M43 is here at last!

T

thalion

Joined
Oct 12, 2009
Messages
31
After a long wait and some hassle at the customs, my M43 is finally here! It was made by Lok kami and is around 18,5" and 30 oz. It is a bit lighter than expected but it is for the better because when you hold this beast of a knife, you feel the weight pulling you forward. First thing that got me was how large this khuk really is. It is my first and though I had a good idea about the size it is gonna be, nothing really prepares you for that first time you draw it from the sheath. I fell in love with it the second I saw it. The craftsmanship is superb all the way. The blade is sharp and the wood on the handle is just beautiful. I asked Yangdu if I could get an M43 like some antique ones I saw on the web and she was so incredibly kind that she granted me the wish to make mine exactly like the ones I found. Generally, this meant putting a traditional style handle instead of the normal you get on an M43. I figured it would provide better grip and wasn't wrong. Luck had it that the ring in the middle fits perfectly between my second and third finger and it is as made for my hand size. I just can't wait for this snow and ice to melt so I can put it to test in the brush.
Below is the picture of the antique and others are of my new pride and joy!













 
Very Nice, Thalion !
I like traditional handles and have always wondered what the M-43 would look like with one. Thanks for the report!
 
She looks just about perfect. I'm intrigued that you ordered a "traditional" grip; I guess that's a privilege that I forsook, when I went with the DotD ;)
 
You did good ordering that handle. Mine also pulls forward and the standard handle feels like it is slipping. I can understand how the ring on the traditional handle would be a plus.

Congratulations on that beautiful blade.

Rick
 
Very nice M-43, and welcome the the HIKV, it is a virus we all get and you probably will have it too. Very nice blades you have there.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
You lucky lucky dog!!! That handle improvement is the only thing I would like to see changed on the M-43's.

You are gonna have some fun.
 
Having this as an option on the M43 makes the most sense to me, lest we lose any sense of difference between this model, and a CAK. As for how well it works, I can't say: I've never hefted a "traditional" handle long enough for my hands (my Bura Salyan is a smaller-handled one). But it certainly looks cool!
 
What a gorgeous khuk. How does the blade length and thickness compare to one from Atlanta Cutlery? Reason I ask is because I'd like to get one from HI with a traditional handle like my Atl Cutlery version (ca 1985), only better made/finished.
 
Jaymo said:
What a gorgeous khuk. How does the blade length and thickness compare to one from Atlanta Cutlery? Reason I ask is because I'd like to get one from HI with a traditional handle like my Atl Cutlery version (ca 1985), only better made/finished.
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Thicker, heavier,Tougher, prettier. There is absolutely no comparison between an H.I. khuk and an AC.
The AC's are alright for what they are and what you pay, as are the WSC's. There are reasons why we can say that H.I. khukuri are the best khukuri coming out of nepal. It has been this way for over 20 years.
 
thalion, thanks for sharing your special order M-43. :)

It is a credit to you requesting this authentic style but more so to Yangdu for getting it made. :thumbup:

As a new M-43 ower, I have to admit that the only thing I don't like about mine is the lack of the ring, it just does not feel as secure as the traditional grip. It sure would be great to see HI offer both grip versions on M-43's in the future in their normal lineup. :D
 
B-A-S.
That's the HI version of the model you were looking at. It's also the 2nd best seller here, according to the site.


Jaymo said:
What a gorgeous khuk. How does the blade length and thickness compare to one from Atlanta Cutlery? Reason I ask is because I'd like to get one from HI with a traditional handle like my Atl Cutlery version (ca 1985), only better made/finished.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you all for the kind words! And again to Yandu for making it possible!

I will try to answer all in one post so if I left anyone out, please remind me :)

Truth is, I have been thinking about a khukuri for a long time but never trusted anything untill I happened to find HI. You all know what it is like to try and choose between all the models available... Like a kid in a candy store and on a budget. HIKV spreads easily. I didn't get into it for collecting but practical reasons and wanted to get a "blade of blades" kinda thing. Something that would serve me for years to come and what I might leave to my son one day as I read was Gurkha tradition sometimes. I never doubted any blade was not absolutely serviceable but I stayed away from AK since I figured they would be too heavy for the versatility I had in mind. I also wanted someting with a historic feel to it and was torn between WW2 and M43. In the end the blade of the M43 swayed me but that handle didn't seem right. I figured since so many models of old had the ring, the smiths must have had pretty good reasons for it and when I found more about the WW1 models... Well, I wanted something in between and asked Yangdu who was very kind and agreed to make it happen. I guess it might be a WW1 model for future? Also, I read many reviews and tried to learn about khukuri design the most I could so I figured the traditional handle would provide better grip since the blade was heavy and had a low drop. Add to that the fact that even though I am around 6'3" tall, I don't have very large hands so I figured the normal M43 handle might slip under sweaty conditions I plan on. So I went for looks and practicallity in one go and am absolutely amazed how it turned out! You can shift your hand forward so only the little finger is behind the ring and it also feels great. It is just perfect and I love it. Only thing I am worried about is the sheer size of the knife. It will serve most things I had in mind but might be too large for regular trekking. Well, I don't really need it on those but would be cool to have something to have fun with even then. Perhaps something a bit more portable and lighter in the future? I'll wait to see though. At first, the only other khuk I had in mind which I will probably go for some distant day is the kothimoda but I would buy that for display only, not for use. It is sheer beauty and would't use it as a workhorse the M43 will soon be :)))

That's about it as my reasoning went so you can understand why I opted for the traditional style. I'll try to make some pics of it in action when the snow melts so I can report on how it performs in the field.
 
Glad the M-43 made it OK, thank you for sharing the pictures
 
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