The hunt is on... Whick Kukri should I go with?

J

jbird22cal

Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
8
Greetings all,

I have been drooling over Kukris ever since a customer brought one into my friends shop for potential refinishing a few years ago.

I have been searching for a blade since last October to aid me while hunting with dogs, hunting, camping, and for farm chores. While on a hunt last fall my partner and I found our selves in a forest of Dogwood, prickly ash, and briar brambles while trying to get to our dog. My partner spouted out: “Got a Machete?” As we were pushing and stumbling through the thicket in the dark. Now normally, one tries to preserve the environment while hunting, the land owner would be OK with us cutting trails for game and for them to move around for farm operations.

I have a machete… The Over all length is 22 inches with an 18 inch blade. This has done OK with small stuff like briar brambles but its thin hollow ground blade doesn’t do well with the bigger “woodier” stuff. I have used a Sye (sp?), and handle cycle for clearing this smaller woody type of stuff out before but both fall short when I get in to hardwood branches. This is where my Tomahawk comes in. Now all of these tools perform, but I find I need more than one. On the farm that’s ok, however while camping or hunting I’m carrying and maintaining enough gear. This is what brings me to the Kukri… That and they look neat. I have not found any of the Cold Steel or Ka-bar Kukri looking machetes locally. So I could just be the first one on my block.

I’m running into the problem of where to start. My machete sits low on my leg and gets in the way of me walking; however, allows me to not have to stoop over so far to cause back cramps while cutting. So I’m hoping to stay some where in the 15-20 inch range.
I like the (what I consider) traditional look of the Ang Kholas and The CAK seams to be up my ally, I just am not sure how long the handles are or how they are fastened.

Traditionally I have always looked for full tang knives, and after watching Youtube videos about KHHI kukris they appeared to hold up better. Now I read that the “rat tail” tang handle shock more comfortably.

I am open to ideas, My dear mother told me she wanted to buy me one for my 30th birthday so I’m shopping. I looked at KHHI but everything I read anywhere says HI is the best quality so here I am.

Thanks in advance

J
 
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The first HI Khukri I bought was a BAS (British Army Service), from the online store. Since then, I've acquired 6 more. I love them all, but the BAS is still my favorite. Hang around here for a bit and you should be able to snag one in a deal of the day for much less than the store price.
 
CubistHamster said:
The first HI Khukri I bought was a BAS (British Army Service), from the online store. Since then, I've acquired 6 more. I love them all, but the BAS is still my favorite. Hang around here for a bit and you should be able to snag one in a deal of the day for much less than the store price.
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I am trying to get away with one at the moment, What intention did you get uor BAS for if I may ask?
 
Hmmm. I am Strongly leaning towards the BAS, 15 inch Ank Khola, and of course the CAK. I will be handling a lot of the smaller "twiggy type stuff more often bur I will need to cut through thick stuff. They are all about the smae lenth and price range.

How do the blade profiles and handles come in to play?

I am 5 Foot 8 inches and my palm measures about 3 inches accross.
 
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Dear Birdie:

Your line of reasoning, of wanting a compromise between a machete and a hatchet, is exactly what led me to khukuris, so don't think that any of us disdain your motivations. No explanations necessary.
Now, on to the nuts and bolts.

The handles will be long enough. HI went to some effort, long ago, to make sure that the kamis made handles big enough for their huge, western customers. My 18.5" M43, for example, has plenty of extra space for my 4" palms, and that's not even counting the width of the bolster!
And as for through-tang vs. full-tang handles, it's a matter of opinion. While some people feel that the full-tang (or chiruwa) handles are more prone to shock, others (such as myself) disagree.
Also, there's the matter of straight- vs. curved handle shapes, which also affects shock absorption. My M43 has a curved, chiruwa handle, and I'm not feeling any pain.

Lastly, the site is just the tip of the iceberg: look at an archived thread called The Missing Pages in the HI Catalog, which shows an abundance of other models made by the company, which haven't been posted to the site yet. You may find some other options to consider.
 
Don't get something too heavy. Harder to swing at light vegetation. Get something with a thin rather than a thick edge.
 
The M 43 was my first HI kukri so I may be a little bios, There is a serious M 43 following and all consider it a very aggressive design with a thinner edge profile (generally) than some of the others. This lets it chop big and slice thin.

The Bone Cutter has a serious following by many who have known HI longer than me. I do know that Sgt K's work is as good as any I have. I have a 22 inch on order but that may be a little heavy than perfict to chase dogs with. An 18 inch is high on my wish list.

The Gama Ram is a well loved chopper. I have a 14 in but have not really given it a work out. Preliminary looks good.

BSA is a favorite Camp/carry knife. Not that they don't chop but not there #1 blessing. More a convenient size and shape from the reviews and comments I see. (I don't own one)

Handles seem to very from Kami to Kami and Knife to knife. There are ringed and the M43 and Yasa no ring.(seems I'm missing one other style?). Under 14 inch many think the handles get much shorter. I just DOD'ed a shorter Pen and will have to get back to you on that.

Certain Kamies and styles seem to have a thinner edge profile. The Sgt K, BoneCutter and m43 have a rep. for the thinner edge. Bura I have herd keeps his edges thinner also. (my FF he made is as much a slicer as a chopper, a serious versatile tool and scarier weapon.) AK, CAK and GR have a wider profile and designed more Chop than slice. Don't think either won't chop or slice. Both get razor sharp.

Truth is a lot is personal pref. and opinion. Whats best for one can be less right for others. None of them is a bad choice once you figure weight and length.
 
If you're going to be going through twiggy stuff more often than harder stuff, check out the Sirupati in around the 18" length. Keep in mind that Yangdu measures the overall length, not just the blade. So an 18" Siru is gonna give you about 13"ish of blade. It'll be fast enough to whip through the vines and face-slapping switch branches, but should easily cut through 4 or 5" wood if you feel the need.

If you want something a little more neutral in the beef:speed department, maybe think about the 16.5" WWII. The WWII has a nice stout nose and sweet spot for chopping logs and wood, yet you can choke back on the longer grip to build up some speed. Generally (and this is just a rule of thumb), I would suggest an 18" WWII for anyone 5'10 and up and a 16.5" for anyone shorter. Of course this is just taking in average arm length. If you're a monkey like me with a 5'10 frame and the arms of a 6'2 person, average goes out the window:p
 
:eek:

There's more than what's on the site? Oh... Just when I got it kinda figuired out... I've been reading for about 2 hours on this forum. Oops, I'm whining.

I understand that I am a few years to late to talk to Uncle Bill. Is there anyone at the company I should talk to? Email? I tried phoning the company the other day to see if they are still open as per the broken shop links on the site. The first time I got the answering machine the second time it just kept ringing. Signs of life.

After thinking really hard the majority of things I will face while hunting are 1/2 inch or less and usually in the colder months. This usually causes branches to break before I have to cut, however the briar patches are springy reguardless. Any thing over 1 inche I am ok with whacking more than once. I was keen on the chopping idea for heavier brush clearing on the farm and it would be nice to be able to break through a hollowed ot log in the event the hound decides he need to loose his collar inside. (he's smaller than me) any thing bigger than 3 inches and I'll be tempted to find a chainsaw.

15 inch looks like a good place to start judging by the 9 threads I found on the subject. From the top of my belt to my knee is 18-19" so with this size in mind 15-17 should be manageable. I may have to build a rig for this anyway to aid in getting it on and off quick for vehicles.

Handles then, I would prefer one with "rings." I am more familiar with wood than with bone so I would probably stick with it. I imagine I will be wearing a light leather glove as well, The briars and ash chew me up quick.
 
If you're cutting stuff that light, I'd second the motion for a sirupate, or maybe a chitlangi if you want something heavier. I wouldn't touch a CAK, Bonecutter or M43 unless you had serious wood to chop.

See my signature for pic threads and the lost pages thread.

You can email Yangdu at HIIMP@AOL.com
 
Another possible model for you to consider would be the longer Pen Knife models. They have a thinner blade and are a bit straighter, so they handle lighter stuff more easily than the heavier khuks.

Another possible would be the Bamboo Cutter. It isn't a traditional khuk, but it is a very good general use knife just the same.

Andy
 
I have a lightweight Chitlangi but it is not so good for light brush due to the thick edge. I could thin it out of course.

I have a 20 oz 15" Ganga Ram and a 15" 25 oz Bonecutter, both thin edged that work great for light brush.
 
An AK/CAK is fairly geared towards heavy chopping... they tend to have a 1/2" spine, come with a fairly thick bevel, and be heavier for their size than other khuks. This combination makes it chop very well and maintain its edge upon hard impacts... but it does make it more difficult to take out thinner vegetation (putting a shaving sharp edge on it helps, but that can only do so much). My first khuk was a 15" AK and I can definitely attest to these "issues."

If you're looking for something that will handle thin vegetation easily but still has the girth to deal with downing fair sized limbs, you'll want something with a thinner spine and more acute bevel than an AK/CAK. I would say that you'd want to be looking at the sirupati, chitlangi, WW2 and m43 (I listed them from "geared for light vegetation but still capable of chopping" up to "geared for chopping but still capable of light vegetation") :)

Others will have differing opinions of course, and a lot of the geometries vary depending on the kami. If you have the resources, your best bet would be to just pick out a model you like and ask Aunt Yangdu to have one made up that has a thinner/steeper bevel and a thinner spine ;)
 
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jbird22cal said:
:eek:

There's more than what's on the site? Oh... Just when I got it kinda figuired out... I've been reading for about 2 hours on this forum. Oops, I'm whining.
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Hardly! It boggled my mind, too, when I found out how much was missing. In fact, creating the thread was probably a coping mechanism for the shock!;)

I understand that I am a few years to late to talk to Uncle Bill.
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Again, me too. I feel really left out when people reminisce about him.

Is there anyone at the company I should talk to? Email? I tried phoning the company the other day to see if they are still open as per the broken shop links on the site. The first time I got the answering machine the second time it just kept ringing. Signs of life.
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Be patient. Yangdu is manning the barricades all by herself, for want of a staff of any kind. She'll get back to you.

As for the remainder of the things you noted, that's exactly how you need to think: a set of parameters that your purchase needs to fit into. For example, I decided that I needed.....

A) a curved handle
B) chiruwa construction
C) a military-style, "jack-of-all-trades" design.

That narrowed it down to the M43, pretty quickly. By contrast, you've got a different set of needs, but you can use them to narrow down your choices with surprising speed. Overall, I'd say that your original ideas of an Ang Khola or a BAS hold up pretty well. Look at the new stuff anyway, though, just to be sure.
 
jbird, I'm gonna throw my recommendation to the 18" Gelbu Special. Mine has 12 3/4" of blade and weighs 23.3 oz. The spine is 7/16" and I have been too busy or snow-bound to try it on springy stuff, but it will chop and the widest part of the blade is 1 11/16".

Take your time looking at the HI website and the "Missing pages" forum thread that Nicholas has put together. Pick the style that pulls at you, order it and you'll be fine.

Rick
 
Of the current lineup of common H.I. khukuris my recommendations are:

Sirupati - if you like your blades agile, light, and fast, and you desire to cut using velocity rather than momentum

Chitlangi - if you like speed and agility with some better chopping power

M43 - if you want the above characteristics plus even better chopping power
 
So... Recommendations for a 6'2'' 160 pounds skinny fool that's going with a machete for brush, 12'' AK as a light chopper. Need a heavy duty chopper, probably gonna pack it in, not carry it, but I gotta be able to swing it for awhile is all. 18'' AK too big? Ideas anyone?
 
16.5" AK might be a better compromise, thakin. It'll still chop and be lighter for both carry and use.
 
stickfred said:
16.5" AK might be a better compromise, thakin. It'll still chop and be lighter for both carry and use.
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Yeah, I wish I could get my hands on a Bonecutter, or an ASTK for that matter.

Edit: And a tarwar as well. Hah.
 
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I would see if you can get your hands on a "New Kobra". I've only seen one, but it might be worth a look: check out the end of the Missing Pages for a picture.
 
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