Recommend my first HI khukuri... leaning WWI or Ang Khola 16.5" w/ wood handle

[wacki]

Thinking about a Khukuri or two.

Don't own one yet and as of right now my preference is:
1) Dedicated tool for camping... I hike a lot.
2) All purpose Khukuri for you know... when the world ends and Zombies roam the earth and you are surviving on coconuts. Everyone needs one of these right?

My Height: 6'-5"
My weight: 200 lbs
Blade finish: dull... hides scratches better
Handle: leaning wood because it's lower maintenance?!?! but I could be convinced otherwise
Cosmetics: Keep it simple. This is a hard use tool. I preferred dull colors over glittery gold and engravings.


Responses in my previous thread on this topic told me to come here. Someone suggested I get a cheaper trainer to learn on first. Maybe this?

British Gurkha Kukri - Authentic Defender Knife or Khukri
by EGKH.











This was my original post from gen forum

==========================================================================
I'm leaning towards wood handles for maintenance reasons.
Leaning WWII model because of this quote from below: "probably the best combination of weapon and tool that can be had."

Is the Ang Khola just a great camping tool? The descriptions at the links are somewhat vague. Also what's the best "fighting" khukuri?


WWII
http://yhst-7333098713883.stores.yahoo.net/165inchwwii.html

16.5 inch WWII

The workhorse of the Gurkas during WWII, this model saw service in both Europe and Pacific theaters. Our number three best seller, this is probably the best combination of weapon and tool that can be had. This khukuri is the favorite of many Bando practitioners. If you try it you will quickly fall in love with it. This 16.5 inch version is about 3/8 inch thick and will weigh in at about 1.5 pounds.

Ang Khola
http://yhst-7333098713883.stores.yahoo.net/changkh.html

British SAS
http://yhst-7333098713883.stores.yahoo.net/brarse1.html


And this quote

I would choose instead from a 16.5" WWII or the AK. Those will have similar weights. I have both, and considering how many kuks I've owned (20+), that I have only those two left should say something.

I think that horn handles vs wood handles are a personal preference. I think that the horn handles are more traditional, but they can shrink over time & I think they're a little more work to maintain. I like the chiurwa wood handles myself - full tang handles with wood scales held on with rivets.

 

[HoosierQ]

The Ang Khola is pretty much a dedicated chopper...especially the Chirawa Ang Khola. While traditional in many ways, the Ang Khola is probably the greatest deviation from the old war-time Khukuris in the HI line. H.I.'s core customer base is the outdoor, bushcraft crowd so they've thickened them up dramatically.

I have a British Army Service and my next one will be either a WWII or the M43. The BAS is a very good all pupose Khukuri but seldom can be had with wood. Look hard at the M43 as well as the WWII.. That is a H.I. version of the WWI Khukuri. The Gurkhas used to crawl across no man's land at night and attack the enemy trenches with, among other weapons, Khukuris. It was a very effective tactic and the Germans were scared to death of the Gurkhas.

My vote would be WWII. The WWII has a big handle, and will handle very swiftly. It has what's called a bull nose for strength.

I am NOT an advocate of the knife as weapon. However, probably no knife exceeds the Khukuri for the role of weapon (in the less than expertly trained hand) because of the more natural striking motion. The Gurkhas preferred a low guard, stiking upward and outward. Rather gruesome to contemplate but that's how it works.

 

[ArchAngel]

I think that you would get better insight in the Himalayan Imports sub-forum. Everyone there has and uses HI khukuris so they will have lots of input.
Personally when I think of a weapons related khuk, I think 18" Gelbu Special. For an all around beater do all khuk I think 18" Ang Khola.
My favorite HI all purpose khuk is the 17 1/4", 28 oz. YCS, followed closely by my 21 9/16", 29 0z Foxy Folly. I tend to like khuks with full bellys and deep fullers.
Good Luck looking, that's half of the fun!

 

[Steely_Gunz]

AA is right Come on over to the HI subforum and ask away We love talking with new folks.
I see that you are interested in the ASTK from another post. Great khuk, but probably not as graceful as your average WWII. Please keep in mind that a lot of the descriptions on the HI site are a little dated. Still very, very good information, but there have been a lot of special runs that crop up from time to time that you can only find by following the forum discussion.

To answer your question, I love the 18" WWII. However, I think that the new model called the Manakamana Special has dethroned it as a graceful heavy weapon and field khuk. Very nice blade shape. Very long handle for various grips. Chiruwa/full tang. Just a joy to swing

 

[shortwinger]

Wacki,

The first thing you can do to help us with a recommendation is to narrow down [all purpose] kukri. Why? Because to start with the two models you mentioned are complete opposites, one being a heavy chopping village farm tool and the other a military issued weapon. And in many cases, the military models you can buy today don't even slightly resemble the authentic versions.

The kukri is a purpose driven tool and can be thought of as a screw driver. If you were the mechanic and you asked your assistant to hand you a screw driver you may get anything from a star to a phillips#2 to a square bit. Rarely would the wrong screw driver actually do the job. Same with a kukri, you have farm tools designed for anything from light chopping to heavy chopping, military issued models that are authentic or cheap tourist reproductions that are not even heat treated. Other military models such as the Sirupate & Gelbu are [were] favored as weapons because they are [were] light fast and agile but, if you buy them from the wrong place they will be big slow and heavy. Virtually every model has this degree of variation so the more info you give about what you are really going to use it for the better off you are.

If you read the endless posts about a first kukri you will see certain things pop up over and over again. What are you using it for? How will you carry it? How big are you? You will also see the some similar recommendations about a sensible way to progress. The kukri is not only puporse driven, it also has a bit of a learning curve to use properly and safely. During this learning curve many people decide they don't like the way a kukri handles while others absolutely fall in love with it.

So where to start? I would begin with a BAS, also called a BSI. (British Army Service, British Service Issue). This is the current military issue, it is the smallest easiest kukri to learn on, the easiest to acquire and the least expensive. It also has the least amount of rejects because they know people don't buy this for the table top display, they use it. The BAS is a nice all purpose kukri because of its evolution from a fighting blade to the current all around military utility knife. By utility it is meant that it will do anything from fight, to cut, to chop to speading butter.

Also keep in mind that while it is considered common and even called a small kukri, the BAS would still make Rambo's knife look like a toy and is still a formidable tool. Many new comers go off on tangents about full tangs or wood versus horn but for many many years the rat tang, horn handle has been used in the military issue and it works just fine so don't get hung up on these issues because they aren't really a problem. I would get the raw unpolished horn handle and satin finished blade to start with unless you really plan to use this as a desk top display. This model is often referred to as a Jungle model [the same blade with a polished horn handle and polished blade is called a Service No1.] But it is hard to keep the blade polished if you use it and people get frustrated and eventually just end up with a satin finish. The raw horn handle is not as slippery as you would think and actualy has a good secure feel to it.

Good luck on your search.

 

[HoosierQ]

...To answer your question, I love the 18" WWII. However, I think that the new model called the Manakamana Special has dethroned it as a graceful heavy weapon and field khuk. Very nice blade shape. Very long handle for various grips. Chiruwa/full tang. Just a joy to swing

I am not seeing the Manakamana Special on the HI website. I have the BAS and I like the service type models. How does one get a look at the Manakamana Special? Thanks. QB

 

[wildmike]

M43! Best performing all around.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

I am not seeing the Manakamana Special on the HI website. I have the BAS and I like the service type models. How does one get a look at the Manakamana Special? Thanks. QB

I recently used one as a primary camping blade and it rocked Way more lively in hand than it has any right to be for an 18" 2lb piece of steel

 

[wacki]

Why not? And what do you prefer?

Thanks!

The Ang Khola is pretty much a dedicated chopper...especially the Chirawa Ang Khola. While traditional in many ways, the Ang Khola is probably the greatest deviation from the old war-time Khukuris in the HI line. H.I.'s core customer base is the outdoor, bushcraft crowd so they've thickened them up dramatically.

I have a British Army Service and my next one will be either a WWII or the M43. The BAS is a very good all pupose Khukuri but seldom can be had with wood. Look hard at the M43 as well as the WWII.. That is a H.I. version of the WWI Khukuri. The Gurkhas used to crawl across no man's land at night and attack the enemy trenches with, among other weapons, Khukuris. It was a very effective tactic and the Germans were scared to death of the Gurkhas.

My vote would be WWII. The WWII has a big handle, and will handle very swiftly. It has what's called a bull nose for strength.

I am NOT an advocate of the knife as weapon. However, probably no knife exceeds the Khukuri for the role of weapon (in the less than expertly trained hand) because of the more natural striking motion. The Gurkhas preferred a low guard, stiking upward and outward. Rather gruesome to contemplate but that's how it works.

 

[wacki]

deleted after thread merge. edited original post.

 

[Karda]

I moved your thread from general to here since you reposted, Wacki.
Next time please use the little triangle in the lower left of every post to report a thread you wish to be moved elsewhere on the site.
This is also to be used to report posts that break rules, trolling, fighting etc.......


I myself would recommend the 16.5" WWII as your first. It is probably one of the easiest to learn to hit the sweet spot on and will train you well.
It was also Uncle Bills favorite model.

 

[Shinook]

I'm going to throw my vote in for the BAS. Its a wonderful knife. Its very easy to start using even if you don't have any experience with khukuri. Its light, fast, beautiful! And yet it will still hold up to a full day's worth of work. It wont weight you down carrying it(I don't really notice it at all). But it is an excellent chopper for its size and weight.
I got mine as a blem with a satisal wood handle. I put an ugly patch on it and have been loving this knife every since. I haven't ever used a WWII, and I imagine they are also wonderful. But know for a fact that you can't go wrong with a BAS as your first khukuri.

Of course, the best thing to do is lurch around the forum and try to shark a BAS or WWII that pops up in the DOTD. I got a great deal on my BAS that way. The only downside to this technique is that you will become obsessed with them and your collection will grow faster than your wife is happy about... When it comes to khukuri, there can never be only one...

 

[sweetcostarica]

Hi Wacki,
Welcome to the forum.

You state:

Thinking about a Khukuri or two.
Don't own one yet and as of right now my preference is:
1) Dedicated tool for camping... I hike a lot.
2) All purpose Khukuri for you know... when the world ends and Zombies roam the earth and you are surviving on coconuts. Everyone needs one of these right?

My opinion for 1) is: like most forum members have said the BSI is a great choice for a hiking partner and camp use. I also think the ugly villager Kukris are even better for your specifications. They are built for one thing: work. They are perfect for hiking in the 17 to 20 oz weights.

Above picture by jroden54
2) This is a hard one because it sounds like you want an all purpose knife but it has to be big/long enough to fight in self defense with. Those two don't work very well together. I would do this get a Sirupate for the end of the world chaos to fight with and carry a Mora or Fallkniven to do the small stuff. Gurkhas love the Sirupate for fighting and is has the best reach to keep you out of harms way.

Whatever you decide enjoy it and life.

 

[wildmanh]

Hi Wacki, welcome to the H.I. Forum!

My recommendation is the 16.5" WWII at around 24 to 26 onces. I've had a 16.5" WWII thats 21 onces w/horn handle for over 9 years now and it's my go to camping blade. Mine at 21 onces is on the light side for the 16.5" versions and feels more like a martial arts blade then a brute chopper like my 15" Ang Khola. It handles brush clearing, wood chopping, food prep and SD uses. One in the 24 to 26 once range will most likely be a little better at chopping. . .

I also have an 18" 28 once WWII with horn handle. It's not as lively and fast in the hand as my 16.5" WWII (I think Master Kami Bura made it more as a fighter) but it sure packs a punch on wood. The 18" Eats pine logs for lunch and keeps coming back for more. It's slowly becoming my main car camping chopper. If that happens the 16.5" Will be mainly my hiking buddy.

Heber

 

[sweetcostarica]

I just want to state something about carry weight (I'm big on this) to keep things in perspective. The BSI is the current Issue Kukri to Gurkha Soldiers. They use this knife more for camping since hand to hand combat is very rare on today's battle field do to reliable high-tech automatic weapons. The BSI Service Number One or Two is what they use and they think it's most effective weight is around 500 grams (17.5 oz) to 550 grams (19.4 oz).
The Nepali Army uses a lighter weight version of this one. So if you are a hiker or concerned about weight this is the best one that the experts use and not just in Nepal.
Important Note: You should use the two finger loose Asian style grip and make small cuts as opposed to the Western tight grip with powerful chops to cut through the wood in record time.

From here you can add more weight to your Kukri and lengthen it. I find many folks on our forum do this for various reasons. Which is fine but overkill for your purpose of hiking. In the camping role (especially vehicle camping) you can go wild and as long as your arm can handle the weight the sky's the limit.

Just remember the heavier a Kukri is then the less effective it is in self defense and the harder it is to carry.
The best combat weight by Gurkha standards is 570 grams (20 oz).

 

[sweetcostarica]

Why not? And what do you prefer?

If I may answer for HoosierQ and he can correct me if I am wrong. When he says: "I am NOT an advocate of the knife as weapon" what he is saying is a knife fight is the last place you want to be. The winner of a real down and dirty knife fight is the last one to die from blood loss.
The knife is a last, last ditch weapon. Most people today carry semi-automatic pistols or revolvers for self-defense instead of a knife. Think Indiana Jones.

 

[wildmanh]

If I may answer for HoosierQ and he can correct me if I am wrong. When he says: "I am NOT an advocate of the knife as weapon" what he is saying is a knife fight is the last place you want to be. The winner of a real down and dirty knife fight is the last one to die from blood loss.
The knife is a last, last ditch weapon. Most people today carry semi-automatic pistols or revolvers for self-defense instead of a knife. Think Indiana Jones.
View attachment 304036

I agree with this!!

 

[Steely_Gunz]

Yep, a knife is a terrible way to end an altercation.

I have always tried to
Be undesirable (most people don't mess with someone who is not a soft target) disengage (ie walk away) then defuse (not take a verbal threat personally or give the aggressor REASON to pursue) then evade (get the hell out of dodge)

If those don't work and physical violence happens (luckily I have never had to go past "defuse"), my pistol is getting drawn. A knife would only be something I would draw if I were blindsided and couldn't reach my gun or if my pistol were kicked away.

That said, if I HAD to use a knife, a lighter more balanced khuk would be my first choice. Something about 15-16" in length with a weight of 15-20 oz would feel pretty good.

 

[sweetcostarica]

A knife would only be something I would draw if I were blindsided and couldn't reach my gun or if my pistol were kicked away.

That said, if I HAD to use a knife, a lighter more balanced khuk would be my first choice. Something about 15-16" in length with a weight of 15-20 oz would feel pretty good.

Great response Jake. I only have a problem with your last statement. In most states it is illegal to carry a fixed blade or a folding knife over three and a half inches (3.5) inches in the city. So are you referring to a hiking/camping situation outside city limits where it is totally OK to carry longer blades and fixed knifes?
I only ask this so no one gets into serious trouble misunderstanding our discussion. We are not talking about illegally carrying a 15 to 16 inch Kukri about around town for self-defense.

Laws for knife blade length link below:
http://thefiringline.com/library/blades/knifelaws.html

 

[wacki]

The best combat weight by Gurkha standards is 570 grams (20 oz).

Where did you get that standard?

from the site:

The workhorse of the Gurkas during WWII, this model saw service in both Europe and Pacific theaters. Our number three best seller, this is probably the best combination of weapon and tool that can be had. This khukuri is the favorite of many Bando practitioners.

Apparently Bando practitioners like 1.5 or 2 lbs (website is vaugue on 16.5 or 18 inch) and Gurkas like the lighter 1.25 lbs?