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Super Cak or Bonecutter?
- Thread starter kazushi
- Start date
No, its because the original WWII model of the M43 didn't have a raised handle ring. It did have shallow, almost decorative grooves cut into it, but no raised handle rings like a traditional khukuri.
It was good enough for many a WWII soldier.
While i prefer handle rings, i have not had any issue with the M-43 not having one.
No, Lanyards are a bad idea on a heavy razor sharp knife. If you lose your grip, you now have a flying guillotine attached to your wrist that is likely going to cut you very badly before you can regain control.
The ASTK, another heavy sharp knife, comes with a brass-lined lanyard hole. It looks nice, and provides a kind of third pin for the Chiruwa style handle, but I wouldn't attach it to my wrist for the reason you state.
Maybe the hole could be useful if you want to hang the ASTK on the wall, or tie it down for transport, or secure it to the sheath when not in use. Child-proofing? Hey, not everything is functional. Like that lumpy thing that hangs down in the back of our throats. What is that called? Oh yes, the uvula.
shortwinger
Gold Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2010
- Messages
- 1,090
The way the kukri is built you can stab with a chopping motion rather than a thrust. A guard on a kukri is like a luggage rack on a corvette...
It is an excellent khukuri for those purposes. The HI one is perhaps a bit better for chopping than defense, but if you get one on the light side, it should be lively enough if you're strong.
Any khukuri from 15" on up is good for self defense. The lighter weight models are better, simply because they're faster. Unless you're thinking of self defense against a grizzly bear. The lighter weight models are probably better for most camping purposes as well, unless you expect to build a log cabin in the woods. Of course weight is relative. Compared to most camping knives, even the lighter HI khukuris would be considered heavy, and it also depends on your size and strength. For me, anything over 32 oz would be too heavy for anything but showing off. Not that there's something wrong with showing off or collecting khukuris as beautiful objects. There are people on this forum who have twenty, thirty or more khukuris. If they took them all camping they would need a truck.
I don't have a Gelbu Special yet, but people more expert than me have recommended it as the best, or one of the best, khukuris for all around camping and self defense. Except for building that log cabin.
Don't expect to end up with only one.
-- Dave
Yangdu's father, Pala, had said that he felt the best combination of tool and fighter was the Gelbu Special. I am in agreement with his assesment as my 18" GS chops just slightly less as well as my 16.5" CAK and at less than 24oz. its not a belt breaker.
I had tried out an M43 once and returned it to Yangdu and the main reason that I returned it was that the handle felt slippery to me. Part of it had to do with the lack of rings on the handle and part had to do with the handle size in my hand...a little small and prone to sliding to the side. Just my opinion with one M43 and others have been very happy with theirs.
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2010
- Messages
- 4,994
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