New File. Basic Kukri Use and Safety, Sketches
Which Kukri do I recommend? Email from Justin. You don't realize how much I enjoy letters. This started out as an email, and turned into a web page. This first version will be written "on the fly" and edited, with pictures added, later. Email addresses removed.
Return-Path: omitted Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2005 17:27:55 -0700
From: "Justin L. (last name and email address omitted)
To: paul@survivalprimer.com
Subject: Kukri
Hi Paul,
My name is Justin, I enjoyed reading all your article(s) about the kukri. I am
confused about one point. You seem to have two "current" purchasing
recommendations on the kukris:
#400484 Genuine Gurkha Kukri (~ $30)
#AH-3451 Khukri Service (~ $17)
Which one do you prefer over the other and why ?
Thanks,
Justin
Justin, thank you for writing. started a simple reply, that
turned into a full discussion. Will create a web-page, with pictures,
and post your email, without your address, if that is OK, to illustrate
better. text Reply follows.
The page under this link details my current, and best recommendation #AH-3451 Khukri Service (~ $17)
Why the Kukri.htm
New article, written after this page was created. Wrote a little, late one
night, about why I like the kukri knife, and why I think it is an advantage to
have one in a survival kit. Pretty good. Probably should have been a
teacher. Probably should thank Justin for writing to me, as his letter has
started me re-shaping my files on the kukri. You need to know that I have
fun making these web pages, and you should have fun reading them. Paul.
-----------------------------
Justin, excellent letter.
What happened was that I found my original Kukris at a flea market, (
about eighteen-inches overall, blade about thirteen, and 1\2 inches)
Looking for a source on the net, I spotted what seemed the closest. The
$30 one, from "By the Sword", seemed like it might be a better - quality
match to the ones I got from the Flea market. ( >#400484 Genuine Gurkha Kukri (~
$30)
Please note I never ordered one from them, they just looked to be the
closest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
New File: Archived web page of a another source for a kukri like I first bought.
This
page, and this file, above, represent the first time I have found an exact
match to the original Kukri I bought at a flea market. Heavier and more
difficult to use for most people, requiring more pre-work to convert, you may
like them better than what I now recommend. I still have mine.
archived web page, on the web at
http://www.sarcoinc.com/bayo-kukris.html
--------------
Back to our story: Meanwhile, I wound up reworking the original Flea Market
Kukris, a couple of times. Glad you enjoyed reading about them. (Hold on,
I will answer your question .)
Kukri_conversion_notes_2004.htm file about working those first kukris.
-------------
After that, I bought a smaller, officers Kukri, from Imus Plus. Pretty
good, but not really large. Good enough for most hiking. Too small for large
work. Might be good for fishing, and food prep.
Kukri_Imus_Initial_view.htm
--------------------------
FINDING THE GOOD ONES
Then, I bought a kukri the SIZE of the
#AH-3451 Khukri Service (~ $17).
------------------------------------------------------------------
Worked with that a while. Found the #AH-3451 Khukri Service (~ $17) on the web,
And bought two of them, as I detailed. Seeing them, I surmised that they
were large enough for most field-carrying, for most people. Found
them of lighter metal, than my originals, having a better profile, and handle,
and taking much less work to convert.
The original Kukri I
bought, identical to the one shown in the picture at the left, was a good one.
The one I recommend, #AH-3451 Khukri
Service (~ $17), is better. The shape of the blade is better, overall, and
the metal is somewhat lighter. As well, you only really need to remove the
raised ring around the handle of the Kukri, Service, model, and it is "good to
go."
The weight of the Kukri Service, is better, and the handle
more in proportion to the blade. You can do finer, lighter work with the
Kukri, Service, and it is generally less "clunky," On the ones on
the left, it took a long time to reduce that wide flair at the end of the handle
to anywhere near comfortable.
The Kukri Service, is easier to use, and more ready to use,
out of the box. The shape is the best I have seen, on a kukri, virtually
the same as the issued military ones. You might even be able to thrust and parry
with the Kukri, Service, not just chop. What about heavy use?
--------------------------------------
Recently, I went hiking my with my
#AH-3451 Khukri Service (~ $17),
and came upon a thirty-foot tree, that had fallen across the trail. There
were two branches in a fork, right at hip level.
The wood was fully eight-inches thick, that is across, or in diameter.
I chopped through the branch, fully eight-inches thick, in about fifteen
minutes. Where I chopped it, caused the whole thing to collapse at my feet, so
people could get their Trail Bikes across.
There is an audio file about this recommended Kukri Knife, under this link
---------------------
The #AH-3451 Khukri Service (~ $17) cut through wood that was harder than
pine, and softer than oak, a branch being fully eight inches thick,
quickly. That means that the tool will do most regular field work, and "in a
pinch," do more.
----------
Since that initial purchase of the two
#AH-3451 Khukri Service (~ $17)
I have purchased two more, to loan to others, or give away, or barter, as
needed.
DETAILS OF RE-WORKING
I remove the central ring on the handle. I usually use a grinder to cut
the metal part, and a grinder and wood rasp for the rest of that ring.
As well, the butt of the handle has a couple of points. I round the top and
bottom of the handle for more comfort.
..\KukriService\Kukri_Handle_Shape_Best.htm
-----------------------------------------
The #AH-3451 Khukri Service (~ $17)
Is then sharpened with a file. I leave the first part of the blade dull,
for safety, and you really do not cut with that part, anyway. (Will create some
more pictures, of what is called the Sweet Spot.) { Page under the
above hyperlink will show you a picture of the sweet spot, if you scroll down.)
--------------------------
In carrying, I find that the sheath rides too high on my belt. I typically move
what is called the "frog" higher on the sheath, and re-attach it, or re make it
in leather. The Frog wraps around the sheath, and makes a loop for
your belt.
as purchased
most current remakes
-------------------------------
The point is, that the #AH-3451
Khukri Service (~ $17), bought as a pair, with shipping, cost me about
twenty dollars, each and they makes an excellent tool for the field. Almost
forgot, - the black dye they use on the goat-skin covered wooden sheath,
typically comes off in water. That means it would come off on your hands,
or clothes, if wet. To fix that, I submerge the new sheaths in my sink, and run
water on them, and scrub them, until the black is no longer showing in the
water.
When they have dried out, I mink oil the outside, and put neutral shoe polish on
them.
Until the sheaths dry out, the knives may not fit in them, so wait.
black_comes_off_Imus_Kukri.htm
---------------------------
The funny shaped little do-dad in front of the handle, on the first part
of the blade, I grind off, straight. Don't like it, and it seems to have
some other-religious symbolism to it.
---------------------------------------
Left this out of time line of the discussion -I remove the metal tip from
the sheath. Either do that, or take a file to the point it has. It can stick
you. I fill the end of the sheath, after the metal tip is gone, with my
black epoxy.
----------------------------------------
Non interested in a shiny blade, I sand the blade until the shine is gone,
and use some liquid gun-blue on it. That can then be wiped down, and waxed.
Point is most of the blue will come off in time, but I have removed the
shine.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Important to note, the blade cuts with the power of a chop, and the action of
a slice. You will find that the Kukri glides through the wood. I use it like a
machete, and hit toward the base of what I am chopping, and make sure that
should the blade go through, it can not at any time come around and hit me.
----------
New File. Basic Kukri Use and
Safety, Sketches
Gurka soldiers use the Kukri to chop of limbs, and heads, and such. The Kukri is an excellent tool, but mis-used, you can seriously injure, or chop off pieces of yourself. Be careful. Have some safety files I will add in here.
Warning_Kukri.htm
-----------------
Hope I have not driven you off with all this talk. Know what, I will post this,
as is, on the web, right now, and upgrade the discussion, and add pictures,
later. (Turned out I never sent the email, just made this page, and sent
Justin the link. I will hyperlink to other pages, before I post this text
version.)
Many thanks, Justin, for the Question. This has been an ongoing st-oo-rry about the Kukris. I wanted to re-write the whole thing, again, and your question helped.
My belief is that Jesus is LORD and the way
to survive is to accept Him as LORD. It is also, at the time I accepted
Him as LORD, He gave me a vision of the United States devastated. The
stores and buildings and roads were there, but you could not drive, or buy
anything. You had to walk. Over the years I have collected, and
traveled, and the best part of what I learned is on this site. May God
bless you all. Paul.
----------------------------
further emails
http://www.survivalprimer.com/a_word_on_Sunday/Kukri_Question_Justin.htm
Justin, the web page above is what started as a reply, to
you.
I wound up posting it, for yourself, and others.
The question helped me alot, and I enjoyed your email.
I keep wanting to tell you that excepting Jesus as LORD is your best
survival action. Don't know if you are a Christian or not.
Point is that He will lead you and guide you, if you will let Him.
http://www.survivalprimer.com/20050624Prayer_for_Paul_myTranscript.htm
is a link to a file about a recent prayer prayed for me
that has helped.
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Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 22:20:01 -0700
From: "Justin L. (last name and address omitted)
To: Paul Phillips <paul@survivalprimer.com>
Subject: Re: Kurki
Paul,
Thanks for taking the time to write the article explaining more about
the knives. My experience grinding steel away with the bench grinder
is limited and I noticed it is harder then it looks to get things
exactly the way you want it. My neighbor wants to grind the pagan
symbol off his knife too. He said something like it was nice to see
another God fearing person interested in knives.
take care,
Justin
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
reply, in part:
Justin
What a refreshing thing to read this morning.
Check out the Christian Music at
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~bob/christian_mp3/
A friend at Church recommended it Sunday, and they both give away
CDs, and allow you to download and burn their songs for free.
It is good to be in a community of believers. What will happen,
as teaching about so-called survival matters is done, The LORD
may use these things to draw people to Himself.
God bless you and your God-Fearing Neighbor.
Paul
The page under this link was my first-version web-page about the Kukri
The page under this second link was my second page, first revision of the Kukri story I would go here first
Open letter, a by way of thank you note to Justin, and all other email repliers: I richly enjoy getting email questions. (Other than, I suppose, why am I so fat?) Just kidding. Really, I don't get paid for this, and people asking probing questions make my day. You might guess that after I discovered the Kukri, (on the web, through Old Jimbo,) it got me pretty excited.
At about the same time, I began putting out this web site. As I tried different things with my Kukris, I re-worked the web pages. Maybe a little confusing even to me, they present a fresh, fun look at the process, and several different Kukris, and what I have done with them. Make your own choices, you may like some other models better than I do.
Again, these knives are dangerous. A razor-sharp, twelve-inch-bladed-curved-Kukri, can end your life.
I enjoy helping people, and I have an actual bucket of survival knives that is less valuable than a single #AH-3451 Khukri Service (~ $17), like I recommend. (I suppose I will barter, or trade, or give them away in the latter days, should times get bad.)
A LITTLE HISTORY
They say that someone is not an expert unless they live over twenty-five miles from you. I am not that much of an outdoorsman, or survivalist. I am a good researcher, was trained as an artist, and l love to write. Maybe I should have been a teacher. Wound up being a commercial carpenter for the past twenty years.
This web-site is DESIGNED for the person not really "into" survival. Often the subject is hard to follow, because the point of view of the writer supposes you know something. Most of us don't. (As the years have gone on, I have sort of lost my "novice" status.) Other than my time as a Boy Scout, in the Jungles of Panama, (we had a Sergeant Major for a Scout Leader, ) and three years in the Army, ten years after Panama, I have not gotten out that much.
One thing I did do was bump into Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, and that changed my life. I set my task to hearing Him, in all things, and sharing that.
I have heard that if you talk to Jesus it is called prayer, and that if He talks to you, it is called being schizophrenic. Not so.
Paul
----------
As I first began to work with the Kukri, I began to write about it.
Have written so much about the Kukri, and my opinions and favorites have changed so much, this "master" index is needed. By no means complete, hope it leads to some clarity.
New Kukri 2006 May. htm Latest format changes
You have recommended two Kukris, which one do you mean?
2005 Recommended Kukri, Supercedes others- Kukri Service
2004 Recommended Best Kukri, Superceded by the above
"Newest" overall Kukri intro page
my first web pages about the Kukri.
Important, Read this Warning !
Kukri Epoxy Handle Method link
The best shape to modify a Kukri Handle to
Knife Sharpening, retaining the "Slicing Edge."
There is an audio file I recorded about the Kukri Knife, under this link
Large picture of three Kukris re-worked, "final" form
1) "M 40" Web Link about converting a Kukri to a Field Knife
http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Ghurka/Kukri%20Modification.htm
"Disk only" link to "M 40s" article , above
2) Second "M 40" Web Link about converting a Kukri to a Field Knife
http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Ghurka/Kukri_mod2.htm
Disk only link to second article Same as above article
Notes and pictures as I convert my Kukris as in above articles
What My First Kukri Looked Like
Kukri Religiosity Removing the Dedication to false gods.
The Khukuri, Edge of myths & legends Tilak Sunar
Other Kukri links- browsing can be fun. I wrote these as they came up, and need to find the files again, myself. Some repetition of above.
Listed by the folders they are in on my disks
---- A word on Sunday ---------------------------------------
20040404 Sunday.htm first articles on the kukri
black_comes_off_Imus_Kukri.htm
Blade_Safety_by_Singularity.htm
Collectable Bayonets.htm archived web page lists Kukri like very first one
----------------------------------
Ceremonial_Kukri_Evaluation_Add.htm
Kuk_Cer_Cut_index.htm Pictures of the first use of the ceremonial kukri.
-----Kukri, Blue-----------
----- Kukri Convert -------------------------------
Kukri_conversion_notes_2004.htm
Kukri_remake _continued_June_2004.htm
restating_my_original_recommenda.htm
---- Kukri Dimensions ---------------------------------------------
basic_sketches_on_making_a_kukri.htm
Kukri_Patterns_Produce_April2005.pdf
----- Kukri Epoxy Handle -----------------------
------ Kukri Handles ----------------------
Kukri_Epoxy_Handle_Method 2005 .htm
--- Kukri Sheath -------------------------
--- Kukri Service -------------------------
Kukri_Service.htm one I recommend the most
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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
email Paul Phillips,
Main Site- Start Page, Address http://www.survivalprimer.com/
Survival Side Files, Address
http://www.survivalprimer.com/Index_Survival.htmChristian Files Address http://www.survivalprimer.com/index_spiritual.htm
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The day I came to the LORD, before I knew what a vision was, I saw myself walking through a devastated United States of America. You need to accept Jesus as LORD and make what preparations He would have you make. This site has basic only, survival information, hence the name Survival Primer, or beginning teaching book. Most of the information has been gleaned from the internet. The entire site, Survival and Christian, is saved to a single CD disk that you can own. The Christian teaching is from my church, and is original to it. God has changed my life through the ministry of my church. God will change yours, through Jesus Christ, if you let Him. My prayer is that God lead you into all truth, and that the abiding love that is expressed through His Son, Jesus Christ, come to rule and abide and infill your life, perfectly. Paul.
More information like this, my Original Introduction to this Web Site
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