Ranger RD9 VS Kuhkuri

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Vivi

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I have a Kuhkuri roughly the size of a Ranger RD9, the latter of which I might be getting sometime soon. I was wondering what people thought of these two blades stacked up side by side?

The RD9 looked like it could be more of an all purpose cutting tool. Do similar chopping and batoning as the Kuhk but due to the tall flat grind still be able to make decent slices. Paired up with a SAK Farmer it'd be a pretty good combination I bet

Which would you rather have for the woods and why?
 
Ranger RD because of solid design and bulletproof execution made by Justin. It will not fail on you. I was first going to say RD because Justin rocks but toned it down see :)
 
You could take either one, a 4" blade, and the SAK...there wouldn't be anything you couldn't tackle..the only detail would be who made the Kukri..
Gene
 
The typical khukuri set-up comes with a small knife ("karda") in recognition of the need. If a good brand, like HI, the khukuri will withstand any reasonable demand -- and most unreasonable demands.

The RD-9 (with it's 10" blade [Justin does not count the 1" choil.]) is quite tough (Although not differentially hardened, it's 1/4" thick spring steel.) and would be a compromise between the khukuri and it's companion karda.

You will only know which is best for you and your tasks by trial.
 
I should think that a good khuk like an HI would be better as far as heavy duty work goes, but the ranger would be faster, (I think) so for lighter stuff like food prep and sharpening a stick I think the Ranger would be better. Orrrrrrrr... I completly wrong about everything I just said...
 
It is a really hard choice.

Justin and Yangdu are on my top list of great people to deal with about sharp things.

I wouldn't be able to choose between the two. That's why I have 2 khuks and a Ranger. At the moment I only have a RD6 but I want a bigger one eventually (read: when I'll have the money).

Easy choice would be to get both. But it's a very hard choice.

Here is a shitty group pic that could help for the size:
From top to bottom
15"BAS
RD6
18" Ganga Ram.
DSC01175.jpg


So a RD9 would be approximately the same size as a 15" khuk.

You can't really go wrong with either a Ranger or a HI khuk.
(Both are easy to sell/trade too)
 
I have the kuhk and if things go right I'll get an RD9 soon. I'll do a head to head comparison myself and see what I think. I feel the RD9 will do all the chopping and batoning I need while being slightly more efficient at the smaller knife tasks. I don't use the small knife that comes with a kuhk really,I have more comfortable small knives I bring along. My kuhk actually has a Mora attached to its sheath with electrical tape right now.

Real similar purposes but different takes on the design. Hope I get to do the comparison, it'll be fun.
 
I'd go with an RD-9 only because Justin's a real great guy with great service and quick turn-around times. Other than that I could see both a HI kuhk and an Rd-9 performing on par with each other.
 
+1 on the RD9. I feel it is better for a wider range of tasks than the Khukuri. If it is to be a designated chopper, then I would probably lean towards the Khukuri. The RD9 has a full tang which I really like, and a micarta handle which is very tough stuff.
 
John79 said:
I should think that a good khuk like an HI would be better as far as heavy duty work goes, but the ranger would be faster, (I think) so for lighter stuff like food prep and sharpening a stick I think the Ranger would be better. Orrrrrrrr... I completly wrong about everything I just said...
Click to expand...

Nope, your right...I wasn't a believer in HI kuks until I went out on a limb and bought one, I then chopped the limb off, and plumeted to reality..you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars to have a really effective chopper...My Kukri will out chop any straight blade out there...period. Maybe its heavier, but the chopping power is up there with an Axe.
 
I've got several khukuris from HI (and others), and the smallest of mine, a British Army Special (BAS) is a 15 inch model. It will handily outchop my CS Trailmaster, which is quite a chopper for a straight blade - very forward weighted due to the hidden tang construction. I doubt the RD 9 would chop as well as the TM. But the BAS will easily outchop them both.

But for other tasks, unless you are from Nepal and have used khukuris your whole life, the RD 9 might be better suited for all other needs.
 
I'm EDCing a HI Bilton (7 in blade) to see how it works for me. I can do any thing with it that I can do with a Becker necker, Spyderco Morgan, Becker Companion or the blade on the SOG multi plier. (some other EDCs) It excels at many task and is only as awkward as any 6-7 inch blade for finer works. (with a little technique)

As of now, 2 days in to the experiment I don't see my self going back to a straight blade in this size for any thing except a designated slicer in the kitchen. The shape of the kurkri has to many advantages.

It is not a 3 inch detail blade, not a neck knife and not a multi tool. It is a draw knife, a light chopper, a adequate slicer and a make shift ule if griped by the spline as well as doing any thing a straight blade can do. I haven't skinned any thing with it but don't doubt it would/could.

I am finding the same things true when putting my HI M-43 up against several Bowie's in the 9-10 inch range excelling in every thing I do with a big knife that wouldn't be done better with a 3-4 inch blade. Dose not' replace a smaller knife but excels in the big knife roll and gives a tomahawk/hatchet a run for its money as a chopper only tool.

If you were not backing it up with a SAK I may say the Ranger, Kurkris are a lot of knife and may not be 'as good' for small knife tasks as a large straight blade.

This doesn't mean I'm not looking at a RD9. Looks like a good blade and a tool worth owning, even though I own several knifes in that size range. But I'm a bit of a blade junkie.

Gata get a Gameskeeper first. Seems I am light in the 3-4 inch blades and heavy in the 9+ and hatchet/hawks. Don't own a folder that is not a pair of pliers.
 
I don't have any large ranger knife but I do have or have had several EDMF and MMHW big straight knives. No comparison the khuk is a better chopper.

Also on the dual aspect thing I don't really think that a big blade is that useful for knife like tasks.

I'd much rather have a 15" khukuri and a pocket knife
 
I've used a RD9 last night to chop branches for firewood and it works great on the light branches and 3-4" diameter stumps, but my 15" CAK Khukuri handled the stumps quicker. RD 9 would be a better carry if I wanted to limit weight but for Camp Choppin'...Khuk or axe wins hands down.
 
A Khuk (except some of the cheap imports) should easily outchop the RD9 and you will probably be carrying a smaller blade with you as well, so actually having to rely on either blade as a stand alone blade may never happen, but it will be interesting to see what you come up with.

I've used my WWII Khuk for kitchen duties like slicing and dicing veggies and meat, whittling, feathering a stick or two, peeling bark, removing sappling type limbs and chopping soft wood limbs up to 4" diameter and even though it was a little difficult to control at first in the small knife chores, it did a fairly good job.
 
I don't know it it's just me, but khuks seems to require more practice than regular knives.

I chopped some fallen dried trees last friday, I brought my 15" BAS and my RD6, it was almost easier with the RD (for the same tree, one I had to cut in 3).

Did it happened to you guys too? Did I simply missed the khuk's sweet spot?
 
I re-read through this thread, and thought I came off as a bit harsh. My khuk's do out-chop all of my fixed blades easily, but that doesn't mean that I don't like the RD 9. Too often in this forum, we get into some sort of an either/or debate when it doesn't have to be this way.

Either blade will serve you well, I'd be very comfortable relying on either as my "chopper'" in the woods. I'd also have 2 or 3 smaller blades on me, but that's just me.
 
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