The Khukri - Myth or Fact ?

TribalBlades · 17th December 2012, 05:50 AM

ok now i have heard these 2 pieces of information, many a times, about the Gurkha Khukuri. i want to know whether these are myths or solid facts and if there is any basis of proof.

so here goes:

1)WHen the Khkuri is used to kill or maim someone or a some creature, and draw blood from it, the little notch at the base (The Kauda/ Cho), makes the blood drop off the handle rathar than fall onto the hands. i honestly dont understand this mechanism.

2) It was used as a boomerang in the past, but the knowledge of the exact technique to throw it, has now been lost.

Rick · 17th December 2012, 06:39 AM

I would suggest that question number two is incorrect .
A boomerang is quite a specific foiled shape; nothing like a kukri .

ariel · 17th December 2012, 08:48 AM

Kukri was used as boomerang by a " famous Indian tiger hunter" in the old Italian TV series "Sandokan". Other than that, I am unaware of any real use. Unlikely to pass as an academic evidence:-)

kronckew · 17th December 2012, 10:14 AM

no one really knows what the cho is for. some say it breaks the blood flow from reaching the hand, some say it's a religious mark, some old khuks do not have one, many modern kamis (blacksmith's) say a blade is not a khukuri without a cho. some are open like shown, some are closed & thus are not a place where blood would drip off. some are shaped like a cloven hoofprint, some like pagodas. in the words of the QI quizmaster stephen fry, 'nobody knows'. they just are.

the gurkhas do joke when asked silly questions, and may even say the cho is a sight for aiming the khukuri when throwing it like a boomerang. when they get annoyed at people wanting to see or hold their khukuris, they will tell the tall tale that they cannot be drawn unless they taste blood, which has been developed into another urban myth.

ghurkhas are also not dumb enough to throw away their favourite weapon, rendering themselves unarmed. while it physically could be thrown, the probability of hitting anything with the point or edge is low, and they'd be better off throwing a rock.

spiral · 17th December 2012, 10:41 AM

The kami, dealers etc, I asked in Nepal were certain, it was religious symbolism, They turn the blade edge upwards to study it. The likes of Rawlson was told the same thing.

British newspapers in WW1 refered to Gurkha throwing there kukri like boomerang, some tabloids said they even tied bits of string to them to pull them back afterwoulds! {Do you belive what newspapers say?}

Historicaly some Gurkhas on occasion draw there own blood to feed the Gods, if that was there wish & belief. It certanly wasnt common but as Kronkew says , was a good way of detering people asking to handle there kukri.

One day a year all Gurka weapons are still blessed by blood sacrifice, {Although due to various laws on English based bases they normaly sacrifice a marrow or some such!, when abroad they use animals though.Same as in Indian & Nepali army.}

Interestingly as late as 1951 the War Departmemt said to Wilkinson Sword that the cho or Kaudi had to be machiened to microscopic tolerances, When asked why they said, for use as a sight for throwing... or words to that effect!

Do you trust the war Departent types any more than a tabloid journalist?

Interesting photo.... took than one many years ago....

Spiral

TribalBlades · 17th December 2012, 04:48 PM

interesting insights. THank YOu.

The Kauda might be a symbolic depiction of the God of Destructive Forces, Lord Shiva's Trident.

Quote:

Interesting photo.... took than one many years ago....

hahaha!

i just used it for reference. i hope you don't mind!

Jim McDougall · 17th December 2012, 10:20 PM

The lore on historic ethnographic weapons is probably one of the most entertaining aspects of studying them, and quite frankly, most cultural and tribal groups have often had a field day telling these in the queries of curious travellers and tourists.
Myths abound in the west on the intriguing notching of blades as well, and in the years I pursued answers on many of them, there really are none that might be construed as fact, though some have some plausibility.
Some of these are notches on the blades of some 18th c. Austrian cavalry sabres; notches at the back on Meditteranean fighting knives (also a nuance added to original Bowie knives in America) and possibly other instances.

As for the kukri, the 'cho' or choil was profoundly a key feature important to Gurkhas on thier kukri, and while no apparant use has ever been explained satisfactorily for this notch, it was important enough that even military versions produced by the British for the Gurhkas included it. While Spiral and Kronckew are two of the resident authorities here on the kukri now, I recall John Powell who was in my opinion an oustanding authority and author on the kukri, but left here some years ago. It seems that he had rather accepted symbolic purpose for the cho, and most likely toward the goddess Kali I believe it was. The suggestion that it was a bovine hoof was I believe discounted.

I think as Rick has well noted, the kukri is by no means aerodynamically suited as a 'throwing knife', nor would any Gurkha intentionally disarm himself from his key weapon as Knonckew wisely notes. The use of a kukri in this manner in a TV program of course as Ariel says, hardly constitutes worthy evidence, but I am astounded at this incredibly esoteric trivia! You constantly amaze me Ariel!!!

Also, as noted, Gurkhas are quite attached to thier personal kukri, and reluctant to give them over to anyone even for curious inspection.

The well worn and seemingly almost universally used 'chestnut' on a blade needing to taste blood before being resheathed seems used for so many edged weapons its hard to list them all, but I think most derive from the old Japanese myth about Muramasa blades, which were cursed and demanded blood. This propoganda was so effective these blades were outlawed if I recall the tale correctly.

The cho to divert flow of blood away from handle, nonsense, much like these explanations for blade features like the fullers being termed 'blood gutters'. These were actually to lighten and strengthen blade and had nothing to do with flowing of blood, though obviously a dynamic expected in use of the sword as intended.

17th December 2012, 05:50 AM	#1
TribalBlades Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 33	The Khukri - Myth or Fact ? ok now i have heard these 2 pieces of information, many a times, about the Gurkha Khukuri. i want to know whether these are myths or solid facts and if there is any basis of proof. so here goes: 1)WHen the Khkuri is used to kill or maim someone or a some creature, and draw blood from it, the little notch at the base (The Kauda/ Cho), makes the blood drop off the handle rathar than fall onto the hands. i honestly dont understand this mechanism. 2) It was used as a boomerang in the past, but the knowledge of the exact technique to throw it, has now been lost. Attached Images

17th December 2012, 06:39 AM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	I would suggest that question number two is incorrect . A boomerang is quite a specific foiled shape; nothing like a kukri .

17th December 2012, 08:48 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Kukri was used as boomerang by a " famous Indian tiger hunter" in the old Italian TV series "Sandokan". Other than that, I am unaware of any real use. Unlikely to pass as an academic evidence:-)

17th December 2012, 10:14 AM	#4
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,183	no one really knows what the cho is for. some say it breaks the blood flow from reaching the hand, some say it's a religious mark, some old khuks do not have one, many modern kamis (blacksmith's) say a blade is not a khukuri without a cho. some are open like shown, some are closed & thus are not a place where blood would drip off. some are shaped like a cloven hoofprint, some like pagodas. in the words of the QI quizmaster stephen fry, 'nobody knows'. they just are. the gurkhas do joke when asked silly questions, and may even say the cho is a sight for aiming the khukuri when throwing it like a boomerang. when they get annoyed at people wanting to see or hold their khukuris, they will tell the tall tale that they cannot be drawn unless they taste blood, which has been developed into another urban myth. ghurkhas are also not dumb enough to throw away their favourite weapon, rendering themselves unarmed. while it physically could be thrown, the probability of hitting anything with the point or edge is low, and they'd be better off throwing a rock.

17th December 2012, 10:41 AM	#5
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	The kami, dealers etc, I asked in Nepal were certain, it was religious symbolism, They turn the blade edge upwards to study it. The likes of Rawlson was told the same thing. British newspapers in WW1 refered to Gurkha throwing there kukri like boomerang, some tabloids said they even tied bits of string to them to pull them back afterwoulds! {Do you belive what newspapers say?} Historicaly some Gurkhas on occasion draw there own blood to feed the Gods, if that was there wish & belief. It certanly wasnt common but as Kronkew says , was a good way of detering people asking to handle there kukri. One day a year all Gurka weapons are still blessed by blood sacrifice, {Although due to various laws on English based bases they normaly sacrifice a marrow or some such!, when abroad they use animals though.Same as in Indian & Nepali army.} Interestingly as late as 1951 the War Departmemt said to Wilkinson Sword that the cho or Kaudi had to be machiened to microscopic tolerances, When asked why they said, for use as a sight for throwing... or words to that effect! Do you trust the war Departent types any more than a tabloid journalist? Interesting photo.... took than one many years ago.... Spiral

17th December 2012, 10:20 PM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,945	The lore on historic ethnographic weapons is probably one of the most entertaining aspects of studying them, and quite frankly, most cultural and tribal groups have often had a field day telling these in the queries of curious travellers and tourists. Myths abound in the west on the intriguing notching of blades as well, and in the years I pursued answers on many of them, there really are none that might be construed as fact, though some have some plausibility. Some of these are notches on the blades of some 18th c. Austrian cavalry sabres; notches at the back on Meditteranean fighting knives (also a nuance added to original Bowie knives in America) and possibly other instances. As for the kukri, the 'cho' or choil was profoundly a key feature important to Gurkhas on thier kukri, and while no apparant use has ever been explained satisfactorily for this notch, it was important enough that even military versions produced by the British for the Gurhkas included it. While Spiral and Kronckew are two of the resident authorities here on the kukri now, I recall John Powell who was in my opinion an oustanding authority and author on the kukri, but left here some years ago. It seems that he had rather accepted symbolic purpose for the cho, and most likely toward the goddess Kali I believe it was. The suggestion that it was a bovine hoof was I believe discounted. I think as Rick has well noted, the kukri is by no means aerodynamically suited as a 'throwing knife', nor would any Gurkha intentionally disarm himself from his key weapon as Knonckew wisely notes. The use of a kukri in this manner in a TV program of course as Ariel says, hardly constitutes worthy evidence, but I am astounded at this incredibly esoteric trivia! You constantly amaze me Ariel!!! Also, as noted, Gurkhas are quite attached to thier personal kukri, and reluctant to give them over to anyone even for curious inspection. The well worn and seemingly almost universally used 'chestnut' on a blade needing to taste blood before being resheathed seems used for so many edged weapons its hard to list them all, but I think most derive from the old Japanese myth about Muramasa blades, which were cursed and demanded blood. This propoganda was so effective these blades were outlawed if I recall the tale correctly. The cho to divert flow of blood away from handle, nonsense, much like these explanations for blade features like the fullers being termed 'blood gutters'. These were actually to lighten and strengthen blade and had nothing to do with flowing of blood, though obviously a dynamic expected in use of the sword as intended.