mrstabby
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Post by mrstabby on Sept 1, 2023 9:16:16 GMT
This is a set with 2 big Kukuri on swords-and-more, which seems to be made for or by them, for 60€ (Item number is 13928). They look good, feel good but are not heat treated well, I was able to scratch them with a butter knife and one had a slight twist in it (about 2mm off at the tip). Also the sheaths are very cheap and made from imitation leather. Not that I didn't expect them to be cheap for 30€ a piece, but I at least expected them to be hardened. They were sharpened somewhat, but still very dull.
I give them my stamp of being pretty meh, even for cheap ones. I wouldn't recommend them.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Sept 1, 2023 9:26:26 GMT
At least you don't need a very hard chakmak for sharpening!
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mrstabby
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Post by mrstabby on Sept 1, 2023 9:28:30 GMT
Maybe a wet noodle will work.
BTW is it Kukri or Kukuri? Swords-and-more lists both.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Sept 1, 2023 10:22:58 GMT
Both, like tomato and tomato!
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Sept 1, 2023 14:04:37 GMT
The Nepalese prefer kukuri. The English spellings prefer khukuri. Niether spelling is wrong. If you read of some of the British historical spellings it gets weird. My antiques are somewhat soft, I’d say with a HRC in the upper 40s and this concerned me to some degree at first although I understood the reasoning. I have not experienced any problems with the edge on those. They are shaving sharp with no more than using a chakmak after each use. I should point out that I baby those and only cut soft back yard targets, no work. I would not object to them being a little harder, say just over 50, but I have plenty I work with so no real problem. But not necessarily 55-57 as some of my newer ones are. I seriously doubt if a villager would use something that high as I’ve seen them sharpen on a variety of objects such as a floor to a rock. I did see a round file used once, but his son used a stone that was part of his house’s construction. But westerners prefer something harder so the vendors on the Internet oblige.
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mrstabby
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Post by mrstabby on Sept 1, 2023 14:26:36 GMT
I'd say it is 30-40HRC max, softer than anything I have ever seen in a knife. About as soft as stainless steel butter knife, that's just too soft for me. You might be able to sharpen it with anything and fast, but it won't keep sharp for long either. The softest knife I have is at 45-48HRC and much MUCH harder than these. My guess is they are completely unhardened. Felt like grinding lead trying to clean up the edge with my diamond stone, thats when I tested it. Dang thing got scratches in the mirror finish by leaving it once on the cats scratching post .
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Post by simplerman on Sept 1, 2023 16:36:05 GMT
Maybe a wet noodle will work. BTW is it Kukri or Kukuri? Swords-and-more lists both. Although 21 years since written, this still provides some insight. Also compare to the Indian use of the spelling "Gorkhas" (5th Gorkha Rifles etc) instead of perhaps the more widely used "Gurkhas". "Even the spelling of the name of this blade has been disputed or butchered since someone first tried to describe this knife: khookree, kookerie, khukri, kukery or even Cookerie. What we see is an Anglicized versions of a word as first heard by English ears back in the early 18th century (editors note: late 18th to early 19th century; Capt.Kinlochs expedition faced the Gorkhalis (gurkhas) in Aug 1767and would have faced the Khukuri in battle). The spoken word is actually 3 syllables: kook-er-ee (editor´s note: 2 syllables: Khu-kuri) and has finally come down to today's accepted spelling of kukri or khukuri."The Kukri by John Powell, Chapter 1. 2002. Kilatools. A Kookrie anyone? I am afraid the Swords and more page is a bit to modern for me in terms of khukuris, I would go on saying they have very little that even resembles a Khukuri. Please dont judge khukuris because of what you recieved.
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mrstabby
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Post by mrstabby on Sept 1, 2023 16:51:42 GMT
I am afraid the Swords and more page is a bit to modern for me in terms of khukuris, I would go on saying they have very little that even resembles a Khukuri. Please dont judge khukuris because of what you recieved. I know, I just wanted something for weeding purposes and some backyard slashing that has the inward curved kukuri blade, they just looked good for the price. I know they are a modern re-imagination of sorts. Slim pickings around here for these unfortunately, and I don't want to buy something via amazon from a shop nobody ever has heard about.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Sept 1, 2023 19:36:31 GMT
Oopps I left the ‘h’ out. Was in a hurry so copied and pasted.
My understanding is Gorkhas and Gurkhas are not the same. A Gurkha is a Nepalese enlisted in the British Army. Since the Brits have pulled out of India the Indian Army still employees the Nepalese under the same name. A Gorkha is a Nepalese serving Nepal. However, the term has become smeared and is used largely interchangeably. Gorkha comes from the original kingdom where the war lord lived who conquered several other kingdoms and created a new country. Just my understanding. It really gets confusing with the conflicting and contradictory statements.
I placed my copy of the above drawing in a safe place and one day I’ll figure out where that safe place is. I also place a copy of India’s 198x (3?) contract for a Mk3 with it.
A kukri is a good knife. I love them. However, for grass cutting I most heartily recommend a machete. I don’t know what style in which you intend to cut. For me, it’s horizontal and I use a swing as such with a 14½” blade, tapering from ≈2 mm->1 mm. It’s light and not fatiguing. There is another method more commonly used, especially with tall grass, that’s done while standing with a long machete using a forked stick to stand the grass. I dare say that a good Latino can go about as fast as you with a mower.
My grass cutter w/14½” blade weighs about 340g. My nearest kukris to that size have 15” blades and weigh 960 g and 1020 g. I shouldn’t have to say anything about the affects between those and that machete have on my wrist after several minutes of horizontal swinging.
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Post by simplerman on Sept 1, 2023 20:20:19 GMT
Oopps I left the ‘h’ out. Was in a hurry so copied and pasted. My understanding is Gorkhas and Gurkhas are not the same. A Gurkha is a Nepalese enlisted in the British Army. Since the Brits have pulled out of India the Indian Army still employees the Nepalese under the same name. A Gorkha is a Nepalese serving Nepal. However, the term has become smeared and is used largely interchangeably. Gorkha comes from the original kingdom where the war lord lived who conquered several other kingdoms and created a new country. Just my understanding. It really gets confusing with the conflicting and contradictory statements. I placed my copy of the above drawing in a safe place and one day I’ll figure out where that safe place is. I also place a copy of India’s 198x (3?) contract for a Mk3 with it. A kukri is a good knife. I love them. However, for grass cutting I most heartily recommend a machete. I don’t know what style in which you intend to cut. For me, it’s horizontal and I use a swing as such with a 14½” blade, tapering from ≈2 mm->1 mm. It’s light and not fatiguing. There is another method more commonly used, especially with tall grass, that’s done while standing with a long machete using a forked stick to stand the grass. I dare say that a good Latino can go about as fast as you with a mower. My grass cutter w/14½” blade weighs about 340g. My nearest kukris to that size have 15” blades and weigh 960 g and 1020 g. I shouldn’t have to say anything about the affects between those and that machete have on my wrist after several minutes of horizontal swinging. In 1949, the spelling of 'Gurkha' in the Indian Army was changed to the traditional 'Gorkha'. Upon India becoming a republic in 1950, all royal titles associated with the Indian Gorkha regiments were dropped.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorkha_regiments_(India)We find out more about the collection and particularly that which is related to the Khukuri/Kukri knife and some of the leading officers and makers of Nepal, the land of the Gorkhalis, Gurkhas and Gorkhas. kilatools.com/kukrihistory/militaryhistory/Then we have saint Goraknath.. The Gurkhas of Nepal take their name from this saint.[30] Gorkha, a historical district of Nepal, is named after him.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GorakhnathPiece of cake (not really). Yes high grass I dont believe is where the Khukuri shines the most. Nice that our ancesters gave us (if available) plenty of tools to choose from. Machete, scythe, sickle.
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mrstabby
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Post by mrstabby on Sept 1, 2023 20:26:25 GMT
Dang, that escaleted quickly to being very informative!
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