There is a notch cut into the blade of every genuine kukri, and two small knives hidden in the back of the sheath. Neither is decoration. Learn what they are and you can tell a real Nepali kukri from a tourist copy across a room.
The blade and its sweet spot
The kukri blade is thick along the spine and bent forward, and the fat part of the belly, right on the bend, is the sweet spot. That is the point you aim to land when you chop, where weight and angle do the most work together. Towards the tip the steel thins out for finer cutting. Back by the handle the edge is often left softer, for controlled, close work.
The cho, that odd little notch
Just ahead of the handle sits a small notch, the cho or kaudi. Nobody agrees entirely on why it is there. It keeps sap and blood from running back onto the grip, it works as a stop that prevents a crack travelling up into the handle, and it carries religious meaning. What is beyond doubt is that a proper Nepali kukri has one, and a blade without it is usually a copy.
The two small knives
This is the part that catches people off guard. Behind the main blade, a traditional scabbard holds two little tools. The karda is a small utility knife for the fine cutting a heavy kukri cannot manage. The chakmak is blunt, used to true up the edge and, in the old days, to strike a spark off flint. Your kukri turns up as a small kit, not a lone blade.
Handle, bolster and tang
Handles are turned from hardwood or buffalo horn, usually with a flared end that stops your hand sliding off mid-swing. Where the blade meets the grip sits a metal bolster, the kanzo, for strength. On knives meant for hard use the tang runs right through the handle. If you intend to actually work a kukri rather than hang it on a wall, a full or through tang is the thing to look for.
The scabbard
The sheath, the dap, is traditionally wood bound in leather, cut to grip the blade and carry the two small knives. Each one is made to its own knife by hand, rather than moulded to a pattern.
Getting it out safely
A curved blade leaves its sheath differently from a straight one, and there is a right way to do it that keeps your fingers well clear of that edge. Two minutes here saves a nasty cut later.
Want a kukri that arrives complete with karda, chakmak and a hand-made scabbard? See our traditional range. The Gurkha Service Kukri is a proper example at £62.