There can be only one....

Joined
May 17, 2001
Messages
103
Please help! I must have one of H.I.'s beautiful Kukris but will only be able to afford one! Normally I would determine such a purchase by "feel" but that is not possible. For those of you who have more than one, which one would be your one and only?

thanks,
pm
 
Hi pmcelrath and welcome to Uncle Bill's
cantina. One important question... Do you
have a particular purpose in mind for this
Khukuri?
 
Pmcelrath,
Would be a toss up, either a 16.5"WW2 or a YCS by (who else but)Durba!This would be my "one" K for everything!Just my opinion!but, RESIGN YOURSELF, THESE CANTINA GUYS WILL CONVIENCE YOU TO GET JUST "ONE" MORE!
jim

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Thanks for the swift replies gentlemen. I want the Kukri that will give me the most of the Kukri experience. I guess I'm looking for an all-rounder. If it helps I'm 6'3" tall
and grew up in a household that heated with and sold firewood. I enjoy shooting my .44 Redhawk for fun one-handed so blade size/weight shouldn't be too much of a constraint. Intend to buy more when funds allow. Have to buy a treestand for bow hunting first though.

pm
 
Your a big guy huh? Well then hurry up and get that 20" AK blem
by Sanu That Uncle Bill just posted!
 
Get a GS. Should do everything you want well. If weight is not a constraint get that AK blem that's up right now. Or perhaps you should get the YCS if you're going to take your khukuri hunting. The YCS has the best kit of the bunch and the kardas that come with it should prove themselves pretty useful to a hunter.

[This message has been edited by kamagong (edited 05-17-2001).]
 
Get the 20" AK now. While it's still available. It's about your speed.
 
I love the UBE (Uncle Bill Especiale) so much I have 2 of them by different makers, and I would still like to get a couple more!! The UBE is unlike any other model HI offers in that it has an upswept point that is useful for piercing without sacrificing the forward curving edge and big deep belly that makes the khukuri such a formidable chopper. Think of a USMC Ka-Bar tip on steroids, without the false edge, and you have a pretty good idea of the tip on the UBE. The UBE also has long, deep fullers to lighten the blade, similar to the AK or GS (Gelbu Special).

I don't yet have a GS or a YCS (Yvsa Cherokee Special), but they're at the top of my to-get list also. Yvsa is (obviously) a Cherokee who is a charter forumite here. He's been around the block a time or two, and came up with his own khukuri design which is very beautiful aesthetically and a super performer, according to the field reports from the forumites who have one.

If you're 6'3", don't you dare get a khukuri--I don't care what model--under 18" OAL for your one-and-only khuk! If you're just going to get one, and you have a big enough build, you're going to be wishing you got something bigger if you get one under 18"--remember I said so. I'm 6" even and I can comfortably handle any 18" to 22" model HI sells. As long as you can handle it, the bigger the blade, the more work it can do, the more amazed you'll be, and the more fun you're going to have.

A good way to get the most for your money with an HI khuk is to watch for Uncle Bill to post a blemished khuk here on the forum, as it's usually just a fixable handle crack and usually still comes with full lifetime guarantee on the blade. However, it is potluck, so if you decide to order one, you need to be informed on the pros and cons of spike tang handles vs. chiruwa (full tang) handles, as well as your preferred length (most models can be had in a number if different lengths) and specify these variables to Bill along with the model you want.

Anyway, my vote is for the UBE, the GS, or the YCS, in no particular order.

My $.02--or perhaps a bit more.


[This message has been edited by X-Head (edited 05-17-2001).]
 
If you like a Ruger Redhawk you obviously don't mind carrying some weight around. I would pick a bigger khukuri. The model will depend how you plan to use it.

20" Ang Khola - all round (use chopping and slitting) and extra strong

20" Ganga Ram - mostly felling or chopping through stuff

18" WWII - everything but still light enough to carry conviently.

Will
 
Seriously though, you should consider either an 18 inch Ang Khola by either Sanu or Durba or an 18 inch Bhudhuni Villager if money is tight. Either will give you a khukuri that you will enjoy many moons.

Harry
 
Better late than never...

I LOVE my Gelbu Special. Thick for strength, slender for speed, deeply fullered for balance. 19-20 inches of bam-dutiful big knife!

A 20" Sirupati would be my second choice.

Surprise! Those are the khuks I own!

biggrin.gif


Ken

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The sword cannot cut itself, the eye cannot see itself.
 
If you are only buying one (I think I recall thinking that myself at one point) definitely get a 21-inch Ganga Ram Special.

rf
 
Thanks for all the great advice. I was away from my compuyer at work and missed the deal on the 20"AK. Right now I am leaning toward either the 18"AK or the UBE, with the 18" WWII following close behind. Since I beleive this will probably be the first of several maybe I should clarify the question as "which should be my FIRST khukri?". What was Your first?

p.s. a friend who is an aspiring knifemaker was telling me just the other day how friendly and helpful people are on the knife forums- boy was he right! Too bad the same can't really be said about the GUN boards.

pm
 
Welcome to the Cantina, PM. FWIW, I'm 6'2" myself & my favorite all around khukuri is an 18" WWII model. If weight isn't an issue & you plan putting it to lots of hard work, then an 18" or 20" AK model may be more suitable.

I've posted this pic in the past but I thought you might be interested in seeing my 18" AK at rest after splitting a little bit of wood.
wink.gif


<A HREF="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=185132&a=1406520&p=28745808&Sequence=0&res=high" TARGET=_blank>
Thumbnail
</A>

It's tough to beat an AK for really heavy work.

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Cheers,
Brian

He who finishes with the most toys wins.
 
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