Your BSIs , ( HSIs / MSIs )

[bigeard09]

Initially when first looking for a kukuri knife many people relate the kukuri to the famous and iconic British Army Gurkha soldiers and as such their first choice of kukuri in many cases wherever they buy from will be what is commonly termed the British Standard Issue ( BSI ) or more relevent to this section , Kailash Blades own two versions the HSI and the MSI . It is probably the most replicated kukuri on offer but I have my own personal thoughts on why the kukuris actually issued to Gurkha troops are not the best when it comes down to ergonomics , weight and balance which is why many Gurkha soldiers have their No1 dress issue kukuri for parades etc but tend to buy their own personal choice of kukuri for operational purposes ! That apart , I actually do like the issue kukuri as a smaller utility use knife and I do own one from another company in Nepal which is robustly built as a chopping tool but that is about all . I am now in the process of ordering an MSI from Kailash but with a few added changes that should make it a more user friendly utility / medium bushcraft tool and looking forward to see the final product to test Kailash blades for myself .
This brings me to the real reason for this thread , there are so many other models as options now that the commonly called BSI / HSI / MSI seems to have taken a bit of a backseat and overshadowed by the newer models . I thought it would be a good idea for a new thread ( with Andrews permission ) to resurrect some interest in the HSI / MSI by people sending in photos and thoughts on the use of these smaller kukuris ?

 

[Kailash Blades]

I think getting some photos and experiences together on this family of knives would be a great idea

I hear you on the BSI/MSI/HSI being a bit overshadowed!
The knives that we've released that have gained the most success have been the FW mk1, Pensioner and Mutiny. These all have a few things in common:
- They have high performance geometry
- They are historical military replicas
- They are not made by few if any other houses

While the MSI ticks one of these boxes it is not a high performance blade geometry and is also made by every house in Nepal. In many ways this makes sense- we have made a name for ourselves in user blades that actually cut very well with good steel and so the mk1, pensioner and mutiny shine in our product lineup when we apply ourselves to our fullest. However the MSI is a bit short and had a pretty chunky and very durable geometry- meaning that our steel, edges and balance capabilities aren't as well demonstrated. With this in mind then the gap between an MSI made by us and another house is somewhat smaller which makes stumping up the extra clams for our rendition a harder ask. With this said though we have sold many MSI's and will continue to do so- I think it just may be that many of the people who buy these knives are dipping a toe into the world of khukuris rather than long time khukuri nuts (who are more likely to be sharing their photos and experiences in a dedicated subforum).

Take care,
Andrew and the team at Kailash

 

[bigeard09]

I think getting some photos and experiences together on this family of knives would be a great idea

I hear you on the BSI/MSI/HSI being a bit overshadowed!
The knives that we've released that have gained the most success have been the FW mk1, Pensioner and Mutiny. These all have a few things in common:
- They have high performance geometry
- They are historical military replicas
- They are not made by few if any other houses

While the MSI ticks one of these boxes it is not a high performance blade geometry and is also made by every house in Nepal. In many ways this makes sense- we have made a name for ourselves in user blades that actually cut very well with good steel and so the mk1, pensioner and mutiny shine in our product lineup when we apply ourselves to our fullest. However the MSI is a bit short and had a pretty chunky and very durable geometry- meaning that our steel, edges and balance capabilities aren't as well demonstrated. With this in mind then the gap between an MSI made by us and another house is somewhat smaller which makes stumping up the extra clams for our rendition a harder ask. With this said though we have sold many MSI's and will continue to do so- I think it just may be that many of the people who buy these knives are dipping a toe into the world of khukuris rather than long time khukuri nuts (who are more likely to be sharing their photos and experiences in a dedicated subforum).

Take care,
Andrew and the team at Kailash

The Mutiny , Pensioner and Salyani rightly deserve their iconic success within the Kailash range of khukuris

 

[bigeard09]

The Mutiny , Pensioner and Salyani rightly deserve their iconic success within the Kailash range of khukuris

The FW Mk1 , Mutiny , Pensioner and Salyani rightly deserve their place in Kailash range of Khukuri and I totally understand how they are popular choices for many enthusiasts of both user and display blades . I myself have a small but good quality range of khukuri that I consider well built quality pieces . I understand that the MSI may not be everyones choice possibly down to the small size of the khukuri itself or maybe the fact that there are other more iconic and better designed khukuris within the Kailash range . My reasoning is that already having a BSI built by another well known kukuri house which is a very strong and robust blade but in my opinion only good for chopping purposes due to a lack of understanding where ergonomics are concerned with no real balance or weight reduction ! I have always been happy enough with its basic design but would have been happier if it felt a bit more lively in the hand , its for that reason that Im asking Andrew and his team of blacksmiths to carry out a little rearranging of the blade and its ergonomics to bring it more inline with the HSI geometry , together with a white rosewood handle , thin brass butt cap and held in a brown salyani rubbed traditional scabbard with pottuka buttons to give it that overall more traditional look and feel whilst hopefully producing a decent light / medium user khukuri for bushcraft and utillity tasks . Time and a little use will tell and hopefully I will be able to give a good account of this updated MSI in a future review . Forgot to say , I wanted this smaller but better quality khukuri for carry in a daysack size pack .
So for you long time khukuri nuts an serious collectors ( just like me ) take a small step back to possibly think of the uses for a smaller style khukuri knife and its benefits .