A camp chopper is the tool that sits between a knife and an axe. It has to take down deadwood, split kindling, clear brush and still be usable for something finer without changing hands. The kukri is the shape that answers all of that, because the forward curve puts the weight where the cut lands and the belly gives you a straight section to work with.
What is in the rack
Overall lengths sit at 15, 16 and 17 inches with blades of 10 and 11 inches, all full tang, which is the only construction worth having on something you intend to hit wood with. Blades are plain 1095 high carbon at 54 to 58 HRC, which is the tougher choice and the one to pick for genuine camp work, or forge welded 1095 and 15N20 Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC. Handles cover rosewood, olive wood, walnut, stag horn and antler, buffalo horn, black micarta and stacked leather washers, with brass and polished steel bolsters, a knotwork bolster, a helm of awe bolster, a runed steel pommel and a Mjolnir cut brass bolster. Several carry etch work: a vegvisir, a wolf head and a knotwork spine. Most ship with a leather belt sheath, and a good number include the traditional pair of companion blades, the small karda for fine work and the chakmak for touching up the edge in the field. Prices run from 189 dollars to 299 dollars.
Using it properly
Choke up on the handle for carving and let the belly do the chopping, and keep the tip out of it because the tip is the part that breaks. If you are comparing grinds and profiles before buying, our rundown of blade shapes covers what each does well. The full rack is in kukri knives, the smaller field blades are in hunting knives, and if you want the whole outdoor range in one place, start at Viking axes and knives.
Ransack Viking is a US company based in Chicago, Illinois. These pieces are handmade in the Czech Republic, then imported, inspected and shipped from Chicago. Engraving is done in the US after arrival: text 19 dollars, symbol 39 dollars, family crest 49 dollars.
Free US shipping
On most pieces. Heavier and oversized ones carry a flat charge.
Hand Forged
Heated, hammered and ground by hand.
Engraving available
Names, dates or Norse runes on most pieces.
