Which of your HI Khukuris is the best heavy-duty chopper?

[Daniel Koster]

Take the poll, explain your reasoning.

BTW, "heavy-duty" means 16.5" or longer, 24 oz or heavier. Also, you have to actually have used it "out in the field".

By "chopping" I mean everything from felling to splitting to clearing brush. Just provide an explanation or clarification along with your vote.

Dan

 

[JUSTRIGHT]

Dan,I use my 18" AK.I've chopped and split hard woods from cherry to oak,cleared brush,cut vines up too 3" thick in one swipe.Great all around knife. I luv it.That is no lie!!!!!! FRANK C . P.S.I can't vote, keeps poping me out.

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

Call me indecisive Dan, but a lot would depend on where I was going. I've been in swamps, deserts, forests, and mountains. What works best in one wouldn't necessarily be my choice in another. Example; in an area of primarily deciduous forest, I'd want my 18" AK, in a swamp where I'm going to be wacking "wait-a-minute" vines and such, I'd want something lighter and faster like an 18" Siru or a 20" Kobra. In a desert a big knife would be unecessarily carried dead weight, a 12" AK would be fine for butchering a goat or cutting digging sticks for root gathering.

What I'm saying in a roundabout way is there ain't no "magic bullet". If it came down to brass tacks, I'd strap on my Bura made 16.5" WWII and just use my noggin to work out how to get around what it won't handle.

Sarge

 

[Daniel Koster]

Sarge - good choice...

Here's what I'm trying to get at: Which is your first choice in terms of heading out into the woods to do chopping duties? I'm not looking for the "best all-around" or "The one I'd wager my life on". I just want to keep the poll simple - which one does the best work as a heavy-duty chopper?

That said, I purposely left off the Super Salyan...much too big to be truly useful...

 

[Yvsa]

Originally posted by JUSTRIGHT
I can't vote, keeps poping me out.

Me too. Must be something to do with not being a gold member anymore?

I have to go along with Sarge on his reasoning, but If I were to choose the best all around chopper with the experience I have right now I will go along with the BGRS and GRS as the best all around chopper.

The problem is that I haven't gotten to put my YCS through all the paces I need to absolute prove it as exactly what I wanted as I was getting to laid up just before they got to me to take them for extensive testing in the field.
The very first one did chip a place out in the edge about 1 1/2" long or so and maybe 3/16" to 1/4" deep. I used my Grizzly Grinder on it so that unless you look real close at the edge bevel you can't tell it was ever chipped.
It performed fine after that with what little I could throw at it.

Further testing with the YCS, Chitlangi, M-43 and others may change my mind so there's my little bit of input whatever it's worth.

 

[Tom Holt]

The second HI khuk I bought was a 25" sirupati; half inch thick at the spine, weight just over 2.75lb, and I have a suspicion, based on the style of the handle carvings & inlay, that it might have been made by Ganga Ram hisself. In all, a very different khuk to the 25" 2lb sirupati, made by Sher, that I bought earlier this year.

The handle was way too thick for my little girlie hands, so it didn't get used much. Recently, though, I steeled myself, prayed in advance for forgiveness, and took a rasp to that beautifully carved handle... thinned it down so I could hold it without fear of it flying out of my hand when I hit something. A thing of beauty is a joy for ever, but if you daren't use it, there's no point having it.

Lately I've been chopping down a lot of 15-20 year old ash and hazel, and splitting enough 20" diameter birch logs to keep my Dad warm through the winter. Guess what I've been using.

No contest. Them pretty little eighteen inchers are fine for dainty work, but a long, thick-spined sirupati fells, trims and splits better than anything else. BTW, I haven't sharpened it since I bought it. No need.

 

[ddean]

Originally posted by JUSTRIGHT
.I can't vote, keeps poping me out.

Ditto.

18" AK is my choice.

I have 20" Siru & 25" Kobra, but neither (in my hand)
chops nearly as well as my 18" AK.

If I needed an heavy axe replacement I might try one of the
longer (20-22"ish) choppers. AK Ganga etc

 

[raghorn]

16.5" chiruwa AK, followed closely by the 18" AK. I expect the 18" WWII can do everything as well as the AKs but I haven't proof tested it yet.

 

[wildmanh]

25" 5Lb 2oz AK a.k.a Godzilla

 

[Cuttin' Craig]

Dan, that's a no brainer for me...

Ganga Ram Special. I've Got a 22" 3# monster that does wonders. It's little brother the BGRS Is my favorite "small" Chopper. the lesser curvature of the blades work better for me than the more pronounced hump-backed AKs. If ya don't have a GRS or a BGRS, Ya don't know what yoor missin'

-Craig

P.s. couldn't vote either

 

[Pappy]

I don't have any of the bigger AK's but both of my WWII will chop pretty good. For those that are familiar with Sugar Pine, to me they are like chopping cork or punk. My 18 inch WWII has taken down a 10" Sugar Pine with not too much trouble.
I think Raghorn is right it seems to me to be able to pretty much hold it's own with others of it's size.
The 16.5" would sure be going with me on longer missions that I have to carry every thing with me.
I'm not too sure I wouldn't take the 12" AK with me too. It seems to me that it does a lot more work than a 12" knife is supposed to be able to do.

 

[SkagSig40]

This is Bull!!!! Can't even vote on a poll now or use the jump or search options for over a month now!!! How long does it take to "fix" this problem "they" are having!!!! It seems like they are forcing us to buy a gold membership to get "back to mormal"! I want to buy a gold just to help support BF.com and the knife industry but this is a little much!

Well now that my rant is over I'll say that I like my Super Salyan as the ultimate chopper!!! It is a little heavy to swing all day but when you hit your target nothing on earth will stop it! Pure chopping power but if I was in a thick jungle or swamp it would not be my 1st choice...a Sirupati would be!!!! Nothing can beat the SS for brute chopping power! Maybe SS means Super Sport and it has a 350 LS1 under the hood for all that chopper power!

 

[DKP]

You are just wanting to know what would I grab if a tree blew down or etc. around the house & I just jumped up, grabbed a kuk, & ran out to get it off the house, the truck or etc.? My old horn-handled Ang Kola. Measures about 19" so I don't whether to call it an 18" or a 20", but it has mileage on it, holds a great edge & has sorta been my "go to" knife when I needed something big & bad quick. I have a Ganga Ram Special & a Chiruwa AK. I haven't had the years playing with them so I don't feel as comfortable yet with them as with this old AK, although either will do at least as good a job, I suspect. In late '91 or so, I called UB & said I needed something heavier than the military's & sirupati's I had, so he sent me this particular AK. Don't know who made it, or how much it weighs, but it seems to float in my hand & takes a big bite out of whatever is in front of it. Dry, well-seasoned dogwood is always a pretty good test; even for a chain saw, & the edge has never turned, or chipped. I'm sorta fond of it, but then, I doubt you could tell that by reading this.

 

[raghorn]

Each of my users has its own niche.

16.5" chiruwa AK gets heavily used at work, and is the one most likely to be with me in an emergency or survival situation. In addition to heavy chopping tasks, it's been used for everything from taking down squatters' shacks to planting willow trees.

18" AK handles all the household chopping tasks, from falling and limbing small trees and clearing brush to quartering deer.

M43 cuts better than the 18" AK but I'm afraid it won't tolerate the abuse the AK does so I only use it occasionally for light falling & limbing jobs.

My 20" AK does the heaviest work, but it's not one I consider taking afield because of its size and weight. I mainly use it to split firewood. Broke the tang on it once, the blade is herculean.

The Pen-knife goes out with me a lot, but mainly gets called up for cutting meat and preparing food.

18" GS is used exclusively for osterizing large masses of blackberry canes.

18" kobra is my favorite hiking companion. Convex edge, great all-around trail knife.

I think Sarge said it best, but it sure is a privelige to have a variety of fine blades to choose from.

 

[BruiseLeee]

I'd bring a BAS, complain that it doesn't chop as well as what you guys have, then I'd sit back and let you do all the work.

 

[Rusty]

For me on wood, I'd use the 20" sirupati. The 15" AK doesn't have the leverage, and it's my only AK. I'm without a WWII temporarily. The Super Salyan is too big for my hands, and the 30" Sirupati would wear me out in a matter of minutes. My M43 now sports nice deep rings including thru the tang, but is reserved for fondling, cutting air, and retaining a wicked edge just in case I have to sever something with one good whack. I'm so pleased with the M43, I'm now reworking my 19" village sirupati with the chainpur handle. I'm only partway thru and I'm already fondling it's sleek, slim, so easy to manipulate grip already.

 

[Ferrous Wheel]

as best chopper. I've cut lotsa stuff yer not supposed to cut with a knife...

Keith

 

[eraaij]

My girlfriend does all the heavy-duty shopping

 

[Bill Martino]

The 30 inch AK is the best heavy duty chopper if you're able to h andle it which I'm not.

 

[Roger Smith]

Originally posted by wildmanh
25" 5Lb 2oz AK a.k.a Godzilla

Oh yeah bro!
While I love the Huge Brute and He's capable of chopping down entire trees a more all around favorite for me is a plain YCS w/a SG finished handle. It chops so well for its size. Truly a great all-around design. Small enough to be quick and heavy-duty enough to do the jobs here at The Compound.
Thank goodness for brush-on Bondini!

p.s. 500 posts! Yippee! Thanks!