View Full Version : Khukuri blades
Was presented with an awesome gift(s) for house sitting for someone while they trekked the mountains of Nepal.
Both come in original wood sheaths wrapped in Yak skin.
There are two smaller blades (as seen in the pics below) that sit behind the main blade.
One has an edge to it, while the other is duller than a butter knife. Does anyone know what these two smaller blades are for?
I'm going to hopefully find someone who can fashion out a leather (cowhide) sheath for both blades, because I don't want to damage the original sheaths. They're too dang pretty.
Those (the sheaths) I'd put under glass, but the knives themselves are going to be used. :D
The Reaper
10-27-2014, 16:10
Does anyone know what these two smaller blades are for?
Eating.
TR
rubberneck
10-27-2014, 16:17
Most Kukri feature two little knives attached at the back of the sheath held either in a built-in pocket or a leather purse is the complete set. The small sharp knife is a Karda, it serves as a small cutting knife. The other knife is called a Chakmak. It is blunt on both sides and it works like a knife sharpener when one does not have a sharpening stone rubbing both sides of a kukri. This Chakmak when stroked against a lime stone created sparks to start fire also.
http://www.khukuriblades.com/kukri_history/
Barbarian
10-28-2014, 08:10
Was presented with an awesome gift(s) for house sitting for someone while they trekked the mountains of Nepal.
Dang. "Someone" gave you the hookup, SD. Congrats. When you get user sheaths made, if you spend a little more, you'll be glad later on.
RomanCandle
10-28-2014, 12:52
Looks like a villager version and a mini WWii. The small knife in the sheath is the Karda, kind of a utility knife, and the blunt one is the chakmak meant to steel the blade sort of like one would do with a butchers knife. Both are mostly decorative.
They have a convex edge so if you sharpen it be sure to maintain that. Mine all came with a rough edge that needed some serious refining but once done they can do some serious woodchopping even on dry African hardwoods with barely a nick in spite of "soft" zone tempered
truck spring blades.
cat in the hat
11-01-2014, 23:38
those are some fine looking blades. I'll be home in a few months. we should have another get together over some beers. look forward to seeing them.
those are some fine looking blades. I'll be home in a few months. we should have another get together over some beers. look forward to seeing them.
You got it. Just give me a shout when you're back.
TOMAHAWK9521
11-02-2014, 08:07
Aside from the camo-type covering of the sheath, it looks exactly like the one I picked up a while back. It even came with a little certificate of authenticity. Of course, I can't remember where I put that paper. Still, I recall it didn't cost that much and is a damn fine blade.
Team Sergeant
11-02-2014, 10:47
Was presented with an awesome gift(s) for house sitting for someone while they trekked the mountains of Nepal.
Both come in original wood sheaths wrapped in Yak skin.
There are two smaller blades (as seen in the pics below) that sit behind the main blade.
One has an edge to it, while the other is duller than a butter knife. Does anyone know what these two smaller blades are for?
I'm going to hopefully find someone who can fashion out a leather (cowhide) sheath for both blades, because I don't want to damage the original sheaths. They're too dang pretty.
Those (the sheaths) I'd put under glass, but the knives themselves are going to be used. :D
You do realize that once they are unsheathed they must draw blood before being resheathed or they become cursed........:munchin
You do realize that once they are unsheathed they must draw blood before being resheathed or they become cursed........:munchin
Mine is so sharp I always get blood when I pull it but is am a clutz :p
Team Sergeant
11-02-2014, 10:58
Mine is so sharp I always get blood when I pull it but is am a clutz :p
Shhh, I was just kidding. I just wanted to send a chill down the back of Sdiver.
http://gurkhaknife.blogspot.com/
History of kukri
Kukri is the now accepted spelling; “Khukuri” is the strict translation of the Nepali word. Either way khukuri (kukri) itself is the renowned national weapon of Nepal and the Gurkhas, the Gurkha Knife . A Nepali boy is likely to have his own khukuri (kukri) at the age of five or so and necessarily becomes skilful in its use long before his manhood. By the time a Gurkha joins the army, the Khukuri (kukri) has become a chopping extension of his dominant arm. This is important, because it is not the weight and edge of the weapon that make it so terrible at close quarters so much as the skilled technique of the stroke; it can claim to be almost impossible to parry. It is important to remember that the Khukuri (kukri) is a tool of all work, at home in the hills and on active service it will be used for cutting wood, hunting and skinning, opening tins, clearing undergrowth and any other chore. From this it is plain there can be no truth in the belief that a Gurkha must draw blood every time before he -may return the kukri to its sheath.
You do realize that once they are unsheathed they must draw blood before being resheathed or they become cursed........:munchin
Mine is so sharp I always get blood when I pull it but is am a clutz :p
Shhh, I was just kidding. I just wanted to send a chill down the back of Sdiver.
http://gurkhaknife.blogspot.com/
History of kukri
Kukri is the now accepted spelling; “Khukuri” is the strict translation of the Nepali word. Either way khukuri (kukri) itself is the renowned national weapon of Nepal and the Gurkhas, the Gurkha Knife . A Nepali boy is likely to have his own khukuri (kukri) at the age of five or so and necessarily becomes skilful in its use long before his manhood. By the time a Gurkha joins the army, the Khukuri (kukri) has become a chopping extension of his dominant arm. This is important, because it is not the weight and edge of the weapon that make it so terrible at close quarters so much as the skilled technique of the stroke; it can claim to be almost impossible to parry. It is important to remember that the Khukuri (kukri) is a tool of all work, at home in the hills and on active service it will be used for cutting wood, hunting and skinning, opening tins, clearing undergrowth and any other chore. From this it is plain there can be no truth in the belief that a Gurkha must draw blood every time before he -may return the kukri to its sheath.
Too late. :(
I, like B, am a clutz as well. :rolleyes:
Too late. :(
I, like B, am a clutz as well. :rolleyes:
Were you juggling with them? :confused:
Pat
Were you juggling with them? :confused:
Pat
Nope ... just pulling them out and then putting them back in the sheaths.
Besides, I only juggle cats. :p
The Reaper
11-02-2014, 17:06
Nope ... just pulling them out and then putting them back in the sheaths.
Besides, I only juggle cats. :p
New thread for the edged weapons discussion on how to unsharpen knives.
TR
TOMAHAWK9521
11-03-2014, 08:11
Too late. :(
I, like B, am a clutz as well. :rolleyes:
You tried to reenact that scene from "Aliens" again didn't you? How many times do I have to tell you?:
1. It was a movie and they used special effects for that scene.
2. Bishop was an android with a computer for a brain to allow him the speed and accuracy to pull it off.
3. They used a dagger or boot knife, not a friggin' Khukuri.
I guess we need to put mittens back on your hands again. Sheesh! :D
Knife in the Water (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q5o7_WAFX4) ;)
Pat
@sdiver
I bought about a few kuri blades years ago when I backpacked through Nepal. All my friends loved them. I still have one I keep with me.
Anyhows, I asked a lot of questions back then and found it interesting that the notch was to prevent the blood from dripping down to the hand holding the blade (mentioned in the link that rubberneck sent).
I also inquired about the indent running along roughly half the body of the blade. I was told in earlier versions, the Gurkhas found it hard to pull the knife out of the body because in essence vacuum was created with the blade shoved deep into the body. The indent running along the body of the blade prevents the creation of said vacuum and allows the Gurkhas to more easily pull out the blade (and ready the next strike).
Not sure if this is true or if they were messing with me. They did seem very serious/professional with the certificates of authenticity (the store was supposedly the official supplier to the Nepalese army).
Wikipedia mentions nothing about the indent running part ways along the body of the blade. Maybe others more knowledgeable can chime in. Cheers.
Habu-MFFI 175
11-04-2014, 07:52
Nice looking set of blades
The Reaper
11-04-2014, 11:22
@sdiver
I bought about a few kuri blades years ago when I backpacked through Nepal. All my friends loved them. I still have one I keep with me.
Anyhows, I asked a lot of questions back then and found it interesting that the notch was to prevent the blood from dripping down to the hand holding the blade (mentioned in the link that rubberneck sent).
I also inquired about the indent running along roughly half the body of the blade. I was told in earlier versions, the Gurkhas found it hard to pull the knife out of the body because in essence vacuum was created with the blade shoved deep into the body. The indent running along the body of the blade prevents the creation of said vacuum and allows the Gurkhas to more easily pull out the blade (and ready the next strike).
Not sure if this is true or if they were messing with me. They did seem very serious/professional with the certificates of authenticity (the store was supposedly the official supplier to the Nepalese army).
Wikipedia mentions nothing about the indent running part ways along the body of the blade. Maybe others more knowledgeable can chime in. Cheers.
I believe that the large blade indentation is the "fuller" or "blood groove."
In reality, it normally serves to lighten and strengthen the blade for an equivalent weight blade without such a device. A KABAR has a fuller. Lighter should also be faster.
This would be similar in weight reduction to fluting a barrel.
Some knives do have just the thin line, to me, that is more of an expected or cosmetic feature and serves little purpose.
Not a combat stabber, but I helped kill and butcher hogs for many years, and I do not recall a blade getting stuck in anything because of a "vacuum," even with blood, fat, and gore coating the grips.
Very cool knives, regardless. Hope this helps.
TR
@The Reaper. Thank you for your insights.
Nice Kukri. I just dug mine out of the gunsafe. It was nestled between a Horrigan Fighter and a Yarborough. It has an interesting story. It is a Himalayan Imports Kukri according to my research http://www.himalayan-imports.com/khuk1.html
My mom had an elderly friend whose husband died a few years ago leaving her with an extensive gun collection, pounds and pounds of silver, and a huge stamp collection. She was being pestered by the neighbor to sell the gun collection to him but was resisting. She thought it was worth much more than the few thousand he was offering. She asked if I would come take a look and give her an idea of what it was worth. She told me she had some deer rifles, a bunch of custom pistols, and a "machine gun". Of course, every old lady who sees a black rifle calls it a machine gun. Imagine my suprise when I inventory her safe and find a registered receiver conversion M16. I asked if it had any paperwork and she produced the original form 4 with $200 stamp affixed to it. I was able to sell it for her for market price which was about $9k at the time and she sold the rest of the collection for much closer to what it was worth than the neighbor was offering.
She was very appreciative that I helped keep her from being taken and she asked if there was anything I wanted out of the collection. I offered to buy this Kukri and an unfired milled receiver Mak90. She refused my offer and gave them both to me for free. Wonderful lady that I still talk to from time to time.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your pictures and enjoy mine as a fellow kukri owner.
Cheers,
D.