The venerable Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri

guest-knife said:
This Cold steel Gurkha kukri is the most popular amongst the army enthusiasts. These Gurkha kukri were being used as official weapon by Gurkhas regimental army. Recently I came across some kukri
gurkha_kukri_windlassword_1024x1024.jpeg
at http://www.windlasssword.com/gurkha-kukri.html
Click to expand...

I never liked traditionals as much as the CS Gurkha Kukri. Gosh, that handle looks so uncomfortable!
 
Gimmick said:
Hi everyone, I managed to resist the temptation to collect knives for years, but after seeing a lot of kukri's I decided to go for it. I like both the traditional and modern ones.
One of the reasons for not buying knives is that I'm in West-Europe and after shipping and taxes/import duties you pay a lot more than in the USA. For example, a $180 dollar Gurkha Kukri ends up as 230 ($248) Retail here. A $30 kukri machete will cost you 45 here.
So used but NIB is the way to go for now. A NIB Black SK5 Gurkha Kukri is on it's way, as well as a 'antique' kukri (I won't be using the term khukuri, we all know what we mean). There's lots of 'fake' tourist ones for sale, with lion heads and decorated blades, I saw one that looked pretty legit, I hope it turns out to be genuine when it arrives.
FYI the 'cheapest' O1 GK currently retails for 230, though some stores just translate the USD price as quoted by Cold Steel to Euros and hope you bite. Adding $50 shipping and import duties to the $180 will probably translate to 230 anyway.

For looks I much prefer the satin finish, but I got this black SK5 39LGK for 135 which even in USD is a good price ($146). As most I would love to own the San Mai III version, but that sells for 557.50 here (on back order) and some even dare to ask 700.

By the way, I found a shop that still has a few Carbon V 35LTC in stock, but at 225 they aren't exactly cheap either.
Click to expand...

Gimmick said:
Ok I got my 39LGK in the mail and it's the first time to hold a mighty blade like that in my hand. Very impressive, and a truly beautiful shape. The handle is super grippy, even after only a few minutes of just holding it I can see why some people report that they get blisters when chopping branches, even when wearing gloves, that diamond pattern digs into you and the weight does the rest. Can't wait to get my traditional kukri so I can compare the two.
Already dreaming of a mint San Mai III...

By the way here's a nice little history on the CS Kukri's.
Click to expand...
Here we are 7.5 years later, time flies so fast! I bought a few traditional kukri after getting the GK, but then I switched to collecting watches so I never got around to buying another Gurkha Kukri. When I checked out what Cold Steel was doing these days, I noticed the GK in San Mai III was long gone, and even the GK in O1 was gone, with now the "affordable" option being 4034 - which is getting good reviews despite the haters - and the expensive option being CPM 3V (if you can find it?). However, both (4034 = 39LMC4 and CPM 3V = 35GKP) are only available as Gurkha Kukri Plus! That is a real shame, because I really don't like that huge guard, however useful it might be. Another victim of the corporate takeover. And with all the price hikes/inflation, a GK in O1 for €230 seems like a good deal these days. I actually found a used GK in O1 that I hope to be receiving soon. And maybe one day I'll find a GK in Carbon V and a GK in San Mai III to join them.

The link to the thread about the history was on the forum that disappeared (why did it disappear by the way?), but fortunately I found it archived, and even most photos still work!

Are people here still enjoying their Gurkha Kukri (Plus)?
 
I bought a ATC (I think) and liked it so much I bought a second. The profile looks like the older kukri machete, but slightly shorter and a bit thicker. We had a freeze, and I was lopping off frozen branches left and right, was able to stack quite a bit of wood for the grill. Mostly live oak, but coated in ice and frozen pretty solid. Both of mine are carbon v, I would love to have GK, or even a plus in one of the modern steels, but I'm not really looking for anything in a big chopper anymore. Sold off a couple of Bowies and bigger knives just because they're not really a need for them anymore.

Not quite the same as yours, but the quality is def there.
 
The ATC has that big belly, which is not really traditional, but I can imagine that it helps with chopping!

ATC-1.jpg
 
After some more research I think what I bought used is the non-black SK5 version, since it only says TAIWAN, and the O1, even the version with the old logo, says TAIWAN O1. I don't care either way, I'll take them all for the right price!
 
So as I mentioned, the GK Plus in 4034 does perform when people test it (spoiler alert, he is not actually testing the 3V):

This guy tested it on wood too (and in other videos a bunch of other materials) to disproof the 4034 haters.

Now this one is a bit controversial. The guy says it is "D5 tool steel", but there is no such thing. Unfortunately he doesn't show the side of the blade where there would be TAIWAN or TAIWAN O1, but he is either confused about it being tool steel and it being O1, or he doesn't know because it just says TAIWAN, which would make it SK5. Either way, it broke on him, which is not all that common, even after 5 years of "abuse".

So is it a REALLY good counterfeit? Or a poor heat treat? In the comments some think he got unlucky, others think it is fake. But if it is fake, where are all the other fake GK? Also, you'd have to invest a lot to make a believable GK fake. Many comments asked him if he meant SK5 or O1, but he never clarified other then:
"No it was a boxed original from Cold Steel."
"No it was actually a real cold steel blade, not a rip-off. Is it worth splurging for the San Mai steel, so this doesn't happen? I don't know."
"A lot of you are of the same opinion. I'm not one for providing BS. That Cold Steel knife cost me at the time $179.00 from the Knifecenter.com, the San Mai version was + $300 and something. It was not a clone."

So I think we can rule out fake (and he painted the sheath olive himself). He bought it around 2015, which is right around the change from SK5 to O1, so it could be either with a poor heat treatment. I asked him one more time to clarify.
 
Last edited:
I have a comment awaiting moderation because I edited it, but meanwhile here is the recent Cold Steel video on the GK Plus CPM 3V. "That blade is straight as straight gets." No, no not really? But it stood up to the abuse!


So which is the ultimate GK? The GK Plus CPM 3V or the GK San Mai III?


I vote San Mai III because the video is more legendary lol
 
G Gimmick Nice find on that archived history thread! It should've been stickied! The belly on the ATC and LTC works very well. I've had an LTC, the 1/8" version, since the early to mid 90's, and its a fantastic blade, despite it's machete thickness. I also have an SK-5 GK, made in China. What Mike Sastre referred to as a "China Doll", do to their great quality. Unless the heat treat is totally messed up, an SK-5 GK won't sustain that sort of damage from normal materials. I've beat mine like a borrowed mule chopping extremely hard, seasoned mesquite, without any change to the edge.

BTW, this is a great thread. Bill ( shortwinger shortwinger ) knows his khukuri! I recently went back through all of the pages of this forum and really enjoyed all of it. I miss the old days!
 
Gimmick said:
the ultimate GK? The GK Plus CPM 3V
Click to expand...
Assuming equally great HT , probably 3V is best . My other models in 3V are very tough , so far .

But at the prices I've seen for GK 3V , just not worth it .

You can find fantastic custom kuks for that $$$$ .

I've not yet seen any definitive proof tests on 4034 Cold Steel , that I trust . Unless I can find something super cheap , not going to bother to test it myself .

My old O1 has performed fine , in the both GK Plus and TM . Actually used the TM a lot more often . Just easier to carry .

I have San Mai models, but never pushed them hard enough to know for sure . Too pretty ! ;)
 
I certainly agree when people say the GK is too expensive when new. No matter what type of steel. That's why I buy them pre-owned. But, I don't agree with people saying: you can get a traditional kukri or custom kukri etc. Because the design of the GK is so clean and beautiful, there is imho no other kukri that comes close to it, unless you would order a custom clone. That is not to say another kukri wouldn't perform as good or better, but that is not a factor for me, I just want it to be pretty. I can always get an ugly kukri to beat up if I actually needed one. And that's why I would never consider a GK Plus, because it ruins the looks. As a beater, the GK Plus might be a good option if it is cheap enough.

Nihonto (Japanese swords) are collected as art by most people. I consider the GK a piece of art, and that is worth a small premium to me. I wouldn't go as far as paying $500 for a GK San Mai though, but $300 I would consider.
 
I was looking at a tm in carbon v, as mentioned in an other thread, but bought a ghurka kukri plus instead. I got the the 4034 version for a really good price, so it was a no brainer. Could only test it for about 15 minutes today, but effortless batoning and chopping is an understatement at least. Blade came paper cutting sharp, secure ex doesn't dull if pulled correctly, near perfect f&f. Only the very tip is not symmetrically ground, but it doesn't bother me. Edge didn't wear at all on my short test, no chips or anything.
 
I've listed my SK-5 for sale locally, no point in keeping it in a box for another 8 years, so this is goodbye!



 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top