Might be poor ettiquette to do so in the HI forum.
True. But it would also be poor ettiquette to say that everything that doesn't come from HI is junk. My thought was that, looking at the market, someone is already familiar with some of the range of khukuri companies out there. Perhaps some more info is in order:
In my mind, khukuris on the market fall into three categories:
1. Curved "tactical" blades. (also known as khuk-like objects) The Cold Steel knives exemplify this category, though I've seen other versions. They are basically curved machettes. The steel is rather thin, and handles are usually synthetic. The thin blade doesn't have enough weight to chop well in heavy woods, the handle tends to transmit shock from chopping, and there have been reports of breakage. These may work OK on light brush, but not for heavy work. The Cold Steel models are overpriced, relative to what a similar sum would get you in a real khuk.
2. Tourist junk - these are designed for show, similar to $5 Pakistani folders you get at the flea market, or most "samuri" swords. Steel is the cheapest available, and hardening is suspect. Either they will be too soft to sharpen or so hard they break with use. They may be chromed to make them shiny and pretty. Handles may be poorly secured. Some versions are stamped rather than forged. Overall, these are for hanging on your wall, not actually using. Use may be hazardous to your health.
3. Working blades - these are the real khukuri used daily in Nepal for everything from skinning animals to chopping wood, and made famous by Gorkha soldiers. Some exported versions are built a little bit better than what you might find in use. Basic features are a forged blade, differentially tempered with a hard edge and a softer spine. Ideally, the hardest part of the edge should come around the belly of the curve (the "smile" shape near the tip). A file should barely bite into this area. The tip should be soft, in case you hit a rock or knot while chopping. The blade nearer to the handle also tends to be softer than the belly, based on the hardening method used. All real khukuris have a "cho" - the weird cut-out near the handle. Handles tend to be natural materials, either horn or wood, with brass fittings. Nickle-silver or other white metal is also used. Another key feature of a quality khuk is the tang, which should go all the way through the handle and be peened over the butt cap. Lesser quality khuks have a shorter tang glued into the handle, with a nail at the buttcap. These khuks may be serviceable if otherwise well made, but the handle will come unglued eventually. Some khuks use slab handles - flat tang, with two slabs riveted to the sides (Chiruwa style). This construction is also durable, but can transmit more shock to your hand.
Forging is done by hand, usually from recycled leaf springs. Leaf springs are a venerable knife-making material. Even modern forgers in America have been known to make knives out of leaf springs, so you can get good steel if you know what to look for. HI kamis prefer Mercedes leaf springs, but other brands are used. I've seen companies claim to use railroad rails or spikes as well. I've never used such a knife, but I doubt the performance would be as good.
4. Antiques - these can be either old working blades, old tourist junk, or old fancy/dress blades. Some hundred-year-old khuks can be had for less than $100, while exceptional examples go much, much higher. There are a number of experts on the HI site who collect old blades, but it takes quite a bit of knowledge to be able to estimate fair prices. There have also been reports of old working blades being sharpened up and brought back into service. There's nothing wrong with that - many well built knives still have lots of life in them - but I'd make sure you weren't beating up something rare.
Of the working blades on the market, most seem to come out of shops in Nepal (maybe some from India?). If you've done some googling, you've probably found a few in addition to HI. I don't own any knives from other khukri companies, but the user reports I've read on Bladeforums suggest that their blades aren't junk. If you take them into the woods, you can hack stuff up without too many problems. However, I would personally buy from HI for the following reasons:
1. Cost wise, shipping is included. Some other companies charge you $40 for the knife, and $100 for shipping from Nepal.
2. Yandgu's Best Buys are really steals. $90 is an obscenely low price for a hunk of steel as large, well built, and functional as an HI khuk
3. Quality - HI fit and finish is a bit higher than what I've seen elsewhere (comparing pics on the web). HI has been in business for a bit longer than most of the other houses, so I think their kamis are a bit more experienced and better focused on the Western market (that is, we can get handles that aren't Nepali-sized. Americans tend to be larger, with larger hands). Bura is the royal kami, and probably the most experienced man in Nepal today.
4. Customer service - Your order arrives faster than just about anything in the mail. Also, if you have a problem (which does happen from time to time in a hand-made product) HI stands behind the product. Yangdu is in Reno, so you don't have to ship back and forth through international mail, customs, etc. You don't want your shipper to be 5,000 miles and three months of mail away if you get the one in 10,000 blade that fails.
5. General knowledge and helpfulness - there's a huge amount of experience on the HI forum. You can't buy that support, guidance or friendship at any price.
Sorry for the long answer to a simple question. I hope I made it clear why I prefer HI to Cold Steel, Ebay, and any of the other khuk companies out there.
So, decided on a model yet?
:thumbup:
