U.S. Army Issue Machete vs. Kukri?

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kgriggs8

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Not trying to pick any fights or anything, I just want to know from people that use and like Kukris, what they think of them as an all around cutter vs. something like the plain old U.S. machete. I have a Ontario U.S. PE plain Jane machete and it has served me well as an all around outdoor cutting tool for about 15 solid years now. I have bought several other items to try and take the place of it but every hachet, bowie, saw or whatever ends up on the shelf somewhere and the old machete gets all the use.

It may be that after 15 straight years of using the same tool, I have grown too used to it to be a good judge so that is where you all come in. Am I missing something by not owning a good quality Kurkri? I did buy a cheap Colt Steel Kukri, it is the one that costs about $15. I was not impressed with the cutting ability of it and I don't think it had anything to do with the quality. It appeared to be of about the same quality and price of my beloved Army Machete but it just didn't work as well. I fear it may be a design thing so I don't want to risk big money on a nice Kukri only to find that the design is what I didn't like.

It felt hard to chop with and gave my hand cramps because of the angle. It felt like I had to grip it very tight where the machete can be gripped a little looser and takes much less effort to do just about any task.

In all honesty, can a Kukri be a better user and all around outdoor cutter than a good machete?
 
Kgriggs?

If you like what you have, why change? Machetes have worked wonderfully all over the world.

That said, there is a world of difference in chopping ability, and the sense of ability when you use an H.I. khuk.

Here is a CAD series of profiles of various H.I. khuks for you to look at. Dan Koster put it together to give folks a sense of the different shapes and cutting angles.

http://www.himalayan-imports.com/faq/physics/Khukuri_Dynamics.html

Others here will have varying opinions, but quite obviously they have made a decision in favor of a khuk.

Welcome.
 
Machetes are much more suited for cutting light brush than most khukuris are...
In order of type of cutting to be done, from light brush to heavy chopping, I tend to rank things like this...

Machete ... Golok ... Khukuri ... Axe ... Chainsaw
I do not put regular saws in there, because I just cannot seem to use them with ANY efficiently... I can saw through a 2 in limb and tire myself out, or I can chop through it with a golok or khukuri and a few swipes...
I know this is just me, because I know people that will take a saw over an axe any time for large jobs... But something about the sawing motion, just tires me out something fierce!!!
 
My $.02

The handle on the cheap Cold Steel is a fright. Plus, it is a khukuri only in the sense that it casts a khukuri-shaped shadow (less the cho).

I find that the machete gets stuck in the work when I use it to chop substantial work -- especially softwood. The cross-section of a real khukuri (or axe) prevents this problem to a great extent.

For brambles or light brush, the machete is the thing. The khukuris that come closest are the longer, thinner models.

As for saws, the japanese prunning saw was a revelation when I first tried one. They zip through substantial wood with far less effort than any chopping tool. They are inefficient if you are cutting small branches.
 
Like they said, I suppose it will depend largely on the intended use. For chopping, an HI khuk will beat the machete. If it doesn't, they I guess it's not for you. But if you're using the cold steel khukuri as your benchmark for this kind of knife, you're missing out. I swear by HI, and so do some of the people here who really use them. Give one a try. Who knows, maybe you'll be a convert like everyone else here.

Chris
 
namaarie said:
. . .

I swear by HI, and so do some of the people here who really use them. Give one a try. Who knows, maybe you'll be a convert like everyone else here.

Chris
Click to expand...

... said the pusher. :D
 
And shameless at that! What can I say? I love these knives!

Don't worry, kgriggs. I'm impartial. Really. :D :D :D ;) ;) ;)

Chris
 
The last few weekends I have used both to cut down a large section of avacado tree that went down in the back yard. The machetes are a 14" Tramontina bolo and an 18" Martindale that kinda looks like a cross between a bolo and a scimitar. For branches 1.5" or less the machetes are pretty efficient. They're not too hard to swing and they go through the green stuff like nobody's business.

But once the branches get to be 2" or so I get out the big WWII (18.5"/ 28oz). The khuk will take HUGE chunks out of a 6" thick limb without binding, the same cannot be said of the machetes. I haven't tried a really good axe, like the Gransfors I've heard so much about, but I'll take a khukuri over a hardware store axe any day of the week. YMMV

Frank
 
In my informal comparison of a tramontina machete with a12" blade and an 18" OAL WWII HI khuk, I could more easily and quickly cut weedy grass, reeds, etc. with the machete. The khuk was pretty slow and didn't really cut the high grass well, but worked fine on stuff that had a little substance to them.

On red sumac, both worked well, but the khuk worked better once the sumac got to about wrist thickness. Both cut small maple limbs fine, the khuk was like magic on maple limbs when they got bigger, like 2 or 3 inches, but the machete still worked well.

Above that and the machete did not cut deeply and bound in the thicker maple, the khuk made deeper cuts and didn't bind as much. Also the machete, being a lighter blade, twisted when I tried to yank it out. Forget about me being strong enough to do it to the khuk.

So, the answer to which is better is "it depends" I love my khuks and I've never seen any machete type blade that was as well built as the HI Khuks.
 
Where's Dave (formerly Satori)? He has experience using both machetes and khuks.

kgriggs, what types of foliage/vegetation do you encounter? If you deal with several decent sized trees than a khukuri would be a better tool for you IMO.

Bob
 
:thumbup: I like machetes.

If you cut a lot of light stuff and reach a lot to cut it then a machete is for you. The khukuri being shorter you have to bend over more or reach farther than a long machete(unless it's a very long khukuri like 20" or something)

However if you do a lot of your cutting waist high or above and it involves not just trimming light vegetation but actually say chopping trees 3 to 6" in diameter out of the way too the khukuri is way better at doing both of these than the machete.

Most of the stuff I do with my khukuris is trail clearing of downed trees and limbs and the khukuri is the best for chopping the small branches off and then chopping the main stem up into pieces.
 
Since I am not busted; I will say that the machete and the Panga are the homicide tools 0f the deprived of a better weapon.
 
I agree with everbody for the green stuff anlight brush a machette would be the ideal choice and a kukri from HI would work best for heavy cutting. I myself use only a barong for everyday cutting and bring out the kukri for the serious hardwood or thick wood cutting chores.

Pls bear in mind that i have rarely used a machette as I find them of less utilitarian use( my opinion only). so you may need to take my advice with a grain of salt
 
Sorry to come into this late, but...

The Ontario machetes are serviceable. We've cut down trees with them in the past; it's a bit of work but it can be done and the tool is up to it. They obviously work well on brush and aren't particularly tiring. I do not care for the handles though. Ours had plastic scales that were cheap, uncomfortable, not secure, and broke easily. The lanyard loop at the bottom tended to mash my pinky finger.

It was my dissatisfaction with the GI Ontarios that prompted me to purchase my first khukuri, actually. :)

The CS khukuri "machete" is not a khukuri and is a poor machete. It binds in wood and lacks the reach to do a proper job of clearing brush. Mine hasn't been used in a long time. Some of their other machetes are better though. I'm particularly fond of their two-handed machete.
 
Warlock6 said:
Since I am not busted; I will say that the machete and the Panga are the homicide tools 0f the deprived of a better weapon.
Click to expand...

Yes. A couple of my friends carry combat scars from machetes.

Your wisdom is appreciated here. Please use the skills of the scholar and the poet too, to convey the wisdom in an acceptable manner.

Peace be with you, old warrior.
 
Thanks for the well thought out replys. I really have not used a khukuri other than the cheap CS one that I know is not much more than a piece of sheet metal cut into the shape of the khukuri.

It seems to me that the khukuri has the edge when you have to do heavy chopping but the machete is the thing for light brush. I do about 75% light brush and 25% chopping so that is probably why I am so fond of the machete. I think I need a khukuri though because sometimes I look at a tree or really large limb and really don't want to spend the time and the effort to cut it with the machete. The mahete will cut decent sized trees but now that people mention it, it does bind in the wood and is a choir.

I have a nice medium sized ax but I think an ax is a limited tool compared to the longer blades like a machete and probably a khukuri.

Now, should I get a khukuri that is closer to a machete like the Sirupati or should I get a chopper like the Ganga Ram? I like the look of the Sirupati but I wonder if it won't be as good of a chopper as some khukuris and not as good of a brush cutter as my machete. Is it a jack of all trades, master of none type of khukuri?
 
kgriggs8 said:
Thanks for the well thought out replys. I really have not used a khukuri other than the cheap CS one that I know is not much more than a piece of sheet metal cut into the shape of the khukuri.

It seems to me that the khukuri has the edge when you have to do heavy chopping but the machete is the thing for light brush. I do about 75% light brush and 25% chopping so that is probably why I am so fond of the machete. I think I need a khukuri though because sometimes I look at a tree or really large limb and really don't want to spend the time and the effort to cut it with the machete. The mahete will cut decent sized trees but now that people mention it, it does bind in the wood and is a choir.

I have a nice medium sized ax but I think an ax is a limited tool compared to the longer blades like a machete and probably a khukuri.

Now, should I get a khukuri that is closer to a machete like the Sirupati or should I get a chopper like the Ganga Ram? I like the look of the Sirupati but I wonder if it won't be as good of a chopper as some khukuris and not as good of a brush cutter as my machete. Is it a jack of all trades, master of none type of khukuri?
Click to expand...



If you like your machete, you probably want something much different. Although the sirupatis are great, they aren't the choppers that something like an Ang Khola or a Ganga Ram Special are. Those are the big boys. 17-20" will out chop just about anything. Also, a WWII 18" is a perfect all around blade.
 
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