Description
The Sirupate (thin-leaf) is an extremely popular form of khukuri which takes the durability and power that khukuris are famous for and swaps out a bit of heft for a lot more speed.
In contrast with the larger Budhuna (fish-head) blade, the sirupate is typically far more slender, usually with a slightly thinner spine to boot. This allows the knives to be significantly more agile, with a much greater tip speed and less cutting resistance. This optimises the blades for thinner wood and gives them the ability to hack through thin flexible brush in a way that many larger khukuris simply aren’t capable of. At the same time though, sirupates are commonly longer as well, which helps maintain some chopping power and again amplify that all important tip speed.
The traditional rat tail tang on these allows for a very light handle and more chopping power for a given length. At the same time though, these blades have proven quite popular with a full tang build as well (particularly in larger sizes) where the extra 150g or so that comes with a full tang blade helps act as counterweight for more controllability and the bombproof build gives more peace of mind with all the leverage involved. In order to best display our craft and ensure the best feel in hand for a given length, all of our sirupates feature hollow forging and a not insignificant amount of distal taper.
Sirupates are available in a wider size range than any other khukuri and are extremely versatile blades. Smaller models (<14″) make for great whippy bushcraft and camp knives that are capable of clearing brush, chopping and batonning without being too clumsy to carve with and maintaining a lightweight overall package.
From here up to 18″ the sirupate gets faster and gains a lot more momentum. It moves away from finer camp tasks but now chops with a lot more power and excels at the heftier end of machete work.
The largest Sirupates develop even more tip speed and power, to the point where they begin to require a longer handle for more control and better application of force. At this length they’re an extremely satisfying bush sword capable of screaming through thick and nasty brush and chopping through 3″ thick saplings and branches in a single blow given the correct technique.
Within Nepal these largest sirupates are often used for ceremonial purposes, including the decapitation of goats, buffalo and other large livestock as part of ritual sacrifice during festivals. At all lengths these blades can be exciting and a heap of fun for those interested in martial applications, particularly if the user is looking for something that can be treated more roughly or that can double up for camp duty. If you’re looking for our fastest and most combat focused sirupates, look into our Chitlanges.
12″: 6.5mm spine at bolster, 480g
14″”: 6.5mm spine at bolster, 530g (pictured with black micarta handle and kydex back carry rig)
16″: (standard length) 6.5mm spine at bolster, 600g
18″: 6mm spine at bolster, 680g (pictured with xl white rosewood/full tang camo micarta handle)
21″: 6mm spine at bolster, 800g
24″ 6mm spine at bolster, 940g
Add 100 to 250g for a full tang depending on length chosen. All weights given are for the default handle length for that specific length. A larger handle will add more weight but offer greater control and vice versa.
Less of a dedicated chopper and more of a True All-Rounder than a standard khukuri, sirupates are exhilarating and dependable knives that have the versatility to go anywhere with you and handle just about anything. There’s a reason they’re so popular.
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.