15 Inch Kukri, Hand Forged Slender Blade with Rosewood Handle

This is the long kukri, a slender 15 inch blade on a rosewood handle for 20.5 inches overall. The extra length is reach, and the slim profile keeps the swing quick instead of hard labor. It suits clearing work where you cut a lot of green stems rather than splitting seasoned rounds. Buyers open trails, cut back fence lines, or want the tall Nepali shape on a wall.

Specification

The blade

The steel is 5160 spring steel, tough enough to take a hard chop without chipping. At 15 inches the blade is drawn slim, so it sweeps forward and down into the deep curve without carrying the heavy belly of a shorter kukri. That makes it quicker through green stems and lighter to swing, and it gives up some splitting power. The flat stays dark gray with faint hammer marks, the bevel is polished mirror bright, and the cho sits at the base of the edge.

The handle

Oiled rosewood, turned with a raised ring at the middle and a flared butt. On a long blade those shapes matter more, because there is more mass at the end. The ring gives your fingers a stop and the flare gives your palm one. Rosewood is dense and naturally oily. The tang is hidden, running down inside the handle.

The karda and the chakmak

Two small companion knives sit in pockets on the back of the scabbard. The karda is the sharp one, for cord, food or whittling a peg, jobs a 15 inch kukri has no business doing. The chakmak has no edge on it. It trues up a rolled edge, and traditionally strikes a spark. Both come in the box.

The leather

The scabbard is water buffalo leather over a wooden core, so it keeps its shape under a long blade. Brass caps the tip. A belt frog is stitched to the back, with the two pockets for the karda and the chakmak behind it. The stitching is done by hand. The face is hand tooled with a carved leaf and vine pattern inside a stamped border, cut into damp leather and shaded, not printed.

Who it suits

Reach is the reason to buy this one. It cuts brush at arm's length, out of the thorns.

• Anyone opening trails or fence lines
• Landowners clearing cane, vines and light brush
• Collectors who want the tall Nepali profile
• Buyers who found shorter kukris tip heavy

What comes in the box

• The 15 inch kukri
• The karda and the chakmak
• The tooled leather scabbard
• A care card

Every piece is different

These are forged, ground and finished one at a time, so runs stay small. The rosewood grain, the hammer marks and the depth of the carved leaf work shift from piece to piece.

Looking after it

Wipe the blade dry after use and never put it away wet. The gray patina that comes with time is normal and protects the steel. Sharpen with a stone or a file, following the bevel already on it, and work the belly of the curve. Oil it lightly before storage and let the leather dry away from heat. More in our knife care and sharpening page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per piece, added on this page. Around 30 characters fits, and a blade this long gives the lettering room. We send a proof image before the laser runs, adding 3 to 5 business days. See the engraving page.

Questions buyers ask

What is a kukri? The forward curving Nepali knife, built so the weight sits ahead of your hand.

Why is this blade slimmer than a shorter kukri? A slim blade keeps the swing quick and the reach long. It clears green growth well and splits hardwood less easily.

What is the cho? The small notch at the base of the edge. It stops a cut running back into the handle.

Will this steel rust? It can. Dry it after use and oil it before storage.

How sharp is it out of the box? Sharpened by hand before it ships and ready to cut.

Is it legal to own? Knife laws vary by state, city and country, so check your local rules before ordering.

If 15 inches is more than you need, the hand forged kukri in the service pattern is the 10.5 inch blade, and the kukri machete in water buffalo horn sits between them. More sits in kukri knives, rosewood handle knives and bushcraft blades.