First let me say that this is the first forum I have ever belonged to or posted on so if I do something dumb or wrong, or both, please let me know so I can correct it. Most of my experience is with tomahawks and I am feeling like the khukuri is going to be similar in many ways. Truth be told I will probably end up buying 4 or 5 of blades over the next several months so I can experiment with all shapes and sizes but currently I am leaning toward the Gelbu special as it has a blade that is middle of the road in both bulk and length when compared to the others I am interested in like the Kobra, Sirupati, Ganga Ram and Ang Khola. My #1 concern is durability, I don't want to have to deal with chipped blades when using them normally. Obviouslly the siru and kobra are more geared towards self defense so i will not be chopping with them but would like to know which one is prefered between the 2. Does anybody have any suggestions of which of those to get in the varying lengths available. For example I am interested in both the Kobra and the Sirupati in either 20" or 25" and also the Ang Khola 20" or Ganga Ram 22". Aditionally I like the Pen model for a smaller tool but that is for another day. I try to make very informed purchases so that I do not regret making them. If anyone has any other suggestions that I did not include here please make them so I may learn more about HI khukuri's. The only aspect that I am firm on is a blade length of AT LEAST 12" (except with the Pen of course). I am 32 years old, 5' 7", 180lbs and plenty strong enough to handle a heavy blade. Thanks very much and I look forward to reading any suggestions any of you may have. Dan.
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looking to get my khukuri collection started
- Thread starter danboy357
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2012
- Messages
- 43
I just ordered my 1st Kukri, an Ontario thats about 18" long and 1/4" thick. I'm now looking into an HI kuhkuri. I can tell you right now that many people here will say that you DO NOT want or need a 22"-25" bladed Kuhkuri for everyday use! People are going to tell you the same thing they told me: That all you need is 15" - 18" or so. Anything longer than that is going to be very heavy. It will likely wear you down after extended use, and besides, you just dont need it. I watched a youtube video of a guy chopping with a Bowie knife that couldnt have been longer than 14", and it was chopping great!
I'm looking for a Kuhkuri in the 16.5" range myself. I'm 5' 11" and 175lbs, and I work outside doing landscaping 5-6 days per week, and have done so for 25 years now.
I'm looking for a Kuhkuri in the 16.5" range myself. I'm 5' 11" and 175lbs, and I work outside doing landscaping 5-6 days per week, and have done so for 25 years now.
Dan:
Check the other threads with postings today. Some similar issues are discussed.
You're probably right to lean toward a Gelbu special, as that is highly recommended for many purposes. You could email Yangdu and ask if she has a Gelbu around 18". That would be a very reasonable beginning.
Durability isn't an issue unless you use a Kobra or one of the thinner khukuris for heavy chopping. Any blade can chip if you hit a rock or hard bone. The occasional case of bad edge tempering is covered by the HI warranty. Yangdu has a very good reputation for honoring the warranty.
Once you get the feel of a "middle of the road" model such as a Gelbu it will give you a better idea of what to get afterward in terms of length and weight. I have no doubt that you are plenty strong, as you say, but when you mention a 22" Ganga Ram I think about someone like Mariusz Pudzianowski, who weighed about 300 lbs when he won the World's Strongest Man competition five times. Even for heavy chopping you don't need a behemoth like a 22" Ganga Ram and the heavy weight can be a liability in many ways.
Right now I'm very high on my recently acquired 18.5" 28oz M-43 by Bhakta kami. It's warranteed as a chopper and would also do quite well against an intruder, marauder or the odd zombie. It has a wide-bellied 13" long blade that could handle just about any task.
Let us know what you get and how you like it. And welcome to the forum.
-- Dave
Check the other threads with postings today. Some similar issues are discussed.
You're probably right to lean toward a Gelbu special, as that is highly recommended for many purposes. You could email Yangdu and ask if she has a Gelbu around 18". That would be a very reasonable beginning.
Durability isn't an issue unless you use a Kobra or one of the thinner khukuris for heavy chopping. Any blade can chip if you hit a rock or hard bone. The occasional case of bad edge tempering is covered by the HI warranty. Yangdu has a very good reputation for honoring the warranty.
Once you get the feel of a "middle of the road" model such as a Gelbu it will give you a better idea of what to get afterward in terms of length and weight. I have no doubt that you are plenty strong, as you say, but when you mention a 22" Ganga Ram I think about someone like Mariusz Pudzianowski, who weighed about 300 lbs when he won the World's Strongest Man competition five times. Even for heavy chopping you don't need a behemoth like a 22" Ganga Ram and the heavy weight can be a liability in many ways.
Right now I'm very high on my recently acquired 18.5" 28oz M-43 by Bhakta kami. It's warranteed as a chopper and would also do quite well against an intruder, marauder or the odd zombie. It has a wide-bellied 13" long blade that could handle just about any task.
Let us know what you get and how you like it. And welcome to the forum.
-- Dave
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hey dave, I got a 18"CAK blem to start me off, seemed appropriate. Let me ask a very rightious and obvious question... if the big ak's and ganga's are so irrelivant to anyone other than a 300lb giant, why do they offer them as a regular product? not too many guys out there that fit that description, especially historically in 16th century Nepal.
Dan:
The 18" CAK is a good choice, especially if it's one of the recent DOTDs that weighed in at 30-32oz. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised about its capabilities and impressed by its "heft."
As for the historical kuks, some of the experts on this forum have pointed out that they tended to be much lighter in weight than the equivalent models made by HI today. The handles were usually shorter as well. Even true villagers today have short handles, which apparently suit the Nepalese but wouldn't work for many Americans.
In your original post you asked for suggestions and you informed us that you are 5'7" and 180 lbs. Unless you're Spiderman that suggests that a 22" Ganga Ram would be overkill, no pun intended. There might not be many 300 lbers among the HI customers, but there are some and perhaps even more in the 250 lb range who like the really big kuks. I'm about your size, a little lighter and a lot older. I'm not as strong as I used to be but I still lift weights and I find that a 30-32 oz kuk is about the maximum that I would want to use for real work or self defense. I have an ASTK and a Sherpa knife that each weigh in at about 38 oz and feel great in the hand, but those are the exception and have wonderful balance.
The very long or heavy knives tend to be specialized. A giant Ganga Ram probably wouldn't be much use for anything except heavy chopping, and only for a very strong person. A 25" Kobra or Sirupati is a short-sword. Some people really like them, but HI also makes actual swords that have handles designed and sized for one or two handed use.
In the end it's a very personal choice and only direct experience can tell you what length, weight and balance work for you. If you find that you want to go heavier than your new 18" CAK, more power to you (literally).
-- Dave
One more point. Your original post is about starting a collection. Many HI forumites have become collectors, some with a few kuks, some with large collections. Certain practicalities disappear when you talk about collecting. They're not all going to be "users." A collector might want a 22" Ganga Ram or some other behemoth even if he can barely lift it, because he'll be using other knives for practical work or defense. The popularity of large kuks is why the HI kamis make them; they are, after all, trying to support themselves and their families. However, when you start buying kuks, it's probably best to begin with models that are well within your limits, whatever those limits might be. It's more fun that way and you can better judge what to go after in the future as your collection grows.
The 18" CAK is a good choice, especially if it's one of the recent DOTDs that weighed in at 30-32oz. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised about its capabilities and impressed by its "heft."
As for the historical kuks, some of the experts on this forum have pointed out that they tended to be much lighter in weight than the equivalent models made by HI today. The handles were usually shorter as well. Even true villagers today have short handles, which apparently suit the Nepalese but wouldn't work for many Americans.
In your original post you asked for suggestions and you informed us that you are 5'7" and 180 lbs. Unless you're Spiderman that suggests that a 22" Ganga Ram would be overkill, no pun intended. There might not be many 300 lbers among the HI customers, but there are some and perhaps even more in the 250 lb range who like the really big kuks. I'm about your size, a little lighter and a lot older. I'm not as strong as I used to be but I still lift weights and I find that a 30-32 oz kuk is about the maximum that I would want to use for real work or self defense. I have an ASTK and a Sherpa knife that each weigh in at about 38 oz and feel great in the hand, but those are the exception and have wonderful balance.
The very long or heavy knives tend to be specialized. A giant Ganga Ram probably wouldn't be much use for anything except heavy chopping, and only for a very strong person. A 25" Kobra or Sirupati is a short-sword. Some people really like them, but HI also makes actual swords that have handles designed and sized for one or two handed use.
In the end it's a very personal choice and only direct experience can tell you what length, weight and balance work for you. If you find that you want to go heavier than your new 18" CAK, more power to you (literally).
-- Dave
One more point. Your original post is about starting a collection. Many HI forumites have become collectors, some with a few kuks, some with large collections. Certain practicalities disappear when you talk about collecting. They're not all going to be "users." A collector might want a 22" Ganga Ram or some other behemoth even if he can barely lift it, because he'll be using other knives for practical work or defense. The popularity of large kuks is why the HI kamis make them; they are, after all, trying to support themselves and their families. However, when you start buying kuks, it's probably best to begin with models that are well within your limits, whatever those limits might be. It's more fun that way and you can better judge what to go after in the future as your collection grows.
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- Joined
- Jun 4, 2011
- Messages
- 468
Greetings Dan-Although a good number of folks don't care for the heavy blades,don't let that dissuade you if you want to try one. One of my favorites is my 18" 43 oz. super CAK named "blockhead".It is a beast-excellent for chopping wood,but not much else because of it's weight. I also have a 29 oz. 19" Gelbu which is one of my top picks for martial applications.Point is,unless you plan on only buying one khuk,it's A-OK to pick a heavy one for certain uses if you so choose. Good luck and enjoy this wonderful addiction!Joe.