Kukri vs Machete

[HEX]

What do you prefer? I'm looking at buying one or the other and i was wondering what ZS members favour.

btw here are the three i had in mind
http://www.abetterworld.co.uk/product_d ... ?sku=OK18S
http://www.abetterworld.co.uk/product_d ... sku=KB1249
http://www.surplusandadventure.com/shopscr2184.html

I know their all pretty cheap but i'm on a budget. Anyways, whats you're favoured head cracker?

[Flashbang_E4T]

Id have to go with a standard size Machette. Kukri's look bad ass and Ive heard they are great but you get a lot more reach with a Machette which equals a larger striking surface aswell.

[Civilian Scout]

Machete. I have two that are similar to your third option.

http://zombiesquad.theedge.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=2541

[Moonrabbit]

Wasn't there just a thread like this that got locked? I plan on cooconut testing my kukhri against my machete and billhook, but gotta get em sharpened.
Chances are they're all comming with me anyway. I should have room.

[TDW586]

No, don't make me choose....Kukri, they tend to be shorter and handier.

But I love a good machete too.

[Einstein]

machette... longer, considering it will be a melee weapon.

[Shai'tan]

I hear the kukri has more chopping ability, the curve of the blade makes it so that whatever angle you chop from you get optimum cutting, or something.

[Moonrabbit]

They really, both have their advandages.. I have seen SOME good heavy, sharp machete. Look at that one TheLastRifleman was talking about. The long version of that Woodsman's pal might be the answer though.

[unodiablo]

There's not much difference between a regular machete and a cheap kurki... But I prefer my cheap Cold Steel kurki machete over my brother's Blackie Collins machete.

"Reach" will work against you if attacked by a zombie, or you end up in close HTH. The Kurki is designed for extreme concentrated force w/ any blow, even very short strokes. Machetes are made to hack with, using a large swinging arc, rather than blade design, for momentum.

If you're willing to spend the $$$, then the real Cold Steel Kurki, or the heavy imported ones from India will give a machete a spanking every time. The full weight ones are just sickening in their damage potential. The expensive ones cleave thru oak branches better than my Roselli Hiking Axe, and that axe is tops for quality and shearing power (2 precise chops remove a deer's hind leg).

If you learn a few proper Bando strikes, you can chop off an arm or decapitate someone in one swing with a quality Kurki. The SAS and Armed Forces in India use them for a reason...

[Moonrabbit]

There we go. Smoeone will real expirience.
I'm trying to find somewhere to learn bando.
I'm fond of my cheapo $30 kukhri. They're carbon steel, from india but they're still just the cheapo export models. Your best bet is Ebay or a good army surplus dealer for anything real. i doubt it's something anybody would be able to keep a stock of.

[Civilian Scout]

There we go. Smoeone will real expirience.
I'm trying to find somewhere to learn bando.
I'm fond of my cheapo $30 kukhri. They're carbon steel, from india but they're still just the cheapo export models. Your best bet is Ebay or a good army surplus dealer for anything real. i doubt it's something anybody would be able to keep a stock of.

Have you looked here? I'm assuming this is what you mean by "real."

[ednemo]

Ah...now here is a subject I can definitely speak about. Check out Himilayan Imports for a really nice Khukri. Even their cheaper models are 10x what others are selling. Starting at 70 on up. Plus, each of their Khukris are baptised in Ghurka blood. I kind of like that...

[HEX]

Wow those cold steel kukri's are schweeeeeet. However they are also hugely expensive, having said that its probably not wise to cheap out on something like that.

[TDW586]

Wow those cold steel kukri's are schweeeeeet. However they are also hugely expensive, having said that its probably not wise to cheap out on something like that.

Personally, I'm perfectly happy with my Cold Steel Kukri Machete, and that only cost me about 18 bucks.

Sometimes, cheaping out is okay.

[unodiablo]

Thank you, ednemo! I had that on my faves on my old computer, and was trying to find it. The HI models or the heavy cold steel are simply awesome. As much razor as a machete, as much chop as a hatchet.

There is an American Bando Association, but I believe they concentrate more on hand-to-hand martial arts, and the weapon training is reserved for experienced disciples of the art. You can find people who train in just kurki use as well. (I found one while googlin', trying to find HI)

There's a local selling off the estate of an knife collector that recently passed on. He's got an unused cold steel kurki for $150, as well as about 150 other hunting / survival / utility knives, bayonets, folders, axes, and military knives. After I get a rifle from him and break the economic ice, I'm going to do my best to buy that thing (and his Applegate/Fairburn folder for my truck driver brother, his gerber is teh suxXX0rs). It makes my machete version, and even my pals' HI, look like lil' kids toys.

He spent about 90 minutes unloading knives and folders from boxes last night. Spyderco, Cold Steel, Benchmade, customs, Ka-Bar, Buck, military issue, just a beautiful assembly of knives. Most of them first runs, none of them were ever carried or used...

[Moonrabbit]

God bless the interconnect... I didn't know anybody was importing actual good kukhri.

[Rus]

picked up a S&W Bush Hog kukri at a gun show a while back; about $20 IIRC.

This one isn't bad; fits in between a hatchet and a machette in functionality, so unless you can carry both ( and have need for both ) then it fits the bill at lighter weight.

[Oracle]

I've had one of the "cheapo" Indian Kukhri's for years. It works better than any machete I've ever had, and has held up through a lot of use. I don't think you'll have too much problems with it.

[TheLastRifleMan]

I have had one of the the Indian made kukri's for almost twenty years. This one was made for Gurhka troops employed with the British army. It has done everything from cutting down trees, building deer blinds and even splitting cedar logs into shingles. It is tough beyound belief and makes short work of any task. I think twenty years of personal experience
count for a lot. You can get this type of kukri through Atlanta Cutlery.

I bought a Cold Steel kukri machete about a year ago and have to say that I really like it. This is the machete line, not the Kukri line. The machetes are thinner and not as heavily made but are still very, very tough. I would love to get my hands on one of the thicker Kukris they make and give it a good work out. But the price...

I also have had a lot of experience with machetes, though not as much as with kukris. Only two brands have ever proven their worth to me: Tramontina and Cold Steel. I use my Tramontina to cut down limbs out of a large willow tree in my back yard. This has to be done a few time a year. The Tramontina's are carbon steel and will rust. The Cold Steel ones are coated to prevent rust.

I just picked up one of Cold Steel's Two Hand machetes and have to say I am deeply impressed. I am using it in place of an axe, since it is lighter and does the job just as well. Ask agentjew about it. I used it to cut a 4x4 piece of wood in half at our camping trip, then used it to split one half into kindling. I am thinking about buying another. They are under $20 and are truly incredible!

I also just picked up a Becker Knife and Tool machete. It is also very impressive. It was cleaving through 3/4" willow branches with no effort on my part. They are also expesive but I got mine very cheap through a friend of mine who is a part time knife dealer.

It would be hard for me to choose. Kukri's seem to do more work for the energy then is put into the job. The mechanical advantage due to greater leverage makes this possible. Machete's are light in wieght but suffer from thin blades which can bend easily. Unless you are experienced with one, it is hard to use a machete to your advantage. Most jungle based people use them for everything. If you can watch films of how these people use them, you will see what I mean.

It would be a hard choice. Both work for what they were intended. It just goes to what you are comfortable with.

[HEX]

okay ive narrowed it down to the ka-bar kukri. It seems to be the best available on my budget. However i just spotted this on eBay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GENUINE-COLD-STEE ... dZViewItem
What do you reckon is that good machete/a good buy? Advice needed as iam going to make a purchase.

[TheLastRifleMan]

I bought a Becker Knife and Tool machete this summer real cheap. about $35 bucks. They usually go about $75. Expensive, but waaayyyy cool and very handy.

I also ended up with one of the Cold Steel two handed machetes. These are beyond words. I hacked through a pressure treated 4x4 in about ten minutes. Most useful and the go for about $15 bucks!

[mrclarkbkk]

I have a Khukri and absolutely love it. It is such a versatile tool. I've had it for over 7 years now and it has performed wonderfully. I bought it off e-bay for $25. It neede some sharpening when i got it but other than that I have no complaints. Recently I've been thinking of upgrading to one of these:

It's made by Eight Dollar Mountain Foundry. http://www.edmfknives.com/index.html These are some of the best knives I've ever seen. They are all hand made and are durable as hell. The prices aren't bad either, only problem is they are on about 10-11 months backorder.

[Djinn]

I've said this before..and i'm about to say it again. Falcata. It's basically the original kukri...but for military purposes.

http://swordforum.com/swords/historical/falcata.html

It's more expensive, but it has more reach and ability to devastate than either of the other two. Falcata, a weapon for when something need's to be chopped off. .....also good for limbs and such.

[Ronin556]

There is absolutely NO comparing the two.

The Kukri, Cold Steel, $21.99
http://www.coldsteel.com/97kms.html
Heavier weight at the end, and a forward curved blade - this channels all the momentum to a certain point on the blade, which is consistantly where your blade hits.
It's typically shorter and easier to swing in dense brush.
The biggest advantage is the "top end" or tip of the blade weight.
Unless you've used a Kukri, you'll probably not understand why they are superior.

The Machete is a good tool, but it dosen't work as well in my opinion. try em' both. My advice - pick up this cold steel Kukri, and never look back.
http://www.coldsteel.com/machetes.html