Denis, Pugs pretty much nailed it in his response to you in the cantina. I've had 3 Tora khuks. Tora was started in order to make the khukuri Simon wanted. In it's heyday, Tora khuks were reported to be nothing short of spectacular. I missed that period and those who own them do not sale them. My experience has been mixed. My favorite traditional khukuri is a Tora Battalion/Regimental Model. It's suits my fancy and my needs very well. It's a dead ringer for a type of khuk commonly issued to Gurkha units in WWI and II. I love the history of it. I also love that it's 17" long and only weighs 19 oz. Those numbers are not easy to find in a khukuri and really are not what most people are looking for. It's just right for me.
I ordered a Tora Mk. II and, while a bit too heavy and way too rough, it had potential. In use, I discovered the front of the belly was dead soft. The belly was great, but having that soft steel so close, there was no way to avoid serious denting. I've since turned that one into one heck of a chopper by lopping off the end. It was replaced by another Mk. II from a newer batch. It was not a quick or easy process, but it was done. There is a very detailed review of this khukuri in the original Khukuri Cantina on another site. A little searching should get you there. You'll find additional Tora reviews there as well. That khuk has some exceptional qualities which I have not ever seen in another khuk. It is a perfect copy of the better of the Mk. II/M43 breed, but the edge wanders to and fro like the great Ganges.
Ultimately, Tora khuks are meant to be the best possible replicas of actual historic and vintage khukuri from Simon's collection, with some villager models which appealed to Simon showing up as well. This is what separated Tora from others, the special niche the khukuri filled. Unfortunately, as Pugs stated, the whims of kamis and that Simon was a Westerner trying to do business in Nepal made it hard and quality became spotty. The last batch I saw before the Tora forum was closed had some beautiful blades. The reviews I saw looked good. There were some models I wish I had grabbed, like the WWII Ang Khola. The fit and finish appeared to have improved as well. Berkely, who has handled more khukuri than most of us have seen in photos, had positive things to say about the WWII AK he received. Feel free to contact me if you want more info.
Here's a glamor shot of my Tora Batt/Reg and Mk. II, since threads are worthless without pics
