Description
An interesting thing about nepalese blade culture is that it has an unusually small amount of knife types. It has the simple karda, the unusual baak, the massive kora and the sickle shaped Hansiya amongst other western designs in use.
However, over time the khukuri has come to dominate the knife culture enormously through it’s ability to be scaled up and down so effectively. The ceremonial, sacrificial and military use of the Kora have been essentially completely replaced by enormous 24″ khukuris designed for decapitating buffalo and goats, while the smaller knives on this list have further been pushed out of use by the prevalence of small khukuris. Partly a testament to the adaptability of the khukuri design and partly testament to just how much the Nepalese absolutely love khukuris, these mini khukuris are found in kitchens, craftsmen’s workshops, back pockets and even the purses of nepali people from all walks of life.
Thinner, lighter and with less cutting resistance than regular khukuris, these knives excel at fiddly work like carving and food prep, while still maintaining the legendary toughness associated with khukuris and the ability to outchop western blades of the same size. We’ve altered the spine thickness and the degree to which these knives taper to try to optimise the blades for the general use they’re most suited to.
The 7″ default blade is as small as we think we can go without losing that trademark feel in hand of a khukuri. With a decent flick it’ll chop readily, but the thinner spine and shorter length really helps it excel at carving, bushcraft and EDC tasks which would usually be asked of a western fixed blade. Add to that the extra carving performance offered by the inner recurve and the surfacework/cleaving capability offered by the belly for foof prep and you’re onto a winner in the kitchen or outdoors.
The extra 2″ of blade and slightly thicker spine that the 9″ has really helps it cement itself as a true khukuri- just a small one. That hungry, eager to swing feel that a good khukuri has is a lot stronger here and chopping power is increased to boot. Still extremely capable of carving and finer work, this small khukuri is more of a thoroughbred and a great option for those that need a khukuri’s utility in a smaller and lighter package. Think farm EDC, a light do everything camp knife for hikers or cyclists or even a big slicer/breaker knife for the kitchen. You think a cleaver is a cool knife to bring out at dinner parties? Try a khukuri.
The blade on the 5″ is a bit too small to outweigh the handle enough to provide a khukuri feel, however that doesn’t mean this knife doesn’t still benefit from the blade shape. Just like the 7″ the inner recurve is awesome for carving, debarking and feathersticks and the large belly helps to maximise slicing efficiency. The smaller size also helps to give a greater degree of control and leverage in these tasks. For a tough and fun EDC, a work knife that’ll be sure to start a conversation or even a gift for a fellow lover of charming edged objects the 5″ is a great option.
The thicknesses and weights are listed as follows.
5″: 5mm spine at bolster, 160g
7″: (optimal, standard length) 5.5mm spine at bolster, 260g
9″: 6mm spine at bolster, 340g
These are our smallest knives and utilise a new handle design that is optimised for allowing the most compact, functional fit possible for a specific hand size. Our normal size guide still applies but it is optimised for a snug bare handed grip, with palm pressed against pommel flare and index on bolster. With this in mind consider sizing up if you are a borderline measurement, particularly if you have meaty hands or plan to use gloves. Please note that due to limited sheath area on the 5″ and 7″ salyani sheaths they will feature stitched leather highlights and a dap ridge rather than patuka buttons. For both dap styles they will also feature a leather snap around the handle to ensure adequate retention and a stable carry.
These knives may be small, but they excel at a lot of work that the regular khukuris struggle with. Great value, versatile and fun, the Mini khukuri is a blade which you’ll continuously be finding new uses for and always be thankful to have at your side.
Before Purchase, please read through our Options Info page as well as Warranty and Factory Seconds for information on all the different options and grind types we offer and how they affect the level of warranty you’ll receive.