my new toy

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Goose

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Aug 5, 2004
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Graham_S said:
funnily enough, when i read the description of the khukri i thought of ross........
one of the two utility knives is described as a "blunt knife for striking flints and sharpening the main blade"
I thought they were skinning knives?
 

Doc

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Nov 29, 2003
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Well, if you let Ross at it I can guarantee it'll be nicely blunt :D

(For those who don't know my seven year old pyromaniac son, he has a novel way of using a firesteel - don't lend him your Woodlore knife :eek: )
 

Graham_S

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Feb 27, 2005
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"Two small knives; Karda & Chak-mak: Every Khukuri comes with 2 small knives. The Chak-mak (blunt) is used as flint tool and sharpener the blade. Using the Chak-mak against the edge of the Khukuri to and fro does the traditional method of sharpening a Khukuri. The other knife accompanying Chak-mak is the Karda that is used for skinning purposes."
 

Mr_Yarrow

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May 16, 2005
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Thats cool Graham, hadnt realised one was designed as a steel/shaprener, always assumed they were two skinners.

An old family friend was an Army padre and served alongside Gurkhas so had a Kukri on top of his TV, amazing knife and great to have seen a real one and not just the small tourist repros you see in 'antique shops'.

Rgds
 

Moff8

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Jul 19, 2004
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Just out of interest how is your Chak-mak at throwing sparks off a fire steel. Mine is rubbish. Good at putting the edge back on the blade though, sharp but not scary sharp but thats probably my sharpening technique.

I have to agree that most people that came across a Kukri would take it for a weapon. My great uncle fought in Malaysia for his national service and brought back a Kukri, I saw it in his kitchen drawer as a child, for my 30th birthday I got myself one :)
 

Stuart

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Sep 12, 2003
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Moff8 said:
Just out of interest how is your Chak-mak at throwing sparks off a fire steel. Mine is rubbish. Good at putting the edge back on the blade though, sharp but not scary sharp but thats probably my sharpening technique.

given the history of the kukri I should think the Chak-mak was designed for casting sparks from a flake flint......not a modern firesteel ;)
 

Moff8

Forager
Jul 19, 2004
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Some do - mine doesn't :(
It depends on whether the Kami put an "aggressive edge" on the Chakma. Mine is too rounded apparently. From the nice folk on the HI forums it appears this can be fixed with a file. I haven't done this to mine yet. I intended to replace the Karda with a Mora style blade and use the spine on that for striking sparks instead. Work in Progress :)
 

Graham_S

Squirrely!
Feb 27, 2005
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bit of thread necromancy here,
finally got my khukri the other day. there was a problem with stock delivery to hiennie (whose customer support was great, i got an e-mail explaining the problem promptly when i enquired.)
anyway, it arrived shaving sharp from tip to cut-out and the skinning knife was too.
the khukri casts great sparks from my steel but the two small knives don't.
it seems well made, and i'm taking it out to play tomorrow to see how it does.
there is also something etched on the blade in what i think is sanskrit. anyone know how to read it? i'll post a close up if i can find my camera.
 

Longstrider

Settler
Sep 6, 2005
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The sanscrit probably reads as one of two things. It will either be a version of "I cut my way" or "Mind your fingers!" :)

If you can get a photo posted I have a friend who might be able to translate the inscription properly for you.
 

sargey

Mod
Mod
Member of Bushcraft UK Academy
Sep 11, 2003
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here's some more reading for those interested. army gurhka page

the khukuri is obviously a very old bushcrafting tool, it's all but a complete system, with a big chopper, a small detail knife, and a burnisher (like a chef's knife steel) that should be hard enough to strike sparks off a natural flint. like many agricultural tools used by the working classes it's been used as their primary weapon in times of need.

i've got a baby khukuri on order, but i might have to get another full size one reading all this. :BlueTeamE

cheers, and.
 

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