The Condor Heavy Duty Kukri was designed by Joe Flowers and produced by Condor Tool & Knife. They have been manufacturing similar products since 1787. In 2004, the company started a new product line which specialized in knifes made specifically for the North American and European outdoors market, and now stock a wide variety of knives, axes, tools, shovels, machetes, and swords. This particular model is intended to be a compact – but heavy – version of a larger-sized Kukri knife and has all the penetration power and heft of a regular Kukri.
Featuring hardwood handle scales, durable leather sheath and a well-constructed 10-inch blade with convex grind, this Kukri knife from Condor is one of the most popular in its price range available on the market today. It is heavy and thick, making it capable of carrying out a number of heavy-duty chopping tasks that similar sized knives simply couldn’t take on. Our review of the Condor Heavy Duty Kukri below will cover all aspects of this budget Kukri and why it’s one of the best bargains on the market.
Blade Steel and Shape
This Kukri is a heavy duty tool with a substantial blade made from 1075 high carbon steel incorporating a full tang design. Good choice for the blade steel as 1075 is very tough and highly resistant to chipping. It’s also easy to sharpen, takes a keen edge and has fantastic edge retention. The blade can not be classified as small by any means (though compared to other Kukri knives this would be considered on the smaller side), but it is small enough to fit inside most bags or backpacks, particularly handy for a multi-use tool such as this. The actual blade portion of the knife is around 10 inches long (the whole knife is 14 inches overall), with a blade that is nearly a third-of-an-inch thick.
Blade Properties
The Condor kukri knife weighs in at 1.8lbs and the 1075 high carbon steel has been heat treated to a Rockwell hardness between 56-58. The blade is strong enough for heavy chopping and splitting wood. It has an inner curve at its base which can be used for more precise cutting and chopping jobs. The knife is comfortable and extremely easy to use for chopping, with a stout blade that is razor sharp and hand-finished with a polished edge. Speaking of edge, the blade has a convex grind. This really aids in chopping as a convex edge grind is more efficient at removing material and reducing drag than the standard v-grind edge found on many modern knives.
Handle Material and Ergonomics
The handle of the knife is made from South American hardwood, and the knife contains a tube lanyard hole made from brass. The hole is large enough to take paracord, a feature I was pleased to have at my disposal and something which many Kukri owners would note as lacking from other traditional models of Kukri knife.
The knife is full tang in construction and extremely solid, with a small notch located close to the base of the blade near the handle. This notch has been included to replicate the Cho, which was added to Kukri knifes in Nepal for both practical and spiritual reasons. Some believe that the notch helps to improve the performance of the knife.
The handle is well designed and comfortable. The South American hardwood looks very aesthetically pleasing while providing adequate grip. It’s not comparable to G10 for texture or grip, but gets the job done and keeps the price low. The color of the wood lies in stark contrast to the sheen of the razor-sharp blade.
Sheath Quality and Features
The sheath of the knife has been crafted from black leather and contains a snap closure and a belt loop which swivels. The belt loop has been included as a practical way to carry the knife and can be used with a number of different belts. The sheath has been well-designed and the leather is of a good quality, with an imprint of the Condor logo on the side. The logo consists of a condor bird perching over a fire, with the words “since 1787” printed underneath.
I personally prefer kydex sheaths over leather. However, this is a more traditional Kukri design that is more fitted to a leather or hide sheath. It is also highly functional, has a sleek appearance, holds the knife securely and is easy to carry. The stitching is strong and the entire sheath has a feel of quality to it. Unfortunately there is no MOLLE compatibility, but that is to be expected as MOLLE systems are mainly found on more modern designed knives with nylon sheaths.
Final Conclusion On The Condor Heavy Duty Kukri
The Condor Heavy Duty Kukri is, as the name implies, heavy duty. This knife was made to be used and abused. It contains many of the features of larger knives in a more compact design by Kukri standards. Due to its size, the knife is a lot easier to carry around than larger models and can be transported safely in a bag. You can even take advantage of the swiveling belt loop which makes it even easier to carry the knife on the belt of your choice.
Despite its size, the Condor Heavy Duty Kukri packs one hell of a punch when used for chopping. It has a convex grind and a razor-sharp 7.88mm thick blade which is perfectly suited for both heavy chopping and slicing with its blade forward design, tough steel and durable build quality. Its handle is made from a beautiful South American hardwood which not only looks good but is extremely practical and economical, with a brass lanyard hole in the handle that can easily fit thick paracord.
Finally, the overall design of the sheath provides a high-quality and elegant finish. The sheath with belt loop, made from the finest black leather, is smooth, attractive and highly functional. The Condor logo is imprinted front and center on the sheath. With this Kukri, you are getting a high quality, full tang knife from one of the most renowned tool and knife specialists in the world. Condor Tool & Knife also has a dedicated customer service system in place for customers who have any queries about recent purchases manufactured by the company and they stand by their products.
You have two different pictures listed. I personally like the squared handle shown in the first picture but I dont see that option. Is that an older version?
It’s the same handle shape. Just looks a bit different due to the angle in that first picture.