Need advice on first khukuri

D

dgposton

Joined
Dec 17, 2007
Messages
3
I am going to be doing some backpacking in the mountains in a few days, and I was wondering what you would recommend as a self-defense weapon (perhaps tool in emergencies) against bears, cougars, and even the two-legged variety?

Weight is a major concern. I am eyeing the 16" sirupati, 18" sirupati, and 18" kumar kobra.

Also, are all the ones on the website in stock? Do they ship fast? I need this by the 26th for my trip.

David
 
Welcome:)

Of the khuks that you are looking at, I would go toward the sirupatis over the kobras. I love the kobra, however, the Siru is gotting be a bit tougher and hold up to heavy chopping a lot better. A good 18" Siru coming in around 26oz is going to be tough to beat as a machete/self defense/light chopper ("light" in the khuk realm would be anything under 4").

Generally speaking, the siru is a fairly popular item so is probably going to be in stock. The best thing to do would be to send Yangdu an email to himimp@aol.com ASAP. She is the wonderful lady that runs HI stateside. Let her know what you are looking for, what kind of activities that you want to use it for, and your timeframe that you need it by. Generally speaking, from time of transaction to when it hits your doorstep is a matter of a few days. Mine usually make it from Reno to Indiana in 2-3 days. Please keep in mind that USPS is going to be more sluggish than usual this time of year. So you might want to get on this as soon as you can.

Once again, welcome:)!
 
I know this is BLADE Forums but IMHO for SD Duties GET A 4" barrelled AMERICAN MADE (Colt, Ruger, S&W, Dan Wesson, Magnum Research)
.357 Magnum, .41 Mag, .44 Mag, .45 Long colt, .480 Ruger!
A Big Fat Hairy Revolver is where it's at, yes it adds a few pounds to the your weight but you'll wont mind it if you need it! Run a in the pants holster and cover it with a hang shirt. (do not put it in you pack where it is unaccesible when you need it quick fast and in a hurrey!) Honestly leave the knife in it's sheath until you skin the animal you had to kill and make a kewl jacket out of it! A kukri is great for chopping, but i'd want a good stabber too, so my vote would be a USMC Kabar or a Puma Waidblatt, or any of the Puma Hunter Series or maybe even an old school Arkansas Tooth Pick.

my .02 worth
 
I don't think you can beat the 16.5" WW2 for all-around outdoor/hiking purposes. If I could only have one, that would be it.
 
The only stories I've ever read about people successfully killing bears or cougars with knives usually involved the bodies of both the person and animal being found in close proximity to one another. That's the way things can go in a knife fight, winning means that your opponent dies first, not necessarily that you live to tell the story.

Since it's a winter outing, you're probably pretty safe from bears because they'll be hibernating. Most bear attacks happen when a person blunders between a sow and her cubs in the late spring/early summer. Normally, unless you're in an area where they've become used to humans because someone's been feeding them, wild animals avoid people. Your best bet to avoid a confrontation is to make enough noise that you don't surprise predators and to store your food properly so that nothing is tempted to forage in your camp (or especially in your tent).

If you do find yourself in a short range confrontation, I've heard of two strategies with a fair chance of success. The first is to slowly, calmly, back away. The second is to yell, wave your arms and try to startle the predator into giving way. Personally, I'd go with the first one. DO NOT turn around and run away; that's classic prey behavior -- it's unlikely to be successful unless you're a whole lot faster than anybody I've ever met.
 
Pretty much anything with a point can be used to stab. Khukuris' unique geometry and heavy blade make them lackluster performers in this area. The Ultimate Fighter, if I recall correctly, does have a spear point, making it more apt at entering its target nose-first, but such a modification might make it difficult to baton the blade if needed. The UBE also looks more conducive to stabbing with its slightly upswept tip and more linear layout.
 
Just my two cents - if you're going with a lighter brush style blade, a little longer is better. You get the mass out further which helps make up for the lighter weight. I think most weight concerns are mostly overplayed in terms of carrying. Get the type of blade that'll do the job you think you'll need it for. I have a Kobra, and it's a little light for machete work - I'm sure it would work, but I agree with SteelyGunz that the Sirupati is a better all-rounder. Also, for wild animal defense - I have always heard that pepper spray works well - I have seen Alaska bush pilots who had large cans for bears. I was told wild animals can relate to an "animal" that sprays nasty stuff at them and will retreat, as opposed to firearms. Can anybody confirm this?
 
From what I've read, bear spray works...sometimes, sometimes it don't, same with wearing bells to make your presence known. Sometimes you find bear poop, that has bells in it, and smelling of bear spray. :)

Best defense against bears is having someone with you....that runs slower then you. lol

Frankly, if I was worried about bears, I'd bring something with more horsepower then a big knife!
 
Ditto on what the other guys said. Plus, a khuk handles so differently from anything else, I'd recomend a good bit of backyard practice before going into the Wayback. With that said, I dayhike the woods quiet a bit with my 15"AK, firesteel & SAK & don't feel underequiped.
Uplander
 
.44mag and 20" Ang Khola; a good Bear Defense System.

HPIM0516.jpg
 
Mental preparedness is 90% of it. If having a khuk makes you feel more confident about possible dangers, it's a better tool to have than one that doesn't inspire confidence... like a cheap machete.

If Timothy Treadwell had a 20" AK instead of a frying pan... :eek:

... he'd still have been et. He was an idiot. :foot:


Mike
 
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