The Khukuri handle...

S

shane justice

Joined
May 12, 2003
Messages
1,606
Does my eye lie? I have been studying the Khukuri form for a while...I posted along time ago about the angle of the dangle. Believe me I have read the HI site more than a couple of times.

THe handle has always bothered me. Mostly because there is no guard. I undrestand the shape changes that make it special. It starts out as an oval and changes to more of an almond shape. I know Kuks aren't for stabbing, so why the hell do you need a guard? Then I got to thinking about that funny ridge in the middle of the handle. It seems like a kind of transition point for the shape. But then I thought it must act as a kind of pressure ridge to keep the hand from moving forward.

My own first Kuk is on the way...so I'll be able to play with it to answer my own question. Can anybody confirm my line of reasining? Or set me straight?
Shane
 
I think they vary. But a lot of time you're right. I have one that is like some of the older ones where the whole handle kind of turns down after than mid point you are talking about. Really locks your grip in there and provides a nice pivot to swing with.
 
I was thinking along much the same lines, I find the ridge fits nicely into the crease along the centre of my palm (the life line as fortune tellers may have it) and that locks it in place. Actually, I was reading a review of a Siru in the archives and the author commented that the knife did not cause pain in his arms to as great an extent as other similar impliments. I was wondering about that and it occured to me that actually a 'slash' or 'chop' with a Khuk is very different to that with almost any other blade because it uses a different muscle group, with a Khuk you use the muscles that control your wrist movement to provide an extra 'flick' which does a lot of the work where as with Machetes you are using your biceps and triceps as well as lower arm muscles to a far greater extent. A little OT but it was something that crossed my mind.
 
This has come up many times. Most people initially do not like the rings and it seems to me the majority of people come to like them. It would hinder forward movement, I think it also helps you to maintain the same grip and therefore the same cut angle. Some folks after getting used to them want more pronounced ridges! Some people sand them down a tad. Regardless of the size of my khuks, the rings inevitably seem to find the right place to live, though it's not the same place on my hand with each khuk.





munk
 
I wouldn’t mind if the handle was full grooved for a wet grip, however as for the extra flair of the ridge in the middle does appear to be in about the right spot. It also makes a plain handle look better
 
To me the rings are indexing marks. They just seem to tell me when my hand is in the right position.
 
Please don't limit your thinking in any way!

My gelbu special lines up perfectly for a thrust, you can stab through a hippo with that thing.

The handle of a khukuri is 99% the same shape as the handle of a katzbalger, a german short sword used with effectiveness during the renaissance.

It can do anything!
 
Shane - it will be an interesting experience at first because you will inevitably try to swing it like a bowie knife - which is totally wrong.

Here's the standard procedure for most folks:

1 - Swings the khuk like a Bowie
2 - Comes here and complains about rings in the handle
3 - Gets info on how to swing
4 - Goes back out to try it out
5 - An hour passes
6 - Another 4-5 hours pass...
7 - Comes back to the forum
8 - Posts: "Wow! Sure am glad the rings are on there!"


If you understand the difference between a tennis racquet swing and a racquetball swing, then you know what I'm talking about. Tennis = Bowie, Racquetball = khukuri.

Come to think of it...I was a pretty mean racquetball player in HS and college...:D
 
If i'm not mistaken, someone in another forum once posted something about not liking the rings on his khuk and wanted to sand them completely off. It wasn't too long before the great and wise Mr. Cliff Stamp said something to the effect of: "The rings are there for retension of the blade in the hand. Try sanding them off, then do a full force stab and see how many fingers you have left." I've paraphased this some, of course, but the meaning has always stuck with me. I thank those rings everyday i use my khuk:D Besides, 50,000 Gorkas can't be wrong;)

Thanx,
Jake
 
You guys are the best...

DannyinJapan,You are right. No pre-concieved notions.

Pen, All advice for the new guy is good! I swing a hammer with the snapping motion in the last bit of the arch. It imparts a great deal more energy. I use that snap when I am moving lots of steel, or starting a tang. I call it "Bringing in the Thunder" Really scared the hell out of some of the students at the ABS school! Keep reading...more funky ideas on the way....

Steely, Good information...I have been trying to learn new things about different blades...it is good to know my reasoning process can figure out stuff. Read on...

Here I go off the deep end...
I see the Khuk handle as a division of male and female energies. The front half, where the index and middle finger are wrapped with the thumb is a female postion of passive enregy, secure and comfortable.The ring and pinky finger hang slightly looser on the handle. Not slack, but in an energized stae of reaxation.When a chopping motion is made they open and close in a "milking" rythm, causing the snap.
This is a speculation on my part...
I beleive the energy meridians in the hand are divided into male and female along the same lines. I beleive the 'ring" serves not only to place the hand securely on the handle but also stimulates the nerve bundles in the wrist and arm. It would explain why so many of you talk about the Khukuri coming to life when you are doing things right.

A couple of thousand years of evolution can't be wrong.
Shane
 
C'mon guys...tell me I'm full of it...
I know this is a WAG....but does it have any validity?

Here's a morbid thought...I'll bet if we could look at the hand bones of long departed Khukuri users....folks who used one everyday....we woulsd see a difference in the bones based on that little ridge in the handle. Anybody want to speculate?
Shane
 
If you are going to stab with a khukuri use two hands. One to guide the knife the other palm against the buttcap for force of stab. You save the guiding hand and generate considerably more force.
 
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