The Spyderco C125 Khukuri!
The Khukuri has been near the top my list of “must-have” for a few years now. The fact that they are hard to find and painfully expensive have made locating one especially difficult. I have always admired the graceful lines of the Khukuri. Talk about delicate features! The Khukuri reminds me of a surgeon’s scalpel—more of a finesse cutting tool vs. a close-quarters combat knife. I find this Schempp design to be the most appealing to me (yes, even over the coveted Kris). I love how compactly the beautiful recurved-shaped blade fits inside the G-10 handle. The fit and finish is superb on this model. I have always preferred the screw-together type construction on my knives, and the Khukuri fits into this category perfectly. The blade swings into place with a subtle “click” and locks up tightly with no side to side play whatsoever. In my honest opinion, I really wouldn’t change a thing on this model. It is truly a work of art!
Despite my intrigue with the new Khukuri, Christmas was far from being over. My wife also blessed me with two other fantastic knives: The C164 Nilakka and the C83GPRD Persian Folder:
I have always admired the Persian Folder and generally kicked myself for not picking one up sooner (especially before they were discontinued). The Red Persian (as I call it) is also a work of art. As many are likely aware, this particular model is a Sprint Run. It was originally offered with a black handle and stainless bolster. However, I really find the red handle to be a perfect complement to this design. I applaud Mr. Schempp for another excellent knife design!
Last, but certainly not the least, is the newly released Nilakka (designed by Finnish knifemaker Pekka Tuominen). Although I wasn’t a huge fan of the first (fix-bladed) design, I must say that the Nilakka is an exceptionally beautiful knife. The stout CPM-S30V blade sails out of the handle with minimal effort applied to opening hole and snaps into place. At 8.13” overall length, the Nilakka is decently sized and would be very suitable as an every-day carry knife. It is, however, somewhat weighty at 5 oz., but not so heavy that you feel like you’re lugging a soup can in your pocket. The bead-blasted brown G-10 handle is magnificent and I love the diamond shape of the grip. Perhaps most surprising to me were the ergonomics of the knife. Although it appears to be somewhat boxy and uncomfortable, the Nilakka fits inside my hand just as comfortably as my Manix 2. The zero-ground (“Scandi-ground”) blade yields a phenomenal edge and would be perfect for most slicing tasks. As with the other models assembled in Taichung Taiwan, the Nilakka is without blemish and perfect in fit and finish. I would very highly recommend this knife to anyone.
Needless to say, I am incredibly grateful to my wife! She mentioned the one knife for a gift, but I never suspected the other two. What an amazing woman! :)
Happy Holidays to All,
Michael
(It was love at first sight!). 
