Every knife we sell is made to order for the customer, which allows us to have a huge range of different options available to customise the knife to suit you. However with so many options, it can be overwhelming. This page should give a rundown of the different options we offer and the advantages they'll give your blade to make the whole process a bit clearer.
Sheaths
This style of sheath is known as a Dap and is made of two hand carved wooden blocks that are then wrapped in wet leather, and stitched up to fit extremely tightly. The sheath is formed with a ridge around the throat, below which sits a tightly strung belt loop strap known as a Frog.
This arrangement allows the blade to be worn ambidextrously on the belt with our design allowing for both horizontal and vertical carry. This is quite a light option but is our least durable sheath option and should be kept dry to avoid the organic materials decaying.
This style of sheath also relies on a tight fit to keep the blade in place and so doesn't offer the same level of retention as our other designs. Depending on the model, the blade may be able to be somewhat "locked" into place by inserting to full depth then pulling the handle down relative to the sheath.
Furthermore the traditional design also occasionally suffers from having the point or edge of the blade cut through the inner edge of the sheath and makes its way to the outside, requiring extra care while drawing and sheathing.
With this said though this is a very lightweight platform that's been time tested over centuries and given proper care and technique these sheaths last decades of use in the hands of locals. In summation this is a simple and charming option that's a great match with our traditional blades. All our traditional sheaths and variants are black by default, but feel free to request a brown sheath in your order notes.
We have two dap variants. The first is the Military Dap. This is a standard option on 20th century military blades like the Pensioner, Mk1 and Service issue blades but is also available on any blade by custom request. This features a laceup frog as well as twin adjustable vertical loops. These can be fully undone to remove the blade from the sheath without undoing your belt and any other gear that may be attached. This is a more complex, more accurate historical option for these blade but lacks the capacity for horizontal carry that our standard frog features.
Secondly we have the Salyani sheath as seen on its namesake model. This scabbard is highly ornate and requires the highest level of craftmanship of any traditional sheath option. The buffalo leather used is not from a factory, but is instead sourced from villages that are still working with traditional pre industrial methods. The skin is soaked in a concoction of brine, lime, crushed roots and herbs for up to 4 weeks, while periodically being scrubbed, kneaded and rubbed with the villager’s feet. Finally it is removed and treated with mustard paste then given a final kneading and scrubbing process which goes on for hours.
The end result is a highly malleable and soft leather that dries to give a very thin, hard and refined product. It also has a beautiful mottled texture, which when embossed with subtle traditional patterning gives this scabbard a look and feel unlike anything else available. While suitable for working blades we find the thin leather is a touch less rugged than that used on our traditional daps. Often it's chosen as a traditional display sheath alongside a modern sheath for a very tough working alternative.
Our second sheath type is what we call Western Leather, but is also known as a stacked or sandwich leather sheath.
It consists of 3 or more layers of thick buffalo leather stacked on top of each other which are then glued and stitched with synthetic line, with the middle layer having a snug fitting cavity to hold the blade.
This style of sheath has both vertical and horizontal belt loops built into the base layer as well as a dangler attachment for a lower carry that can move with you more as you pass through difficult terrain.
This sheath isn't ambidextrous but features snap retention straps for an extremely secure fit as well as a much more durable form of construction.
The thick leather and woodless construction makes for a much more weatherproof sheath that's both safer to draw and extremely tough and hard wearing. With this said, you should avoid soaking it for extended periods of time and lightly condition the exterior when needed with mineral oil or a similar product. This leather can't be formed or tooled, but benefits by being much more resistant to moisture and shape change.
This is a very practical and rugged option that is functionally superior to any sheath by other Nepalese makers. While heavier than kydex it benefits from a warmer, softer and quieter feel in use, more subdued looks and is also one solid piece with no reliance on fasteners.
It comes standard on all our modern designs and is available as an option on all blades.
Our Final sheath type is of course Kydex.
Our kydex sheaths use the same basic layout as our western leather sheath but has the different carry elements split into a modular style that can be placed along any of the holes along the sides of the knife for dialing in your carry as much as possible. Looking to use a 3rd party clip or add on? We use standard 3/4" spacing and 6mm hole sizing so it'll fit straight on. Our belt loops are sized to fit belts 1.5" and under.
These sheaths take almost all of the advantages of a western leather sheath and take away the disadvantages. It's completely weatherproof, slim to fit nicely against packs, can be drawn easily with one hand and does all this with the lowest weight out of any of our offerings.
These sheaths are perfect for a sleek modern build or wrapped around a traditional blade might just be the best representation of that we at Kailash Blades are about.
We've recently expanded our kydex colour options to ensure the perfect match for your kit and needs.
Desert:
If you're in very arid, rocky and sandy environments this will be the choice for you. A washed out earth tone brown with a touch of warmth to it. In bright light the yellow is brought out to almost a sandy tone- check the background of the black picture for reference. Due to a shipping issue we're using black for the loops for the timebeing. Feel free to request olive drab loops also.
Olive Drab:
OD the OG. The perfect mix of unsaturated browny green used in militaries worldwide. Our OD has a touch more green than brown to help it out in woodland settings but remains quite dull to give it versatility for dry and urban areas also.
Blaze Orange:
While blending in is fine, there's a lot of situations where visibility is crucial such as hunting on public land or emergency situations where being noticed from a distance can be the difference between life or death. It's here that Blaze Orange reigns supreme.
Aside from being safe it's also a very practical colour. Camo or black is all well and good but when you're trying to find your knife in the dark, in leaf litter or in the bottom of a pack you'll be wishing your sheath was orange.
For a colour comparison check out this image here that was taken in moderately bright light. Currently we only have the correct thicknesses to make loops out of Black or OD. If you'd like to mix and match colours of individual sides or loops just let us know in the order notes.
We're working on some special carry options specifically for our smaller blades and a Back Draw/Baldric Carry Extension to give more options for our larger blades. Send an email to our custom section if you're interested in adding it to your order while we dial in the final details.
Our Craftsman Siru is the most skilled kydex worker in the country- having honed his skills for the last 9 years after being taught the basics by Andrew. Each sheath is thermally formed perfectly to every blade for the ideal balance of retention and ease of drawing. Furthermore his skills with both stacked leather sheaths and kydex allow him to offer custom solutions to your needs. Need a custom belt loop? A Piggyback Sheath for a companion knife? A retention strap or secondary Locking Mechanism? Contact our custom section and we'll make it a reality.
This style of sheath is known as a Dap and is made of two hand carved wooden blocks that are then wrapped in wet leather, and stitched up to fit extremely tightly. The sheath is formed with a ridge around the throat, below which sits a tightly strung belt loop strap known as a Frog.
This arrangement allows the blade to be worn ambidextrously on the belt with our design allowing for both horizontal and vertical carry. This is quite a light option but is our least durable sheath option and should be kept dry to avoid the organic materials decaying.
This style of sheath also relies on a tight fit to keep the blade in place and so doesn't offer the same level of retention as our other designs. Depending on the model, the blade may be able to be somewhat "locked" into place by inserting to full depth then pulling the handle down relative to the sheath.
Furthermore the traditional design also occasionally suffers from having the point or edge of the blade cut through the inner edge of the sheath and makes its way to the outside, requiring extra care while drawing and sheathing.
With this said though this is a very lightweight platform that's been time tested over centuries and given proper care and technique these sheaths last decades of use in the hands of locals. In summation this is a simple and charming option that's a great match with our traditional blades. All our traditional sheaths and variants are black by default, but feel free to request a brown sheath in your order notes.
We have two dap variants. The first is the Military Dap. This is a standard option on 20th century military blades like the Pensioner, Mk1 and Service issue blades but is also available on any blade by custom request. This features a laceup frog as well as twin adjustable vertical loops. These can be fully undone to remove the blade from the sheath without undoing your belt and any other gear that may be attached. This is a more complex, more accurate historical option for these blade but lacks the capacity for horizontal carry that our standard frog features.
Secondly we have the Salyani sheath as seen on its namesake model. This scabbard is highly ornate and requires the highest level of craftmanship of any traditional sheath option. The buffalo leather used is not from a factory, but is instead sourced from villages that are still working with traditional pre industrial methods. The skin is soaked in a concoction of brine, lime, crushed roots and herbs for up to 4 weeks, while periodically being scrubbed, kneaded and rubbed with the villager’s feet. Finally it is removed and treated with mustard paste then given a final kneading and scrubbing process which goes on for hours.
The end result is a highly malleable and soft leather that dries to give a very thin, hard and refined product. It also has a beautiful mottled texture, which when embossed with subtle traditional patterning gives this scabbard a look and feel unlike anything else available. While suitable for working blades we find the thin leather is a touch less rugged than that used on our traditional daps. Often it's chosen as a traditional display sheath alongside a modern sheath for a very tough working alternative.
Our second sheath type is what we call Western Leather, but is also known as a stacked or sandwich leather sheath.
It consists of 3 or more layers of thick buffalo leather stacked on top of each other which are then glued and stitched with synthetic line, with the middle layer having a snug fitting cavity to hold the blade.
This style of sheath has both vertical and horizontal belt loops built into the base layer as well as a dangler attachment for a lower carry that can move with you more as you pass through difficult terrain.
This sheath isn't ambidextrous but features snap retention straps for an extremely secure fit as well as a much more durable form of construction.
The thick leather and woodless construction makes for a much more weatherproof sheath that's both safer to draw and extremely tough and hard wearing. With this said, you should avoid soaking it for extended periods of time and lightly condition the exterior when needed with mineral oil or a similar product. This leather can't be formed or tooled, but benefits by being much more resistant to moisture and shape change.
This is a very practical and rugged option that is functionally superior to any sheath by other Nepalese makers. While heavier than kydex it benefits from a warmer, softer and quieter feel in use, more subdued looks and is also one solid piece with no reliance on fasteners.
It comes standard on all our modern designs and is available as an option on all blades.
Our Final sheath type is of course Kydex.
Our kydex sheaths use the same basic layout as our western leather sheath but has the different carry elements split into a modular style that can be placed along any of the holes along the sides of the knife for dialing in your carry as much as possible. Looking to use a 3rd party clip or add on? We use standard 3/4" spacing and 6mm hole sizing so it'll fit straight on. Our belt loops are sized to fit belts 1.5" and under.
These sheaths take almost all of the advantages of a western leather sheath and take away the disadvantages. It's completely weatherproof, slim to fit nicely against packs, can be drawn easily with one hand and does all this with the lowest weight out of any of our offerings.
These sheaths are perfect for a sleek modern build or wrapped around a traditional blade might just be the best representation of that we at Kailash Blades are about.
We've recently expanded our kydex colour options to ensure the perfect match for your kit and needs.
Desert:
If you're in very arid, rocky and sandy environments this will be the choice for you. A washed out earth tone brown with a touch of warmth to it. In bright light the yellow is brought out to almost a sandy tone- check the background of the black picture for reference. Due to a shipping issue we're using black for the loops for the timebeing. Feel free to request olive drab loops also.
Olive Drab:
OD the OG. The perfect mix of unsaturated browny green used in militaries worldwide. Our OD has a touch more green than brown to help it out in woodland settings but remains quite dull to give it versatility for dry and urban areas also.
Blaze Orange:
While blending in is fine, there's a lot of situations where visibility is crucial such as hunting on public land or emergency situations where being noticed from a distance can be the difference between life or death. It's here that Blaze Orange reigns supreme.
Aside from being safe it's also a very practical colour. Camo or black is all well and good but when you're trying to find your knife in the dark, in leaf litter or in the bottom of a pack you'll be wishing your sheath was orange.
For a colour comparison check out this image here that was taken in moderately bright light. Currently we only have the correct thicknesses to make loops out of Black or OD. If you'd like to mix and match colours of individual sides or loops just let us know in the order notes.
We're working on some special carry options specifically for our smaller blades and a Back Draw/Baldric Carry Extension to give more options for our larger blades. Send an email to our custom section if you're interested in adding it to your order while we dial in the final details.
Our Craftsman Siru is the most skilled kydex worker in the country- having honed his skills for the last 9 years after being taught the basics by Andrew. Each sheath is thermally formed perfectly to every blade for the ideal balance of retention and ease of drawing. Furthermore his skills with both stacked leather sheaths and kydex allow him to offer custom solutions to your needs. Need a custom belt loop? A Piggyback Sheath for a companion knife? A retention strap or secondary Locking Mechanism? Contact our custom section and we'll make it a reality.
Traditional Handle Materials
Indian rosewood is a dense, fragrant and oily wood that has a beautiful darker grain that can range from chocolate all the way through to burgundy. It's these traits in particular that have made rosewood worldwide so sought after and indeed overharvested to the brink of being wiped out.
The rosewood we use is from eastern nepal and is harvested in low quantities within the forests that it has always grown.
As a handle material it's attractive, hard wearing and shrinks and swells the least out of our traditional materials making it a great value option for blades looking at a long and hard service life.
White rosewood is actually the same species of wood as our Indian Rosewood, but just comes from a different part of the tree. The dark brown wood is the heartwood, while this uniformly cream wood comes from the sapwood on the outside of the tree.
This sapwood isn't as hard as the darker wood and also requires more frequent oiling as it isn't as naturally resistant to rot or insect attack. However it is significantly lighter and can look extremely striking when paired with a dark blade or brass fittings.
This wood is a great match for display pieces, martial arts blades or for heavy users who are prepared to give their blades a little more care.
In Nepal cows are holy and sacred animals, prized for their milk and religious significance. The consumption of their meat is illegal and frowned upon, however for the most part the water buffalo replaces the animal both as a beast of burden and as a producer of meat. All of our Buffalo horn is a byproduct of the local meat industry and is a material we're particularly picky with. It's colour can range from an intense black through to a dark greyish cream colour, with milky veins being found on some lucky pieces. Horn is our hardest and most impact resistant organic material, being extremely hardy and difficult to crack. At the same time though it's the least stable in terms of shrinking and swelling in differing humidities and is prone to warping or shrinking over time. In these circumstances it usually remains usable, but it's best oiled frequently to avoid these issues. When polished it is deep and lustrous though a bit slippery and unwelcoming in hand, however it can be left satin to avoid these issues. It's a particularly beautiful and interesting material that's just as home on a display piece as it is on a workhorse blade. It's exceptionally well suited to rat tail blades as the shrinking issues are lessened due to the construction methods.
Indian rosewood is a dense, fragrant and oily wood that has a beautiful darker grain that can range from chocolate all the way through to burgundy. It's these traits in particular that have made rosewood worldwide so sought after and indeed overharvested to the brink of being wiped out.
The rosewood we use is from eastern nepal and is harvested in low quantities within the forests that it has always grown.
As a handle material it's attractive, hard wearing and shrinks and swells the least out of our traditional materials making it a great value option for blades looking at a long and hard service life.
White rosewood is actually the same species of wood as our Indian Rosewood, but just comes from a different part of the tree. The dark brown wood is the heartwood, while this uniformly cream wood comes from the sapwood on the outside of the tree.
This sapwood isn't as hard as the darker wood and also requires more frequent oiling as it isn't as naturally resistant to rot or insect attack. However it is significantly lighter and can look extremely striking when paired with a dark blade or brass fittings.
This wood is a great match for display pieces, martial arts blades or for heavy users who are prepared to give their blades a little more care.
In Nepal cows are holy and sacred animals, prized for their milk and religious significance. The consumption of their meat is illegal and frowned upon, however for the most part the water buffalo replaces the animal both as a beast of burden and as a producer of meat. All of our Buffalo horn is a byproduct of the local meat industry and is a material we're particularly picky with. It's colour can range from an intense black through to a dark greyish cream colour, with milky veins being found on some lucky pieces. Horn is our hardest and most impact resistant organic material, being extremely hardy and difficult to crack. At the same time though it's the least stable in terms of shrinking and swelling in differing humidities and is prone to warping or shrinking over time. In these circumstances it usually remains usable, but it's best oiled frequently to avoid these issues. When polished it is deep and lustrous though a bit slippery and unwelcoming in hand, however it can be left satin to avoid these issues. It's a particularly beautiful and interesting material that's just as home on a display piece as it is on a workhorse blade. It's exceptionally well suited to rat tail blades as the shrinking issues are lessened due to the construction methods.
Modern Handle Materials
The most recent in a long line of innovations from Kailash Blades, our Stacked Leather Handles bring comfort, durability and charm to our traditional Rat Tail tang blades. This handle is composed of a series of buffalo leather and metal washers skewered onto an extra beefy tang that are then glued and sandwiched between a metal front and rear bolster. If you'd prefer your handle without washers just let us know in the order notes. This method manages to maintain the same unique feel in hand and weight distribution of traditional rat tail handles while introducing some massive benefits.
Shock absorption: Traditional rat tail tangs naturally offer superior shock absorption to full tang blades, but this style of handle takes it to the next level. The less dense, more fibrous nature of stacked leather helps to absorb the vibrations from chopping impacts. This reduced density can provide a slightly lighter knife overall and an even more lively feel in hand. The externally facing fibres also offer increased grip and breathability over wood and horn in particular. In the wet this is difference is even more pronounced.
Durability: While this handle may be technically softer than both wood and horn, it avoids the major drawbacks they suffer from. The way the fibres run horizontally through vertically stacked fibres ensures that cracking under impact or long term warping isn't a possibility. Furthermore the completely cured and relaxed state of the material means that it's less affected by humid or dry environments, both when in use and in terms of long term shrinking or warping over time. As with all our leather items, this handle should avoid being soaked in water for extended periods of time and should be oiled when needed.
This handle offers superior performance in the field, increased durability over standard materials on both a short and a long term basis without sacrificing the beauty and charm of what make traditional khukuris so great. All these advantages make it a perfect fit for martial arts blades. high performance outdoors tools or any heirloom quality blades intended to last a lifetime.
Micarta is a handle material so well suited to knives that it's almost universal and often taken for granted as an option. For those unfamiliar, it's considered by many to be the holy grail of knife materials. It's completely waterproof, doesn't shrink or swell in humid or dry environments and is grippy, wet or dry. It's easy to clean, difficult to scratch and damn near impossible to break. However throughout the years only a handful of knives have ever been made in Nepal using it. Why is that?
The answer is a bureaucratic one. Foreign materials are slapped with a massive import tax to incentivise local manufacturing within the country, however no local manufacturing or materials have been available to stand in as a replacement. This has made the use of micarta prohibitively expensive, adding almost $100usd to the cost of a blade.
Not content to let this stop us from putting out the best knives we can, we started making our own. As the first micarta manufacturers in Nepal it's been a challenging process, but it's given us the ability to produce some really unique handle materials. As the majority of our blades are blades that slash and chop we make our micarta with these applications in mind, with softer resin and coarser fabric than you'll see elsewhere. The resultant handle has added shock absorption, durability in drops and even more grip- closer to Terotuf in many ways. However, also like terotuf our material doesn't take a high polish and has more muted colours- though a quick hit with wd40 will get it vibrant. For the massive performance and durability gains we consider this a more than fair tradeoff.
We actually do two very different styles of micarta handle at Kailash.
For Full Tang blades we make our own scales as solid blocks, pin and glue them then shape them predominantly while on the knife. These are very similar to what's commonly seen in the west and feature the same trademark "topographical" layers which highlight contours well as seen on the above scourge.
For our Rat Tail tang blades we do a much less common technique called a Micarta Wrap. We forge out an extra beefy tang and fit our bolsters as usual, but then tightly wrap the tang with many layers of resin soaked fabric strips until the bolsters are firmly packed towards each end and there's enough bulk for the handle. After this we grind it back down to the perfect shape. In some ways this construction is even stronger than using scales as it's one single monolithic piece and pins working loose/scales delaminating from the tang isn't a concern. It also introduces a beautiful organic pattern to the handle.
Aside from solid colour options in a high visibility orange and an understated black we have both Forest and Desert camouflage options also available. As a result of their different construction methods the final pattern differs greatly between full tang and rat tail blades. On full tang blades we layer a camouflage print fabric to help break apart the layer lines and disrupt the Blade's outline. On rat tail tang blades these colour patches tend to follow the already mottled and organic patterns of the blade.
Siru is always the first to master new techniques and as a result we're capable of producing custom scales upon request. We can easily manage custom solid colours, stacked/wrapped colour combos or marble rag scales. If you have an idea for something a bit mor experimental you'd like us to try send us an email and we'll see what we can do.
Our micarta handles are the most durable handle we offer by a wide margin and are perfectly at home on any blade of ours that is going to be worked HARD no matter how big or small. They perform wonderfully, look cool and have a lot more story behind them than what you'd find on your typical knife.
The most recent in a long line of innovations from Kailash Blades, our Stacked Leather Handles bring comfort, durability and charm to our traditional Rat Tail tang blades. This handle is composed of a series of buffalo leather and metal washers skewered onto an extra beefy tang that are then glued and sandwiched between a metal front and rear bolster. If you'd prefer your handle without washers just let us know in the order notes. This method manages to maintain the same unique feel in hand and weight distribution of traditional rat tail handles while introducing some massive benefits.
Shock absorption: Traditional rat tail tangs naturally offer superior shock absorption to full tang blades, but this style of handle takes it to the next level. The less dense, more fibrous nature of stacked leather helps to absorb the vibrations from chopping impacts. This reduced density can provide a slightly lighter knife overall and an even more lively feel in hand. The externally facing fibres also offer increased grip and breathability over wood and horn in particular. In the wet this is difference is even more pronounced.
Durability: While this handle may be technically softer than both wood and horn, it avoids the major drawbacks they suffer from. The way the fibres run horizontally through vertically stacked fibres ensures that cracking under impact or long term warping isn't a possibility. Furthermore the completely cured and relaxed state of the material means that it's less affected by humid or dry environments, both when in use and in terms of long term shrinking or warping over time. As with all our leather items, this handle should avoid being soaked in water for extended periods of time and should be oiled when needed.
This handle offers superior performance in the field, increased durability over standard materials on both a short and a long term basis without sacrificing the beauty and charm of what make traditional khukuris so great. All these advantages make it a perfect fit for martial arts blades. high performance outdoors tools or any heirloom quality blades intended to last a lifetime.
Micarta is a handle material so well suited to knives that it's almost universal and often taken for granted as an option. For those unfamiliar, it's considered by many to be the holy grail of knife materials. It's completely waterproof, doesn't shrink or swell in humid or dry environments and is grippy, wet or dry. It's easy to clean, difficult to scratch and damn near impossible to break. However throughout the years only a handful of knives have ever been made in Nepal using it. Why is that?
The answer is a bureaucratic one. Foreign materials are slapped with a massive import tax to incentivise local manufacturing within the country, however no local manufacturing or materials have been available to stand in as a replacement. This has made the use of micarta prohibitively expensive, adding almost $100usd to the cost of a blade.
Not content to let this stop us from putting out the best knives we can, we started making our own. As the first micarta manufacturers in Nepal it's been a challenging process, but it's given us the ability to produce some really unique handle materials. As the majority of our blades are blades that slash and chop we make our micarta with these applications in mind, with softer resin and coarser fabric than you'll see elsewhere. The resultant handle has added shock absorption, durability in drops and even more grip- closer to Terotuf in many ways. However, also like terotuf our material doesn't take a high polish and has more muted colours- though a quick hit with wd40 will get it vibrant. For the massive performance and durability gains we consider this a more than fair tradeoff.
We actually do two very different styles of micarta handle at Kailash.
For Full Tang blades we make our own scales as solid blocks, pin and glue them then shape them predominantly while on the knife. These are very similar to what's commonly seen in the west and feature the same trademark "topographical" layers which highlight contours well as seen on the above scourge.
For our Rat Tail tang blades we do a much less common technique called a Micarta Wrap. We forge out an extra beefy tang and fit our bolsters as usual, but then tightly wrap the tang with many layers of resin soaked fabric strips until the bolsters are firmly packed towards each end and there's enough bulk for the handle. After this we grind it back down to the perfect shape. In some ways this construction is even stronger than using scales as it's one single monolithic piece and pins working loose/scales delaminating from the tang isn't a concern. It also introduces a beautiful organic pattern to the handle.
Aside from solid colour options in a high visibility orange and an understated black we have both Forest and Desert camouflage options also available. As a result of their different construction methods the final pattern differs greatly between full tang and rat tail blades. On full tang blades we layer a camouflage print fabric to help break apart the layer lines and disrupt the Blade's outline. On rat tail tang blades these colour patches tend to follow the already mottled and organic patterns of the blade.
Siru is always the first to master new techniques and as a result we're capable of producing custom scales upon request. We can easily manage custom solid colours, stacked/wrapped colour combos or marble rag scales. If you have an idea for something a bit mor experimental you'd like us to try send us an email and we'll see what we can do.
Our micarta handles are the most durable handle we offer by a wide margin and are perfectly at home on any blade of ours that is going to be worked HARD no matter how big or small. They perform wonderfully, look cool and have a lot more story behind them than what you'd find on your typical knife.
Blade Finishes
Our roughest level of finish is what we call Raw, but would also be known by some as forge finish, brut de forge etc.
What this means and how it will look is different for each particular blade, so it's worth explaining in a bit more detail. If the sides of the blade don't need grinding to shape them, they'll be left with the rough texturing of the hammer marks from forging as well as the scale from quenching and tempering, for example the side of this mini. If the area of the blade does need grinding then it'll be smooth and uniform but will be left with the dark scale from quenching and tempering. If the knife has a fuller, a western ricasso or flat sides hgiher up these areas will all be black like that. Edges, some spines and some thinner grinds will all be brought to satin.
This is a visually striking finish that does a great job of showing the handmade aspects of how the knife was made. It's also low maintenance, looks good with scratches and patina and the forge black helps fight rust and holds oil well. The handle and fittings will also be brought to a rough satin finish to match the overall look and give extra grip. This is a great finish for very rough workhorses and those that are looking for a visceral, raw look to their knives in general.
Our second level of finish is known as Satin and is probably something you're quite familiar with.
It's a smooth and uniform finish that's come fresh off a fine sanding belt but that still has small visble scratches running along it. This finish looks great, isn't very reflective, holds oil well and is easy to maintain. This finish is often the best way to show off the crisp edges and grind lines on a more modern or fullered blade as polishing can round them off slightly. It can either accrue scratches and develop a patina with use or it can be brought back to factory with a scotch brite pad in about a minute. If you want to force a patina, this is a great starting point and because the steel is nicely surfaced, it can be polished nicely later with ease if you want to give it a try. The handle and fittings are similarly brought to a smooth high grit finish, but left unpolished for grip and comfort.
All of these strengths make it an excellent all round, versatile finish that's not out of place on any knife. It's the default option on just about all of our knives for this reason.
Our roughest level of finish is what we call Raw, but would also be known by some as forge finish, brut de forge etc.
What this means and how it will look is different for each particular blade, so it's worth explaining in a bit more detail. If the sides of the blade don't need grinding to shape them, they'll be left with the rough texturing of the hammer marks from forging as well as the scale from quenching and tempering, for example the side of this mini. If the area of the blade does need grinding then it'll be smooth and uniform but will be left with the dark scale from quenching and tempering. If the knife has a fuller, a western ricasso or flat sides hgiher up these areas will all be black like that. Edges, some spines and some thinner grinds will all be brought to satin.
This is a visually striking finish that does a great job of showing the handmade aspects of how the knife was made. It's also low maintenance, looks good with scratches and patina and the forge black helps fight rust and holds oil well. The handle and fittings will also be brought to a rough satin finish to match the overall look and give extra grip. This is a great finish for very rough workhorses and those that are looking for a visceral, raw look to their knives in general.
Our second level of finish is known as Satin and is probably something you're quite familiar with.
It's a smooth and uniform finish that's come fresh off a fine sanding belt but that still has small visble scratches running along it. This finish looks great, isn't very reflective, holds oil well and is easy to maintain. This finish is often the best way to show off the crisp edges and grind lines on a more modern or fullered blade as polishing can round them off slightly. It can either accrue scratches and develop a patina with use or it can be brought back to factory with a scotch brite pad in about a minute. If you want to force a patina, this is a great starting point and because the steel is nicely surfaced, it can be polished nicely later with ease if you want to give it a try. The handle and fittings are similarly brought to a smooth high grit finish, but left unpolished for grip and comfort.
All of these strengths make it an excellent all round, versatile finish that's not out of place on any knife. It's the default option on just about all of our knives for this reason.
Much like buffalo horn, our Polished finish is a very beautiful option with a mixture of advantages and disadvantages in terms of durability.
The polishing process closes up the pores in the steel making it inherently more rust resistant, however this smooth surface makes it hard for oil to properly coat the blade. Scratches and blemishes on the surface from use will stick out a lot and will require a fair bit of elbow grease with brasso periodically to bring it back to factory finish. As mentioned previously, actual ridges and corners can become rounded through this finish but this is more that made up for visually as the mirror polish highlights the sculpting of your blade as it bounces off the bevels and curves. It's worth noting that when the edge is buffed it can introduce a small unnecessary temper that negatively affects our heat treat. This is another reason that we suggest satin finish for working blades, particularly those with lean grinds like our mutiny, pensioner, knout and scourge anniversary. Given enough time and resharpenings though, fresh unaffected steel can be reached underneath. The handle and fittings are similarly brought to a high level of polish to show off the materials to the best of our ability. Buffalo horn in particular looks incredible when polished.
This is a stunning finish though and is a perfect fit for a martial arts blade, display piece or a user in the hands of someone that's truly dedicated to their khukuri.
Our final finish option is called an Acid Wash and is both another first for Nepal and something we're extremely proud of. Due to the unique way that we heat treat our blades compared to the rest of Nepal we actually produce a distinct boundary between the hardened steel along the edge and the softer steel along the spine. There are reports online of it being impossible to produce a hamon from 5160, but after significant experimentation we've been able to refine a process that brings this crucial part of our process to the surface for the world to see.
Functionally, our acid washed knives are identical to those with a satin finish aside from significantly improved corrosion resistance over the entire blade from the factory. Over time the hamon line can become less distinct as scratches and other oxidation integrates the line into the overall patina, however this is a natural process woth embracing for the beauty it adds to a blade. For those interested in a stunning display or martial arts blade that makes a statement about the handmade nature of their knife, this is a finish definitely worth thinking about.
Much like buffalo horn, our Polished finish is a very beautiful option with a mixture of advantages and disadvantages in terms of durability.
The polishing process closes up the pores in the steel making it inherently more rust resistant, however this smooth surface makes it hard for oil to properly coat the blade. Scratches and blemishes on the surface from use will stick out a lot and will require a fair bit of elbow grease with brasso periodically to bring it back to factory finish. As mentioned previously, actual ridges and corners can become rounded through this finish but this is more that made up for visually as the mirror polish highlights the sculpting of your blade as it bounces off the bevels and curves. It's worth noting that when the edge is buffed it can introduce a small unnecessary temper that negatively affects our heat treat. This is another reason that we suggest satin finish for working blades, particularly those with lean grinds like our mutiny, pensioner, knout and scourge anniversary. Given enough time and resharpenings though, fresh unaffected steel can be reached underneath. The handle and fittings are similarly brought to a high level of polish to show off the materials to the best of our ability. Buffalo horn in particular looks incredible when polished.
This is a stunning finish though and is a perfect fit for a martial arts blade, display piece or a user in the hands of someone that's truly dedicated to their khukuri.
Our final finish option is called an Acid Wash and is both another first for Nepal and something we're extremely proud of. Due to the unique way that we heat treat our blades compared to the rest of Nepal we actually produce a distinct boundary between the hardened steel along the edge and the softer steel along the spine. There are reports online of it being impossible to produce a hamon from 5160, but after significant experimentation we've been able to refine a process that brings this crucial part of our process to the surface for the world to see.
Functionally, our acid washed knives are identical to those with a satin finish aside from significantly improved corrosion resistance over the entire blade from the factory. Over time the hamon line can become less distinct as scratches and other oxidation integrates the line into the overall patina, however this is a natural process woth embracing for the beauty it adds to a blade. For those interested in a stunning display or martial arts blade that makes a statement about the handmade nature of their knife, this is a finish definitely worth thinking about.
Hardware Options
Hardware options determine which metal we use for any bolsters, pins, buttcaps or spacers on your knife. While some of these metals are less tough than others we compensate for this by using thicker sheet in those instances- all of our fittings are tough enough for proper outdoors use. As a result the key differences are in style and how the blade will age over time- a great opportunity to make your khukuri uniquely yours.
Steel is the toughest hardware option we offer and the most resistance to impacts and scratches. It requires similar care to the blade itself tomaintain a finish, but can also patina to match the blade over time. Its colour can range from mirror silver, a bright, light grey (shown here) through to a dull/dark grey depending on if it's polished, satin or acid washed. Currently we use aluminium instead of steel pins here to save unnecessary weight- if you'd like steel instead just let us know in the order notes.
Brass is the next strongest and has a big advantage in terms of rust and corrosion. It won't corrode aggressively but will gain a patina over time. It's quite a bit lighter than steel, whcih is particularly significant on blades with plate metal bolsters like the regent khukuri. Its colour can range from a golden mirror through to a bright, light yellow (shown here) or even a bolder less reflective gold depending on if it's polished, satin or acid washed.
Copper is very similar in weight, strength and corrosion resistance as brass but is slightly easier to scratch. The key difference is that copper has a more delicate, warmer tone that can really help make a blade look classy. The colour difference is most notable with the less reflective finishes such as satin and acid wash, and more subtle when polished. It's shown here alongside black micarta with a plate metal front bolster. It also has a wider range of possible patina colours including black, pink or even cyan given certain conditions.
If having a beautifully polished blade is a priority for you then White Metal is a choice worth looking into. It takes a brilliant mirror polish and is very slow to dull. With this said it's our softest hardware and can scratch easily in use. While it is tough enough for outdoors use it makes the most sense on display and martial blades. It's shown here on a stacked leather handle- note the polished white metal spacers to match the buttcap and bolster. While the name might sound vague, white metal is a term used for a family of ornamental alloys used in jewellery and silverware. More info to be found here.
Steel is the toughest hardware option we offer and the most resistance to impacts and scratches. It requires similar care to the blade itself tomaintain a finish, but can also patina to match the blade over time. Its colour can range from mirror silver, a bright, light grey (shown here) through to a dull/dark grey depending on if it's polished, satin or acid washed. Currently we use aluminium instead of steel pins here to save unnecessary weight- if you'd like steel instead just let us know in the order notes.
Brass is the next strongest and has a big advantage in terms of rust and corrosion. It won't corrode aggressively but will gain a patina over time. It's quite a bit lighter than steel, whcih is particularly significant on blades with plate metal bolsters like the regent khukuri. Its colour can range from a golden mirror through to a bright, light yellow (shown here) or even a bolder less reflective gold depending on if it's polished, satin or acid washed.
Copper is very similar in weight, strength and corrosion resistance as brass but is slightly easier to scratch. The key difference is that copper has a more delicate, warmer tone that can really help make a blade look classy. The colour difference is most notable with the less reflective finishes such as satin and acid wash, and more subtle when polished. It's shown here alongside black micarta with a plate metal front bolster. It also has a wider range of possible patina colours including black, pink or even cyan given certain conditions.
If having a beautifully polished blade is a priority for you then White Metal is a choice worth looking into. It takes a brilliant mirror polish and is very slow to dull. With this said it's our softest hardware and can scratch easily in use. While it is tough enough for outdoors use it makes the most sense on display and martial blades. It's shown here on a stacked leather handle- note the polished white metal spacers to match the buttcap and bolster. While the name might sound vague, white metal is a term used for a family of ornamental alloys used in jewellery and silverware. More info to be found here.
Full Tang or Rat tail?
Full tang blades are a relatively new development as far as khukuris go,coming to prominence in the early 20th century on military blades. However the handle technique has since been used on a number of standard military issue khukuris and they have a fair pedigree with the gurkhas.
Full tang handles feature a tang that is the full width of the handle, with two slabs of handle material glued and riveted on for maximum strength and durability. These handles are rose to popularity in the west as a response to the poor quality rat tail blades produced there during the 20th century, though the style has been in use internationally for centuries.
While full tang handles do provide a more bulletproof form of handle construction, they also add weight to a blade. Our full tang handles are tapered to disperse stresses and drilled out to save weight to minimise this downside, but they're still about 70-100g heavier than our rat tail handles and offer a different feel in hand as a result. Some users find that this counterweight helps to tame large, thick or broad blades while others find it meddles with the classic balance they've come to love from khukuris both in woods use and martial arts. If you can't tell already, we love providing options for people and offer full tang as an option on any blade which isn't total blaspemy. If you're interested in some blasphemy though, just email us!
To put it bluntly, Rat Tail tangs have a bad reputation. In the west they've been associated with cost cutting methods and cheap blades during the 20th century. These handles had a habit of snapping under heavy use, however this had more to do with the way these tangs were shaped, rather than an issue inherent to the construction method.
All our Rat Tail tangs are nice and wide where it first enters the handle, with rounded shoulders to avoid stress raisers. The tang is also annealed and tapers gradually down towards the rear of the blade to both disperse stresses more evenly while saving weight.
These handles have a big weight advantage over full tang handles, offering a very lively and unique feel in hand. They also insulate the hand from metal in cold weather as well as some of the shock from heavy chopping impacts.
But how strong are they? While definitely less hardy than a full tang handle, we've only had a single rat tail handle failure so far and it was due to a hidden void right at the shoulder. So while they make a lot of sense for traditional builds and martial blades keep in mind that we're confident that they're strong enough to hold their own as a workhorse blade, a role they've been dominating in Nepal for centuries.
Full tang blades are a relatively new development as far as khukuris go,coming to prominence in the early 20th century on military blades. However the handle technique has since been used on a number of standard military issue khukuris and they have a fair pedigree with the gurkhas.
Full tang handles feature a tang that is the full width of the handle, with two slabs of handle material glued and riveted on for maximum strength and durability. These handles are rose to popularity in the west as a response to the poor quality rat tail blades produced there during the 20th century, though the style has been in use internationally for centuries.
While full tang handles do provide a more bulletproof form of handle construction, they also add weight to a blade. Our full tang handles are tapered to disperse stresses and drilled out to save weight to minimise this downside, but they're still about 70-100g heavier than our rat tail handles and offer a different feel in hand as a result. Some users find that this counterweight helps to tame large, thick or broad blades while others find it meddles with the classic balance they've come to love from khukuris both in woods use and martial arts. If you can't tell already, we love providing options for people and offer full tang as an option on any blade which isn't total blaspemy. If you're interested in some blasphemy though, just email us!
To put it bluntly, Rat Tail tangs have a bad reputation. In the west they've been associated with cost cutting methods and cheap blades during the 20th century. These handles had a habit of snapping under heavy use, however this had more to do with the way these tangs were shaped, rather than an issue inherent to the construction method.
All our Rat Tail tangs are nice and wide where it first enters the handle, with rounded shoulders to avoid stress raisers. The tang is also annealed and tapers gradually down towards the rear of the blade to both disperse stresses more evenly while saving weight.
These handles have a big weight advantage over full tang handles, offering a very lively and unique feel in hand. They also insulate the hand from metal in cold weather as well as some of the shock from heavy chopping impacts.
But how strong are they? While definitely less hardy than a full tang handle, we've only had a single rat tail handle failure so far and it was due to a hidden void right at the shoulder. So while they make a lot of sense for traditional builds and martial blades keep in mind that we're confident that they're strong enough to hold their own as a workhorse blade, a role they've been dominating in Nepal for centuries.
Traditional Handle Lengths
We measure our handles from the front of the bolster to the back of the pommel, so the sizes can sometimes seem quite large compared to knives that measure the grip length only. We offer three different handle lengths as default sizes, as well as an XL 8" handle for two handed blades. This option only controls the length of the handle. The thickness and height of the handle is determined by the blade profile- an XL mini will still fill the hand less than a Small MK1. To size your handle we use a measurement called Palm Width. You can see how to measure that Here.
Our Small handles measure 4.25" from the front of the bolster to the back of the pommel. This handle size is very popular with those who come into khukuris from a historical or martial arts perspective. Many antique blades were made with smaller handles, not just due to the smaller hands of past Nepali generations but also to facilitate a more snug, indexed fit that's excellent for agile handling. While the benefits are clear in martial arts for a more snug grip we have many customers that prefer the more passive retention for hard working blades too. It's also popular for the aesthetic it produces- a smaller broader handle that flows into a big accentuated blade. To many people this just looks excellent.
With that said, this handle length is not for everyone. For hands that are any wider than 3.75" across the palm this handle may put excess pressure at the flare, incorrectly line up with any grip rings and at worst push the hand up past the bolster. The use of gloves can cause these issues even with smaller hands than that.
Our Medium handles measure 4.75" from the front of the bolster to the back of the pommel. This handle size is a great option for the majority of our customers, whether they're using their khukuri for hard outdoors work or martial arts applications. For those with larger hands it can provide a snug indexed fit but it still has a lot of benefits for those with average or smaller sized hands. It can potentially allow for the use of thicker gloves which can be crucial in colder climates or help reduce fatigue during extended hard chopping sessions. It can also allow for a bit more grip adjustment and subtle variety of hand positions while chopping, something that does wonders for reducing fatigue and allowing you to adjust to specific tasks.
With this said, if your palms are any wider than 4.25" across the palm you may be too cramped and it may be worth looking into our Large Handle.
Our Large handles measure 5.25" from the front of the bolster to the back of the pommel. Don't go assuming this handle is only for Yetis. For the first few years that we operated we only offered a 5.5" handle and it worked alright for pretty much everyone. There's also plenty of antiques with handles this length (Pensioner) or longer (Salyani). This is because it allows for a lot of room for adjustment. If you need more power you can slide back to the flare or if you need more control you can choke up on the blade and tame the balance a bit. For average sized hands there's enough wiggle room that the grip ring can slip between different fingers while allowing the most room for big winter gloves. Also of course this handle is great for big old sasquatches who may not have been able to get a khukuri to fit them nicely in the past.
This is also a good time to mention our custom capabilities. If you've got fussy hands that specific length, an extra tall handle that fills the hand more or an extra thin handle to make space for chubby fingers we can sort you out. Just send us an email and we can handle it through our dedicated custom processes.
Our Small handles measure 4.25" from the front of the bolster to the back of the pommel. This handle size is very popular with those who come into khukuris from a historical or martial arts perspective. Many antique blades were made with smaller handles, not just due to the smaller hands of past Nepali generations but also to facilitate a more snug, indexed fit that's excellent for agile handling. While the benefits are clear in martial arts for a more snug grip we have many customers that prefer the more passive retention for hard working blades too. It's also popular for the aesthetic it produces- a smaller broader handle that flows into a big accentuated blade. To many people this just looks excellent.
With that said, this handle length is not for everyone. For hands that are any wider than 3.75" across the palm this handle may put excess pressure at the flare, incorrectly line up with any grip rings and at worst push the hand up past the bolster. The use of gloves can cause these issues even with smaller hands than that.
Our Medium handles measure 4.75" from the front of the bolster to the back of the pommel. This handle size is a great option for the majority of our customers, whether they're using their khukuri for hard outdoors work or martial arts applications. For those with larger hands it can provide a snug indexed fit but it still has a lot of benefits for those with average or smaller sized hands. It can potentially allow for the use of thicker gloves which can be crucial in colder climates or help reduce fatigue during extended hard chopping sessions. It can also allow for a bit more grip adjustment and subtle variety of hand positions while chopping, something that does wonders for reducing fatigue and allowing you to adjust to specific tasks.
With this said, if your palms are any wider than 4.25" across the palm you may be too cramped and it may be worth looking into our Large Handle.
Our Large handles measure 5.25" from the front of the bolster to the back of the pommel. Don't go assuming this handle is only for Yetis. For the first few years that we operated we only offered a 5.5" handle and it worked alright for pretty much everyone. There's also plenty of antiques with handles this length (Pensioner) or longer (Salyani). This is because it allows for a lot of room for adjustment. If you need more power you can slide back to the flare or if you need more control you can choke up on the blade and tame the balance a bit. For average sized hands there's enough wiggle room that the grip ring can slip between different fingers while allowing the most room for big winter gloves. Also of course this handle is great for big old sasquatches who may not have been able to get a khukuri to fit them nicely in the past.
This is also a good time to mention our custom capabilities. If you've got fussy hands that specific length, an extra tall handle that fills the hand more or an extra thin handle to make space for chubby fingers we can sort you out. Just send us an email and we can handle it through our dedicated custom processes.