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Post by omnivorous on Jul 8, 2014 23:23:46 GMT -5
Nepalese kukris come with a much smaller knife called a karda that will do the tasks for which Westerners pull out a Swiss Army knife. Himalayan Imports makes a model the size of the CS called the British Army Service model. That is the one I really want to try. One major drawback to kukris are their weight, yet most Ghurkas are of smaller stature and they NEVER complain. Not speaking from experience, but they do seem like one of those items that may just justify their weight. I don't know if Gurkhas ever complain.
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winter
Junior Member
Posts: 479
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Post by winter on Jul 8, 2014 23:53:14 GMT -5
I'll try to address all the points.
Panzer, the Kuk's are great for most things. They suck as a "quick knife" which is sometimes what I call my 2nd line knife. Your primary defense knife should be quick to deploy and trained in presentaion at the very least.
Khukuri, kukri, etc shaped objects are NOT Kukris.
The cold steel model that is so famous is a great product. It is not a kukri. It's a machete.
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winter
Junior Member
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Post by winter on Jul 8, 2014 23:56:39 GMT -5
Paul, most karda's are crap unless you drop some serious dosh on a Kukri. The other thing is supposed to sharpen, it doesn't unless you drop $400 on one. There are better options for sharpeners.
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Post by omnivorous on Jul 9, 2014 0:03:09 GMT -5
I'll try to address all the points. Panzer, the Kuk's are great for most things. They suck as a "quick knife" which is sometimes what I call my 2nd line knife. Your primary defense knife should be quick to deploy and trained in presentaion at the very least. Khukuri, kukri, etc shaped objects are NOT Kukris. The cold steel model that is so famous is a great product. It is not a kukri. It's a machete. Pssh, purists... FWIW, I'm talkin' 'bout one of these: www.coldsteel.com/Product/39LGKT/GURKHA_KUKRI.aspxNot one of these: www.coldsteel.com/Product/97KMS/KUKRI_MACHETE_W_SHEATH.aspxI agree with the "quick knife" concept. Totally stealing the term, too.
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winter
Junior Member
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Post by winter on Jul 9, 2014 1:14:50 GMT -5
Hahaha, right, Check out this AK Bro. Hahaha That high dollar CS model is nice but still has a different blade geometry.
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Post by panzer0170 on Jul 9, 2014 10:21:36 GMT -5
Nepalese kukris come with a much smaller knife called a karda that will do the tasks for which Westerners pull out a Swiss Army knife. Himalayan Imports makes a model the size of the CS called the British Army Service model. That is the one I really want to try. One major drawback to kukris are their weight, yet most Ghurkas are of smaller stature and they NEVER complain. Not speaking from experience, but they do seem like one of those items that may just justify their weight. I don't know if Gurkhas ever complain. The issued ones ARE quite light, as far as they go (about a pound and a half, maybe 2). They're decent enough quality, but I'm sure the stuff on HI is of higher quality. Also, the Ghurkas who are fit enough to get into the Army? Are all insanely fit. We had a troop of them sharing accomodation with us when I did combat engineer training. The fittest go infantry, so these were... less fit. They were running the 1.5 miler in sub 9:00, and their troop commander (a 40+ year old nepalese chap) decided that they were unfit, and too slow. These guys aren't just your average short man. (I've always joked that my ideal combat load is a Bergan, with a Ghurka inside. You just drop it, point the open end towards the enemy, then open the lid. )
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winter
Junior Member
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Post by winter on Jul 9, 2014 17:18:10 GMT -5
Panzer, the issue kukri was made in India and very few Ghurkas carried that piece of shit as far as I know. Do not buy the issue one. HI, kuhukuri house, and a few others are great tools. Look through the panawal ones as they are full tang. One of mine is a full tang with a western style handle. Sirupate hunter is what Khukuri house calls it. www.thekhukurihouse.com/catalog/product.php?id=313633fc5113The sheath was absolute shit. Fortunately I know a guy who makes sheaths. The traditional sheath is functional, but the Nepalese attempts at western style sheaths are a joke.
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winter
Junior Member
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Post by winter on Jul 13, 2014 3:19:23 GMT -5
Sorry about all the off topic shit.
On the OP. As with everything, the knife is mission/environment tailored. You see the vets of desert wars not carrying much in the way of cutting tools because there's nothing to cut in the desert. You have utility and self defense tasks.
If a war breaks out in the jungle or forest you are gonna see larger edged tools again.
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currahee
New Member
"Stands Alone"
Posts: 151
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Post by currahee on Jul 13, 2014 13:34:38 GMT -5
I don't carry a fixed blade anymore... I keep a good folder and multitool on my person and a short machete with my ruck.
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Post by omnivorous on Jul 13, 2014 13:44:06 GMT -5
Sorry about all the off topic shit. On the OP. As with everything, the knife is mission/environment tailored. You see the vets of desert wars not carrying much in the way of cutting tools because there's nothing to cut in the desert. You have utility and self defense tasks. If a war breaks out in the jungle or forest you are gonna see larger edged tools again. Some of us on this board do live in areas with thick vegetation.
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otis
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luke 22:36
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Post by otis on Jul 14, 2014 9:24:09 GMT -5
i carry two fixed blades daily, an esee 3 in my pocket, and a candiru around the neck. when off work, the 3 is sometimes swapped out for an esee 6 or some other larger knife, junglas, or a machete.
in my mind, a knife is more a tool than a weapon. like cat's claws, they're used for many things other than fighting. like a cat's claws, regular use makes them an extension of one's hand. i'm not a trained fighter, but i can draw, cut, and resheath pretty quickly because i'm daily using my knife.
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winter
Junior Member
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Post by winter on Jul 16, 2014 14:35:22 GMT -5
Sorry about all the off topic shit. On the OP. As with everything, the knife is mission/environment tailored. You see the vets of desert wars not carrying much in the way of cutting tools because there's nothing to cut in the desert. You have utility and self defense tasks. If a war breaks out in the jungle or forest you are gonna see larger edged tools again. Some of us on this board do live in areas with thick vegetation. Right, I was referring primarily to the current military trend of small defensive knives like the Kabar TDI. TDI
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Post by Spinebuster on Jul 16, 2014 20:45:36 GMT -5
I have a few that I carry mainly because I have had them a long time. An old school USMC Kabar, a Kabar Tanto ,a nice little dagger by Gerber and an old M7 bayonet for my shotgun. I want one of those CRKT Hissatsu like Hawkeye has but what I have will do for now.
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Post by omnivorous on Jul 16, 2014 20:57:50 GMT -5
Some of us on this board do live in areas with thick vegetation. Right, I was referring primarily to the current military trend of small defensive knives like the Kabar TDI. TDIAh, now I'm tracking. I don't understand such a trend, especially if those troops would be deployed. Back CONUS, on base, as a sneaky knife, I'd get it. Personally, I don't care for the TDI's design at all. I think the ergonomic curve is over-hyped, and the blade is simply too small anything but last-ditch defensive use.
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winter
Junior Member
Posts: 479
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Post by winter on Jul 18, 2014 3:05:44 GMT -5
I understand the trend as such.
There's no fieldcraft so the tool aspect of a knife only applies to small tasks. The designs like this come from LEO backup knives designed to be employed in handgun retention techniques and defensive use against unarmored and lightly clothed enemies.
I don't agree with these little knives being used by soldiers. These knives are for, what I call, attrition fighting. You wound your adversary repeatedly in an attempt to cut tendons and deprive them the use of their hands and weaken them with blood loss.
In battle, you ain't got time for that shit. You may be in a knife fight with this guy, but his bro right behind him has a damn rifle. Your blade has to be able to cause extreme trauma and shock so as to disable your adversary in well under 30 seconds. Even slicing someones throat is gonna be a solid 20-45 second struggle. Conversely a knife to the liver is almost instant incapacitating shock.
Stabs stop fights, slices and cuts diminish your enemy's capabilities.
A great book on simple effective martial H2H in John Styers "Cold Steel".
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