Kukri

FRANCOIS · 5th July 2026, 08:29 AM

Hello everyone,
I recently acquired this kukri, which has no markings.
It measures approximately 43 cm in length and weighs 460 grams. The blade is 9 mm thick at the base and has a maximum width of 5.7 cm. Viewed from above, the blade tapers gradually all the way to the tip.
The handle seems rather short to me, measuring 11.5 cm including the bolster, and the pommel is flared.
I don't know much about kukris, and I would appreciate any help in estimating its approximate age. The blade has been cleaned and was probably repolished, but I don't know anything more about its history.
Thank you in advance for your help.

Rick · 5th July 2026, 04:20 PM

I have a similar one. It is discussed in this thread.

https://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showt...ighlight=kukri

RobT · 6th July 2026, 04:29 AM

Francois,

At 16.929 inches, that is an unusually large blade. I believe that your blade is much older than the hilt and ferrule. I also strongly believe that the base of the blade has been cut down to fit the smaller hilt and ferrule. I think that, whenever you see the side of the cho at the base of the blade less deep than the side by the cutting edge or that the base of the blade has been angled sharply down from the cho, the base of the blade has been cut down to fit a smaller hilt and ferrule. That notwithstanding, a 4.5 inch long hilt isn’t too small (aesthetically, I actually prefer a short hilt). Aside from the above mentioned modification, you have a really nice blade there.

Sincerely,
RobT

DhaDha · 6th July 2026, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobT

Francois,

I think that, whenever you see the side of the cho at the base of the blade less deep than the side by the cutting edge or that the base of the blade has been angled sharply down from the cho, the base of the blade has been cut down to fit a smaller hilt and ferrule.

Hello. I like your reasoning but I have a few that share that trait that I think are original. Here are two: A quick look has shown them to be well forged with nice fullers. And at 60cm/24inches one is quite long. And in both cases I've seen Kukris that appear to be made by the same hands that also have the same cho feature.

RobT · 6th July 2026, 09:03 PM

DhaDha,

First, let me emphasize that I have absolutely no evidence (hard or anecdotal) that my contention is correct. That’s why I so carefully said “I believe” and “I think”. My belief is based on aesthetics alone. Some of the modern and oddly shaped cho notwithstanding, for the traditional form to have one side shorter than the other in what should be a bilaterally symmetrical design looks awkward. Graphically, I think that the center projection in the cho is meant to sit in the middle of the negative space with equal amounts of that space on either side of it.
I also have a number of khukri with uneven cho, so the question is, why does this happen. I think that the answer lies in the nature of the ferrule. Khukri ferrules are traditionally made from a flat piece of metal that is folded to shape. When complete, one end of the ferrule must wrap around the cross section of the blade and, on the other end, it must encompass the much larger cross section of the hilt. In addition, the chords of the chorded circle sections on either side of the ferrule must center on the blade while the circular segments must center on the sides of the hilt. This is a tricky little non-Euclidian geometry problem. The ferrule of your first example with its flat sections (which I have never seen before), illustrates well what I’m trying to get across.
Here are what I believe to be two plausible scenarios. One: A smith, as a highly skilled craftsman completes the blade with a symmetrical cho and, because it is more economical to do so, hands the blade off to be hilted by someone less skilled. This less skilled guy may not really know the geometry behind making the ferrule. (Maybe he has only a few patterns of various sizes or maybe he has a few ferrules that were made somewhere else or maybe he just doesn’t want to go through the trial and error of trying to figure out how to make one from scratch.) So, he chooses the one on hand that will match as closely as possible and files down the base of the blade as needed to get the fit. Two: After 20-50 yrs the original blade needs a new hilt and ferrule. Times have changed and now that the khukri is no longer a primary weapon, there are even less people that know the geometry. In this second scenario, the suppositions of the first scenario apply even more strongly.

Sincerely,
RobT

5th July 2026, 08:29 AM	#1
FRANCOIS Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 11	Kukri Hello everyone, I recently acquired this kukri, which has no markings. It measures approximately 43 cm in length and weighs 460 grams. The blade is 9 mm thick at the base and has a maximum width of 5.7 cm. Viewed from above, the blade tapers gradually all the way to the tip. The handle seems rather short to me, measuring 11.5 cm including the bolster, and the pommel is flared. I don't know much about kukris, and I would appreciate any help in estimating its approximate age. The blade has been cleaned and was probably repolished, but I don't know anything more about its history. Thank you in advance for your help. Attached Images

6th July 2026, 04:29 AM	#3
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 651	Big Blade Francois, At 16.929 inches, that is an unusually large blade. I believe that your blade is much older than the hilt and ferrule. I also strongly believe that the base of the blade has been cut down to fit the smaller hilt and ferrule. I think that, whenever you see the side of the cho at the base of the blade less deep than the side by the cutting edge or that the base of the blade has been angled sharply down from the cho, the base of the blade has been cut down to fit a smaller hilt and ferrule. That notwithstanding, a 4.5 inch long hilt isn’t too small (aesthetically, I actually prefer a short hilt). Aside from the above mentioned modification, you have a really nice blade there. Sincerely, RobT

6th July 2026, 09:03 PM	#5
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 651	I Think The Ferrule is the Problem DhaDha, First, let me emphasize that I have absolutely no evidence (hard or anecdotal) that my contention is correct. That’s why I so carefully said “I believe” and “I think”. My belief is based on aesthetics alone. Some of the modern and oddly shaped cho notwithstanding, for the traditional form to have one side shorter than the other in what should be a bilaterally symmetrical design looks awkward. Graphically, I think that the center projection in the cho is meant to sit in the middle of the negative space with equal amounts of that space on either side of it. I also have a number of khukri with uneven cho, so the question is, why does this happen. I think that the answer lies in the nature of the ferrule. Khukri ferrules are traditionally made from a flat piece of metal that is folded to shape. When complete, one end of the ferrule must wrap around the cross section of the blade and, on the other end, it must encompass the much larger cross section of the hilt. In addition, the chords of the chorded circle sections on either side of the ferrule must center on the blade while the circular segments must center on the sides of the hilt. This is a tricky little non-Euclidian geometry problem. The ferrule of your first example with its flat sections (which I have never seen before), illustrates well what I’m trying to get across. Here are what I believe to be two plausible scenarios. One: A smith, as a highly skilled craftsman completes the blade with a symmetrical cho and, because it is more economical to do so, hands the blade off to be hilted by someone less skilled. This less skilled guy may not really know the geometry behind making the ferrule. (Maybe he has only a few patterns of various sizes or maybe he has a few ferrules that were made somewhere else or maybe he just doesn’t want to go through the trial and error of trying to figure out how to make one from scratch.) So, he chooses the one on hand that will match as closely as possible and files down the base of the blade as needed to get the fit. Two: After 20-50 yrs the original blade needs a new hilt and ferrule. Times have changed and now that the khukri is no longer a primary weapon, there are even less people that know the geometry. In this second scenario, the suppositions of the first scenario apply even more strongly. Sincerely, RobT

5th July 2026, 04:20 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,438	I have a similar one. It is discussed in this thread. https://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showt...ighlight=kukri