Thoughts on the first kukri

T

tonywiz

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Nov 6, 2021
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I got a chance to get out a bit and do some work with the kuk (15" BAS). It easily took care of bamboo, forsythia and tough vines and scrub pretty easily. Made short work of some kindling and sparked a cool conversation with the neighbor. I love the size and it's a beefy boy for being 15". It's sharp enough for wispy foliage but heavy and thick enough to chop very well. I sharpened it up a bit with the sandpaper and mouse pad method I read about here on the forums and it was just singing. Just did some basic maintenance, cleaning and polishing the blade but one of the things I did was lightly sand the handle and rub down with a bunch of coats of howard's orange oil and wax blend. It looks great and feels great in the hand. What does everyone else do as far as handle maintenance / embellishment?








Bonus picture of Loki since he got a good response. He likes to help me outside with work around the yard keeping watch to make sure no one sneaks up.



I really love this knife and now I'm unapologetically hooked and looking for suggestions for the next. Maybe something larger and a bit lighter? Maybe something smaller? Maybe both? That suga knife in the Black Friday thread was beautiful but alas looks like I was beaten to it.
 
Most I think do the same thing you did with the handle. The Kami's don't really put any finish on the handle, they do a beautiful job and get them smooth and then polish it like the blade. By sanding your removing the polishing compound and this often times brings out the natural beauty of the wood. It also opens up the grain so it will accept oil or finish of your choice. I just use linseed oil and just keep the wood hydrated so it doesn't dry out and crack.
You should always send in an inquiry to Yangdu on knives that you feel you missed out on, she often times has others and will offer the same deal. I'd wager she has more of the Suga's on hand but I got nothing solid to back that up with.

Just watch the Deals threads and one will sing to you and pick you, little effort needed on your part.
 
I love the BAS khuks! Jack of all trades. Yours is a pretty one. Longer khukuris can be very fun too. I like a 21” khuk to be about 27-30 ounces. But light knives of the same length as your BAS are great too. The VUKs villager utility knives are awesome too. One around 18-20 ounces. Very nice for small things over a long time. Also, Ang Kholas in the 18” range are amazing. Not the CAK just the AK in my opinion. I really like the feel of a hidden tang 18” AK. Thing of beauty. They all are though. Big ones small ones. The belt knives. The Bowies. And then there are the swords… It never end.
 
As I remember the early stories about Nepali ownership of khukris, the handles were considered replaceable, but the blade was treasured in this culture as part of the household's wealth. Owners either made a replacement themselves, or took it to a person who could fabricate a replacement and peen it in place.

Enjoy your tool, be safe in their use (please), and experiment with non-conventional uses. Some poster years ago used his to make a long bow of some quality.

Do well.
 
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