Why Can't I Do It?

Brian_T

Brian_T

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 7, 1999
Messages
1,755
I have two M43s now (one horn/one wood handle) and I just can't seem to bring myself to use them.

I'm intimidated by the "bent" blade and I've read the safety thread one too many times I guess.

How do I get up on this horse? I'd sure like to get out and work these blades (one at a time of course) to give them some color and some character.

Did I start too big?

I appreciate your advice.

Thanks,

B
 
Maybe you could start out by chopping smaller material.

Lay a maple branch down on top of a fallen log, so you have a back-drop, and start chopping at it. You'll learn pretty quick how a khukuri moves in your hand and how it goes through material, and having a solid back drop to chop against, chances are reduced to nearly nill that you might accidentally hit yourself on a follow-through because there will be no follow through.

And don't hit really hard when you're starting out. Begin light until you get the technique down and then when you are comfortable with that, start chopping harder.

The more you familiarize yourself with a khukuri, the better you can use it more effectively and safely.
 
Just get out and do it.

Find some large-ish pieces, make sure no part of you is in the path of your swing. Take a few practice line-ups and giver 'er a chop. Don't go all-out on your first chops, just get a feel for how it handles.

I think it'll come to you as you work with it.

Kukri aren't to be feared, just respect what they can do.

ETA: LOL, kind of gave the opposite advice as Wolf about starting with larger wood. My reasoning is so that even if you go hard, you won't go all the way through. I'd move on to smaller stuff when you are used to how it feels on a swing.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
Just get out and do it.
...make sure no part of you is in the path of your swing.
Click to expand...

LOL! That is what I'm worried about!

There's no part of me I want to accidentally remove (again) so I'm a bit skittish about chopping.

I'm an axe guy so you'd think the transition from one big chopper to another would be a cake walk but I just grab the axe when I need to chop because that's what I am used to.

I read a thread on here a while back about the worst injuries received from a khukri and that has also colored my perception a bit. :D

I'll get out with it tomorrow and get it a little dirty. Then I'll come back and post some pics.

(Takes status) Yep, ten fingers and ten toes going in...hope that count is the same tomorrow. :cool:

B
 
You might start with easy limbing. That would allow you to control the blade without being bent over and having a glancing blow bite your shin.

The M43 isn't what I would consider a "start khuk" if there is such a thing. Most people find that the pretty light curve of something like an AK or BAS is more familiar to the straighter knives they are familiar with. The M43 has a lot of curve to it making someone that is unfamiliar with khuks a little more gunshy generally. It's tougher to plan the arch of the swing.

Just go slow, go easy, and let the khuk teach you. Khuks, for the most part, are pretty docile animals. They don't tend to bite unless provoked or abused:D If it does get ya a little bit (which does tend to happen) there is always forgiveness. Hell, Heber almost took off his hand with his 15" AK and 6 years later he's still swinging away:D:thumbup:
 
Find a decent sized branch, and lay it over another, larger one, like a log or such. I prefer to chop as low as possible, even on my knees if I can. Then, even if the blade gets away from me for some reason, it will go into the ground rather than my kneecap.

It's an experience thing. Just go try it out. Your natural fear of self injury will make you cautious.

Andy
 
Personally, I practically never swing so hard that I can't stop my arm if needs be. This way, in the event of glancing or what have you, things aren't totally out of control, and I can stop the blade from hitting anything alive. :D

The curvature of something like an M43 would take a little more getting used to though... so to reiterate what others have said, simply start slow and get a feel for it.
 
Well, I finally got my Ganga Ram out, and did some serious chopping with it. Guess I gave it character because the blade is scuffed and I have a couple of knicks in the blade. I haven't found an article yet that makes me comfortable with sharpening it so I guess I'm just going to take some of the advice I've been given and hope for the best.
 
The M-43 was my first khuk, and it was awesome to experience that kind of cutting power for the first time. Just be careful. Take your time and focus where your swings will land
 
Brian_T said:
I have two M43s now (one horn/one wood handle) and I just can't seem to bring myself to use them.

I'm intimidated by the "bent" blade and I've read the safety thread one too many times I guess.

How do I get up on this horse? I'd sure like to get out and work these blades (one at a time of course) to give them some color and some character.

Did I start too big?

I appreciate your advice.

Thanks,

B
Click to expand...

Brian, first of all welcome to the HI Forum's! :D

Yup a kukri is different than an axe, but then what knife no matter how big isn't? ;) And no, you didn't start too big. Now had you have started with a full size Ganga Ram or any of the other *Big* kukris then I'd say, "Yup, you started too big.";)
Thing is though that chances are you've used a big knife of some sort before and although there is a learning curve to go from a big knife to a kukri, which I think is different for everyone, I myself don't think it's too difficult nor did I find it too be so when I first used my Shop 2 18" AK. Actually for me I didn't find it difficult at all and even though the *Full Curved* kukris, such as the M43, chop a bit different than the angular models I have always preferred them!:thumbup: :cool:
My first *Full Curved* kukri was the 18th Century, of which I was fortunate to snag when it came up for sale, that was supposed to have been discontinued. :cool:
And because I liked and preferred them over the other models was the biggest reason I was so adamant about getting the 17"-18" Foxy Folly made - And that has became my very favorite HI Kukri!:thumbup: :D
I don't need to add my $0.02 to all the good advice already given, but I also say start with the smaller branches and such first seeing as how there's a lot less chance of having a glancing blow temporarily take your control away just enough to create a bad mishap.
Biggest trouble with kukris is what's likely to be a slight mishap with say a, "Large Bowie" becomes a major mishap with a kukri.:grumpy: :(
 
Trust me I understand,

Last year when i finally broke down and my first two HI kuks arrived ( 1 was a BAS and the second was a M-43) , my first thought was thats a big honking bleaping blade. The m-43 is now my most widely used HI kuk.

I had two advantages I guess, the first was that I was accustomed to using an axe and other non powered chopping tools and a lot of the same safety rules apply both to the Axe/Bush Hook/Bank Blade and the Kukri. The second is that I had several years of using another makers Kukris as a delimbing tool/short belt machete.

My main problem was getting over the "I paid how much for this and I'm going to do WHAT with it??????" It took me a couple of weeks to actually go out and actually use it for what it was meant and designed to do. I was sold at that point

Take it easy and slow, there is nothing in the HI Buyers Guide that says you have to go out and immediately find the biggest tree and turn it into sawdust using just your kukri.

Personally I think you picked a fine well made blade to start off with and I hope it gives you plenty of service over a very long period of time

Like some of the others in this post have mentioned there are other blades out there that are not so beginner friendly.

Marc Adkins


Brian_T said:
I have two M43s now (one horn/one wood handle) and I just can't seem to bring myself to use them.

I'm intimidated by the "bent" blade and I've read the safety thread one too many times I guess.

How do I get up on this horse? I'd sure like to get out and work these blades (one at a time of course) to give them some color and some character.

Did I start too big?

I appreciate your advice.

Thanks,

B
Click to expand...
 
Brian_T said:
There's no part of me I want to accidentally remove (again) so I'm a bit skittish about chopping.

I'm an axe guy so you'd think the transition from one big chopper to another would be a cake walk but I just grab the axe when I need to chop because that's what I am used to.

I read a thread on here a while back about the worst injuries received from a khukri and that has also colored my perception a bit. :D
Click to expand...

Have you looked on the net for photos of self inflicted axe wounds? :D

I guess axes can be dangerous as well, like motor bikes,cars,planes, push bikes etc.etc. ;)

Take care & have fun!

Spiral
 
Used to work in the Biomedical research field, on certain occasions some of us "Ghouls" would abuse employee privledges and request certain medical articles on weapon wounds.................

you do not wanna get hit by any large bladed object, or small bladed object for that manner.

the down side iswith an axe it's being swung two handed and all that force is concentrated in that very narrow edge

Marc Adkins

spiraltwista said:
Have you looked on the net for photos of self inflicted axe wounds? :D

I guess axes can be dangerous as well, like motor bikes,cars,planes, push bikes etc.etc. ;)

Take care & have fun!

Spiral
Click to expand...
 
Get a neighbor you don't particularly like to try one first while you watch. Then don't do what he did before they cart him off on a gurney.
 
Go somewhere where there are downed trees laying around (down along river banks works good). Find a downed tree and chop so that you are chopping on the side of the log away from you. After a few swings you'll get the hang of it. I have two M-43's as well used my first to build a couple log cabins plus other shelters and accoutrements. The only way to get experience with therse great blades is to get out and use em. Just take it slow at first and pay attention to what you're doing and you'll do great.
 
Alright, I'm out the door to get in my first swings...

Thanks for all the advice so far. :)

B
 
Woo-Hoo!

I did it and quickly found the sweet spot on this bruiser.

I started small with some 1/2" diameter sticks just to get hand placement where I had the greatest control and then quickly worked my way up to knocking off the corners of some firewood.

I used a 20" tall chopping block (a piece of firewood slammed into the ground a few times to secure it) and did most of my work on my knees as I would have done with a small axe.

As I get more confident with the blade I'll try more "detail" work to see how it does but as a chopper it seems just fine.

I haven't used it enough (of course) to determine whether or not the contour on the handles is going to cause hot spots or blisters but it was fine for the short time I did use it.

So, I've overcome that first hurdle...now what? :)

Thanks again,


B
 
Ah, there's nothing worth showing if you've seen some chopped up sticks and split firewood...

Oh, and mosquitoes...tons and tons of mosquitoes.

B
 
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