A great tool for "MOST" in the outdoors!
OK, so...I bought this because I have never owned a Kukri before. For me, I have always used a machete, normally a 18" Tramontina. Im happy with that tool. However, I saw the price on this and figured I would try something new.
Im so glad I did.
Ok, so, I took this knife-Kukri out in the yard and start whacking at a trash tree that I allow to grow simply because it grows very fast and I use the limbs to whittle on. I found a branch I wanted to turn into shavings and went after it. The knife cut, but...not a big deal. I kept at the limb and thought to myself, "whats the big hooplah over these, they suck!".
Thats when my grip on the knife changed in mid swing, and the forward part of the blade bit into the tree.
It was like I was using a light saber. Man did it cut.
I had been using the tool like a knife, and it needs to be used more like an AXE. The forward section of the blade is HEAVY, and for a reason! Let this monster eat!
Ok, so I learned a lot on how to handle the tool, how it works, and what is does well or better than a machete. It eats trees. This thing is an Axe with the blade shaped funny. It can cut through 3" diameter saplings like a hatchet. and it has far more weight than a machete, therefore, it bites much, MUCH deeper into hard wood.
DONT GET ME WRONG...a machete is STILL the king of light density undergrowth cutting, this kukri is no match against any machete for vines and thick globby bushes . However, if an axe is too big or heavy for your needs, and a knife the size of a Ka-Bar doesnt do the chopping you need done...TRY THIS TOOL !! I can say, it really has heft and it pushes through green wood like an axe.
This knife is SOLID. Well built, the weight goes through the grip, which is VERY comfortable, the soft rubbery stuff its made of grips really well in gloves or not. The handle also has a thong hole for a lanyard, that makes me happy.
The blade is some type of stainless steel, probably 420 or 440, and it cleans up very easily. I got a ton of wet sap all over mine, sticky and smelly stuff, it came right off with a BRILLO PAD.
If this is either 420HC or 440A, it should not only sharpen up fairly easily, but if its 440A, it should hold and edge pretty well. 440A has more carbon and chromium, makes for good edge retention. Compared to my IMACASA or TRAMONTINA machetes, it should be easy to care for.
The blade...is shaped well for cutting. Not overly thick or with steep cheeks that make for a brittle edge. It should be very easy to sharpen with my hand-held diamond sharpening plates. I use a DC-4. get you one here at SMKW. They work great on these type tools, especially machetes and hatchets.
I would say that this tool is great for a bushcrafter and a camper...NOT A HIKER. its too heavy to carry for miles and miles, you all need something lightweight like a Mora knife or even a Mora hatchet. This is way heavier.
If you horseback camp, car camp, bike or boat into your campsites, this is one heck of a good tool to have. No need for a hatchet for making kindling, this thing was bred for batoning through limbs and shaving tinder piles a foot deep! It will make tent pegs with 1 good WHACK.
It might not carve as good as a Mora, and I wouldnt ask it too; but it can take down small trees and make firewood as good as most hatchets.
I look forward to testing this knife much, much more as part of a 5 tool kit.
1. Corona folding saw
2. This kukri
3. A Mora 546
4. My Swiss Army Fieldmaster
5. Buck BUCKLITE Max
I believe that is a very good load out for camping and crafting things in the deep piney woods of South East Texas.
Thanks for reading!
John H.