Which Khururi should I get next?

Wildman:

The demensions on my GRS UBDOTD are as follows:
22" Long
3" Belly
1/2 thick at the spine
3# 4oz.

It is an incredible chopper! I really wasn't that thrilled with the looks of the blade design ( Sans the hump on the back of the blade) But it grew on me quickly.

Yvsa is absolutely on the money about the GRS's Grace and chopping abilities. My particular GRS ( Durba) was wickedly sharp when I received it and has only gotten Nastier!

I've chopped greenwood on two occasions. The first was kind of tragic in that I put so much oomph behind my swing that the balde sailed through the 4" dogwood tree and hit the dirt on the other side finding a nice rock below the dirts surface. (No problem-- a little fancy file work and a ball peen and the tip is as good as new. )

My second occasion was with a 4" poplar to demonstrate the capabilities to my wife. It was like Butta'. If tree felling is on the agenda the GRS fits the bill with room to spare.

I really don't think that you'd be disappointed with either one, but based on my experience, The GRS IS THE MAN!

:cool:

-Craig
 
:
Heber stay with the standard rat tail tang. I don't believe you will be
sorry.:)

Somehow, someone, sometime back got the mistaken idea that full tang or chiruwa style handles are stronger.
But if done correctly, as the H.I.Kami's do, the rat tail tang is just as
strong!!!!
The rat tail tang has radiused corners, which are less apt to shear, and they are very substantial and very
strong.
I only have one chiruwa handled khukuri, which was sent to me by a generous H.I.Member here,:D that I really care about although I haven't been out to test it as yet, actually haven't even sharpened it as I've been too busy with personal things lately and so the jury is still out in its case.:(
I don't know if it is going to vibrate in my hand when chopping as that style handle usually does, but I'm thinking it probably will.
Some people don't notice the vibration or it doesn't bother them.
But for us old farts it does make a difference.:)
The rat tail tang doesn't set up the vibrations and are much more comfortable to use which is the opinon of most of us here.
And the rat tail tang doesn't shrink away from the tang as the chiruwa handles are prone to do.
The shrunken wood or horn causes a ridge on each side of the steel making for a very uncomfortable grip.
The only way to repair them is to file the steel away until there's once again a smooth junction.
And another thing is that if a rat tail tang khukuri's handle is to big they can be shaped to fit much easier by carefully removeing wood or horn, making the handle more egg shaped with the small part of the oval at the bottom of the handle.
I have had to remove a lot of wood all the way around from my GRS and Super Salyan in order for me to have a better grip with them.
Anytime a handle is too big it's easy to lose your grasp when using the
khukuri.
And I don't have to tell you the danger of a flying khukuri.:D
I have done the "Khukuri Dance" a few times and now after carefully testing a large handled khukuri I set it aside until I have time to modify the
handle.
That keeps the Safety Officer and myself happy.;)

Hope this helps you to make a decision and don't ever let anyone tell you a rat tail tang isn't as strong as a full tang.
The rat tail tang has been used very successfully for centuries.:D
 
I second Yvsa about strength of rat tail tang, nothing more I can add.

I have little experience of Chiruwa style with only one, an AK Bowie. It COULD be stronger than other khukuris with rat tail tang, but couldn't find any recognizable difference. I found a disadvantage of Churuwa that the handle rusts very soon, very easily. Especially in case it is equipped with no brass part on it like bolster and/or butt cap. Yes, I polish rust off now and then, but it can shorten the life of the knife for a some generations which it could survive with rat tail tang.
 
Thanks for all the help. The Rat tail Tang sounds like the way to go.

What is the weight difference between the 18" GRS and the 22"?
 
wildmanh,

If you are going to carry it on a belt get the 18" one. My 17.5" (nominally 18") WWII sits behind my right hip nicely. I can not do that with the 22" GRS. The charp will stab calf when I run or climb. The same holds for a 20" Ang Khola but I will be lobsided and unable to run or climb carrying that knife on my belt. Of course if I am faced with a bear or enraged moose I may surpise myself.

Mom is really just watching out for you. Like most women they do not understand our pecularities.


Craig,

Your experiences are very similar to mine. My GRS has sailed through 4" popular as well. It happened quite a few times and usually on downed tree were I can get a strong blow. I had though it was a flaw in the wood. I recall bush clearing with my mom. She was amazed that lopped through pine and popular so easily. Of course I had loaned here my CS Trail Master.

From a user point of view the rat tail tang is better. Vibration on my H.I. khukuri is much less than the H.I. bowie or CS khukuri (both full tang). Generally balance is better with the rat tail tang. The full tang is probably stronger but I am not sure if the extra strength is really required. I am really interested how the full tang M43 compares.

Will
 
Unless you're a glutton for punishment as the 22 incher , while a good chopper is not the most comfortable khukuri to take on a long hiking/camping trip. The baby GRS while smaller still does a decent job on camp chores.

My 2 cents Canadian,
 
Uncle Bill, If you don't want to, don't worry about compairing weights. I mesured and a 22" GRS will come down to just above my knee. When I'm hiking, climbing and runnning it would be just a little to long. I'll get the 18" when I have the money.

Thanks every body for the help. You guys are great.


Heber Ellsworth
 
:
The weight on my Baby GRS is 1 pound 12 ounces.
I think the weight on the standard GRS is up around 3 pounds give or take a little, but mine's in the safe and I'm too lazy to go dig it out.:D

Heber the BGRS is among my favorite middle sized khukuris.
I feel that it along with the YCS and Chitlangi cut like a much heavier khukuri does.
And these 3 are my favorite's in this weight range.:)

I also think it's because of the lighter weights being easier to get more speed on the swing and the edge geometry may have something to do with it as well.
And if it's one you want to carry with you rather than hung on a tree in camp the BGRS is definitely the way to go.
However when I was younger I probably would have carried the standard GRS. I have always been a fan of big knives!!!!:)
 
Thanks for the help Yvsa. Big knives perk my interest also and Khukuris sure do fit the bill nicely :)


Heber Ellsworth

PS What's a Chitlangi?
 
:
Heber the Chitlangi is a Dui Chiara Chainpuri.
I got the very 1st onr made by H.I. and it's about 20" long with beautiful double fullers and very light.
And it came with the prettiest standard scabbard that I have seen!!!!
It too cuts like a much heavier khukuri and immediately became one of my favorites in that size and weight range.

It becomes a problem when trying to decide on favorites since so many can be a favorite khukuri.
And so I came up with the idea of putting them in size and weight ranges.
That describes the favorites and by seperateing them in groups it's easier to keep track of them.:)
 
You can never have too many. Never :)

Anyway I got a chance to take my 18"WW2 on a camping trip a few weeks ago. It was a good thing too. After we showed up we had a load of wood delivired by a friend of one of the guys. All of the wood was still in log form. The guy who brought the wood had a maul which is really good for the first split but after that it becomes a lot less effective (and a lot more tiring) I dug into my saddle bags and pulled out the ww2 and had a field day!

Most of the guys said things along the lines of "wow... I want one"

I told em where to come to find em.

BTW: You'll love your GRS!
 
Originally posted by Matt Matheny
You can never have too many. Never :)
Click to expand...

Now if I could only convince my mom of that. Then again, I got her somethings she really wanted for her Birthday yesterday so she doesn't mind that I have another AK coming.

Yvsa, I don't think I've ever heared of a Dui Chiara Chainpuri before. Can you or some one else post a pic or two? Or email one to me? wildmanh@yahoo.com

I think I will get the BGRS next then see what comes along. Wish I had $2000 so I could just get one of each right now :D


Heber Ellsworth
 
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