Looking to buy my first Khukri...need advice

Status
Not open for further replies.
JTR357

JTR357

Gold Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
14,279
I'm wasn't sure where to post this,so I put it here.Moderators please move if necessary.Thank you:)

I spent most of last night on this khukri site.I think it was called khukri world or something like that.I was reading about the history of the khukri.It was very interesting.How these "little men" forged these amazing blades out of left over truck springs & RR tracks.

My question is what type of steel is traditionally used in making a khukri?I know it's not stainless,so what type of carbon is it?If it was 1095 or 5160,I'd be OK with that:thumbup:
What kind of heat treat do they use?What would be the expected/typical RC hardness..55-58?
What type of grind do they traditionally use...Flat,Hollow,Convex?
Are they hard to sharpen,because of their shape?

I'd like to get one with a 12"-15" blade,with not so much of a flaring out near the bottom of the handle.I realize that's the way they're made,but that's the one thing I find rather unappealing.I'd like it to replace my $10 wallyworld straight machete.:oI seen the K-BAR one & didn't really like it.I'd like to have one with a polished finish.

Thanks in advance to all you khukri experts out there & anyone else for that matter;):thumbup:Much obliged.:)
 
i ordered my first cold steel khukri its made in south africa for 15 dollars its not that bad but the handle SUCKS after 5 min of using it it starts to hurt but im going to get some of that plastic dip and try it. it good enough for what i needed.
 
The steel was 5160 or similar with Mercedes-Benz ,5160Mod , being the favorite. For a chopper you don't need more than 55 HRc. BTW I do have a stainless steel kukri from agrussell [no longer made].Convex is the best edge and it's easy to sharpen.
The kukri is a very efficient tool and the size of the stuff you can cut is proportional to the weight. My big one is 24 oz and the smaller is 18 oz. The 24 oz is similar to the WWII military and it's good for serious chopping !! I redesigned the handle as the ring in the middle of the handle was very irritating.
My kukris get lots of use , a fine tool !
 
mete said:
The steel was 5160 or similar with Mercedes-Benz ,5160Mod , being the favorite. For a chopper you don't need more than 55 HRc. BTW I do have a stainless steel kukri from agrussell [no longer made].Convex is the best edge and it's easy to sharpen.
The kukri is a very efficient tool and the size of the stuff you can cut is proportional to the weight. My big one is 24 oz and the smaller is 18 oz. The 24 oz is similar to the WWII military and it's good for serious chopping !! I redesigned the handle as the ring in the middle of the handle was very irritating.
My kukris get lots of use , a fine tool !
Click to expand...

:thumbup:Thanks for the info mete,I didn't say there weren't any SS.I said..."what type do they use traditionally?"

What do you mean by "with Mercedes-Benz"??
 
Last edited:
JTR357 said:
What do you mean by "with Mercedes-Benz"??
Click to expand...

They are made out of MB springs:D...no seriously. MB is known for having some of the best (probably homogeneous) steel in their truck springs. The kamis (or traditional bladesmiths) try to salvage the truck springs from the MB trucks that get scrapped. Not all of them are MB, but that is what they go for first.

Khuks are great. There are so many different kinds depending on whether you need one to chop wood or springier stuff or for self defense. They are tough as nails (if you get the right kind) and are pretty habit forming. I bought my first when I was a junior in college. Now I have dozens and dozens of them:)
 
Steely_Gunz said:
They are made out of MB springs:D...no seriously. MB is known for having some of the best (probably homogeneous) steel in their truck springs. The kamis (or traditional bladesmiths) try to salvage the truck springs from the MB trucks that get scrapped. Not all of them are MB, but that is what they go for first.

Khuks are great. There are so many different kinds depending on whether you need one to chop wood or springier stuff or for self defense. They are tough as nails (if you get the right kind) and are pretty habit forming. I bought my first when I was a junior in college. Now I have dozens and dozens of them:)
Click to expand...


Oh OK...Thanks for clearing that up for me;):thumbup:
 
Honestly, I would try one made out of plain ol' 5160. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the level of performance that the kamis can get out of it. I mean, for a dirt floor, an anvil, a couple of hammers, and a teapot of water...they do a hell of a job:D

I would look around, read up a little more, and figure out what you need. If you are stateside, Himalayan Imports might be your best bet to get one that is shipped fast and is of guaranteed high quality.

If you have any questions about khuks in general, stop by the HI forum and ask away. LOTS of experts hanging around there that have handled khuks of all types:):thumbup:
 
:thumbup:Thanks for the advice Jake;) I think 5160 is great!!I have it in my Ranger RD6 & Justin dones an exemplary job on the HT.
If I had one custom made though,it would be in S7,probably because I don't have any customs or knives in S7.:D

BTW I spent a little time lurking in HI.I think I may have even posted there once or twice.They seem like a cool buncha' guys.:cool:
So what is everyone there Hawaiian,or most?

Thanks again:thumbup:
 
JTR,

Justin Gingrich makes khukris from S7 steel. Jim Frank has, too.

If you get a Ganga Ram Special or Chiruwa Ang Khola from Auntie Yangdu, I'm not sure you'll see a point to wanting a khukuri made from a tougher steel (though you can always contact Justin if you've just got to have one - I don't know if Jim takes orders).
 
thombrogan said:
JTR,

Justin Gingrich makes khakis from S7 steel. Jim Frank has, too.

If you get a Ganga Ram Special or Chiruwa Ang Khola from Auntie Yangdu, I'm not sure you'll see a point to wanting a khukuri made from a tougher steel (though you can always contact Justin if you've just got to have one - I don't know if Jim takes orders).
Click to expand...

Whoa!!Thanks for the excellent tips:thumbup:I'm coming into a little extra $$...:rolleyes:I know,I know...there's no such thing as extra money:D
 
Did you or your spelling program change 'khukris' to 'khakis?' That was too funny!

Know what you mean about there being no spare money. Still, Spyderco Smallfly is fluttering towards my house for some insane reason. :o
 
thombrogan said:
Did you or your spelling program change 'khukris' to 'khakis?' That was too funny!

Know what you mean about there being no spare money. Still, Spyderco Smallfly is fluttering towards my house for some insane reason. :o
Click to expand...

It was my spell check program,sorry 'bout that:)
 
For a first khukuri for wilderness survival use, I'd recommend going straight over to the BladeForums/Manufacturers'/Himalayan Imports subforum and keeping an eye out for the next "Deals of the Day" or "Specials for 6/8/08" or similarly-titled sale thread that will be posted by Yangdu Martino, Himalayan Imports' ("H.I.'s") proprietress. You'll find a semi-random assortment of khukuris being sold there for, if you're lucky, well under $100. They're made out of, usually, cannibalized truck spring steel, roughly 5160, hand-forged in Nepal, heat-treated and differentially tempered using a coal forge and a teapot of hot water. Find a small one, with say a 10-inch blade, like a British Army Service ("BAS") model--you'll probably find that the larger blades are more clumsy to use except for chopping. (Himalayan Imports measures its knives end-to-end, by the way, so a "15-inch" khukuri will usually have about a 10-inch blade. Shipping is included in the costs, in the continental U.S.) E-mail Yangdu your intent to buy, address, and method of payment within 5 minutes of when she posts, and you'll likely get the knife, probably within a very few days. (If you wait much beyond 5 minutes, the better deals tend to have gotten bought already.)

Once you get it, grind down the handle to suit your tastes. Go slowly, be conservative. And have fun! A lot of users grind the point off the top of the pommel, leaving sort of an upside-down teardrop shape.

A review to whet your appetite:
http://www.cutleryscience.com/reviews/face_off_II.html
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top