Would a Kukri cut just as well with a stright blade?

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kgriggs8

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With all other things being the same, would a Kukri cut just as well if the blade was straight? I am not talking about not having a belly but just not having a bend in the blade that dips down.

I have a feeling that it would cut just as well and maybe even be a little more controlable. I could be crazy but I just don't see the bent blade being an advantage in anything in particular.

I would love to see some straight bladed Kobra type Kukris! I think those would make some mean blades! Anyone else like to see some stright bladed Kukris? I know they wouldn't really be Kukris anymore but they would be cool.
 
I don't think so but I have no way of proving it. I do think khukuris cut better than bolos and they are basically a straight khuk in a lot of ways.
 
No, a conventional blade of same size and weight, even weight distribution, would not chop as well as a khuk; yes, Spectre is right, it would 'cut' as well. It will outchop conventional blades because of leverage. I'm not an engineer, and 'leaverage' may be the wrong word and concept, but the design offers an advantage which is percievable and real, if not fully understood by my brain. My AK Bowies are easily as heavy as my 16" Chiruwa AK of 27 ounces, but the AK out chops the Bowie. Easily.

Now, Thomas has mentioned slicing. I think khuks can both approach and leave the material in contact; both push and pull. I think the Hanshee really demonstrate this.


munk
 
munk said:
No, a conventional blade of same size and weight, even weight distribution, would not chop as well as a khuk; yes, Spectre is right, it would 'cut' as well. It will outchop conventional blades because of leverage. I'm not an engineer, and 'leaverage' may be the wrong word and concept, but the design offers an advantage which is percievable and real, if not fully understood by my brain. My AK Bowies are easily as heavy as my 16" Chiruwa AK of 27 ounces, but the AK out chops the Bowie. Easily.
munk
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Do you think that this applies even when you compare say a 12" AK with Ka-Bar, Becker Crewman, Swamprat Camp Tramp, Randall RD-7, etc. This is always the question that I try to get to. Whenever, I try to get comments on chopping ability of say a "little" 12" AK us Khuk folks alway say that they can't chop and start comparing them to the chopping ability of an 18" AK. I would like to know if they have an advantage over these straight bladed knives of "about" the same size.
 
cucharadedragon said:
Do you think that this applies even when you compare say a 12" AK with Ka-Bar, Becker Crewman, Swamprat Camp Tramp, Randall RD-7, etc. This is always the question that I try to get to. Whenever, I try to get comments on chopping ability of say a "little" 12" AK us Khuk folks alway say that they can't chop and start comparing them to the chopping ability of an 18" AK. I would like to know if they have an advantage over these straight bladed knives of "about" the same size.
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I chopped using my 12" AK and Brians Camp Tramp and I'd say if the 12" AK is 100% the Camp Tramp is like 85% If a pen knife is 100% the Camp Tramp is like 75 or 80.
 
hollowdweller said:
I chopped using my 12" AK and Brians Camp Tramp and I'd say if the 12" AK is 100% the Camp Tramp is like 85% If a pen knife is 100% the Camp Tramp is like 75 or 80.
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Thanks Hollowdweller for this advice or comment. This is what I want to know. I have no doubt that an 18" AK can outchop probably any knife but when it comes to these smaller knives I have always wondered if I sacrificed more general utility for a perceived chopping advantage of the small Khuk or if carrying a lighter Khuk gives me measureable chopping advantage over a heavier straight bladed knife.
 
I don't find much particular advantage in a 12" khuk over another blade. The difference comes out in the longer khuks which use the mechanical advantage. The little 12" 'chops' about as much as I 'paint'.
...a little



munk
 
Munk and HD are both right, IMHO. The 12" AK will hands down outchop just about any straight bladed knife of roughly equaly size and weight. The same goes for the PK. However, the thinner the khuk, naturally, the more "knifey" and less "khuky" it becomes. The 12" Siru comes to mind. The little Siru is a great knife, but, IMHO, does not represent a khukuri, or at least what a khukuri is known for...choppin'. I would pick the Siru over a Ka-bar or a Becker just simply because I like it better. Plus I know I can bang on a siru all day and it's not going anywhere.

Jake
 
Here's my 2 12's.

The little AK Villager is really cute but I don't use it a lot cause I mainly do heavy chopping.

The Pen knife is pretty good for stuff up to about 4" or 5" the AK maybe 3 or so.

12s.jpg


ak12.jpg


pk12.jpg
 
I agree with the comment that blades 12" or shorter won't make a difference. It's the bigger blades where the forward curvature makes a difference.

You could do a controlled experiment to verify for sure.
 
Hollowdweller, kind off on a different track, but I really like those sheaths and frogs. Did you make those or it that something from Sisco?
 
Sisco.

The AK he put the tinder pouch and karda and chakma holes on the sheath.

On the Pen the tinder pouch is on the sheath, but the karda and chakma holes are built into the frog. Both covers are hemp canvas.

Those are variations on his Sasquatch sheath thingie:thumbup:
 
hollowdweller said:
Sisco.

The AK he put the tinder pouch and karda and chakma holes on the sheath.

On the Pen the tinder pouch is on the sheath, but the karda and chakma holes are built into the frog. Both covers are hemp canvas.

Those are variations on his Sasquatch sheath thingie:thumbup:
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Those are like what I wanted to get made by him, but I was too slow to catch him before going out of business again.
 
munk said:
I don't find much particular advantage in a 12" khuk over another blade. The difference comes out in the longer khuks which use the mechanical advantage. The little 12" 'chops' about as much as I 'paint'.
...a little



munk
Click to expand...

Munk, I read a review concerning the chopping power of a khuk and the explanation was consistent with your observations on short blades. According to this explanation, an upwards curved blade such as a cutlass, parang, katami, etc., derives its chopping/cutting power from the ability to combine a chopping motion with a slicing motion. The upwards curved blade will push back against the user's hand when chopping, and this motion can be enhanced through use of a draw cut. Thus the "chopping" power comes from a combination of a chopping and a slicing motion.

For a khuk the situation is very similar except that the slicing motion of the blade is in the oposite direction. Chopping with a kuck results in a pulling motion being transmitted to the hand of the user, because, due to the drop in the blade, the force vector is directed into the wood and towards the user; the equal and opposite reactions are the chopping impact felt in the hand and wrist and a slight pulling motion. The pulling motion can be enhanced through practice and results, again, in a combined chopping/slicing action. If a blade is too short, say 12" or less, the slicing action is greatly reduced because there simply is not enough blade there to yield a significant slice from a chopping motion. When chopping with a straight blade there is no natural slicing component to the motion for any blade length.

It may be that, for individuals who grow up using a khuk, a type of push cut technique becomes so natural it is not even a conscious act.:)
 
Why would you want a khukuri with a straight blade? It wouldn't be a khuk then.
 
As others have said, I think it's the physics. There are 2 parts to it:

The belly in the blade, as with any recurved blade, puts a slicing action into what would otherwise be a straight hit. In any given cut, the target is forced to travel along a greater length of blade than with a straight knife. So the target is cut more severely, being exposed to more cutting edge. But any recurved knife will do this - bent or not.

The bend encourages a push cut - it diverts some of the chop force into a slice.

I suspect that the Khuk gets its extra oomph through how these two things interact. The bent blade forces a slicing cut ... which is delivered by a recurved blade.
 
TomFetter said:
As others have said, I think it's the physics. There are 2 parts to it:

The belly in the blade, as with any recurved blade, puts a slicing action into what would otherwise be a straight hit. In any given cut, the target is forced to travel along a greater length of blade than with a straight knife. So the target is cut more severely, being exposed to more cutting edge. But any recurved knife will do this - bent or not.

The bend encourages a push cut - it diverts some of the chop force into a slice.

I suspect that the Khuk gets its extra oomph through how these two things interact. The bent blade forces a slicing cut ... which is delivered by a recurved blade.
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You bet. The blade curvature is also a factor.:thumbup:
 
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