Thoughts on Sirupatis?

M

MxVenator

Joined
Apr 4, 2007
Messages
7
Most members here seem to prefer the heavier Kuks - AKs, M43s, WWIIs and so on. Do any of you prefer Sirupatis? If so, I would love to hear your thoughts about them.

I use a CAK, but am waiting for Aunt Yangdu to send me a 15" Siru now. I am interested in it because being light, it seems more functional as a "carry knife".

Well, OK... that's just a plain old fashioned excuse to buy another Kuk. (Next I'll be thinking up reasons to buy a WWII or a M43!)

But I'd still like to hear from anyone who knows Sirus, and hear why you like them... or why you don't.

Thanks!
 
A 20" sirupati would be my top pick for a fighter because of its speed and agility.

They do ok for cutting light brush like briars and vines.
 
We have a respected member of the Cantina that, I believe, took a 15" Siru with him over to the sandbox. I had a 14" one that I really liked, but my friend was khuk-less, so i gifted it to him. Not a bad all around camping knife:thumbup:
 
I read a review and comparison a while back by an experienced martial artist. He compared an 18" sirupati from H.I. with a true Katana...The sirupati out cut the katana. The 15" sirupati out cut the wakisashi sword. This was on tatami mats and bamboo test mediums in experienced hands.

Personaly I will probably pick up a 15" sirupati one of these days myself.
 
My 20" Sirupati is my favorite yard working tool. It cuts Milk weed, grass, wild roses and other brush great! Pop bottles and soda cans don't stand a chance against it. ;) I've used it a bunch for trail clearing, mostly brush type stuff and 1-4 inch branches, it sails through green wood with easy.

Heber
 
The most under-rated khukuri in the bunch. :thumbup:

Sarge carried a 15" Sirupati to Iraq.

A 20" Siru can chop more than you'd think.

Steve
 
Wildmike, that is an interesting point. Being a kendo practictioner, I can attest that to use a katana effectively depends heavily on technique, practice and developed skill. Based on my limited experience with Kuks, I think they have more of the "right stuff" built into the blade itself, specifically into its geometry.

A Katana has a reverse curvature from a Kuk, which is perect for the style with which it is used. For example, a defensive parry with a katana turns the blade at an angle that causes the attacker's blade to slide off and away, opening him up to a riposte attack. It also has a whipping cutting action, when attacking, with the right hand acting as a pivot point, while the three bottom fingers of the left hand power the blade through its cutting arc. The last 6-inches of a katana are the cutting surface, while the rest of the blade is simply the instrument that gets the cutting area into position.

The katana is deadly effective when used with skill and long years of practice. It can be clumsy otherwise. But the two-handed nature of its use, and the difficult techniques for using it, make it a very different tool than the Kuk.

As for a wakazashi, it is primarily a parrying blade when used in fencing or swordplay, and I think a Kuk could far surpass it as a standalone weapon.

I look forward to testing my Siru when it arrives. I love these blades, and I feel an addiction coming on!
 
I had a Sher made 18" Siru I bought a while ago that I henceforth gave to a friend of mine as a thank you. He likes the edge geometry of my Sher made M43 better, but insists that the size, weight, and blade angle of the Siru is the pinnacle of non-firearm CQB weaponry.
When I was looking for a khuk to give a friend of his, my friend said a Siru would be everything the guy needed.
I like the steeper angle of the M43, but the light weight and more gentle of the Siru make it pretty lively in the hand.
Maybe I need a Siru-M43 hybrid...
 
Karda, no question... the fever has begun. But, fortunately, medications are arriving from Nepal (man, would THAT sound wrong to the DEA!). And they're arriving soon, I hope.
 
I don't find them one of the more visually appealing khuks but I had a 15" one and you could chop stuff easily in the 4 to 5" diameter range as well as do machete stuff with it.
 
I have two siru's, a 25" by Vim and a 20" by Bura.

The one made by Vim is a long sword length khukuri useful for reaching high-up limbs. It has a lot of mass to it.

The one Bura made is unusual. The fullers are very deep, almost like those found on a Gelbu Special, giving it weight more like a Kobra of the same size. (about 24oz IIRC) It's very fast and very agile. I consider it more a weapon than a tool. It just has a predatory feel to it. Despite the light weight, it cuts well, but it doesnt have the mass needed for efficient cutting of logs, like say, an Ang Khola does. It's deadly to multiflora rose though :cool:
 
There are several kinds of sirupati. Some are two-handed and have long, curved blades. Some are shorter and are single-handed. HI uses the terms to refer to specific models, but the morphologies differ by region, era and maker. HI blades tend to be overbuilt for the standard purpose, so even their sirupati are capable of doing somewhat heavy cutting.
Just something to think about.
 
even their sirupati are capable of doing somewhat heavy cutting.
Click to expand...

Somewhat heavy cutting??? :p

If you can swing at it, any HI khukuri, including the sirupati, will chop through it! Eventually! :p

Personally, I think a 15-18" Sirupati may be the all around best general purpose edged implement. Light enough for use as a machete without tiring you out, agile enough to be a fearsome weapon, small enough to do light chores other than chopping, but strong enough to be a good prybar, and powerful enough cut through anything if you whack it real hard.

Other khuks are better choppers, but the sirupati does it all.
 
My original goal was to get a WWII for work around the farm and to keep in the truck. Somehow I found myself ordering a 17.5, 23 oz. Sher Siru on the daily special. As is noted often amongst ourselves "...your Kukri finds you." It is an extension of my arm and its beauty feeds my soul.
My second Kuk was a WWII; a fine blade by Bura. It is a great tool, but it remains a tool, without the connection I have with the Siru.
Sirupati's do not appear as popular as other styles and I concede that they are not the ultimate "choppers"; but for sheer beauty and lithe cutting ability they are most valued.
I am not as knowledgeable as most others on this forum, but my Siru is a weapon, not a tool and its only disadvantage is that it is too beautiful to use cutting brush. It sits at my bedside with the more prosaic shotgun. Peace to you all from the Florida praries.
 
I have and use a 15" Siru, to me it seems the most useful blade shape, and weight. Trust me, a "light" Siru is still a big friggin knife!
However, for me, I think a Siru about 17-18" will be my next buy, the 15 needs a little more weight forward for me, and it should still be lighter then the equivalent Chitlangi, which I have to say is stunning, just a little too much for these tired wrists.
 
panicotr said:
.....but for sheer beauty and lithe cutting ability they are most valued.

I am not as knowledgeable as most others on this forum, but my Siru is a weapon, not a tool and its only disadvantage is that it is too beautiful to use cutting brush. It sits at my bedside with the more prosaic shotgun. Peace to you all from the Florida praries.
Click to expand...



Greetings!
I really Like Your writing style.. words like "Lithe" and "Sheer Beauty" are Perfect for many of the HI Creations!!

And I find it interesting, that between Our 2 Everest Katanas, one of them seems to have more of the Straight-forward 'Cutting feel to it...sort of a heavy-sword feel, while the other EK seems to be of the "Lithe" , light-weight Saber feel/quality as One swings and handles it.

I have also noticed the different Khukries having their particular personalities as well.

I think the only AK we own is a Baby AK... most of Our Blades are Sirus and Bowies, a Crow and a Wak as well as 2 Everest Katanas (One a Custom Made Kat by Bura), so one could say that Willow and I are really the Siru/Lighter Blade prefering types.

Doc
 
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