The Kukri knife notch (cho) - purpose identified?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 9 вер 2024
- The kukri notch (cho) has been much discussed on my channel. It's not for blood-letting and it's not for blood-channeling or diversion. It is blunt and neither of those explanations make any sense. It is not for securing the kukri in the scabbard and it is not for attaching any kind of cord to. It is not a bottle opener and it makes no sense to relieve stress in the blade (it does the opposite actually). But there is one plausible explanation - religious/ritual significance. I explain more in this video.
This notch is called "cho". Although it is often made in the form of Shiva's trident, its main purpose is to release tension, applied to the blade during work. Without cho, khukuri will tend to break at the exact point (as most western modern kukri's do). This seemed to be common knowledge.
I met a man who makes knives at a muzzleloading event and he had little heart shaped notches in all of his blades like the kukri does. I asked what it was for and he said it was there for when you want to pick up a hot cook pot. You put the wire handle of the pot in the notch and lift with the knife. Made sense to me.
I have couple of old Kukri and they are both quite loose in the scabbard. When I fed a sash around the base of the blade, the notch kept the sash in place and the sash kept the blade in the scabbard (even upside down or when running). I assumed that was probably what the notch was actually for. I thought it could also explain the origin of the blood dripper nonsense if a sash was handy for absorbing blood and sweat and when explained to some Englishman 150 years ago it was confused in translation. I have to say, the Shiva symbolism theory does seem very plausible.
Cow hoof
thats what i thinked it was for too
This is also what first came to my mind!
Are they loose because you're missing the two companion pieces?
I'm betting that there were/are multiple meanings/functions (both designed as well as later improvised by families/people using them).
On the 'hand slipping' front, I've heard; as long as you mantain a firm grip, your hand will get caught by the Cho. Before it reaches the sharp edge (stopping a bigger injury).
You get a lesson, rather than finger/tendon loss :)
I was actually told by a historian that the "notch" was used for 'cording' reeds and such. there are two small knives that are used in session which one would be dull to scrape husk off reeds and such and a thin one for cutting out knots in the wood/stems. the kukri was not a 'sacrificial' blade or a war weapon but used more as a builders tool then favored as a survival knife later on.
That's a lot more sensible than whatever bullshit this guy is spouting. I figured it had something to do with cordage, as well.
My father always said the cho is the symbol of a cows hoof. Sacred animal.
And a kukhri is an all purpose tool.
It's meant to cause silly debates on the internet.
Myth busted I guess lol
Chips Handon if you have a broad curved blade with an easy draw, maybe you want a cord tie to keep it in place.
Still the most badass bottle opener.
Sometimes a man needs a longneck beer in the middle of combat.
Years ago, I had a college buddy who had been in the infantry. He told me that they had a bayonet that had a bottle opener on it -- not as a useful feature but because they produced a hunting knife with the same machinery, and the hunting knife had a bottle opener. I always thought that Old Milwaukee should have made one of their "It just doesn't get any better than this!" beer commercials set in the midst of WW3 in order to exploit that fact.
For when you want to take a break from cracking open skulls and crack open a cold one with the boys. :P
It's what you use to open the bottle when you drink to Shiva.
I think the jury should still be out on the bottle opener hypothesis. It has so much charme
I have seen it used for splitting n thinning out long strips of bamboo to be used for cordage.
Where at? I’d like to see how that’s done
Love that!
That could be someone finding a practical use for something that is otherwise symbolic.
Its exactly what i was going to say, it just makes total sense as the kukri is predominantly used in a jungle, right? And not just for defending ones self
Stripping bark for cordage
A famous sociologist once said: “Whenever an archeologist says something was used for religious purposes, it just means they have no idea what they are talking about”
I guess the same applies here.
Shiva’s trident is called the Trishula, and it’s too much of a holy sign to be employed on a weapon that’s designed to be utilitarian and combat-focused.
I think what ppl are actually missing is the “utilitarian”. As a weapons channel, it focuses too much on the fighting aspect. But the Kukri is actually really useful OUTSIDE of battle.
It’s quite efficient as an all-purpose knife. You can chop wood easily if you know how to make gravity work.
The lower part of the blade is SO GOOD for refined work, like carving notches on sticks.
So, this shape at the base of the blade? I’m not saying I know what I’m talking about, but it’s just PERFECT to cut fiber.
Exactly. This dude's an absolute melon.
@@ELPRES1DENTE45 He's not a melon simply because he doesn't know what everyone speculates to know.
Its for relieving stress between the hard termpered cutting edge of the blade and the softer spine, the spin wants to flex but the cutting edge doesn't, at least thats what some bladesmiths say they put it there for. They were already cutting the notch there so it made sense to make it the symbol of shiva as well probably
It's for stopping that little bit of blood that gets on the edge when you cut your finger.
potato_lover273 why would that matter
Jax C The joke went right over your head now didn't it.
the swooshing sound above you.. that was the joke
potato_lover273 when you cut your finger, which you do to have blood on it before you SHEAT(don’t know How to spel that correctly) it.
😂😂
It's actually meant to be used for scratching the dead and hardened skin off your toes after a long day's march.
I can actually believe this, as I have a skin scratcher that has a blunt edge with a pattern that looks like that.
Mattias Gabrielsson It's actually a religious symbol and used to scratch the dead skin of your toes. My grandfather, who was a gurka, told me this story. In a long time ago, Shiva saw her soldiers worn out and tired, grabbing rocks and scratching their feet. Kukris were the weapon for all soldiers and didn't have the notch on it yet. Shiva came with the bright idea that kukris should have a unsharpened point somewhere, and, the notch was born. The army blacksmiths were called by Shiva and ordered to gather all kukris and form a notch near the handle that represented the cow hoof, and trident. Soon the soldiers were returned these kukris and soon enough, the soldiers feet were clean, scratched, and the soldiers were very happy. This story was known by all gurkas and mandatory for officers to tell their soldiers this story until nineteen ninety eight, when the undertaker threw mankind off hell in a cell, and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcer's table.
By the way, did you hear Kane's running for mayor?
Why would you remove the hardened skin? It's literally hardened so you can walk in rough terrain more comfortably.
1. Thick callouses split easily.
2. They can be itchy.
3. Joke.
"That's a nice knife you made there. Very unusual form. But what's that notch for?"
"This will drive people crazy."
"It's a notch?"
"Trust me."
The Teletubby people also worshipped a smiley faced sun. I believe they employed handbag based weaponry.
LONG MAY THE SUN SHINE
Brilliant 😆
🙄 has several purpouse, it's a thumb placement, almound/nut cracker, measuring device, scoring device (in wood carving) and used to make cordage.
The kukri is multi function survival kinfe, it can be used as a small axe ect
Preach.
I am glad we're talking about this again.
The shape and placement of the nonchalant would make it ideal for decoration. If you want to bind a beautiful ornamental string onto the blade, binding at the cho will ensure that it does not slide onto the edge and gets cut off or gets in the way. Its depth will in addition ensure that the blade can still be sheathed with ease.
That is my hypethesis 😉
Must agree with Dirk Diggler's comments. My brother served with the British Army and was stationed on the same camp as a Gurkha regiment. He came home with two genuine knives purchased from servicemen. The notch on these knives was really sharp (as were the blades) and he was told that in battle a Gurkha would not draw his Kukri without drawing blood. The Kukri is a close quarters weapon, ideal for removing heads, and the stealth tactics of Gurkha's are legendary.
The idea that it's there to stop blood from running down on your hand is so ridiculously stupid that I can't believe it's not a meme.
Mattias Gabrielsson make it one lol
Mattias Gabrielsson Dont let your memes be dreams
It IS a meme. How long have you been to this channel? A day?
Time to make it into another obnoxious meme that gets posted out of context on every Skall/Metatron/Matt/Lindy video... Because we don't have enough of those. :D
so it's like a bloodgroove ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I feel like he should make a vaguely psychotic 10 minute video holding and swinging a bloody kukri at different angles. Just a close up of the hand and forearm gradually disproving thousands of commenters the world over.
Agreed
He doesn't blink and makes direct eye contact with the camera the entire time.
Oswald Sweezlebogger While grinning manically
My first thought was, kind of confirmed on a website about the notch. I would suggest it is for rope, the bowie knife notch, is known as the spanish notch and is believed to be used as a tool for strippiping sinew, and repairing rope. as a utility knife I would think that it is pretty plaussible that the notch on the kukri is also for stripping sinew and repairing rope, also why it is blunt since a sharp edge would cut and damage the sinew or rope.
From a knife-fighting perspective, those notches are for dealing with swords/knives as they clash and side down the handle, a chance to twist and disarm or break the blade, practical aspect of the battle-Kukri use...,twist and disarm or break the blade...
Yes boom !!! So bloody obvious lol
I totally agree with you I just cannot believe no one else seed that
I guess not many folk actually get to fight with a large blade knife and live tell the tale
I don't know what you're on if you think that that notch is going to be responsible for breaking a blade.
It is also quite possible that a notch there, as with other knife blades, is to delineate between the hard tempering of the blade and the soft tempering of the tang. Were a notch not be put there, heat would flow into the tang when tempering and produce a hard and possibly brittle tang. The blade of a khukuri is usually tempered very hard, and very sharp, and will chip if it strikes a rock; the broad back of the blade being softer. The /shape/ of the notch is entirely another matter, and as you say, most probably symbolic.
I know it was touched upon in the video, and I saw another comment under it... but after watching this video, as well as the video where Matt laid out all of his Khukuris on his table and discussed them, all together... I think we should revisit that this is a relief that helps prevent warping due to the partial tempering of the blade. I have extremely limited experience with metal, but if you told me you needed a relief because of the differential heat treatment, that 'hole' would be exactly what I would do, including the pointy stud thing in the middle of the notch. That would prevent the inner most point of the relief cut from becoming a weak spot, itself, the same way a carpenter braces everything by making triangles. This could easily also explain why some blades have an entire hole cut out near the edge, instead of the usual notch. All theories aside, the cutting edge and treatment, end here, and I don't think that is by coincidence. And lastly, about the blood, do some google image searches on 'Khukuri animal sacrifice' and see what comes up, before you laugh too hard. These guys are up to their elbows in blood, not just the occasional paper cut
I agree with your conclusion. When I was researching Kukris, to find one to buy, I did stumble across exactly what you said, that it's a trident symbol to Shiva.
I am going to forward my theory..
I think it was used in the process of making cord. All kinds of reeds have a center mass that is alot like styrofoam in it's properties. (no good for cordage and has to be removed.)If you lay a reed onto that cutout and hold it there while you use your other hand to pull the reed through, it will effectively lay the reed open and remove the center core in a single motion.
Original knives were thin and long... I just think it is a knife that was once exclusively a reed knife used in the process of making cord or building primitive houses.
I don't think it has a single thing to do with ritual, and everything to do with making a task practical, a task we have forgotten...
The Cho is simply a notch to stop the Chakmak when sharpening the blade, the Chakmak (one of the small knives that usually comes with a Khukuri is the one without an edge), it is used to sharpen the blade by starting at the tip and drawing it back until it is stopped by the Cho.
I've read various kukuri fans believe it's to help relieve stress on the metal when striking. Specifically, the blade edge is heat treated and more brittle than the rest of the blade. The cho allows the edged portion to flex with the stress of striking, preventing cracks or damage to the edge.
When you are initially grinding a knife the cutting edge has to stop somewhere. There are a couple of choices : you can run it right to a guard, you can have a handle not as wide as the blade, you can have a plunge line or you can cut out a notch.
Love these vids. I also ponder about the Spanish notch on bowies. Just fascinating.
If that is the case, why we don't see this notch in blades from Indian subcontinent, where Shiva worship/Hinduism is prominent? I bet there was originally a very simple and very practical reason for that notch.
Shared religion does not mean it will be expressed in the same way.
Yep: To cut fiber.
This channel over-emphasizes the fighting aspects of the Kukri, but it’s actually a very good utilitarian blade.
The forward shape makes it perfect for cutting wood.
The inward section of the blade (which is usually more razor-like) has a lesser reach. People have to be stupid if they think it has a combat reason; it would be the exact opposite of any blade ever in the world!
Actually, it’s just really good to more delicate work, like carving notches on sticks.
And this notch at the base of the blade? It’s perfect if you want to cut fiber.
@@NathanHenriquefa it is not sharpened whatsoever. To cut fiber? I don’t think so. Just because it appears similar to serrations, and some people think that serrations are only useful on fibrous material, doesn’t automatically mean it’s supposed to be a combo edge, mate. And to say that the kukri isn’t a combat type blade? You must not own and use one, on a regular basis. The negative blade angle is absolutely devastating to organic and biological subjects! Zombie Tools thinks so as well
I believe it indeed has religious significance.
I have a very old example that has the "notch" enclosed yet the small detail at the bottom of the notch area is still there. Therefore that small detail was quite important to the maker of my old kukri. Thnaks for another great video.
Regards
Brian
I think a lot of people forget that the Kukkuri was originally a tool for farming and such before it was used as a weapon.
Two questions I'd like you to investigate:
Some people have speculated that its some sort of arrow sharpener, which it can't be since it's blunt. However, I remember Skallagrim opening a SE Asian sword a while ago that had a sharp patch about 4-5 inches long near the handle on the spine of the blade-what would that have been used for?
Additionally, I remember seeing on Kult of Athena a SE Asian dagger/sword that was really wavy with a really wide base and a mad smattering of notches at the base--would that also carry a Shiva significance, despite being on a separate continent?
Its to allow the blade to flex when under pressure of a strike. the spine being thick and the blade edge of course thinner the blade will flex ever so slightly under a hard blow. With out the notch it would tend to be more ridged and prone to breaking with the notch however, it will flex/give.
Everyone knows that the notch is used to help in the unscrewing of a pommel, sort of like a wrench.
Exactly, someone gets it!
1400s called. They want their joke back.
We all got it a thousand lame repetitions ago. The meme is older and lamer than your grandpa's high pants.
I'll have you know good sir that my grandfather's high pants are awesome
That is only a partial explanation: if Nepalese are so found of Shiva, why is the notch not widely found on other weapons or tools, why this specific codified/stylised feature, and why is it on all Nepalese kukris? It means that the kukri itself bears a specific signification, it's not just about the notch. There must have been some long forgotten myth that used to be quite structuring in Nepalese religion, that made this notch so systematic, but specifically on kukris only.
About people coming up with modern BS explanations for features, the three "fullers" we often see on machetes. You'll often find people claming it makes the blade tougher, or more springy. Of course it's BS: these are very tiny stamped lines that serve no purpose but decoration. But it you trace back the historical origin of the machete, it's the typical 16th/17th century dussack/sinclair hilt sabers sailors (and later buccaneers) were taking across the ocean, and they used it ashore for everyday tasks. It became a legitimate all purpose thing, both tool and weapon. By the beginning of th 19th century, saber manufactures were making simplified sabers, often in full tang with riveted wood scales, but without a guard, and many still retained the three fullers, as had been commonplace on sabers and even messers. The 19th and 20th centuries brought in mechanization, and heavy machinery, and instead of forging the blades one by one by hand, by simplifying and adapting the design, blanks could now be press-punched out of thin sheet steel, as these weren't weapons anymore at all, and stiffness wasn't necessary as sugar cane usually don't try to dodge the chop of the experienced harvester to bring the edge out of alignment, and thrusting isn't a thing anymore. Yet the three fullers remain, with an accompanying myth also retained from the messers/dussacks/sabers they are derived from: "it makes the blade tougher/stiffer".Please notice that good machetes have a very tiny amount of distal taper though, (in my collection : 1.9 to 1.3mm on the Hansa 18" Lampon, 2.4 to 1.8mm on the Marbles 18" bush machete, and 2.0 to 1.6mm on the Tramontina 18" latin/bush machete).
You can always argue, that a particularly relevant kukri way back when had that notch as a sign of Shiva and then people copied it, because of course they do that all the time even without knowing or understanding the significance or function of little details, sort of like a cargo cult.
The possibility of one singular item/feature being copied and spreading little by little, generation after generation, to the point it does not only become the norm (i.e. the average/most common way that thing can be), but the only way that thing can be can never really be dismissed, but it's quite unlikely.
For something to catch on with such extreme specificity and exclusivity (all kukris have notches, all notches are on kukris), there is necessarily an underlying structure, a myth, a meaning, or something. A fashionable fancy never really lasts, unless it derives from, or become support of a myth.
Our civilization has this also, take for example the tie ("the dangly type", as Lindybeige says). One could be looking at it and just notice how stupid, ugly and useless it is. Initially, it was just a scarf, and just like any scarf it helped keep the neck warm, though it was also a way to show off what nice silk lace you could afford and how immaculate you could keep its white colour and how often you could wear a new one, etc... During the 19th century, tying the knot of your neckwear was really becoming a thing, not just the fabric, a clear sign of your social class, culture, elegance, etc. And it also started becoming a useless piece of cloth tied around your neck for no other purpose than style, fashion statement and social signature.
It took some time to spread to all social classes of western society (except maybe for the poorer) as something desirable to wear to appear serious, reliable, efficient, knowledgeable, not because the tie actually changes your personality or behaviour, but because these are traits associated with the upper class. Adopting the typical fashion of your boss wasn't just a trendy fancy, it is the expression of how superior the upper class appears, with desirable inherent qualities. Wearing a tie has become standard, and the tie itself hasn't really evolved much since it started to spread outside it initial upper class circles, because it's actually invested of a meaning: the meaning of social value, and of value as a person. Someone wearing a tie surely is someone serious, industrious, down-to-earth yet able to handle new situations in innovative ways. Wearing a tie makes you a leader. Leadership is incarnated in the archetypal shape of the "modern" necktie.
Nobody really knows why one should wear that useless ribbon around its neck, that really makes no sense and serves no purpose, and is a pain to tie, but people still wear it, and the actual reason lies in its symbolism, rooted deep in cultural and social structures. But I admit this "myth" is breaking apart, precisely because social hierarchy and leadership in western society tends to take even more evanescent forms, and remove all visible marks of its existence, to make it even more difficult to notice, analyze, criticize.
"Nobody really knows why one should wear that useless ribbon around its neck"
We do know though. It comes from ancient Rome and China, where soldiers would wear a tie to help protect the neck from swords and spears (among other functions). The tradition kept trickling down the military history all the way to 17th century Croatian mercenaries. When King Louis saw the ties the Croatian were wearing, he thought they were kinda cool. He started wearing them for civilian life, and fashion followed. Boom.
A possible explanation of the notch being a symbol of Shiva could be that Shiva in his other form is Rudra, the god of terror.Rudra is also attributed to war. Khukuri is symbolized as an instrument of war. Also, Shiva is closely linked with the nature and hunting and a revered god of the Kirati culture. Khukuri came in wide use after king Prithivi Narayan Shan unified Nepal. The king started his campaign from Gorkha, hence the name Gurkhas for the Nepalese troops. Most hill tribes under him used the iconic khukuri whose culture is closely linked to kirati and worship shiva as a major deity. Also, the warcry for the Nepalese army is 'Har har Mahadev' which translates to All hail Lord Shiva.
I hope this explanation doesn't feel far fetched and can clear the the confusion.
Everyone's prolly right which is my favourite!
1. Possible cordage processor
2. Early and easily maintainable seration
3. Religous symbolism via trident
4. More elaborate temple cho being a status symbol
All these reasons and more are why we love them c:
Somewhat funny:
When ancient people didn't understand a natural phenomenon, the gods were their explanation.
When modern people see something from ancient civilizations which we don't understand, we also blame the old gods...
the cho is a stress release to prevent cracks in the blade because there is friction between hard metal,the cutting edge and the soft side the top of the knife so your blade will not break
the notch is for clickbait
Exactly.
Its still working to this day
I think at least part of why people have had so many theories is that we were all hoping it would be something that did something, rather than simply being a decoration popular for religious reasons
The kukri was also used as a utility or bushcraft knife. A non permanent hand guard, could be created easily with a cord tightly tied at the spot and the notch will hold it in place, on the blade. A technique also widely used on blades with no hand grip and on throwing spears.
Thanks for clearing this up. Now we know truly why there is a notch.
"Because it looks cool"
Absolutely loved the video, especially the part about the blood running neatly down the blade and then fly off with magic or whatnot lol
HAHAHA!!! AN ARCHAEOLOGY JOKE!!!
And one most non-archaeologists are not familiar with. :)
You are, of course, 100% correct about this (sort of) inside joke among archaeologists.
As an archaeologist of many year's standing (in the US), I can't begin to tell you how many times I've heard that phrase used - sometimes with great seriousness!
But most often as a joke, to be honest, and a well used one.
"What do you think that is, then?"
"Hmm.... must be ceremonial." (Translation: "Haven't a bloody clue.")
Thanks for the laugh, love the channel!
Best regards,
Vic Casados
I have heard that it solves a problem with the blade. The size and weight plus how it is hardened. Typically the edge is hardened to close to 60c rockwell and the back of the blade stays soft. When using the knife for chopping the blade will flex and the difference between the hardness would cause a cracking point, the notch solves that.
Three possible uses I am wondering are : is the notch is improve grip when holding the blade further up when using the kukri as a tool; to enable a rope to be wrapped around the blade to act as a guard; to prevent your hand slipping down on to the sharp blade as your finger would stop in the notch
I was given a kuhkri as a child by an old Indian man my father did some work for.. when I asked what the notch was for, he said snapping wire and proceeded to show how you snap barbed wire. There was no barb wire only thin steel..I He did it I swear to you sir.. SNAP! I'm now 45 and wish I could remember what he did.
its designed for bush-craft, after hacking off a small sapling/plant you draw the length over the notch. This lets you strip the young bark/skin off the wood in clean strips, which can then be used for rope and such.
Because nobody really knows, everyone's opinion is as good as any, and I want to give mine.
I think it's ment to catch an opponent blade, because this is a weapon with no defensive means for the hand, and a pretty obvious deficiency on that regard. Against the argument of it's inefficiency for that purpose, we've already accepted the ring in the middle of the handle as a solution to avoid forward sliping of the hand while thrusting, wich is a pretty bad solution as well. Also, the original design to glue the handle doesn't speak of perfect thinking on the whole design. So a bad-thougth blade catching theory makes perfect sense for me. If this is true, it's original shape could have been a couple of notches that ended up fused together because bladesmiths forgot their original purpose and then became a vestigial shape.
Also I like the idea for a "tool" to puncture your own finger because of some superstition, because it really has the perfect shape for that, and agaisnt the argument that you have the whole blade to do that, I say they would have preferred to have a device to just barely puncture their finger rather than risking a bigger injury. Also against the argument of not being pointy enough, I think it's perfectly possible that it's a tradition that declined, and because of that bladesmiths just don't finish it.
Also I think both purposes are prefectly compatible because one of them could have been developed taking advantage of the other, and we are talking about a very old design that has experimented lots of changes and variations, and comes from a very superstitious culture.
But I think the first option is the most likely. I don't like the religious theory, because the interpretation for the shape is not convincing in my opinion.
If I had to guess since it’s a chopping tool, it’s so you can wrap a wrist loop around it so it doesn’t slip out of your hand when working.
Congratulations on 250K subs. You deserve way more.
Two ideas:
1 - Could they be the stamp of the blade maker? Different for each smith?
2 - Is it a notch to keep the blade in a scabbard or sheath more secure?
maybe it is just for making the transition between the sharp part and the blunt part of the blade more beautiful. You can't sharpen the metal totally down to the hilt, so you have to stop, and with the simple but decorative notch you have solved the problem in a very aestethic way
Ritual significant - of course. But not only. This has a direct practical meaning. Do not reduce the stress in the blade of course. To prevent the formation of cracks. This point is exactly where the strong tensile stresses are acting and sufficiently thin so that the defects in the metal lead to the appearance of a microcrack.
A lot of video where the "kukri" of modern producers of not high price category without the Shiva tooth break down precisely in this place. A well-known method of stopping a crack is to drill its tip. Here, "drill" is made during manufacture. The central "tooth" plays only a ritual role.
Completely unrelated to HEMA, but thank you for exposing me to Superdry. It is directly because of your channel that I was made aware of them years ago and they've held my interest since.
It also heard to do something with the blade not snapping off I believe. Because the edge is very hard and the spine softish. They cut the notch to prevent the hard edge fracturing so close to the handle and have the blade break off because it's fairly narrow at that spot.
But it is probably ritual significance....
It's basically a primitive version of a straightened out paperclip. That way, they could do factory resets on their tablets or open the tray on an uncooperative xbox. Maybe push the pins out to disassemble a handgun or the handle of a katana. Very resourceful.
"The blood runs down the entire blade, including the sides." -Matt Easton
The notch is meant to be a notch on a kukri.for notching purposes and overall notchmanry
I don't know if it was or wasn't used for opening bottles, but I know it can be, so it is a bottle opener with attached blade for cutting beef.
Good explanation as any. Sure beats a lot of the other "explanations" I have heard. I like the logic behind your explanation very much. Thank you.
That is for releasing the pressure build up on the edge during heat treatment.
The notches are for sharpening the two smaller knifes housed in the sheath I'm ex military and fought with the Gurkhas in the falklands I asked a warrent officer in the Gurkha rifles and he explained the knife was used to severe heads as back in the day a bounty was paid for each enemy head,now bearing in mind how good they were at fighting a soldier could very well have several heads to carry very heavy indeed, so the smaller knifes were introduced in some areas to ceremonially cut of the ears instead being steeped in ritual one knife for each ear was used and I'm told they sharpened the ear knifes in the notches on the main blade and that's from a serving Gurkha.
No, if your Gurkha owned a khukuri then he knows that’s not true. There aren’t two small knives. There’s one, a Karda. The other is a Chakma or Chak mak, which isn’t a sharpener as some people call it, but a burnisher, used to smooth out small nicks and dings in the edge. Neither is sharpened in the cho, not that the Chakma would be sharpened regardless.
Matt, I commented on one of your previous videos about Kukri`s notch; that is a "Stress concentration"(the place on the blade(or any metal detail), where it is most likely to crack). A notch have more combined length on the side, than a flat, where the stress is distributed.
How can you mention a silly explanations, but completely dismiss a most likely one?!
The problem I have with the blood channel idea is getting blood on the hilt is only going to make the handle slippery for a minute. Then it gets sticky and works with you rather than against.
I liked your explanation, it is plausible.
I thing that is very likely. I think it also may have served to catch blades if it slid down the edge since there is no guard.
i found somewhere that it was were the hardee steel of the blade ended and the notch was a gap that acted as a vibration point. also like many other knives that hav a notch it helps a bit with sharpening
its to stop shock from reaching your hand (the front is hardend and the back is soft steel)
Maybe it was a retention device... wrap a piece of twine into the notch which is secured to the sheath, and it will hold it in the sheath until a definitive strong grab pulls it out to use.
Either religious or a stress relief cut. Hit something hard, the metal flexes, tempered hard blade side might chip or shatter. Relief cut.
I think it's a warning sign if the folks who make the blades don't know why the feature is there.
The kukhri is a practical toll and I believe the notch was and is made for a loop of leather lanyard (now para-cord) looped around the blade feed back tough itself via the notch and then insert your wrist. Aim to secure when chopping (don't easily drop the kukhri when working), this is a practical use try it you may surprise yourself - not some symbolic mumbo jumbo.
The cho function is to facilitate a makeshift battlefield handle repair with a ligation.
My step father traveled to Nepal a few years ago and bought his 4 son/son-in-laws a kukri. Mine is a bit shorter and slightly less concave. I regard my kukri as one of my most valued possessions. They are very cool.
Hi, Matt! Long time no hear from. Just came across this video. Interesting possibility. According to Bill Martino at Himalayan Imports, the cho (also called the kauri/kaura) "... has various meanings according to various people. A few are: the clitoris of Kali, the penis of Shiva, Surya ra Chandra (sun and moon, symbols of Nepal), a "Kowdi" ('cow-track' because the cow is sacred to the Hindus), a blood drip, a substitute guard, and on and on and on. Take your pick. The true meaning has been lost in time so today it is anybody's guess". So, your Shiva theory is as good as any!
Our family believes the Kowdi explanation.
A cloth that is suppose to be wrapped around the knife to stop your hand from running up the blade.
Yeah, I was totally going with "bottle opener"...
it is to catch the blade of your enemy when they strike at you , enabling you to torque the blade out of their grasp. Another thing I realized that made sense is the mushroom or doorknob shaped hilt of the handle is to palm or knee strike (punch )the blade into your enemies abdomin. I don't ever want to fight one skilled in the use of these blades. don't know if I'm right but it kept me up all night thinking about it !!!!!
Hallo sir u r 100% right sir as per my study or research this notch is shiva weapon trident. Good information thank you sir
Here's another proposal: It has nothing to do with combat or symbolism.
Kukris are not only weapons, they're general tools used for agriculture. If you are clearing reeds/harvesting tall crops, and the stem is partially dead/dessicated, it can be harder to cut through.
Here's my theory; the notch is useful in such circumstances, it allows the user to more easily shear anything small enough to fit.
Was there not a Punic war era (and earlier) sword that was like a Kukri? If so wouldn't the lack of a notch aid in your claim? I saw your previous video but can't remember if you talked about it.
Jeremy McCabe You mean the Iberian falcata, which is more or less the same as the Greek kopis. And yes, they lack the notch, which reinforces Matt's claim
You are thinking of the kopis. And sadly it generally has no notch. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Kopis.png
It is likely that the nepalese were actually inspired by ancient greeks (think Baktria and Alexander the Great) bringing their weapons over there.
Here's the Falcata for comparison: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Falcata_%C3%ADbera_%28M.A.N._Madrid%29_01_vertical.jpg
Either way, they're nigh-identical types of weapons.
Not entirely different. The kopis and yatagan type sword has existed throughout the world in various different shapes and roles. Even got ritual blades in Germanic tribal societies that are basically that type.
Yes, the falcata might be as different from a kopis as a kopis is from a yatagan, but it's still the same type with the same type of usage.
Rasgonras as lovely as the idea is, problem is that Hellenic troops most typically used the xiphos. Xenopon describes the kopis as being a probably good cavarly sword, but the xiphos is the weapon they used predominantly.
Kopis was mainly a ritual blade.
kukri's are differentially heat treated, the edge ends at the trident..... the harder portion differential heat treat stops there, it is a point to releave blade stress
I was told it was to depict the earlier Greek sword handle shape. That the weapon was shortened and the spike was to do with ownership culturally.
I thought that it was to mitigate the stress of extreme use without failing.
In some of the older domestic made kukri knives I have seen, the notch was enclosed at the bottom, like a heart shape, not open.
You could probably tie a string around it at that point so you can hang it on your hip. My guess for why they would do that over a sheath is that they dont draw real quick from a sheath.
It probably functions as a choil but is decorated for religious reasons or whatever...
A friend of mine has a Nepalese wife & has told me (several years ago) that it is a trident & does indeed have religious significance. Many of his Nepalese relatives corroborate this. (Many of them make these knives for a living as a multi generational family trade.)
Our family insists the cho is Kowdi. A cows hoof.
The blade can cut anything, but a cow.
The cord theory is most practical one. You use a cord during the battle and remove it when you put it back to sheath.
The notch is used to scrap wood a branch or log for tinder to start a fire.
Not being able to draw and replace a Kukri “without it tasting blood” is absolute nonsense. My RAF Auxiliary Regt. unit received extra light infantry training from The Gurkha Demonstration Company at Sandhurst and they used their work-a-day Kukris for everything from hammering in nails to cutting firewood and preparing chicken curries. One theory as to the origin of the myth is that Gurkhas themselves made it up so they’d have an excuse not to keep drawing their Kukris to show to curious non-Gurkha colleagues?
Can't it just be a decorative tradition?
Suspiciously this notch looks like it would be perfect for opening beer bottles...SOLVED. Next please.
For defense and disarming your opponent in combat. A bladelock to pull your enemies weapon closer for a kill. If your enemies blade slides down towards your hand in a parry or riposte the notch is there to stop a blade and catch it momentarily in order to keep your fingers and kill your enemy with his or her own blade. Atleast that was the technique i was taught by a little chinese guy...
Hmm maybe the notch on the kukri could also be something like the spanish notch which you can find on some bowie knifes. There are some theories about the spanish notch too(ofc theres some nonsense like netcutter or bladecatch) but some really got explanations for it are: 1. as a "starting point" to sharpen the blade. 2. to relieve stress from the blade 3. to make it easier to forge a symmetrical blade with simple tools
I’m no expert, but I think it may have a function. Notches can be used to reduce stress in metal work. So, imagine you are making a variable temper blade, using laminated steel, about 6-700 years ago. It’s possible that, without a notch, blade cracks at the spot where the variable tempered blade transitions to the half tang. But the notch reduces the stress on the metal. This is an article about using notches in a related way: deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/43932/11340_2006_Article_BF02326071.pdf?sequence=1#:~:text=notch%20cut%20along%20the%20free%20edges%20of%20the,edge%20of%20the%20half%20plane%2C%20can%20reduce%20the
For the love of..., can we put it to rest already.... the thing is called Cho/Kaudi. Its religious significance is with the Kirati People. Kirati Shamanism uses the Kukri as Ritual blade. This is also where the whole stops the blood from running down the blade is coming from. Kirati Shamanism uses blood sacrifices, which butchers animals and has the blood run down the blade and through the Cho, to collect the lifeforce of the animal. The Cho is shaped like a cow hoof for the very same reason.
Kajan451 thats very fascinating! Do you have a source on that?
Nothing you can easily google. There is little in the way of material about Kirat(i) Shamanism on the Internet. There is a mention for the animal sacrifices on the Sakela wikipedia page. There was once upon a time a big article written on the sword forum, which you should be able to find when you google "Kirati Shamanism Kukri". With the same search you'll find an article on chinesemartialstudies dot com which i just found and skimmed and seems to concur in parts... so there are bits and pieces out there. If you want to hunt them down. But i am afraid i do not have a single "definite" source for you to point to..
the kirati was the one in the obergine suit?
Pagan min
Kajan451 but there are variations in the design of the kaudi
Kajan451 No source? Alright... so basically it's bullshit.
hmm, first i hear of it but my first impression was:
its like a finger notch and the ridges on the back of a survival knife combined. so u can wield the blade closer to the center mass for carving and more precise cutting. i would figure they used those knifes for more than just fighting. a army would need to cut a lot of food and other mundane stuff that would not riquer the hatchet effect u get out of such a long blade.
can u try out if its a more precise cut when u move your hand forward?( example on a cutting board like they would have used to cut their food on) there could also be multiple reasons for it being there, this could be the practical one.