Received my 1st new HI Kukri today......

HighlanderNorth · Jul 6, 2012

I just got home from an unbelievably HOT day at work about 30 minutes ago, and right when I was bringing my cooler inside, the mail man drove up, and handed me the mail and a package. It was the 18" HI WWII model Kukri I ordered Monday(4 days ago).

So I bring it in an open it up...........and............Wow. Maybe I'm not being clear enough...........WOW!!

I didnt actually see a picture of this knife before I bought it, so today was the first time I saw it, and all I can say is that the various pictures listed here and on the website dont do these justice from what I now see.

The blade is very shiny and well polished. I have not yet removed the oil on the blade, but it looks great so far. The handle looks great. all the metal pieces such as the pommels are tight, with no gaps or looseness. The sheath is nicer than I expected. I assumed it was going to be leather, but I didnt realize how thick and solid it was going to be. It fits fairly tightly, and I cant see the knife from falling out of it. The 2 little knives(cant remember the names) are well matched to the Kukri.

So Its very nice and well worth the money.:thumbup:

The only downside I see right now, is that it looks too nice to actually go out and use for work. I would NOT want to go and scrath, dent or crack anything. I'm sure its very tough, but its just too nice to use regularly. I will use the Ontario Kukri I got several day ago for everyday work, and this will be a decorative piece. Just cant see damaging it..... It would bother me if it got messed up in any way!

So thats it. It looks great. I'd recommend them to anyone who's in the market for a well made knife.

wildmike · Jul 6, 2012

They look even better used.

Now get an M43.

Jroden5446 · Jul 6, 2012

Bah! HIs are meant to be used

And, pics?

BILLB OKC · Jul 6, 2012

"So Its very nice and well worth the money."

How do you know for sure if you don't use it?

HighlanderNorth · Jul 6, 2012

BILLB OKC said:
"So Its very nice and well worth the money."

How do you know for sure if you don't use it?

Well, I can look at a $400 Busse knife and tell its nice without using it, so this is the same idea.

What I'll probably do is buy a blem and use it for work. Problem solved.

HighlanderNorth · Jul 7, 2012

Jroden5446 said:
Bah! HIs are meant to be used

And, pics?

Yeah, I know its best to use them to 'prove' that its a good knife and all, but I'm sure there are people who buy these, even members here, that have one or two for work and others that they dont use at all, or dont use hard, for show pieces. I will likely pick up a blem or another, lighter model for work, as this weighs around 30-32oz(or so), is a bit heavy for the brush clearing, briar bush lopping I have in mind.

As far as pics. Thats going to have to wait, as I got water droplets into my Nikon 8700 in mid-May during a 9 mile solo kayaking trip down the Loxahatchee river in SE Florida while on vacation. I had the camera(and everything else) in ziplock bags. But on the 4.5 mile trip back the ziplock failed and 'some' water got in. There was water inside the zoom lens for weeks, then it dried but left spots(brackish water) on the lens. I have not yet sent it back to Nikon for paid repairs.

M4cr0s · Jul 7, 2012

@ HighlanderNorth

Probably not worth it to get a camera that old that have been exposed to water repaired. It will very, very likely be corroded internally and even if it powers on after drying it can quit on you anytime. Some water spots on the lens elements is the least of it's worries. Basically the service people will have to switch the internals to guarantee a working camera and that'll cost more than it's worth, perhaps more than was it was new!

Mac

HighlanderNorth · Jul 7, 2012

M4cr0s said:
@ HighlanderNorth

Probably not worth it to get a camera that old that have been exposed to water repaired. It will very, very likely be corroded internally and even if it powers on after drying it can quit on you anytime. Some water spots on the lens elements is the least of it's worries. Basically the service people will have to switch the internals to guarantee a working camera and that'll cost more than it's worth, perhaps more than was it was new!

Mac

Yeah, thats what I was afraid of. But it didnt get a lot of water into the ziplock it was in, it didnt fill up or anything, it just got some droplets into the lens and battery area. When I noticed that the ziplock wasnt working anymore during the kayaking trip, I flipped the camera and the ziplock upside down so no water would get in and fill the baggie, but some droplets still got inside it. I removed the battery immediately when I got back to the dock, and didnt turn the camera on for about 2 weeks. It came on and everything, but there is a red warning light inside the lens when you go to take a picture. All the other functions work though. There was only a few drops in the outer part of the zoom lens, but it was enough to leave spots.

I really like the camera. It was expensive when it came out in 2004. It had better resolution that everything except for the most expensive SLR's. The mid priced SLR"s were 5-6 MP's at that time, but the 8700 was 8 mp. It's in a category of camera in between point and shoot and SLR's, called a "super-zoom". When I went and looked at new cameras in the last 6 weeks, I noticed that pretty much every camera at the stores is now made of plastic! My 8700 is made of an outer frame of cast/machined magnesium. That alone is one major reason I hope I can just get the lens cleaned out and it will be fine. It takes great pictures, and I've had many pics blown up to 18" x 24", and you cannot see any pixellation even when blown up that large.

But who knows whats going to happen with it........ If they want anything over $200 to fix it, then I probably wont do it.

sweetcostarica · Jul 7, 2012

HighlanderNorth said:
...So Its very nice and well worth the money.:thumbup:

The only downside I see right now, is that it looks too nice to actually go out and use for work. I would NOT want to go and scrath, dent or crack anything. I'm sure its very tough, but its just too nice to use regularly. I will use the Ontario Kukri I got several day ago for everyday work, and this will be a decorative piece. Just cant see damaging it..... It would bother me if it got messed up in any way!

Now you see why I said:
"The above not withstanding for a little more for than the price of the above big knife nothing beats the handmade quality of a Himalayan Imports Khukuri (or other high quality maker). And HighlanderNorth these Khukuris although beautiful are made to get in the mud and work HARD. After a good day work hose it off and start again tomorrow. But I do understand not wanting to scratch or dent these magnificent knives"

I'm very happy you like the Himalayan Imports Khukuri. Now you see what a well made real Kukri is like. I guest all on this forum reacted in the way you did. Handmade HQ Knives are real neat but life is too short to have a nice wall hanger; you should use it just as much as the Ontario Kukri or other big knife.
For myself, I am not strong enough to swing around 30 ounces of knife that why I usually buy HI Sirupates. They chop reasonably well and weight about 21 oz which is idea for my style of camping because I carry it and use it quite a bit.

Thanks for the update HighlanderNorth

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