What Kukri should I get?

A khukuri is sort of like a wok--real ones are hammered out on a stump anvil by an old guy in Nepal or China with a big fire and a selection of dead Ford trucks in his front yard because they have the best steel in their leaf springs. They aren't available in dozens of colors at your nearest retail site.

The handles are generally hardwood or buffalo horn. Most have an intricately built wooden framed/skeletoned leather fitted sheath, and no way it's a real khukuri wihout a kauda below the edge.

It is common to have two small 'sub-knives' sheathed behind the handle of the khukuri itself as well--one for small cutting chores (think of it like an Izula attached to your Becker 9). The other is actually dulled and serves as a sharpener when nothing else is at hand.

Then (as with the flat bottom, no-stick coating electric "woks" we see at Macy's) there are the knives that are shaped vaguely like Khukuris and marketed with the name, but are actually modified machetes or just 'big knives.' Some of them are pretty cool like a couple pics above.

An electric skillet doesn't cook like a wok and a 'big knife' doesn't have the subtle qualities of a khukuri, either in balance or feel. A khukuri is its own thing.

My parents paid about $5 for my khukuri in Nepal in the 60's...even have a pic of them with the old guy at his forge. It's one fine piece of steel, holds a great edge and remains one of the best "knives" I own as it hangs on my wall. And yes, I have used it.

If you want a real khukuri, stick with the places recommended above with true connections in-country. Otherwise, you're just buying someone's big knife.

EDIT - Also there should be a maker's mark of some kind even on a khukuri if it's a 'good' one.
 
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I'm sorry but the "I have a real Khukuri, yours is a similar object" is kind of BS. It's like saying a Bowie knife isn't a bowie because it isn't made in Arkansas out of an old file.
 
Wanimator said:
I'm sorry but the "I have a real Khukuri, yours is a similar object" is kind of BS. It's like saying a Bowie knife isn't a bowie because it isn't made in Arkansas out of an old file.
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OK...let's call your knife a khukuri then. I'll call my knife from Premiumknives.com a Sebenza.
 
Wanimator said:
The Mar Temper, other heat treating along with quality make the higher end kukris a great choice, it's well worth the price over a Kabar zombie knife or a kukri machete. SK-5 is incredibely tough but the Mar temper adds the edge retention of what's considered a more preferable or "expensive" steel. I think CS is doing carbon 5 again too. http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/35ATCBC5/GURKHA_KUKRI_CARBON_5.aspx .
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I don't think Carbon V will ever return, so I'm not sure what's going on with that "back ordered" thing, but who knows. BTW, check out these threads:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1092672-Carbon-V/page2
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/803294-1095-1095-CroVan/page2

There may be more as well, but these provide a lot of info on the steel from the men involved. I have an old LTC in Carbon V and love it, but haven't seen anything but perfect performance from my old SK-5 either. I'd love to try the Mar Tempered stuff. CS knows what to do with steel.
 
Where to start?

Knivery said:
A khukuri is sort of like a wok--real ones are hammered out on a stump anvil by an old guy in Nepal or China with a big fire and a selection of dead Ford trucks in his front yard because they have the best steel in their leaf springs. They aren't available in dozens of colors at your nearest retail site.
Nepal or India. One of the premier makers of traditional khukuri try to use Mercedes springs because they're supposed to be superior. I can't say which is best, only that plenty were made from used up rail car springs. Traditional khukuri have been made from steel sourced from many different things. No large fires either, but small coal forges and they are available, and always appear to have been, in a wild array of styles and materials, some fit for Paris Hilton or a N'Awlins pimp!

The handles are generally hardwood or buffalo horn. The handles are made of horn and wood, or bone, antler, or aluminum. They use whatever they can. Modern, high end materials are not on the menu because it's a poor country using low tech. methods, also trying to keep things traditional to an extent.

Most have an intricately built wooden framed/skeletoned leather fitted sheath, [/I] I've not seen too many intricately built modern khukuri sheaths. I've owned more than a few and most don't fit that well, being a roughly carved and scraped out piece of soft wood wrapped in anything from nice thick high-grade leather to something which appeared to be split leather (which is as cheap as it gets. I've seen way too many which had no retention or split relatively soon upon use. The best traditional khuk sheaths I've ever seen were the British Issue sheaths from WWI and WWII. They were awesome, but I've only seen one modern version come close.

..and no way it's a real khukuri wihout a kauda This is nothing more than a filed notch. No one knows exactly what it means anymore. Maybe religious, some say a place for blood to drain before getting to the handle. Who knows, but this statement is akin to saying it's not a real over-built combat knife unless it has a "Talon Hole". BTW, I like the cho and the tradition it represents. below the edge.

It is common to have two small 'sub-knives' sheathed behind the handle of the khukuri itself as well--one for small cutting chores (think of it like an Izula attached to your Becker 9). The other is actually dulled and serves as a sharpener when nothing else is at hand. Many, many military issue khukuri did not come with either. Many modern versions I've owned suffer from: the karda being too small and poorly made to be useful for anything but cutting a bag of chips, and the chakma being too soft to effectively be used to steel an edge. I've read many times these are often made by apprentice kamis. I have seen some good ones though. For me it was always a special treat to get a good K&C with a khuk. No karda I've seen comes close to an Izula unfortunately!

Then (as with the flat bottom, no-stick coating electric "woks" we see at Macy's) there are the knives that are shaped vaguely like Khukuris and marketed with the name, but are actually modified machetes or just 'big knives.' Some of them are pretty cool like a couple pics above. Khukuri made in Nepal have always had a great variation in shape, thickness, edge geometry, etc.. They vary greatly, just like machetes, because they have myriad uses and have been adapted to the uses. An electric skillet doesn't cook like a wok and a 'big knife' doesn't have the subtle qualities of a khukuri, either in balance or feel. A khukuri is its own thing. Balance and feel are subjective, but I've owned few khukuri with the balance of my CS Gurkha. But, it is a neutral balance and some prefer a weight forward balance. To each his own. My parents paid about $5 for my khukuri in Nepal in the 60's...even have a pic of them with the old guy at his forge. It's one fine piece of steel, holds a great edge and remains one of the best "knives" I own as it hangs on my wall. And yes, I have used it. I don't doubt this one bit.

If you want a real TRADITIONAL khukuri, stick with the places recommended above with true connections in-country. Otherwise, you're just buying someone's big knife. I'll add that even traditionally made khukuri have often been adapted to us Westerners. We probably wouldn't fair well with a khuk made for a Nepali. Small hands and all....

EDIT - Also there should be a maker's mark of some kind even on a khukuri if it's a 'good' one. Nothing more than an opinion here. HI prides itself on having a kami mark as a "proof mark". I like and applaud this, but few khuks made past or present are marked.
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OK, this whole topic irritates me and I don't want it to seem like I'm picking on you at all. While I at first was a bit enthusiastic and felt the same way as you, I soon came to my senses. A khukuri is nothing more than an ethnic blade, period, just like a parang, enep, barong, etc... I have and have had many, many traditional khukuri. I love them and find myself using them whenever I need a big blade. I adore a well shaped wooden or horn handle. I appreciate the work a skilled artisan puts into a handmade khuk. There are also subtle and wonderful things a hammer can add to a blade to make it feel better and work better than a flat machined blade.

That being said, a khukuri is a big, recurved bladed knife. They come in so many forms it's mind boggling. Their have even been GI khuks without chos (kaudis). I cringe now when I hear the old "that's not a khuk" arguments. Full disclosure, I used to use that term as well. I truly believe many who make the argument about that's not a real khuk have never used what they call a KLO. I constantly hear complaints about the khuk machetes. My first khuk was a Cold Steel LTC. It is possibly the first modern khuk machete. It is also a truly superb blade and can easily handle amazing amounts of work.

Now to the Gurkha Kukri from CS. The only complaint I've ever heard from an ACTUAL user is that it sticks in wood while chopping. Any flat ground blade will. There are things which can be done, like a little WD40 spray while chopping, but I've not found it to be a problem. Some also say the handle causes blisters and I don't doubt what they say, but haven't had that problem myself. I also don't chop firewood for hours with a khuk, or anything else for that matter. Texas being Texas:D The CS Gurkha can handle chopping seasoned mesquite (an extremely hard wood) as well as weeds and still retain it's edge. That covers two extremes pretty well and makes it one handy blade. As I've said before, anyone having handled a few British GI Mk. II or M43 khukuri and the CS Gurkha will tell you what the CS was modeled after. Its weight and length are perfect for a general use (my general use, of course. YMMV) khuk. The handle is comfy and secure. I wish it had a nice hard handle more like its ancestors, but that's just me. Its sheath beats the hell out of any traditional sheath I've seen or used, and will never rot.

As I've said before many times, I love my traditional khukuri and use them. I always suggest any khukuri fan try and use all types. Why not? This old argument about "that's not a khukuri" is like saying "that Buck 110 ain't a true pocket knife, because it's so darn big and doesn't have three carbon steel blades like my Case Stockman", or "that AR15 ain't a hunting rifle because it doesn't have a wooden stock and blued steel barrel". This type of logic limits our experiences and happiness, and closes our minds. I've been an ESEE fan for several years, but now I'm itching for a thin Nessmuk blade:) That is the Blade Forums curse and blessing. It opens our eyes to new things, but opens our wallets as well. Take care.
 
jdk1 said:
Where to start?


OK, this whole topic irritates me
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Yeah, where to start...

It appears you were trying to decide whether to argue or just expand on what all I said.
Your parsing of my paragraphs and provision of in-depth coverage of the points I make is informative. Bravo. But...You're talkin' a mile to say an inch.

First, Khukuris are produced not only in Nepal. Real ones also show up in bordering areas e.g. China. Their origin is attributed to Nepal, Ghurkas, blah, blah, blah, but they are manufactured throughout an area. Some of the makers do have large fires. As I said, i have a pic of one. Not sure why you made the no large fires comment.

Yes, the steels used can come from a number of vehicles, I thought it would be obvious to all that I only used "Ford" to imply auto steel. There IS a preferred vehicle among the makers however. With all your experience I'm sure you know which one.

I say again, the handles are generally hardwood or buffalo horn...horn of some kind. Their inclusion on just the tourista khukuris would put these in the majority.

True, a lot of the sheaths aren't fitted that well, not like Kydex, etc. Thanks for adding that.

A talon hole on a combat knife, huh? OK. Meantime, it's not a true khukuri if there is no kauda. Like I told the guy who apparently thinks "Sebenza" is a brand, if you wanna call your knife a khukuri, fine on me.

You are correct this time--I only said it was "common" that khukuris come with the dual sub-sheaths. And thanks again for relating your own experiences.

Yes, real khukuris vary in shape and size...beyond a certain minimum; and certainly balance and feel are subjective.

It is incorrect to say that few khukuris made past or present are marked. The better ones are and have been for a long time, even many of the touristas. A good maker has long known the importance of his mark.

In reading the rest of your mile it seems the main difference we have is that what I call a khukuri you call a "traditional khukuri." I DO notice you shift gears and differentiate between "khukuri" and "traditional khukuri." So you see the difference. :)

How about leaving it there and getting some dinner?
 
Knivery, as with most discussions, we likely agree much more than disagree:) And this wasn't a rant against you, really. We will have to disagree on some points, but I'm no expert by any stretch and I'm always eager to learn, even if I end up with egg on my face. I like eggs:D The Talon Hole is that hole on the front of a Busse handle (trademarked BTW!). There is so much bashing of "KLO's" that it sometimes get's to me. I love my traditional khukuri, and I'll definitely agree there is a difference between HI/Tora and CS. But, I'll argue against the modern version being so inferior, which I hear a lot. They're different animals, but all khukuri and I love them all. I believe the modern khukuri are just another variation on the theme and come with their own benefits. Everything I said above is in my experience only. That's all to which I can attest. I have more than a few vintage pieces and traditional khuks, but that's still a drop in the bucket compared to many folks. So again, we'll disagree on some points, but who cares? And if you haven't tried the CS Gurkha, pick one up! Take care.
 
jdk1 said:
Knivery, as with most discussions, we likely agree much more than disagree:) And this wasn't a rant against you, really. We will have to disagree on some points, but I'm no expert by any stretch and I'm always eager to learn, even if I end up with egg on my face. I like eggs:D The Talon Hole is that hole on the front of a Busse handle (trademarked BTW!). There is so much bashing of "KLO's" that it sometimes get's to me. I love my traditional khukuri, and I'll definitely agree there is a difference between HI/Tora and CS. But, I'll argue against the modern version being so inferior, which I hear a lot. They're different animals, but all khukuri and I love them all. I believe the modern khukuri are just another variation on the theme and come with their own benefits. Everything I said above is in my experience only. That's all to which I can attest. I have more than a few vintage pieces and traditional khuks, but that's still a drop in the bucket compared to many folks. So again, we'll disagree on some points, but who cares? And if you haven't tried the CS Gurkha, pick one up! Take care.
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Never said anything was 'inferior,' just an attempt to differentiate--as you did with "traditional khukuri" and "khukuri."

And that CS knife looks cool as hell and not "inferior" to anything. I'd own it in a heartbeat.
 
Oh okay. Sorry.
I thought you were being a purist of some sort. I apologize for being a bit aggressive. I thought you were basically doing the "My katana has inferior steel but it's layered so it's better than your knife with a modern alloy because mine is layered" I apologize.
 
Good deal, we can have some fun now:) BTW, Knivery, the CS Gurkha is a good one for sure! Try one if you can. Anyway, back to business. We had this same discussion back in November and I posted a curious pic:

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I'm pretty sure this pic is somewhere in Lynn Thompson's library:D Take care gents.
 
HI is the best stuff you can get, and they are made by good people and the money goes towards helping good people.
 
Wanimator said:
Oh okay. Sorry.
I thought you were being a purist of some sort. I apologize for being a bit aggressive
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Accepted but certrainly not necessary, W. I learned a few things.

That top sheath looks a lot like mine which is water buffalo. Eyeballing 'em I'd bet the bottom knife feels a bit better in use...looks like the balance would be a little better. Damn slim handles again though.

My handles are a little wider and more ergo than those but still "just" the basic wooden K'ri handle with a few more pins and a bit more inlay. I've considered paracording or leather wrapping it but...I think it would just change too much about it so it remains as built.

One of the things I like about a traditional K'ri handle--these show a small amount of it--is the thick recurve of the handle at the rear....if only all the good bush knives could have that for whacking.
 
cpio said:
HI is the best stuff you can get, and they are made by good people and the money goes towards helping good people.
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I only remember I was able to find two good places online that seemed to be truly Nepali...seemed to be the best two anyway...and one of them was noticeably "better" than the other as far as the products offered. Can't remember which though. :p
 
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