Village Khuk goes camping

Mike L.

Mike L.

Joined
Aug 19, 1999
Messages
1,955
About eighteen months ago, I bought a 14" village model from Uncle Bill. I used it for some backyard tree and bush trimming, and thought it worked rather well.

Last week, after much trial and tribulation (another story), my wife and I had the opportunity to take a few day's camping vacation.
This was car-camping, not a backpacking excursion into deep wilderness or anything like that. For bladeware, we each carried our pocket folders (hers-Spyderco Co-Pilot, mine-MOD Trident) and a Swiss Army Huntsman model. In the gear we packed a small Plumb hatchet and the village khukuri.

We were cheered when we found that our campsite had a nice stone-ringed firepit, and that campfires were allowed. After we got our camp set up, we set out gathering deadfall for the fire. The Khukuri proved to be a much better chopper on both hardwood and softwood branches up to 6" diameter than the hatchet. I had sharpened the hatchet to my "demanding" specs, but the thinner bevel of the khuk bit into the wood in a much more efficient manner. After a good hour's chopping and breaking, we had enough wood for the night's fire and some to get started on in the morning. This handle on this particular knife is rather narrow in the rear section, and first caused me some discomfort, but I remembered someone's advice about "letting the knife teach you." and was able to adjust my grip so that the handle no longer stung me.
I did manage to wear a blister on my chopping hand in about 20 minutes, but that is more the result of a soft lifestyle than any fault of the knife's. I put on some workgloves and was able to continue chopping until we had enough wood. The blade picked up a few minor nicks and scars from hitting the rocky soil on a few strokes. The villager would still slice paper after all the chopping, but would no longer shave. Hell, I don't shave all that much with a khuk, anyway :)

The only task that the hatchet performed better than the khuk was driving tent pegs. Driving pegs with the back of the khuk can be done, but it's not all that efficient.

I know that if I was "packing it in" to a remote camp, I would leave the hatchet at home and bring the khuk. Next time I will bring a bigger knife, probably my Gelbu Special. Gelbu's handle is wider than the villager's and probably won't sting me at all.

I don't think there's a better camp knife than a good khukuri, sized to the jobs to be done. This little villager, while not pretty, is a great performer. And that's my "report from the field."

--Mike L.
 
Great report Mike, sounds like you and the wife had lots of fun and there's nothing better to calm the furrowed brow and relieve the soul than an outing into the woods.:)

As far as the phrase, "letting the knife teach you." I first heard it from Howard Wallace when I posted about never trying a khuk in a reverse grip before, but that it worked wonderfully and also turned the khukuri into a stabbing knife.
Howard told me to take the knife and try several different grips and what while, "letting the knife teach you."
And it will always be great advice.:cool: :D
 
Great story Mike! I love to read people's outdoor adventures with their khuks:D

BTW, I went camping a few weeks back and had only my 18" Ak, and the larger ones like that drive tent pegs really well:) As well as chop firewood, scare away bears, open cans, etc...I probably shouldn't have mentioned bears though---this forum tends to go nuts on theads with bears in it;) :D
 
Great report from the field, Mike, and many thanks. Some good tips, too. Villagers don't look very nice but they do the job and are a bargain. I wish I could get more of them but we don't control production.
 
Anything larger than a Buck Mod. 110 is now considered unsporting for bears. :)

Nice report Mike. Do you have a picture of thet khukuri?

n2s
 
N2s, have you read the story of the man who killed a bear with a khukuri? Your neighbor down in Margate, RayC, owns a khukuri made by the kami who made the khukuri that killed the bear.

Sounds sort of like the story of the house that Jack built, no?
 
All Species of animal short of a blue whale have been killed by khukuries. :)

I like the story in Farwell's book about the Gurkha that was attacked by a lion. The guy returned to camp with a lion skin.

Peter H. Chapstick always gets the prize for wild animal stories. He had one about 3 grown elephants killed by a single bullet. The first elephant was shot and fell over rolling down hill into the second, and then a third. All three were found dead at the botttom. I am sure that hunter planned it that way - billiards anyone?

n2s
 
Sorry, no pic available of the little villager...I spent all my money on khukuries and have none left for a digital camera ;)
The buttcap,which is made of rather thin brass (much thinner than the stuff Birgorkha uses) did come a bit loose. This did not affect the function of the knife, and I've since fixed it.
Bear in mind (no pun intended) that this is one of the smaller and more humble models that Uncle has sold...much better performance is available from standard HI models. Again, Gelbu will probably be on the next trip...more chopping authority, and still a reasonable weight.
My wife is in favor of getting a bow saw for camp firewood...but hairy-chested me...I say, no way,"We don't need no steenking bow saws!" Manly men chop their firewood!

The khukuri is also good for a bedside paranoia fix, but when camping we usually have something that goes bang (regardless of camp regs) for defensive emergencies.

There are no bears in the part of Georgia where we were camping.
I have personally never seen a bear outside of a zoo. Much more dangerous critters lurk in every urban area.


--Mike L.
 
Originally posted by Mike L.
And some of them wear skirts! ;)

--Mike L.
Click to expand...

Yeah!!!! And some wear skirts just to try and fool a fellow.:eek: :rolleyes: :barf:

""Much more dangerous critters lurk in every urban area."

"You can say that again!!!!"
Click to expand...

There's danger and then there's Danger!!!!:eek: ;) :rolleyes: :D
 
Quote: "I have personally never seen a bear outside of a zoo."

trust me, when you are alone in a one man tent, and your only knife is a WW2 quartermasters knife (a very functional antique, but a six inch straight blade isnt quite enough sometimes;) ) buried somewhere in your pack, and you awake to the sound of a bear snorting and sniffing a few inches from the fabric of the tent, you wish you had something a lil more..."persuasive." Keep the Khuk! ( i know that my next camping trip will have one, so that means that i gotta get the money to get one first!).

Quad
 
Originally posted by Quad.
"and your only knife is a WW2 quartermasters knife"
Click to expand...


Quad if the knife you're speaking about is an old Q225 Catteragus you have one of the best knives made during the 1940's, Bar None!!!!:D
It may very well be one of the few knives the US military issued during that time that had a nicely polished blade instead of being parkerized, perhaps the only one.
I'm really not all that knowledgeable when it comes to that subject in history. ;)

And you're right that a 6" blade leaves a little to be desired if forced into hand to paw, or would that be claw(?);) combat with any bear.
But on the other hand I don't believe anyone could come up with another 6" bladed knife any better.
The old Q225 Catteragus is one you can hand down to your great grandkids that they may be able to do the same with.
Unless a couple of young boys with a shop full of tools get their hand's on it and decide to make it prettier.:eek: :rolleyes: :o
 
I knew I shouldn't have mentioned Bears...whoops:rolleyes:

Ok, I meant to darnit. I don't know what it is about a good bear story, I'm addicted:D ;)
 
YVSA,
You just made my day! I have searched for a while for the origins of the knife, it was given to me by my dad and was given to him by one of his elders. All i knew was that it resembled a quartermaster replica i had seen in a catalog, says cattaraugus 2250 on the blade, and is one of the most functional knives i own. Its got a nice thick (and sharp) blade which is great, and the pommel on the handle is made for duty, its got a matchbox like pattern on it, and can be used for driving tent stakes or striking matches. Thank you for helping me (inadvertently) with my quest!

Quad
 
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