Kukri Knife: The ultimate survival blade

Originally posted 2017-07-09 21:03:53.

When most people think of large knives, they envision a machete or maybe the famous Bowie knife.  I however, have fallen in love with a blade that hails from the mountainous region of Nepal – and that is the kukri knife.  This large, forward bending chopping blade has been in use in some form since prehistoric times.   Made famous by the Ghurka warriors of Nepal, the kukri knife is a formidable weapon and back country tool, and has a multitude of functionality – everything from self defense to basic camp tasks like clearing brush or chopping wood.

 

Strangely, I was introduced to this weapon not out camping, but in a video game.  One of my favorite classes of character to play in the game Team Fortress Two is the sniper, a rugged Australian bloke who sports a scoped rifle and a kukri knife as his melee weapon.  After having played the game for a long time, I got curious and decided to buy one online!    The first kukri knife I got was pretty cheap, I think it ran around twenty dollars.  However, this one was not very sharp and it was not a genuine Nepalese kukri knife.  It’s still a great knife and after some sharpening it has become a pretty useful camping tool.

The second kukri knife I purchased was significantly more expensive, but this time was the real deal.  It was a kurkri knife made by GK&CO Kukri house, which is owned and run by an ex Gurkha family right in Nepal.  Upon unsheathing this kukri knife, I knew it was high quality and haven’t looked back since.  This blade came razor sharp and included a boiled leather sheath (I had to have a sheath made for my original purchase as the one provided was very flimsy and loose).

The kurki knife is a fantastic chopping device, as it’s origins are likely from the sickle.  It’s a heavy weapon, which transfers a lot of power via its curved blade into each chop.  You can almost think of it as a cross between a machete and an ax.  I’m no pro on the actual fighting techniques of this knife, but I am sure there are plenty of resources available if you want to learn to actually use this knife in a fighting capacity.  Me?  I just use it to chop down brush, and it’s an excellent tool for splitting wood in your camping site.  For their relatively low price, I don’t think you can find a more useful back country blade, not to mention one that has such a rich history.  The kukri knife has earned it’s place in my collection!   There’s a ton of different varieties so pick one that suits your style!