What purpose/symbolism of rings and grooves on handle?

[stahl]

Greetings and salutations. What are is the reason or symbolism of the rings and grooves often found on kukuri handles?

 

[Skyler R.]

They improve your grip and they allow you to know your hand placement without looking at the handle.

 

[Howard Wallace]

Skyler nailed it. They're functional. They keep the hand from slipping forward. Often they're like this in cross section

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so the hand can move backward over them more easily than it can move forward.