Kukri

The kukri is a particularly iconic and very traditional blade shape. It is only found as a special design element on shorter blades, as it only develops its usefulness on very long cutting tools. The kukri, which is actually called khukuri and is only popularly known as such, originated in the Himalayan nation of Nepal, where it was developed around the 15th century. Since that day, this type of knife has served as both a tool and a weapon. A characteristic feature is the bulky front half, which is angled slightly downwards. This makes the blade very top-heavy, which means a special impact when striking. A kukri is thus particularly suitable as a machete. Another special design feature is the blade notch, also called "cho" or "kaudi". This is located between the blade and the handle and is shaped like the hoof of the cow, which is sacred in Hinduism and represents a fertility symbol. The actual reason for its existence is unclear, perhaps it was meant to be a drip for blood or it fulfils the purpose of a grinding notch. In modern interpretations, this is usually omitted. Today, the kukri is still widely used, it can be found as a form of shark knife by many well-known manufacturers, for example Cold Steel, it is still an integral part of traditional Nepali costumes and even the Gurkha, a Nepali unit of the British Army, still use it today as a close combat weapon.