Bowie vs Kukri

It really depends on which one that suits you. Use as many tools as possible and responsible, not just these 2 and you will be surprised what you actually like and end up using certain blades than most on your secret stash.
 
You stated you are using them for survival, can you elaborate?

As for the comparison...

Cutting: Both knives perform all cutting tasks. I have yet to see either knife fail to cut something. Smaller tasks will be more cumbersome with either of these big knives but they do the task.

Chopping: Both can chop well and far outstretched smaller knives but for sustained chopping such as in making a camp, chopping wood for a sustained stay in the woods or largest tasks, the kukri is much better. The weakness most of us have in chopping is our wrist strength. We don't use these muscles very much and after 3 or 4 minutes of sustained chopping you will see most people begin to fizzle out. A straight knife such as a Bowie requires you to flex your wrist and forearm each strike where the kukri, if used properly, uses your bicep and tricep more allowing most people in moderate shape to last much longer. The kukri design, shape, and weight distribution also favor this role.

Hammering: Many of the tasks associated with survival or living in the wild have to do with hammering, smashing or breaking things. In this often overlooked role both knives work much much better than a smaller knife but the kukri has an advantage in this role.

Misc Tasks: Both knives excel at most of the tasks associated with everyday life in the woods, which is why both designs are still around.

I feel the need to point out that saying the word kukri is like saying the word knife. You name a specific knife (Bowie) but use the word kukri and the reality is, many different models of kukri would fail miserably against a well designed bowie while other models would easily outstretch any Bowie.

In the end it comes down to personal preference. For me the kukri (HI Bonecutter, CS Gurkha Kukri, BAS) is the preferred choice for all around use.
 
Last edited:
I feel shortwinger hit the nail on the head.

Once you get the hang of using a Kukri - specifically where on the blade to make contact - you'll likely never look back.

However, they are not well suited for batoning.
 
Get you a VUK from Himalayan Imports on this forum. Great utility user.--KV
 
yep , you can see my avatar to see what I think-- shortwinger and kvaughn give you wisdom, I would also bring along a good ax to use on the heaviest tasks and its a much better makeshift hammer than a khuk-- which as another poster said, you will end up bashing and smashing a lot of things out of necessity
 
4ad37fbc7dc30644c7b551b5ca58aa88_zpsc1f020fb.jpg
hybrid of both
 
Great to see you around Bill! X2 What he said. It always seemed to me many Bowies are designed as fighters, with some notable exceptions. The CS Trailmaster appears to be a good woods Bowie. My vote goes to the khukuri though for general woods use.
 
The bowie has a much finer point. The khukuri traditionally comes with a small accessory knife for fine work, and its point is closer to your hand for superior control in finer work.

Both can chop. The khukuri is superior as a chopper due to the angled blade. Also, the traditional khukuri has a convex grind like a proper axe.

Both can stab. The bowie does it better due to its point and more safely due to its guard.

If the bowie is sharpened on the swedge, it is inferior as a draw knife to the khukuri.
 
Thomas Linton said:
The bowie has a much finer point. The khukuri traditionally comes with a small accessory knife for fine work, and its point is closer to your hand for superior control in finer work.

Both can chop. The khukuri is superior as a chopper due to the angled blade. Also, the traditional khukuri has a convex grind like a proper axe.

Both can stab. The bowie does it better due to its point and more safely due to its guard.

If the bowie is sharpened on the swedge, it is inferior as a draw knife to the khukuri.
Click to expand...

+1 :thumbup:
 
A note about stabbing with a kukri. I normally don't like to discuss this role on the forum but as it pertains to a comparison with a bowie I thought it would be relevant.

To stab with a kukri I have found that it is not the same motion as with a straight blade. You can use the same motion you would use to throw a tomahawk. Because of the curved blade, as it gets to the "desired location" even though you are more into a chopping motion than a traditional stabbing motion, the blade is almost as verticle as the Bowie as it strikes. This motion also stops your hand riding up on the blade and causing injury.

If you stab with a kukri in the same motion as with a Bowie it would strike in a 45 degree angle pointing downward. This angle can be more or less severe with different kukri models so in this case a head to head comparison between the two is more complicated than it might appear on the surface.
 
I would say go with which ever you handle better. I know that's a cop out answer, but I have dozens of each style of knife. After a decade+ use of khukuri, I feel that I slightly favor that blade over the bowie as an outdoor knife. I find that I can press a good khuk into more rolls than a good bowie. But that's just me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top