most of them anyway
biggrin.gif
!! It's always nice to WELCOME someone new to our aberration. And it's also a given that HIKV is an insideous addiction that is as much fun as it is wearing on the pocketbook.

My first Khukuri was a 20 inch Sirupati. It combines lightness and speed for Martial Arts duties, but has enough weight and strength to use as a heavy duty tool. In my experience, it functions fine until you start disassembling car doors and oil drums. Of course, if you plan on splitting large pieces of wood, the Ang Khola does have a slight advantage.

Contrary to most opinion, I think that the 20 inch Kobra would also make a good working tool, used with disgression. I own a 22 incher that does yoeman duty, though again, the Ang Khola makes a better pry bar.

Just wait!! You don't know the can of worms you're gonna feast on with this question
rolleyes.gif
. Nothing like a little contraversy to intiate a new member to the forums. You are going to like this group of "gentlemen and scholars" and the good times we seem to constantly have
biggrin.gif

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Watakushi Wa Shinajin Desu
DeathDancer

[This message has been edited by DeathDancer (edited 02-10-2001).]
 
Welcome, Bobwill! Deathdancer is correct. You should read Yvsa's thread about "why do you collect khukuris" most come here to buy one good khuk, then end up owning several. I'm in the early stages of this myself, and my current (subject to change next week) favorite all around khuk is an 18" WWII. If you really think you can control yourself and buy only one, I would consider an 18" Chiruwa AK. Just my 2 cents, and my opinions will change as I buy more.

[This message has been edited by Geraldo (edited 02-10-2001).]
 
Welcome Robert. I'm sure that by the end of the weekend, you will have a good idea of which one you want FIRST. There really is no "best" one, that's for sure, as they are all the best at different things.

These guys will be of enormous help, and you'll probably get a chuckle or two along the way.

 
Thanks for all your responses so far.
I would just like to state for the record, I already know I'm probably going to end up with about three of these things in the next few years. I've already submitted to the fact that this will only be my first purchase, when I finally make it which might not be until I get money from the taxman. So, I'll have plenty of time to contemplate this question.
College = Debt + few chances to make money.
Actually, on second thought I have a repro gladius I could probably get $120 for, easily. :-)

Thanks for your responses,
Robert

[This message has been edited by bobwill (edited 02-10-2001).]
 
I'd suggest the 20" sirupati, Mine Is a heavier one(2 lbs) and it fears no chopping duty. It is also incredibly well balanced a very fast. This model is hardened very well and will take a razor's edge without much work so a draw cut would be a fearsomely effective maneuver with it. One other point, avoid the gladius, it's a thrusting weapon and is rather limited in any role but that
smile.gif
 
The time of day? ^^^^


[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited 02-10-2001).]
 
Hello, Bobwill, and welcome to the forum. Since you're probably already getting way more input than you planned anyway (a truly rare thing these days), I'll throw my $0.02 in as well.

If you like the sirupatis but want a slightly heavier knife, I would recommend a Malla style. They're about 19" and have a medium heavy blade. I thing it would be good for just about anything, although I haven't used mine at all yet. It has more curve than a sirupati, though, so it looks a bit different. You might also try a BAS or WWII. I think it's a general concensus around here that those khuks are good if you want to do a little of everything. You'll enjoy whatever you get, though.
 
tenortude, I think you misunderstood the last line.
I currently own a gladius, that I could sell for the money to get a kukri. :-)
Actually, this morning I took out a classified ad for one of my other swords, and plan to use that money to buy my first kukri, assuming that it sells. ;-)

Robert
 
redface.gif
Sorry, my misunderstanding. I don't tend to think too clearly unless I've had my daily allotment of caffienne. Another gallon of iced tea outta' get me going
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ehh, I wouldn't hold it against ya.
smile.gif

d'oh! first one must have been a freudian slip.
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[This message has been edited by bobwill (edited 02-10-2001).]
 
For your first khukuri, bearing in mind your requirements, may I suggest the HI full-tang 20" sirupati? For martial arts purposes it's wonderfully quick and agile, (if you're used to a gladius, you're in for a very pleasant surprise if you switch to a sirupati...)without sacrificing any of the awesome cutting power one associates with the word 'khukuri'; the full-tang version is slightly heavier and more robust, well up to handling pretty well anything you'd want a medium to heavy duty utility blade to tackle.

So much for your first khukuri. The *last* khukuri you buy (because once you own one, you just won't want to use anything else ever again) will be a 25" Kumar Kobra... Of course, you could buy a 25" Kobra first; but then you'll miss out on all the fun of sampling the other khuks along the way.
 
Welcome to Uncle Bill's Kantina, bobwill! Deciding the best HI is a difficult thing, but I'm sure every HI khukuri is satisfying ENOUGH to most picky collectors/users. You can use your intuition, or random choice IMHO. DD is quite correct (sigh).
My first and second HI khukuri was 20" AK from shop 1. Then 18" GS, and then AK bowie (bird and tront). I still tend to pick 20" AK by my personal affection. But my recommendation to others will be GS like BA said.

Hey bobwill, while reading this thread, Sirupati is creeping up in my "next buy" list... 12", 15", and 20"!

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\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/
 
For my 1.5 cents worth I will as usual recommend the UBE for all-around versatility- the worlds only cut and thrust khukuri. It chops, skins, tucks, and slices with the best of them. From a martial arts standpoint you can use many western, eastern, and Indonesian blade techniques along with the usual ones.

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"To know and to act are one."
 
I purchased a "previously" owned UBE and it is fast becoming one of my favorites. Like Finnean says, it does everything very well and has a nice "pointy end" for thrusting.

However, with that 1/2 inch thick blade, I usualy relegate it's skinning duties to the odd hippo, elephant, or rinocerous
biggrin.gif
Of course, it makes a dandy "Rhodan and Godzilla" knife, and dinosaurs have absolutely no chance!!

Of course, like Tom, I believe you wiil eventually buy a Big Khukuri, and like Tom, I recommend the 25 inch Kumar Kobra. Might as well start off big and work your way down.
Then you can buy one of UBDOTD, then maybe something in a Kothimoda, and maybe Roger or Rusty will have something to trade....
eek.gif
...AAAHHHHH! HIKV!
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Watakushi Wa Shinajin Desu
DeathDancer

[This message has been edited by DeathDancer (edited 02-10-2001).]
 
Hmmm, a newbie. I have some advantage here because I'm not addicted like some of these old timers. I like the big knives and buy one every now and then but, given a limited amount of money, I would rather buy guns. So I'm rather picky and don't have a huge number. What I do own (in order of purchase) would be a 18" Sher AK, a 19" Gelbu Special by Sanu, a 18" Sirupati (from the thin but not thin enough group), a 15" Villager, a Kumar Karda, and a big old Ganga Ram and special carry system from Terry. The last one I haven't owned long enough to make up my mind about. Out of the others...

The 18" Sher AK is just too big and heavy. I wouldn't do that one again.

The Gelbu Special is very nice but can something be too nice? It is so pretty I never actually use it. And it has horn handles and I've decided I really prefer wood.

The 18" Sirupati is very, very nice. It fits my hand, it has a nice wood handle, and I just like the feel of it in my hand. Can't go wrong there.

The 15" Villager has a wood handle and is the one I actually "use" the most. That thing can make piles of brush and cut limbs out in the pasture faster than anything else I own.

Lastly, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the YCS. It would be a sweet first knife that would put the hook in deep. Of course I would want a "working model" rather than the rather fancy standard model. If it ever makes it here with steel furniture I will be tempted to move some gun money over for a knife purchase. (And just imagine it with that "dingy finish" and a good blue. That would be a working knife!)

Gregg
 
tulsamal, I only have experiences with GS and not Sirupati, but thought the two are good competitors in beauty.

Is GS that nice compared to Sirupati? Or do you mean a GS look fragile, delicate?

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\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/
 
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