most versatile khukuri?

S

storyville

Joined
Aug 11, 1999
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The Ang Khola is routinely praised for its chopping, and recently the Sirupati has gained good attention (e.g., Will Kwan’s “muscular Sirupati” rvw). Yet I don’t recall any performance assessments of the British Army Svc and WWII models. How do these compare?

For the sake of setting up a scale (plz amend if you disagree): The blade-heavy Ang Khola is great for chopping, and Will Kwan noted that the “neutral-balanced” Sirupati is very effective for machete-style use. These two activities -- chopping stable, fixed objects vs unstable or loosely hanging objects of widely varying density and texture -- demand virtually opposing qualities in terms of blade thickness and balance. Any balance between these two criteria would require a compromise on both ends, but may offer a more all-round, versatile khukuri, yes?

How do the BAS and WWII measure on this scale? More generally: of all the HI khukuris, which model/length do believe is the “most versatile,” and why?

Glen
 
I don't know what it is, but the Hanuman/WWII model feels so right...

Oh, alright. Just One khuk? Make mine an 18" OAL WWII blade with a chainpuri shaped handle.

[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited 21 September 1999).]
 
I think the WWII's are the best in terms of versatility. Which length depends somewhat. The 16.5" I had was light and nimble in the hand and would be a fine defensive blade, but the 18" would be a much better chopper. My favourite is the 18" WWII, though Kodiak PA has mine and I will never see it again
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The BAS is nice but I think the longer WWII's have it beat.


------------------
Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com
AKTI Member A000847

Specialization is for insects.
 
I agree with Clay, the WWII model's are the most versatile. The 18" ones will out chop the 15" Ang Khola. The 16.5" WWII is a bit behind the 15" Ang Khola in terms of chopping. The 16.5" is about 100 g lighter than the 18" which makes it noticably quicker. I can't recall exactly but it takes about 18 blows from a WWII and 15 blows from a 15" AK to go through a 2x4 in a vise. Unfortunately, I have found 2x4 performance to be meaningless in predicting field performance.

The WWII models cut extremely well. They are the only H.I. khukuri's that will match the flat ground CS Gurkha kukuri in terms slicing and slashing. The wedge sharp is excellent for chopping but hinders penetration during slicing.

I can not get my BAS to chop at the same level as the 16.5" WWII or 15" AK level. The BAS takes around 27 chops to go through a 2x4 in a vise.

I guess my vote goes to the 18" WWII model with the 16.5" WWII a very close second.

Will


[This message has been edited by Will Kwan (edited 21 September 1999).]
 
Will,

What causes the performance difference between the BAS and other models? Is it simply because it is shorter and lighter?

Eric Takabayashi
Fukyama, Japan
 
Thanks for the great feedback. BTW, what IS the approx wght of the 16.5” WWII? Not indicated in the HI info...

Also, how does the 15” Sirupati fare in all this? Too light to be effective? Perhaps it’s more comparable in performance to big (non-khukuri) knives?

OK, OK, the reason for these nitpicky Q’s is bc I’ll likely be in Guatemala/So Mexico late spring Y2K and am looking for the best model for my needs there. Given machete v. chopper, I’ll need the former much more often than the latter -- in the shortest, lightest package w/o becoming ineffective. (I have a 15” AK, btw, but *that* is a bit too blade-heavy for machete use...)

Glen
 
Most Versatile Khukuri?

Yesterday it was PAUJI the 18" WW II!
...BUT...
Today it is BAHADUR the 18" 18th Century that I just received!
...AND...
Tomorrow it might be no name yet of the other model which now is just a spring leaf steel!

What Omar Khayam said in his Rubaiyat about yesterday, today & tomorrow?
 
Uncle Bill, I can see that Pala may be wise in years, but is still in good health. The question was the most versatile ( i.e., which girl would make the best wife - not the girl most fun to fool around with ).

Storyville, the 20" Sirupatis seem at least as heavy as the 18" WWII. Go for a 18" to 20" villager, with wooden chainpuri handle. I've a 17 1/2" 14 oz one just perfect for that. Keep it near or under one inch equalling or less than one ounce. Something like Jim's Skinnybeast. Or the "fighter" pala is balancing on his finger at 18" OAL and 14 oz.
 
You left out the important part!

Yesterday This Day's Madness did prepare;
To - morrow's Silence, Triumph, or Despair:
Drink! For you know not whence you came, nor why:
Drink! for you know not why you go, nor where.
Click to expand...
 
I think the performance difference between the BAS and the others is the weight and length. The WWII is about 584 g and the BAS is around 539 g. I can't recall exactly but I'll check. The WWII grip is large enough so that I can hold further back to give it a more weight forward feel.

My 20" Sirupati is 909 g and really 21" long. Its perforances much better than the 15" AK and 16.5" WWII model. I like the khukuri's heavier since I use them as tools and do not require a lot of speed.

Will

[This message has been edited by Will Kwan (edited 22 September 1999).]
 
Thanks, Howard. I came close at least.

"As much as wine has played the infidel,
and robbed me of my robe of honor, well,
I sometimes wonder what the vintners buy,
One half so precious as the goods the sell."

I think!

------------------
Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
 
Thank you Pakcik Bill & Howard!

I don't know the reason why! ... but everytimes I play & fondle my Khukuris, it always reminded me of those beautiful words in Rubaiyat Omar Khayam (the Malay version).

May be I'm not good enough to judge which Khukuri Model suppose to be the most versatile one - I guess my eyes ... my feeling ... my emotion ... tricked me to beleive that the one Khukuri that I hold in my hand is always the most versatile one!

Pakcik Bill, do you think I need medicine! I think I'm going to get Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam the English Version!
 
Ah, my Beloved, fill the Cup that clears

TODAY of past Regrets and future Fears:

Tomorrow! -- Why, Tomorrow I may be

Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n thousand Years.
 
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.

I've been away from this forum too long....
smile.gif


-Cougar Allen :{)
 
Belated happy birthday Oji-chan Bill and hello all,

Wow, don’t check the forum for a day and I find more good feedback, plus quotes from the Rubaiyat!

Been eyeing the 20” Sirupati, esp after Will Kwan’s nicely-detailed rvw. But when I grab the yardstick just short of the 20” mark, it seems a bit long; and Will now noted 909 g... that’s just over 2 lbs! Hmm...

... So Rusty, is the Hanuman/WWII the “girl you fool around with”?

Definitely not looking for a “wife,” but your description sounds pretty good -- 17”/18”, 1”/1 oz ratio. And I just saw the 18” Kumar Bishwakarma ... !!! Not much into fighters, but the balance on this one might just be the ticket; hopefully it’ll become a regular. (That’d be one hell of a wife...)

Also, forgive the novice Q, but does “chainpuri” refer to a full-tang? (I know the Chiruwa AK’s are full tang...)

Will need to hold off for a few months anyway (grrr... money money money), so that buys me time to juggle these options ... good food for thought! Thanks again -- you all are great --

Glen Oi-chan
 
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