Long story, I'll shorten it as much as I can, but you know how us "geezers" go on and on and never get to the point. You've been warned.
For starters, I've owned and used Khukuris for over 20 years. I've had one "good one" Windlass "Assam Rifles". 17 inch, 1/4 " thick blade 20 ounce weight. The scabbord fell apart by the second year, the accessory knives were useless and would have been improved by using a better grade of coffee can for the blades. But the knife itself has given me good service. Not too soft a steel, and after the handle was sanded and oiled it worked okay. It's given good service.
Fast Forward to last Friday, after going over all the old posts, both here and on the other forum. I felt I deserved a good Khukuri. I wanted about the same 17-18 inch length, but wanted a a heavier blade. An 18" Ang Khola was the obvious choice.
Monday Afternoon my wife informs me there was a delivery of a "funny triangular" package, while I was out. It couldn't be! Not this fast!
I'm tearing off the packaging while I explain to her what it was, and why I had such high hopes for it. She's blind but when she noticed I'd shut up, the conversation went like this.
"Is it okay?"
"No, it's BEAUTIFUL"
What I had was an 18" Ang Khola Khukuri blade very well polished, acceptably sharp with excellent wood to metal fit. The Chacma and Karda were equally well made, and the Karda had a good usable utility edge, right out of the box.
So, Dinner is put on hold while I drive to my Mother-in-Laws garden. In that garden lives the nastiest, hardest bush/tree/thicket on the planet, I'm certain of it. Rather than dynamite it, I let it live so I can test sharp things on it.
Acouple of dead, dry. hard limbs and the balance and cutting ability leave me very impressed. Take a few dead limbs off a Tamarack I dislike, great! Used it like a machete on some neighbors Canadian thistle crop, excellent, and cut a surprising amount of tall grass along with the thistles, Hmmm.
Cleaned the blade and examined it, no damage, nothing, no burrs, no rolling, no dull spots. WOW!
Yesterday I was tied up entertaining the Grandsons. But today was back to the garden. Same as Monday, beautiful balance, hardly bothered the Arthiritis and the Carpal Tunnel at all. I'm impressed. didn't seem to weigh much more than my old beater.
So, cleaned and oiled it tonight, and decided to take a few measurements to see how typical it was, because it feels perfect to me.
Sweet spot matches the hardest part of the blade, and the hardest pard is HARD, maybe a little smaller and closer to the handle than I'm used to on the beater.
Length is 18" right on the button,
Handle is one nice piece of wood very nicely fitted.
Scabbord quality is right up there with the knives, very, very good.
Blade length is 12", Belly is 2 1/4 at the widest and has initials L.B,
Blade thickness is 3/8inch, precisely. WHAT!
Quick, the scales ... Weight 1 pound 8 ounces !
BUT, BUT, But, but ... it should be thicker ... it should weigh more!
It's ... It's ... It's NOT an 18" Ang Khola
I DON't KNOW WHAT IT IS!
But it's mine and I love it and nobody is gonna get it away from me.
Maybe it's an Ang Khola LITE!
My wife says that I can't bring it to bed anymore unless I promise to keep between her and it ALL the time.
Best Wishes to All,
and Special Thanks to Mr. Bill Martino,
Gary
For starters, I've owned and used Khukuris for over 20 years. I've had one "good one" Windlass "Assam Rifles". 17 inch, 1/4 " thick blade 20 ounce weight. The scabbord fell apart by the second year, the accessory knives were useless and would have been improved by using a better grade of coffee can for the blades. But the knife itself has given me good service. Not too soft a steel, and after the handle was sanded and oiled it worked okay. It's given good service.
Fast Forward to last Friday, after going over all the old posts, both here and on the other forum. I felt I deserved a good Khukuri. I wanted about the same 17-18 inch length, but wanted a a heavier blade. An 18" Ang Khola was the obvious choice.
Monday Afternoon my wife informs me there was a delivery of a "funny triangular" package, while I was out. It couldn't be! Not this fast!
I'm tearing off the packaging while I explain to her what it was, and why I had such high hopes for it. She's blind but when she noticed I'd shut up, the conversation went like this.
"Is it okay?"
"No, it's BEAUTIFUL"
What I had was an 18" Ang Khola Khukuri blade very well polished, acceptably sharp with excellent wood to metal fit. The Chacma and Karda were equally well made, and the Karda had a good usable utility edge, right out of the box.
So, Dinner is put on hold while I drive to my Mother-in-Laws garden. In that garden lives the nastiest, hardest bush/tree/thicket on the planet, I'm certain of it. Rather than dynamite it, I let it live so I can test sharp things on it.
Acouple of dead, dry. hard limbs and the balance and cutting ability leave me very impressed. Take a few dead limbs off a Tamarack I dislike, great! Used it like a machete on some neighbors Canadian thistle crop, excellent, and cut a surprising amount of tall grass along with the thistles, Hmmm.
Cleaned the blade and examined it, no damage, nothing, no burrs, no rolling, no dull spots. WOW!
Yesterday I was tied up entertaining the Grandsons. But today was back to the garden. Same as Monday, beautiful balance, hardly bothered the Arthiritis and the Carpal Tunnel at all. I'm impressed. didn't seem to weigh much more than my old beater.
So, cleaned and oiled it tonight, and decided to take a few measurements to see how typical it was, because it feels perfect to me.
Sweet spot matches the hardest part of the blade, and the hardest pard is HARD, maybe a little smaller and closer to the handle than I'm used to on the beater.
Length is 18" right on the button,
Handle is one nice piece of wood very nicely fitted.
Scabbord quality is right up there with the knives, very, very good.
Blade length is 12", Belly is 2 1/4 at the widest and has initials L.B,
Blade thickness is 3/8inch, precisely. WHAT!
Quick, the scales ... Weight 1 pound 8 ounces !
BUT, BUT, But, but ... it should be thicker ... it should weigh more!
It's ... It's ... It's NOT an 18" Ang Khola
I DON't KNOW WHAT IT IS!
But it's mine and I love it and nobody is gonna get it away from me.
Maybe it's an Ang Khola LITE!
My wife says that I can't bring it to bed anymore unless I promise to keep between her and it ALL the time.
Best Wishes to All,
and Special Thanks to Mr. Bill Martino,
Gary
everyone talks about how fast the khuks ship... I ordered an 18" WWII and sent the check out Friday ( I told Uncle Bill to wait for the check to send the khuk) and I still havent gotten it. Oh well, Im sure it will get here, im on the other side of the continent and waiting is the best part 
