The Kukri knife is a curved knife that traditionally comes from Nepal. Compared to Western knives, it is most closely related to a machete, due to it’s ability to be a useful multipurpose tool as well as a dangerous weapon.
A Kukri knife is most easily identified by it’s inward curving cutting edge. The inward curving edge, although odd to look at if you’ve never seen a knife like it before, is actually very effective. It makes the hitting force of the blade much harder than a backward curved blade, making it ideal for cutting and chopping without a huge amount of effort by it’s user.
As a weapon, it’s effectiveness has been heralded for many centuries. It works in many different ways. The knife can be thrown, used as a stabbing device or used in a slashing and slicing motion. The intensity with which the blade swings due to it’s curve makes it very lethal. The stabbing motion with a Kukri knife is also known to be more comfortable for the user because the wrist does not need to be bend, as the blade is curved toward the target.
In modern times, the usefulness of the Kukri knife as a weapon had faded out a bit, and it has become more popular as a collector’s item and a tool. In many areas of Nepal, the Kukri is still used for a variety of tasks including from cutting wood to clearing out bushes and small trees, and even digging holes. Aside from it’s practical uses, collectors from all over the world have taken great interest in adding them to their collections as they look beautiful and impressive on display.
Kukri Knife Size And Design
The average blade length for a Kukri knife is anywhere from 10 to 15 inches. With that being said, there are varieties that are much smaller (under 8 inches) and some that are much larger (closer to 30 inches or more). They are typically put into categories known as Eastern and Western, with Eastern blades being significantly thinner than the Western types. This classification doesn’t tend to mean much beyond that, as both types are used in Nepal where the Kukri is most well known.
A traditional Kukri will have two smaller knives that accompany it, one for use as a sharpening tool and the other for uses that require something smaller than the large Kukri.
The typical blade width will be as thick as 10 millimeters up by the handle and will get thinner down the length of the blade and end up around 2-3 millimeters. Blade widths do depend on the size and variety of knife, however.
Weight will differ by size, but a typically sized Kukri will weigh somewhere between one and two pounds.
Most will have a notched section taken out of the blade near the handle. This design element is very old in tradition, and the main purpose of it is to keep liquids from running back onto the handle and the user’s hand, as well as stopping the knife sharpener from cutting the hand of the person sharpening. There are many old Nepalese traditions that also have an alleged influence on the notch, including that it is a reminder that cows are never to be killed with a Kukri.
Kukri handles are made from a variety of different materials including metal, carved bone, wood, ivory and other assorted animal horns. With the increase in commercially made, mass produced Kukris, production has gotten away from carved wood and bone, and metal handles that are more easily produced have become common. This makes them much more readily available for those seeking one, but it also makes the more finely crafted ones much more coveted.
The History of Kukri Knives
Though the Kukri is known most for it’s roots in Nepalese culture, knives of similar fashion have existed for hundreds of years in other regions and countries as well such as Greece and India. The Turks also used a similar weapon during their most active military periods.
The time when the Kukri originated has been debated, and is not known for sure, but a popular choice is that they came into use in the form we see today sometime during the 7th century BC. The first time that modern history recognized their lethal effectiveness in combat situations was during the 19th century, when British troops were battered back time and time again by Nepalese Ghurka warriors wielding Kukris. Even in modern times, Ghurka soldiers will fashion their very own Kukri, which is a talent they gain from lessons from past generations. This is a good illustration of just how regarded these weapons are. In many villages in Nepal, young children are handling their first Kukri when they are less than six years old.
Where To Buy A Kukri Knife
There are an almost unlimited amount of places you can aquire a Kukri knife. While finding a local shop that offers such exotic knives and swords is a good option, online purchases are usually the preferred method. A traditional shop will not have as big of a selection and you can’t browse as many different manufacturers.
The only downside of shopping for Kurkis online is that you can’t feel the actual knife in your hand, but this is often remedied by reading the countless reviews that exist on the web of the many different varieties and sizes available.
In closing, a Kukri knife is a great knife for any collector or person interested in historic weapons and/or tools. They are widely available, and their rich history makes them a keepsake that will be valued for years.
Below is a video of Gurkha soldiers doing a training exercise with their Kukri Knives.
[images via Philophoto, ahrrrggh, rach1010]