Request for help in selecting right Khukuri for the job

Bladite said:
there have been many variants in the quest for foxy folly khuks in the past:

there are two current models of the foxy folly as well, there's a newish variant, as a combo with another knife, a bit modern in flavor - don't have one of those yet, but i figure, sooner or later... and the other, which pops up from time to time as well. you'll just have to look at the DOTDs and go back in time, not even a month or so, by hand, because google isn't finding them for me, and search is disabled for us freeloaders ;0

bladite
Click to expand...

Here's a pic of the new version with the quick draw sheath.

JWFFoverall.jpg


JW_QuickRelease.jpg
 
Wow. Just wow. I REALLY like that Foxy with the more modern or "western" style handle.

Is that one in the 17-18" range and under 2 lbs.? If so, I'm ready to make a purchase! :)

Nick
 
My $0.2

I'm in a similar boat to you here in NE Oklahoma. Except I'm chopping mulberry, wild rose, greenbriar, and other nameless vines on a property that was neglected for almost ten years and used as an illegal trash dump. On top of that last year was one of the wettest on record here and last winter we had a extremely nasty Ice storm that I am still clearing up.

I am currently using the following tools for my cleanup, Bank Blade, Two Types of Bush hooks, several variety of axes, two diffrent types of polesaws, two types of chain saws multiple types of machetes and a variety of Kukris both HI and non HI.

The HI Kuks I tend to use most often ( Out of the ones I own) are the M-43 and the Dui Chirra. These have heavy chopping power I need. Out of the 2 I would recomend the M-43. This is based on size, ability, availibility and cost.

The one I use the Least is the BAS and One I have never used is my Museum Model. with the exception of the MM all have had a workout

The Dui Chirra is a very capable blade (There is a reason I call mine a Nepelese Lightsaber) but it pretty much is available by special order ( read the kamis start making it when you order it). it also is not a blade that you want to swing for hours on end. Also If you start using the Dui Chirra read and reread the safety thread. I have had more close calls with this blade than I ever have had with any of my other Kukris or Axes. It is a very deceptive piece of craftsmanship. it will literly cut through stuff with almost no effort. You almost cannot tell it's true length or heft by intial feel.

Now haing said all of that, there is absolutely no way shape of form that I would ever willingly part with my Dui Chirra. Right now it is the Centerpiece of my HI collection and I have no regrets about owning one.

Near the chain link fence I would use the above mentioned Fiskars tools. I already have a ding near the tip of my M-43 due to a very hidden piece of steel wire behind the vines I was cutting through. That pretty much shut down any work with my HI's unless I am very sure there is nothing that will damage the blades. any kuk work is now done with my cheaper non HI blades and I try to advoid any work near metal unless I am using one of the studier Council Tool Bush Hooks or my $ 2.00 dollar chinese machete that I am trying to break.
 
Karda gave you really good advice.

I would especially suggest a
16.5" WWII
18-19" Chitlangi
BAS
15" AK

Have fun and be safe,

John
 
Pardon if this is previously mentioned, but I don't believe there is a plant called 'chapparel', but you may mean, as some have talked about, manzenetta (pardon the spelling!) That's common to the brushland of California. There are a lot of other tough shrubs there too. (If I'm wrong about chaperell that's Ok- I'm wrong about a lot of things)

That is one of the hardest plants there is to chop. It is not only very tough, but it gives under a blow, bouncing away and not allowing the full force of the blade to develope. I've tried both fast and light blades and heavy and slow. Honestly, though I've chopped the stuff, I still don't have an answer.
I usually go medium. Too heavy and I'm swinging extra weight for nothing. Too light and it's not digging in enough- a little weight helps. There's a limit to how much weight will actually impact on this material. Kinda like a big bore rifle round not able to expend all of its energy upon a small deer.

So, If I were buying just one, I'd go medium. Heavy to me is anything past a medium weighted 27 to 29 ounces. Some of the khuks have their sweet spots in slightly different locations. That's the part of the blade that naturally is balanced for the blow- like the part of a baseball bat you use effectively.

Whether you go light or medium, try and choose one that has a longer sweet spot, as you won't be able to strike a narrow area because the plant is going to move when you hit it. There's a technique of 'bunching' the branches as you hit, and medium and light blades do this. The branches slide along the edge so you not only get a chopping blow but a slicing one as well as it whips away./ That curve on the khuk really comes in handy.

I'd choose a heavy sirupate, or a WWll. Make sure it's 18".

What you've chosen to chop is one of the toughest jobs imaginable. And it's going to be hard on the blade also, because when the edge is embeded in the limbs they'll move and put side to side pressure on the metal. Edges have been known to chip with such work.

I hate tough whippy stuff. Up in Montana there's chokecherry and Juneberry, and various thorn shrubs, but none of them, not one, is as tough as manzenetta. (sic)

Oh, chopping in Spring might give you a slightly more vulnerable plant as the juices are flowing and it's softer than in late summer or early fall.


munk
 
munk said:
Pardon if this is previously mentioned, but I don't believe there is a plant called 'chapparel', but you may mean, as some have talked about, manzenetta (pardon the spelling!) That's common to the brushland of California. There are a lot of other tough shrubs there too. (If I'm wrong about chaperell that's Ok- I'm wrong about a lot of things)

That is one of the hardest plants there is to chop. It is not only very tough, but it gives under a blow, bouncing away and not allowing the full force of the blade to develope. I've tried both fast and light blades and heavy and slow. Honestly, though I've chopped the stuff, I still don't have an answer.
I usually go medium. Too heavy and I'm swinging extra weight for nothing. Too light and it's not digging in enough- a little weight helps. There's a limit to how much weight will actually impact on this material. Kinda like a big bore rifle round not able to expend all of its energy upon a small deer.

So, If I were buying just one, I'd go medium. Heavy to me is anything past a medium weighted 27 to 29 ounces. Some of the khuks have their sweet spots in slightly different locations. That's the part of the blade that naturally is balanced for the blow- like the part of a baseball bat you use effectively.

Whether you go light or medium, try and choose one that has a longer sweet spot, as you won't be able to strike a narrow area because the plant is going to move when you hit it. There's a technique of 'bunching' the branches as you hit, and medium and light blades do this. The branches slide along the edge so you not only get a chopping blow but a slicing one as well as it whips away./ That curve on the khuk really comes in handy.

I'd choose a heavy sirupate, or a WWll. Make sure it's 18".

What you've chosen to chop is one of the toughest jobs imaginable. And it's going to be hard on the blade also, because when the edge is embeded in the limbs they'll move and put side to side pressure on the metal. Edges have been known to chip with such work.



Oh, chopping in Spring might give you a slightly more vulnerable plant as the juices are flowing and it's softer than in late summer or early fall.


munk
Click to expand...

Your are correct there munk, the chaparral is an area of dense brush here in the southwestern state and manzanita can be a bear to chop into as demonstrated in my earlier post. the FF handled it fairly well though.
 
In thick stuff where you are manuvering for position for a strike I've found a broad blade like the FF can sometimes be a slight disadvantage. However, I said, 'slight', and people work best with what suits them and their body mechanics. There's no difference in the line a broad or slender blade would make to target, but in the variations of foot position, body movement, where the blade finishes the strike, etc etc; the easier it is for the blade to return into position the faster the work goes. Broad blades or too long a blade will find more obstacles. Certainly there are times when 18's is too long, for instance, and a 16" able to slip through branches for the strike. I don't use 16" s as often because they give up too much in leverage and power. Over 18" and it gets hard to use in thick vegitation. I like a number of blade styles. I don't find as much difference in their performance as many fans swear to, that being a personal matter. HI blades work. My paticular FF was too light for my liking, and I gave it to a friend for ornamental display. It also made a nice ringing sound when struck. But later FF's were heavier. The 'bonecutter' was a nice blade, but whether it really outdoes a Ganga Ram or AK is a matter for late night discussion with many of the fans enjoying the beverages of their choice; good taste or less filling indeed?

I'd rather chop down a 12" diameter dead standing Pine than a thicket of Manzanetta.
Watch out for snakes!!

munk
 
Spot on Munk,

One of the reasons I was using my 18" + kuks for those situations where a machete was too long. My BAS was pretty much reserved for those situations where I was scouting my next set of moves and wearing it as a belt blade. My M-43 was my blade of choice, then my Dui Chirra before I found all that scrap metal everwhere.

Marc Adkins


munk said:
In thick stuff where you are manuvering for position for a strike I've found a broad blade like the FF can sometimes be a slight disadvantage. However, I said, 'slight', and people work best with what suits them and their body mechanics. There's no difference in the line a broad or slender blade would make to target, but in the variations of foot position, body movement, where the blade finishes the strike, etc etc; the easier it is for the blade to return into position the faster the work goes. Broad blades or too long a blade will find more obstacles. Certainly there are times when 18's is too long, for instance, and a 16" able to slip through branches for the strike. I don't use 16" s as often because they give up too much in leverage and power. Over 18" and it gets hard to use in thick vegitation. I like a number of blade styles. I don't find as much difference in their performance as many fans swear to, that being a personal matter. HI blades work. My paticular FF was too light for my liking, and I gave it to a friend for ornamental display. It also made a nice ringing sound when struck. But later FF's were heavier. The 'bonecutter' was a nice blade, but whether it really outdoes a Ganga Ram or AK is a matter for late night discussion with many of the fans enjoying the beverages of their choice; good taste or less filling indeed?

I'd rather chop down a 12" diameter dead standing Pine than a thicket of Manzanetta.
Watch out for snakes!!

munk
Click to expand...
 
munk said:
Watch out for snakes!!

munk
Click to expand...

Indeed. Had a near miss with a rattler yesterday on a segment of trail that crossed through chaparral. Didn't even rattle before it bluff-lunged me...only the second time I've ever seen that. I must have really surprised it somehow. So definitely be careful!
 
Being in the UK... not familiar with the difficult-to-cut American plants which have been mentioned -- but from what's been commented, wondering if a billhook might be easier for use on them?
 
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