Soft handle Kukri machete: Boker Chainsaw Backup vs CRKT KUK vs Ka-Bar 2-1249-9 vs Ontario 6420

[Armhouse]

I'm in the market for a kukri machete with around a 12" blade in the 16 oz. range to clear brush and chop branches while doing trail scouting in mountain terrain. My priorities are light weight, good durability and edge retention for chopping branches, and also the capability to be used for self defense. Probably not much batoning or heavy log chopping. I am replacing a Schrade MACH1 which has been a cheap lightweight thrasher with a good handle, but I would like to have a better quality, less flexy blade. A big soft handle helps me with grip traction during wet weather and also takes the edge off the harder impacts.

I initially became interested in the Boker Chainsaw Backup because I already have the Boker Chainsaw Attendant folding knife and really like the big grippy ergonomic handle that it shares with the Chainsaw Backup. But I haven't been able up find any reviews of the Backup online or even on YouTube so I was wondering if anybody might be familiar with it?

I'm also considering the CRKT Kuk machete even though it's a tad shorter. Seems to have a good reputation for durability and is brand with a reputation for backing up their products, although I've yet to buy any.

The Kabar is the heaviest in this group but the tradeoff is that it's likely the strongest.

The Ontario 6420 Kukri used to have a good reputation but recent reviews have indicated the blade quality is more brittle than it used to be.

I'm leaning towards the Boker or CKRT but any feedback or suggestions are appreciated as I am a knife novice. Here are some of the specs:

Boker Chainsaw Backup
Blade Thickness: 0.15 in
Material: 420
Overall Length: 16.73 in
Blade Length: 11.81 in
Weight: 18.03 oz


CRKT KUK
Blade Length: 10.563" (268.3 mm)
Edge: Plain
Steel: 65Mn Carbon Steel
Blade Thickness: 0.139" (3.53 mm)
Grind: Flat
Length: 15.875" (403.23 mm)
Weight: 14.7 oz (416.74g)
Handle: Core - Polypropylene; Overmold - Thermoplastic Rubber


Ka-Bar 2-1249-9
Weight: 1.30 lbs.
Steel: 1085 Carbon
Blade length 11.5";
Overall length 17"
Edge Angles: 22 Degrees
Handle Material: TPR
Blade Thickness: 0.165
Grind: Hollow
HRC: 52-54.
Made in: Taiwan

Ontario 6420
Made of 1095 Carbon Steel
12 inch plain edge blade
Length: 17-Inch
Weighs 18 ounces

The Sogfari machete did not make the cut due to many reviews complaining about the hardness and durability of the blade. Same with the Kershaw Camp 12.

The GKH made in Nepal Kukri machetes look nice and it would be cool to have a Kukri made in Nepal but they are a little out of my price range considering the tool will be used in the dirt and might get lost in the woods. They also have wood handles and are typically a little thicker and heavier.

The made in South Africa Cold Steel 97KMPS is also in this category but has a harder polypropylene handle and isn't a highly respected brand.

The Smith & Wesson Outback SWBH is the least expansive Kukri machete mentioned here but will break under any serious use according to reviews. The Mtec MT-537 suffers a similar fate and might be made in the same factory. The Schrade SCHGK1 & SCHKM1 Kukri's aren't much better and use soft 3cr13 steel that I'm not paying for again.

The Condor Kukri machete's have great blades but are too heavy for my use and they have hard handles. If they ever made a lighter Kukri with the Santoprene handle featured on their Jungle Machete I would be sold.

I've been reading about the history of Kukri knives and was a little surprised to learn about their history as weapons in war going way back to at least the 15th century. Apparently back then there was a myth that once drawn the Kukri could not go back into the sheath without drawing blood. It was also believed that sleeping with a Kukri under the pillow would keep the demons and nightmares away.

A popular proverb in Nepali:

Sirupate Khukuri ma Laha chha ki chhaina?
Translation: Does your Sirupate Khukuri have enough iron?

 

[dirc]

of the ones you listed, I'd go for kabar... 1085 is great for this sort of use & they are generally good for heat treatment

the crkt 65mn is sort of like 1065, less carbon, generally good for this use & the handle might be more comfortable

...
for what it's worth, ontario is moving many of their 1095 larger blades to 1075 (which is a better option if you're going to heavily use it/chop with it/ etc)
they are a generally good maker with good heat treatment, like the 8" alpha kukri in 1075, check it out since it's lighter and still very effective

 

[Yo Mama]

Out of those I can only speak to the kabar. It's a really nicely made kukri, with a nice balance between weight and performance. Handle could not be made more comfortable, it's got the classic kbar handle that just melts into the hand. Sheath is decent and useable.

With that said there was a time when I was younger that I thought I would carry it on my belt walking through the woods. That fantasy has long left me as weight is noticeable on a longer hike. If you have not already do yourself a favor and look at the Becker lineup first.

 

[Armhouse]

for what it's worth, ontario is moving many of their 1095 larger blades to 1075 (which is a better option if you're going to heavily use it/chop with it/ etc)

they are a generally good maker with good heat treatment, like the 8" alpha kukri in 1075, check it out since it's lighter and still very effective

Thanks for all the info about the steel. The light weight of the Alpha Kukri is appealing, I had not seen that one before. That's probably the reason I won't go with the Kabar, just a little too much weight to carry for hours while hiking.

Out of those I can only speak to the kabar. It's a really nicely made kukri, with a nice balance between weight and performance. Handle could not be made more comfortable, it's got the classic kbar handle that just melts into the hand. Sheath is decent and useable.


With that said there was a time when I was younger that I thought I would carry it on my belt walking through the woods. That fantasy has long left me as weight is noticeable on a longer hike. If you have not already do yourself a favor and look at the Becker lineup first.

Your comments on the handle of the Kabar make me curious about it because I haven't seen one, but your comments about carrying a heavy machete in the woods all day are also spot on. What do you carry in the woods with you now?

I checked out the Becker/Reinhardt Kukri, and also read about the Becker B9, which isn't a Kukri but would fit my needs. They both look great though a little more than I want to pay. I'm not in a hurry to make a decision so I'll think about it more.

I'm still hoping to hear something or find a review on the Boker even though the 420 steel might not be as good as some others.

 

[Alberta Ed]

I have a kukri made in Nepal, bought for $60 in Edmonton quite a few years ago, and it's a beautiful tool. Probably began life as a Mercedes Benz leaf spring. It's definitely hand forged, with a bit of a wow to the blade, a harder edge and softer spine. But if I was doing trail maintenance, I'd take a lightweight folding saw and a can of bear spray for defense.

 

[Armhouse]

I have a kukri made in Nepal, bought for $60 in Edmonton quite a few years ago, and it's a beautiful tool. Probably began life as a Mercedes Benz leaf spring. It's definitely hand forged, with a bit of a wow to the blade, a harder edge and softer spine. But if I was doing trail maintenance, I'd take a lightweight folding saw and a can of bear spray for defense.

That has actually been my traditional set-up, with a older 8" Kershaw Gator fixed blade and bear spray both mounted to my front chest pack with a silky saw in the pocket of my backpack or the side pocket of my Carharts. Then I also started bringing my cheap Shrade machete along sometimes and it was nice and quick in brush or nice to have in areas near dirt where I didn't want to dull my expensive saw. So I was planning on getting a nicer kukri and try leave the folding saw at home while trail scouting. While I also do some trail maintenance, I was actually going to use the Kukri for mountain bike trail scouting, where I'm actually planning the route of a trail by exploring and going up and down the mountain through lots of brush.

I'm not sure if it's ideal but I was going to try it. That's another reason I'm trying to keep it low budget, in case it doesn't work out great and I go back to the saw. I had problems with my Schrade not being very effective at all even on some small hardwood branches, especially after I used it for awhile and it quickly got dull. It's not worth it to have to sharpen a blade that often in the field, in that case a saw was better. But I'm hoping a heavier kukri machete with a superior blade material will perform better on the hardwoods branches.

Your hand forged Kukri sounds nice, I remember reading somewhere else that they used leaf springs for some of them and I just saw a video on YouTube that explains the process.

 

[Alberta Ed]

Cold Steel used to make a kukri that got good reviews.

 

[Yo Mama]

Cold Steel used to make a kukri that got good reviews.

I have one of the cs, most uncomfortable handles ever though. Also took a belt sander to get a good edge on it. Since then though its chopped countless branches.

 

[Yo Mama]

Your comments on the handle of the Kabar make me curious about it because I haven't seen one, but your comments about carrying a heavy machete in the woods all day are also spot on. What do you carry in the woods with you now?

I checked out the Becker/Reinhardt Kukri, and also read about the Becker B9, which isn't a Kukri but would fit my needs. They both look great though a little more than I want to pay. I'm not in a hurry to make a decision so I'll think about it more.

I'm still hoping to hear something or find a review on the Boker even though the 420 steel might not be as good as some others.

The handles on the kabar is the krayton that they use on the traditional kabar, it feels a tiny bit spongy. In my lifestyle the kukri is regulated for car camping.

For hiking I've found that a 4 to 5 inch fixed blade will take care of anything I'll realistically need it for. My favs are the Becker bk16, Buck Mesa, and the Ontario rd4, and even a plain Jane Mora light my fire.

That said, there is nothing like the look of a kukri! They are just sexy.

 

[Kailash Blades]

The GKH made in Nepal Kukri machetes look nice and it would be cool to have a Kukri made in Nepal but they are a little out of my price range considering the tool will be used in the dirt and might get lost in the woods. They also have wood handles and are typically a little thicker and heavier.

I think you've made a good choice avoiding those particular nepali blades. There's no doubting that with a high enough budget a nepali kukri will outperform these kukri machetes, however the lower end of the market particularly the kind of nepalese stuff that's available on amazon is really very rough. For similar money I'd go for an OKC kukri or hossom brush demon (kukrish enough) any day.
If you do end up saving the clams for a nepalese made blade I'd suggest you go for a sirupate as the extra length and speed will help with the lighter brush clearing you're talking about without losing that much chopping power. Here's a smaller chitlange of ours for reference that's specced as a workhorse around the farm.