Kukri, which one and what are they best used for

soapboxpreacher said:
Thank Preacher Man, I think a traditional is more of what I am looking for. I already have a Machete that can clear well and is a bolo style so it has much of the weight in the front. As you stated I am looking for a jack of all trades. You mentioned a few, where do you like to buy these from? And what is a decent entry level one under lets say 80 bucks.
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Generally kukris from Kukri House (ThekhukuriHouse.com) and Tora are cheaper than Himalayan Imports ones (http://www.himalayan-imports.com). That been said, that I know there are no American distributors for Kukri House or Tora which means you have to pay shipping from Nepal. Tora is currently out of stock of everything. Kukri House shipping is around $35. When you add shipping to the cost of the kukri, the difference in price isn't as significant from HI as it may first appear, but they are worth a look. The cheaper kukris from Kukri House are unpolished, what HI refers to as villager models. Personally I prefer a polished kukri, but that is personal taste.

For quality kukris at a discount I would suggest going to the HI sub-forum in the Manufacturers section. Every so often Yangdu will offer Deal Of The Day (DOTD), Weekend Deals, villagers, blemish, and other deals at a discount. As to what model to get, I would request suggestions at the HI sub-forum or the HI Cantina. Members there will be more than happy to guide you, and they'll do so better than I can; just make sure you are very clear on what you are looking for. There are similar threads in the HI forum you may want to check out too.

The military models (WWII and British Army Service) make for good intro models. IMHO the Foxy Folly and the YCS make for excellent all-arounds, but those aren't regular runs and are more difficult to find. My FF came out of the generosity of a fellow forumite who shall remain nameless but greatly appreciated.
 
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JNieporte said:
I vote for the Condor (around $23) or the Kabar Kukri (about $50).
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If it's a matter of votes, the $4.99 pocket knife made by "CHINA" is the obvious choice for knives.

Millions of crappy Indian tourist-specials have been sold - crude and dead-soft. Rust too fast for tent pegs.

______________________________________________________________

The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of cheap is forgotten.
 
Thomas Linton
Why not buy a well made Kukri from some where other than India, since you have a through knowledge of the poor selection of kukris that visitors to India are offered.Who would want a crude crappy rusty dead soft kukri?Since you have warned us maybe we should never go to India since tourist are treated with such fraud.The millions of tourist should feel bad about their kukris they thought were special.I must take mine though it is heavy and sharp and bury it.
 
Kikat,

Please do not take this as a challenge or a left-handed critique. I honestly want to know. Do you know of a manufacturer or distributor of Indian or Pakistani made kukris of consistent good quality that sells in the US? I'm only familiar with Nepalese manufacturers, HI being the one with the most consistent quality. If they have a website it would be even better.
 
Wow, I read this thread and its a who's who of worshippers or those that are pissed off about something. People describe these "tools" in absolute terms that aren't realistic or even slightly true.

A kukri is a tool and it is a weapon. The weapon side is self explanatory. Before firearms it was more of a primary weapon or a primary backup. As firearms progressed and became more available, it served as any other military knife does. It is a workhorse that does everything a person needs, slicing, dicing, cutting, chopping and to defend yourself in times of need.

The tool side is more complex because to different people, this tool does very different things. And so, there are many different types of kukris for different types of jobs. But first off, a kukri is not a machete. A machete is used for cutting grass and vegetation. It is thin and long and attains its power by speed and a lack of resistance as it cuts through thin soft vegetation. It does this by having a consistent blade thickness beginning right after the edge, all the way to the spine. Like a lawnmower blade, the machete does not need to be very sharp to do its job. By contrast, an axe grows fatter after the edge to explode away material that has been cut by the edge. This keeps the edge able to continually dig deeper and deeper into wood and moves out material that would stall the edge. By contrast, a machete digs deep into wood but then stalls and gets stuck. That is because it was not meant to do this job.

A kukri is more of an all purpose tool created for people that would be in the jungle/wilderness for periods of time and could not carry a knife, an ax, a hatchet, a machete and a sword all at once.

In this day and age we have many many specialized tools and weapons that make a kukri "not such a necessity" anymore. You either like them or you don't. How many people really need or use most of the knives and swords they have? Most just "have" them.

Common sense tells you if you buy a tourist version of a weapon, it will not be the same quality as the original and you will be disappointed. If you buy a long slender kukri of good quality such as a Sirupate and intend to chop down the biggest trees, you will be disappointed. If you buy a very good quality massive 18" Ang Khola kukri and intend to carry it on your belt for extended periods, again, you will be disappointed.

A word about the manufacturers of kukris. There are only so many people that can work with metal (kami) in Nepal and/or India. They change jobs all the time just like everywhere else on the planet. One day the head kami can be working for an Indian tourist kukri shop and then tomorrow get hired at HI or KHHI or Tora. Also, the high end places also lose kamis that go to work for lower end places.

Lots to consider. Lesson #1, don't go on the kukri forum and ask about folders. Lesson #2, don't go on the general knife forum and take the advice of people that are pissed off at a particular company or those that have never used or held a kukri. If you want to learn about the kukri, there are several forums dedicated to that knife. There you will find people that can give you advice about the different models of kukris and why you would choose one over the other. There are several makers of kukris out there that make products that will outlast the average human lifespan even with regular heavy use. Just keep in mind that the kukri falls into several different categories.

  • Tourist "decorative" models NOT intended for use.
  • KLO's (kukri like objects) Meaning they are not traditionally made by hand, do not conform to traditional models, do not have cho's, etc. The CS kukri, S&W and all the machine made brands fall into this category.
  • Khukuri House kukris. Consisting of the bulk of the working kukris from Nepal. Most of the reputable companies have good hard working models but they can lack some of the fit and finish people are accustomed to.
  • High end manufacturers of traditional kukris, such as HI and Tora. Blade hardness is usually very consistent, models are true to original design and handles and sheaths are high end.
  • Custom makers, consisting of show and working models with never ending variations. Rarely do they stay true to traditional model types and very often follow current trends or movie models. Usually if you ask the custom guys they will tell you up front what they are intended for. Listen to what they say, not what you want to hear. And no, the Book of Eli kukri is NOT a working kukri :-)

My advice would be to go to the HI forum or the Tora forum and talk to some kukri people. They will help you choose the right model and in the end it will save you lots of time and lots of money and lots of heartache.

Good luck,
Bill
Virginia
(BTW, I know this stuff because, like many, I made lots of the mistakes above!)
 
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shortwinger said:
Wow, I read this thread and its a who's who of worshippers or those that are pissed off about something. People describe these "tools" in absolute terms that aren't realistic or even slightly true.

A kukri is a tool and it is a weapon. The weapon side is self explanatory. Before firearms it was more of a primary weapon or a primary backup. As firearms progressed and became more available, it served as any other military knife does. It is a workhorse that does everything a person needs, slicing, dicing, cutting, chopping and to defend yourself in times of need.

The tool side is more complex because to different people, this tool does very different things. And so, there are many different types of kukris for different types of jobs. But first off, a kukri is not a machete. A machete is used for cutting grass and vegetation. It is thin and long and attains its power by speed and a lack of resistance as it cuts through thin soft vegetation. It does this by having a consistent blade thickness beginning right after the edge, all the way to the spine. Like a lawnmower blade, the machete does not need to be very sharp to do its job. By contrast, an axe grows fatter after the edge to explode away material that has been cut by the edge. This keeps the edge able to continually dig deeper and deeper into wood and moves out material that would stall the edge. By contrast, a machete digs deep into wood but then stalls and gets stuck. That is because it was not meant to do this job.

A kukri is more of an all purpose tool created for people that would be in the jungle/wilderness for periods of time and could not carry a knife, an ax, a hatchet, a machete and a sword all at once.

In this day and age we have many many specialized tools and weapons that make a kukri "not such a necessity" anymore. You either like them or you don't. How many people really need or use most of the knives and swords they have? Most just "have" them.

Common sense tells you if you buy a tourist version of a weapon, it will not be the same quality as the original and you will be disappointed. If you buy a long slender kukri of good quality such as a Sirupate and intend to chop down the biggest trees, you will be disappointed. If you buy a very good quality massive 18" Ang Khola kukri and intend to carry it on your belt for extended periods, again, you will be disappointed.

A word about the manufacturers of kukris. There are only so many people that can work with metal (kami) in Nepal and/or India. They change jobs all the time just like everywhere else on the planet. One day the head kami can be working for an Indian tourist kukri shop and then tomorrow get hired at HI or KHHI or Tora. Also, the high end places also lose kamis that go to work for lower end places.

Lots to consider. Lesson #1, don't go on the kukri forum and ask about folders. Lesson #2, don't go on the general knife forum and take the advice of people that are pissed off at a particular company or those that have never used or held a kukri. If you want to learn about the kukri, there are several forums dedicated to that knife. There you will find people that can give you advice about the different models of kukris and why you would choose one over the other. There are several makers of kukris out there that make products that will outlast the average human lifespan even with regular heavy use. Just keep in mind that the kukri falls into several different categories.

  • Tourist "decorative" models NOT intended for use.
  • KLO's (kukri like objects) Meaning they are not traditionally made by hand, do not conform to traditional models, do not have cho's, etc. The CS kukri, S&W and all the machine made brands fall into this category.
  • Khukuri House kukris. Consisting of the bulk of the working kukris from Nepal. Most of the reputable companies have good hard working models but they can lack some of the fit and finish people are accustomed to.
  • High end manufacturers of traditional kukris, such as HI and Tora. Blade hardness is usually very consistent, models are true to original design and handles and sheaths are high end.
  • Custom makers, consisting of show and working models with never ending variations. Rarely do they stay true to model types and very often follow current trends or movie models. Usually if you ask the custom guys they will tell you up front what they are intended for. Listen to what they say, not what you want to hear. And no, the Book of Eli kukri is NOT a working kukri :-)

My advice would be to go to the HI forum or the Tora forum and talk to some kukri people. They will help you choose the right model and in the end it will save you lots of time and lots of money and lots of heartache.

Good luck,
Bill
Virginia
(BTW, I know this stuff because, like many, I made lots of the mistakes above!)
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Outstanding post shortwinger! :thumbup: And worth repeating with a quote! :)
 
:thumbup:Great post shortwinger

Preacher Man said:
For quality kukris at a discount I would suggest going to the HI sub-forum in the Manufacturers section. Every so often Yangdu will offer Deal Of The Day (DOTD), Weekend Deals, villagers, blemish, and other deals at a discount. As to what model to get, I would request suggestions at the HI sub-forum or the HI Cantina. Members there will be more than happy to guide you, and they'll do so better than I can; just make sure you are very clear on what you are looking for. There are similar threads in the HI forum you may want to check out too.

The military models (WWII and British Army Service) make for good intro models...
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:thumbup::thumbup:

To soapboxpreacher, you can also find individuals unloading their khukuris in the general sale area. I paid $75 for my HI villager Vojpuri (more of a chopper-model than the WWII and BAS, but still very versatile).

Important specifications to consider are 1) blade-shape & thickness 2) length 3) weight. For HI, the WWII and BAS are a mid-way blade-shape between dedicated chopper and brush-clearer - 'all-purpose'. As the blade-thickness and belly-width expand, chopping-performance relates to an axe; as these two thin-out, performance relates to a machete. Note, you may not find a WWII or BAS available, but these are not the only models that will suit your needs.
For reference to decide on a length to best suit your purposes, you might measure a machete or hatchet. How long of a reach does your tool require?
15-18" is probably best for general purpose - longer gives better reach but also means either heavier or thinner, suited to specific uses; shorter resembles a bowie-knife. Length & weight may also affect portability. How long or heavy of a tool are you willing to swing & carry about with you? Longer and/or heavier khukuris, like axes and swords, require more skill to wield safely and effectively, and may be less versatile for delicate cutting tasks such as food-prep. Shorter blades may not have the heft of a good chopper. 15-18" gives a good range of versatility at a reasonable weight. The heavier choppers in this range cut as well as axes half-again as long and even twice the weight, while maintaining a more compact size and food-prep capabilities and some level of light-brush-clearing. The lighter models perform in reverse - excellent on light brush (though not as good as a lighter/thinner machete), reasonable at food prep, decent chopping (but much better than most machetes).

I hope this helps.:o
 
I have a couple of Windlass kukri, and a couple from KHHI. Other then the Windlass comes dull, I find they were the much better buy as they are carried locally. I sharpened them up on a belt sander and chopped the shit out of my back yard. Cut up some 2x4's, bunch of brush, edge didn't roll, and held up well. Pretty much every kukri coming out of India is made from old scrap metal leaf springs, whether you want to pay $20 or $200, it's still the same tool more or less :) The Windlass and KHHI came semi polished....decently finished, just not mirror bright.
I prefer the full tang rivet version. You can get them from Atlanta Cutlery http://www.atlantacutlery.com/
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You may not be limited to internet sellers of kukris.I know that it is hard to go back before Al Gore invented the internet but kukris did make it to other places even the USA.If you travel there or know someone who is going ask them to pick you one up that meets your expectations.Your church may have staff in India Nepal or Pak. that you can contact to help out.Now back to Al Gores invention.You can google translate sites that are other langs.that can pull up sellers that you do not see in your lang.There is ebay that you can visit the many sites that are in different parts of the world.they will often sell outside there country with paypal.Good luck
 
kitkat52 said:
Thomas Linton
Why not buy a well made Kukri from some where other than India, since you have a through knowledge of the poor selection of kukris that visitors to India are offered.
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1. I have well-made khukuri from India -- perhaps 50.

2. I have a relatively through knowledge of what is sold in this country that is made in India. But I am always ready to me educated. The lion butt model would only sell to tourists in India. Here, like the tourist in India most buyers don't know better and think they are getting a genuine exotic weapon/tool.

Who would want a crude crappy rusty dead soft kukri?
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Who would want a crappy CHINA folder, yet they are the vast majority of knives sold here. Don't confuse the general public with yourself.

Since you have warned us maybe we should never go to India since tourist are treated with such fraud.
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If you want to avoid sellers trying to deliberately mislead you, hide at home, turn off the TV, and accept no mail. It's everywhere. Half the ads on TV in the U.S. are misleading and deliberately so, even excluding the Silly Season political ads.

The millions of tourist should feel bad about their kukris they thought were special.
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On one level they should because they have been conned. On another level, why burst their bubble. They are happy, knowing relatively noting about the subject.

I must take mine though it is heavy and sharp and bury it.
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Why? Did you buy a tourist khukuri like I did - once long ago? I keep mine as a reminder of a relatively cheap lesson.
 
Kitkat, you have proven 2 points : 1) quality traditional kukris, of current manufacture from countries other than Nepal, are not easily obtained by people not residing in the country of origin, and 2) you either do not truly know of a ready source for them, OR YOU WILL NOT SHARE IT.

Please, either put on your big boy pants and make a positive contribution to this thread, or go back under your bridge.
 
kitkat52 said:
One small wind can expose much dust.
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stevomiller said:
Kitkat, you have proven 2 points : 1) quality traditional kukris, of current manufacture from countries other than Nepal, are not easily obtained by people not residing in the country of origin, and 2) you either do not truly know of a ready source for them, OR YOU WILL NOT SHARE IT.

Please, either put on your big boy pants and make a positive contribution to this thread, or go back under your bridge.
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This has been too good of a thread to see it degenerate into less than that.

I'm not really wild about kuk's anyway but I've learned a lot about them from the posters in this thread. Closest to a kukri I've owned is my cheap CS machete but now I know a fair bit more and where to find further information if I wanted a full blown example of the real thing. ;) :)
 
Cziv,

Alllllllllllllllll righty then, before a small wind turns this into a free for all, lets progress to recommending a model for you. Lots of kukri guys reading this thread that will chime in to help out. First, some simple questions will quickly narrow it down.

- What are you going to do with the kukri?
- How often will you use it?
- How big are you (height, weight)
- How do you plan to carry the kukri? (primarily in a vehicle, in a pack, on your belt or just use it around the yard?)

Oh yeah, I would answer quickly because the Nepalese people are about to start their Dashain and Tihar holiday. That means the country will close down for a while and you will have to wait to get your new prize! :-)
Bill
Virginia
 
I'm not really wild about kuk's anyway but I've learned a lot about them from the posters in this thread. Closest to a kukri I've owned is my cheap CS machete but now I know a fair bit more and where to find further information if I wanted a full blown example of the real thing
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Thanks shortwinger but as I mentioned, I'm learning about them but not in the market. I appreciate your help though. :thumbup:
 
Read Shortwinger's post over and over again. He is spot on.

I have been collecting kukries for about 12 years or more. Most of my purchases are from Tora or HI but not all. As I have got older, I tend these days to go more for Tora Kukries. I live in Australia so shipping cost are the same for both. However, I am not as fit as I used to be and generally find that Tora kukries are lighter to use and carry for the same blade length and really are built well (hollow forged, distal taper, non-broomstick handles). My right arm just can't swing the heavy kukries for long these days. Mind you, by best chopper of my 50 or so kukries came from HI about 10 years ago - it is relatively heavy - but I really love that kukri (it is a Angkhola model). Tora also make the best replicas of military models. That isn't necessarily good or bad depending on what you want the kukri for.

My biggest disappointment with kukries came when I bought a block of land that was covered with lantana. I'm still clearing it years later. That's where the machete proved its worth. It slices through thin vegetation like butter. Strangely, I find that I can do most camping chores with a cheap machete (love Tramontina's and Condors) and a machete is a lot easier on my old arm. Some people will tell you that a kukri can double as a machete. Generally, I haven't found that to be true, though there is some overlap use between a machete and a kukri and I like them both.

Where do I head with my kukri buying these days. Well, I have got old and lazy. Maintaining my collection has become a chore and we have had an amazing wet season downunder this year. I am now experimenting with stainless steel kukries. There is one like the Book of Eli blade that is called a machete but is really of kukri size and weight (made by Hiro and a video of it's use can be seen on youtube from one of the survival programs on TV) and of course there is the expensive san-mai Cold Steel Kukri. I will experiment with those two for the next few months.
 
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