New Guy

Originally posted by munk .......
Dean, ........ (Anyone know how I got on the BudK mailing list?....)
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www.google.com budk knife

http://www.budkww.com/

What is your experience with these cheap India made models? If you hit a dry limb of wood with one what happens to the blade and what happens to the wood? Do the handles stay on?
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The one I bought was from Atlanta Cutlery at:
http://216.245.165.123/cgi-bin/www11651.storefront
Item A, the chiruwa style grip "Gurkha issue".

In the little bit of use mine got I noticed no problems.
Just took it out to try it on a 5" dry limb and it bit in about 1.5"
on a strong downward stroke at 45 degrees to the surface.
I re-sharpened it from the ground factory edge when I got it,
but it's not shaving sharp.
Edge took no damage in this case.
I can't recall damage from previous uses.
Handle is very secure with heavy wood, heavy pins and steel plate buttcap.
It feels sturdy,
but different than the HI products.

Maybe it's the balance.

It looks and feels more like a tool you'd get in a hardware store:
It's thinner/lighter than a comparable length Birgorkha product.
Convex edge.
Differentially hardened edge (I etched it with soapy vinegar to check)
But edge not as hard as a Birgorkha model.
Other than that I can't be more specific.
Steel is greyer than HI blade.
Even when both rubbed out to satin finish.
Sheath OK, but not as nice as we get with HI blades.
Think black shoe leather.
The sheath is noticably thinner front to back than the HI.
Part of this is because they have included two paper-thin kardas
that slip into leather slots rather than pockets.

On the whole I consider it $25 well spent.
But, I'd rather have a 15-18" AK to go chopping with.
The HI models feel more substantial in most ways.
But the Windlass/AtlantaCutlery is not a toy,
it's a usable tool.
It has no -faults- that I can point to.
But then I can't point to any beauty/excellence either.
The HI models show the work that went into them and are by far better products.
-IF- someone only could afford $25 for a khukuri,
they would be pleased with this blade.
If they could save up, they would be much more pleased with HI.
I've no idea how it compares to any of the ColdSteel or other brands
of assembly line khukuris.
 
I wonder if I recall this correctly; wasn't it Cliff Stamp who wrote of a Cold Steel losing a large chunk right out of the blade?

munk
 
Originally posted by munk
What is your experience with these cheap India made models? If you hit a dry limb of wood with one what happens to the blade and what happens to the wood? Do the handles stay on
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Munk, I got my first "khukuri" from a Sportsman's Guide catalog. I'd picked up a few decent cheap bayonets from them in the past and decided I could risk $13.97 on their India "khukuri."

What I got was a thin bladed (<1/4" thick), unsharpened 15" knife of soft steel. The handle is too short to use and the objects that are supposed to pass for a karda and chakma are more suited for use as feeler gauges. The scabbard is basically balsawood and imitation naugahyde. No naugas died in the manufacture of this product.

I sharpened it with a file and tested it, but it's too soft to hold an edge. It will effectively bludgeon small limbs from trees, however. I have since relegated it to throwing-knife status and as yet have not managed to break the handle.

This post is not intended to be a slight against Sportsman's Guide, I have purchased many fine outdoor items from them in the past and will continue to do so in the future. But the "khukuri" was seriously lacking in substance. The upside to the story is it inspired me to search for a quality khuk which ultimately led me to HI.
 
Raghorn, the hilts on the Sportsman's guide khuks are surprisingly horn. Was my first khuk as well, though it only cost $5 when I bought it. Must have been a sale. I guess they werent kidding when the only gave the knives 2 stars out of a potential 5. That aside, the best way to shop Sportsmans guide was to go to their warehouse store. Everything is there, as well as stuff not in the catalog, also special sales. They used to sell gun's there as well (my dad actually bought a .45 from em many years back). Though the recent catalogs dont talk too much about the store. Wonder if its still around (though Ive seen small outlets here and there in the metro area, cant find any mention of the big warehouse store).
 
When my father and I went, about 10 years ago, we were planning on buying just a pair of boots, ended up leaving with a bunch of pants ($5 is a magic number for me), a couple pairs of boots, a couple of jackets, a few boxes of ammunition, and a .45. Always liked the Sportsmans guide catalogs, liked the store better (not paying shipping really makes a difference), but cant for the life of me find anymore mention of it.
 
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