Condor HD Kukri - Owners Opinions

[Antonymous]

I fancy a kukri and really like the look of the condor heavy duty.

I'm looking for opinions from actual owners: good, bad or meh.

Also, a few questions.

It's spec says high carbon steel. Can you get sparks of it with flint? Is the spine square enough for a ferro rod?

I understand it has a convex grind. How hard is it to sharpen? What do you use?

 

[Shelley]

I don't have the condor but have an HI khukuri, just querying why you want one as they are quite heavy and specialised, easy to hurt yourself with one and they don't carry well...however they chop like a beast and in the right hands can do anything.

 

[Antonymous]

I think you answered your own question when you say "chop like a beast / can do anything ".
I currently carry a Condor Bushlore, a Gerber Backpax and a tiny Condor Bushcraft Basic 2", and I like the idea of just having one blade to do it all. I just want it to be the "right" blade.

 

[The Original Buttonman]

Hi have a look here http://www.khukuripalace.com buy the real thing you will never regret it and probably cheaper.
I have been lucky enough to have visited there shop in Nepal a long time ago and took the tour to see how they make these amazing tools, I had a Khukri made for me as my hands are rather large and watched the guys make it with brutish tools with such skill I also had a 4inch knife in place of the usual 2, Its been with me all over the world from Artic to Rain Forest and desert and its still as sharp as it was the day I bought it. Its been used to dig holes a Hammer as it's over half inch thick a pry bar the list is as vast as your imagination.
During my Army career I was given a service khukri by some Ghurkas I was working with as a Pathfinder in the Para's and sits in pride of place among my mementos and collection.
Don't buy copys buy from the people that invented the Khukri.
They have a massive assortment and will even build you a bespoke Khukri of your very own design.

Martin

 

[Antonymous]

Thanks Martin!!

Looks very much like I'll be buying from Nepal instead.

 

[OldJimbo]

Sound choice!

Because I have a review of the Cold Steel LTC copy on my pages, I got lots of email reporting when they broke and blades went flying. Fortunately the only injury was fixed with stitches. There's a reason why people who like khuks like authentic ones which were actually designed not to break.
http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/sharps.html

The only part of a khuk which will work well with flint or even a ferro rod is the edge. That's because only the edge is hardened - the spine is left soft in order to prevent the breakage seen with western blades. But khuks come with burnishing tools for straightening and polishing the edge (the little tools in the top of the wooden but covered in goatskin sheath.). Those are hard steel and will do what you want.

An authentic Khuk will cut far beyond any expectations that anyone who doesn't know them could believe. They also take skill to use because they can deflect in the cut. The guy who wrote the safety article also got a LOT of stitches in his foot...
http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/valiant4.html

 

[FGYT]

I fancy a kukri and really like the look of the condor heavy duty.

I'm looking for opinions from actual owners: good, bad or meh.

Also, a few questions.

It's spec says high carbon steel. Can you get sparks of it with flint? Is the spine square enough for a ferro rod?

I understand it has a convex grind. How hard is it to sharpen? What do you use?

It is high carbon steel But if it throws good sparks off a piece of flint it will be tempered to hard to do its job as a Big chopping blade

most knives need a bit of spine squaring to get a ferro to strike as sharp edges are usually removed for most use (bar the important one )

 

[Knife Craft]

This gentleman knows the Kukri, and recommend watching his videos. Hope this helps.

[video=youtube;mGahdNfW9Xk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGahdNfW9Xk[/video]