Kukri, 1920 (c)

Kukri with steel blade with geometrical decoration, wooden grip and steel ferrule.

The kukri, with its recurved blade, is an iconic weapon synonymous with the Gurkhas of Nepal.

Most kukris and scabbards are usually quite plain but presentation weapons can be highly decorated. The kukri is often accompanied by two smaller knives designed for less warlike activities. The 'karda' for cutting and skinning and the 'chakmak' for sharpening blades. For Gurkhas serving with the British Army, the kukri became a service issue weapon alongside the bayonet. During World War Two (1939-1945), non-Gurkha units serving in the Far East also adopted the weapon. The vast majority of kukris, especially those carried by troops in Burma during World War Two, were anonymous, commercially produced weapons.