I am the proud owner of 18, 20, and 25 inch Sirus, all by Tirtha.
The 18" feels weightless in the hand, fast knife and when I swing hard it will make a loud "whoosh" through the air.
The 20" seems like the perfect length and still feels fast in the hand though I can't quite get it to sing like the 18". Feels just a tad front heavy.
The 25" is a monster with a 7/16" spine. According to the DOTD ad I bought it from it weighs 44oz. A bit awkward and once a swing is started there is no stopping it.
The Sirus are my favorite Khukuris; they just feel great in the hands and seem like formidable weapons. I started thinking about what would make one "perfect" and thought about Chiruwa style handles bringing some weight to the rear and increasing balance as I had some heavy Khukuris with this style handle that felt lighter than they were due to the excellent balance.
With this in mind, I ordered 3 more Sirus to be custom made with a Chiruwa style handle in the same lengths above. I chose Satisal wood for the handle both for the feel and the look. Fast forward 3 months, and here they are on my doorstep. All three are made by Rajkumar, which is awesome. I recently acquired two of his knives (my frist from him) and was amazed at the quality of his work and these are no different. SHARP out of the box, even grinds, small and clean cho, short ricasso, overall excellent fit and finish. In short, I believe he is the best. I did not ask for thinner spines (even though later on I wished I had) but here Rajkumar did it right for a Sirupati. All 3 are in the 1/4 to 5/16 range and even with the extra weight in the handle feel lighter than their off the shelf counterparts. I got what I wanted without even asking. Add to this the extra weight in the handle and the difference is enormous, especially when comparing the two 25s. I can make all three of these make a loud "whoooosh" sound when swinging them, they are FAST. The 20" feels perfect, like an extension of the hand an the 18" feels like it isn't even there. I also really liked Rajkumar's scrollwork on the "Sword of Shiva" as well. Oddly the 20" came with a horn handle instead of Satisal, but call that a pleasant suprise also. It looks and feels great. All in all, these exceeded my expectations in every way. HIs regular offerings are awesome but the ability to order exactly what you want and try new things is great.
25 vs 25
This is where the biggest difference was. My custom Sirupati is a long but lively blade and the 44oz one is a bit awkward.
20 vs 20
This custom 20" Sirupati is so long, balanced and fast..........I couldn't imagine a better knife for a sidearm. My new favorite.
18 vs 18
Set
Kind of regret not getting a 15" and 30" now.
The 18" feels weightless in the hand, fast knife and when I swing hard it will make a loud "whoosh" through the air.
The 20" seems like the perfect length and still feels fast in the hand though I can't quite get it to sing like the 18". Feels just a tad front heavy.
The 25" is a monster with a 7/16" spine. According to the DOTD ad I bought it from it weighs 44oz. A bit awkward and once a swing is started there is no stopping it.
The Sirus are my favorite Khukuris; they just feel great in the hands and seem like formidable weapons. I started thinking about what would make one "perfect" and thought about Chiruwa style handles bringing some weight to the rear and increasing balance as I had some heavy Khukuris with this style handle that felt lighter than they were due to the excellent balance.
With this in mind, I ordered 3 more Sirus to be custom made with a Chiruwa style handle in the same lengths above. I chose Satisal wood for the handle both for the feel and the look. Fast forward 3 months, and here they are on my doorstep. All three are made by Rajkumar, which is awesome. I recently acquired two of his knives (my frist from him) and was amazed at the quality of his work and these are no different. SHARP out of the box, even grinds, small and clean cho, short ricasso, overall excellent fit and finish. In short, I believe he is the best. I did not ask for thinner spines (even though later on I wished I had) but here Rajkumar did it right for a Sirupati. All 3 are in the 1/4 to 5/16 range and even with the extra weight in the handle feel lighter than their off the shelf counterparts. I got what I wanted without even asking. Add to this the extra weight in the handle and the difference is enormous, especially when comparing the two 25s. I can make all three of these make a loud "whoooosh" sound when swinging them, they are FAST. The 20" feels perfect, like an extension of the hand an the 18" feels like it isn't even there. I also really liked Rajkumar's scrollwork on the "Sword of Shiva" as well. Oddly the 20" came with a horn handle instead of Satisal, but call that a pleasant suprise also. It looks and feels great. All in all, these exceeded my expectations in every way. HIs regular offerings are awesome but the ability to order exactly what you want and try new things is great.
25 vs 25
This is where the biggest difference was. My custom Sirupati is a long but lively blade and the 44oz one is a bit awkward.
20 vs 20
This custom 20" Sirupati is so long, balanced and fast..........I couldn't imagine a better knife for a sidearm. My new favorite.
18 vs 18
Set
Kind of regret not getting a 15" and 30" now.
Last edited:
handle on a sirupati would ease my mind a bit. I think thats why I reach for the chit a bit more than my WWII.. It also depends on what I'm doing, heavier brush and chopping I save for the WWII, or one of the UVG's I have. My next one is going to be a custom Sirupati, 17 to 18", and lightweight if possible, around 14 to 16oz's with a Chitlangi Rosewood handle.. That would be the perfect Kukuri for my purposes..
