Adding HAND GUARDS on weapons that don't need them

It's not uncommon to see hand guards added to weapons that don't normally have them. But why is that necessary? Antique kukris for sale: www.atlantacutlery.com/longle... and www.atlantacutlery.com/bhojpu...
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[@mtgAzim]

Matt always uses his words with such care. He says things like "Many of you who watch regularly already know this". It's a nice touch because it kind of rewards those who have been around for a while, and it makes it feel like he isn't patronizing us with things we already know, and it also entirely eliminates any notion of sitting on a high horse. Not that Matt ever had that issue to begin with, but people are so sensitive these days, and there are those who like to complain about having things "explained" to them. Matt could hold your hand and walk you through a mine field while keeping you thoroughly interested and entertained the whole time.

[@keithallardice6139]

I honestly don't mind a hand guard on a knife, even when it's not "traditional" - not as protection from other blades as such, more as a hand stop as you said, Matt. Especially with slippery hands! The only knife I've had so far that's not needed that had a mountain sheep horn handle, and that has a really interesting property - it doesn't get slippery when wet. Really useful!

[@nevisysbryd7450]

Is that particular to mountain sheep and not other varieties?

[@keithallardice6139]

@@nevisysbryd7450 Good question! As far as I'm aware it's only mountain sheep horn but I don't know for sure tbh. Maybe someone else has some info?

[@Si74l0rd]

The majority of my Kukris have the traditional water buffalo handles, I've never had a problem with it feeling slippery though, in the dry or in the wet. The handle on my go to Kukri is quite textured and gives excellent grip, but it's a villager, not a military model. So it was designed for chopping brush all day. The military models with the full tang and slab handles are nowhere near as ergonomic for day to day use in the woods.

[@etherealicer]

I would add two more things. Even if you have added a substantial amount of kukri training on top of your western (knife) training, you might forget to grip with the back fingers and you would almost certainly stab in a combat situation. For this reason alone I would think that anyone with western training should consider a cross-guard on pretty much any blade he intends to use in combat (even if it is fictional).

[@mrkiky]

Just watched a video of a guy talking about knives and he said he liked any animal horn or leather handles because they get sticky when wet but they're still smooth when dry so they don't give you the blisters a textured grip might.

[@bretalvarez3097]

Can never go wrong with a little protection I always say, especially when penetrating.

[@gunsgunstiger5238]

I think i understand this wrong...

[@caseydubois3645]

I don't like where this is going...

[@themischeifguide]

This malacka... I love it.

[@BigBackInk]

Gigaddy

[@simoneriksson8329]

Wise words!

[@Dimetropteryx]

I don't mind deviations as long as it's not on a weapon that's trying to be authentic.

[@mikeb3808]

Please do a video on executioners axes and /or weapons

[@nealheidekat5726]

Seems like a foregone conclusion. Not much involved for a stationary target.

[@barrysingh2872]

Would be a good time to talk about temple swords, ox cutters, all things like that.

[@nealheidekat5726]

Not to put too fine of a point on it (pun intended), but the weapons proposed in this thread are mostly relegated to the realm of ritual use or fantasy. Might be out of line, but it seems as though this channel and its content are devoted to martial pursuits. A blade designed to hit a stationary target lacks fifty percent of that purpose.

[@brendandor]

@@nealheidekat5726 execution weapons have a purpose and are designed for that purpose, which involves killing people, which fulfils many of the requirements of the definition of a weapon. Obviously they aren't designed for fighting, but they are still an interesting part of weapon development and design that show variation and specific design decisions due to their different use case. We can learn about martial weapons by comparing them to the tools and ceremonial weapons of the day.

[@AbenZin1]

It occurs to me that, with regard to thrusting with a kukri, you're actually thrusting the blade at an angle from the hand. With a curved blade you're hand is at a 30 degree or so angle from the direction of thrust so there's less chance your hand will slip up the blade.

[@Si74l0rd]

As a thrust it would be somewhat similar to thrusting with a Kris, as they have a pistol grip. With a Kukri it's not the most comfortable attack though. They're designed primarily for chopping or slashing, with that much belly. The thickness of the spine makes it a poor choice for a stabby weapon too. I have some antique Kukris from the 1700s that are nearly 3/4 of an inch thick on the spine, though the blade does taper from the broken back to the tip, but they're still very thick for stabbing. It would require a huge amount of force to get any more than an inch of tip in. Even with the majority of my smaller models they're too thick to be effective for stabbing. They make better prybars than stilettos!

[@paulpolito2001]

Essentially. Similar to a bird’s-head grip, the hand is well locked by a proper grasp

[@edi9892]

Well Kukri were predominantly tools and thus they didn't need a handguard. However, Sikhs liked them as weapons and thus, they made lighter versions with tulwar handguards... (you don't need such a heavy blade against people). On the plus side, a handguard allows for more decorations and individuality...

[@christiandauz3742]

Comsidering a few old Kurkris had handguards guess a few people needed or wanted them A little bit of hand protection never hurt someone and provides comfort to the mind

[@QuentinStephens]

With regard to the rib and comfort, perhaps the greater size of European hands might come into play? Nepalese are often small by European standards.

[@cantbanme792]

as someone who maybe isn't using weapons, but rather crude tools and quite roughly at that for my line of work, let me say, I want everything to have a hand guard. everything. the amount of things that would catch your hand in real combat, that a guard would save, is ridiculous. any knife that is used in even a slightly utilitarian way, would almost definitely make use of one, fuck chopping away foliage and splitting your knuckles open on some pointy branches.

[@mrkiky]

I agree with this. I just can't really imagine a practical way of putting a handguard on an axe.

[@lilivi4301]

@@mrkiky gigantic D guard from top to bottom lol

[@mrkiky]

@@lilivi4301 Yea that's literally what I was thinking. In theory it should work, but it might unbalance the axe, since so much of the metal is now along the shaft instead of in the head. Plus if it's that long, it's gonna be flimsy, unless you make it thick enough, which only aggravates the previous problem.

[@cantbanme792]

@@mrkiky an axe maybe not, but a hatchet, sure.

[@pennsyltuckyreb9800]

I've used various tools and blades my entire life both in the woods and on jobs and never "needed" a handguard on anything. Our issued OKC3s bayonets in the Marines had large, obnoxious handguards (they needed to mount to our M16s and M4s, obviously).... but they mostly got in the way and caught on everything you didn't want to catch on. Also in the way for various different hand grips. How many Saber or rapier duels are you getting yourself into today? How many armed trees are you fighting? If you "need" a guard on a khukuri, you're doing it wrong. Get more training.

[@slicerneons3300]

As a bloke who values his hands being attached to his wrists, I Don't mind extraneous handguards.

[@chroma6947]

Use a shield scrub

[@slicerneons3300]

@@chroma6947 But then I can't dual wield!

[@Fastwinstondoom]

@@slicerneons3300 Two shields then!

[@slicerneons3300]

@@Fastwinstondoom If nothing else that is unique & unorthodox.

[@Hades8103]

@@slicerneons3300 Hey, if Steve Rogers can do it in Endgame, why not us?? lol

[@bobsmoot2392]

I picked up a 1943 Calcutta Kukuri from Atlanta Cutlery a few year ago. It looks very much like the one you show early on. Marvelous piece of history!

[@rogerlafrance6355]

If you wear a large knife like that under a belly sash or belt, you don't want any small edges poking you.

[@gregajohnson1985]

im a big proponent of having a lanyard hole in bushcraft knives. the lanyard isn't there, in my use, anyway, to keep it attached to the wrist, but to stop the hand from slipping up onto the blade, by holding back the index finger. just a feature i insist on having, when getting a new outdoors knife.

[@john-paulsilke893]

I’ve added a lanyard around the throat of the kukuri in that cutout at the top of the grip if I’m chopping or bayoneting wood. It reduces fatigue and keeps your hand locked in. (I’m ambidextrous though so I’m not giving up a dominant hand by tying in though). I use my left in this case but if I’m not lanyarded to the knife I use my right typically.

[@taifu13781]

I'm beginning to really fall down the rabbit hole as they say in my interest in military knives..started with knife shopping for modern recreations/honorable references to military knives like the boker plus pocket smatchet or the ka-bar USMC fighter

[@TheAegisClaw]

Sounds like you need a Faibairn Sykes.

[@Bjawu]

Huh, I thought there was something in "British sword fighters 1600-1918" about Kukris being surprisingly effective at thrusting. Now I'm doubting my memory... But not enough to re-read the whole thing again ;)

[@Si74l0rd]

It would depend on the kukri in question. I have some with spines well over half an inch thick, to get more than an inch into someone would take enormous force, that said, they do taper towards the point and the long leaf Sirupate style are generally slimmer towards the tip. The military MKII blade is a better prybar than stiletto though, they're rather stout! So a non British military issue Kukri would likely be a better option for penetration. I have villager type Kukris that are much slimmer and are shaped more for the task with a milder bend to the blade and much reduced thickness of the spine, comparatively.

[@andrewkelly6828]

I had a cold steel kukri with no guard (and also a nice smooth handle with no ribbing) and my hand slid up onto it the first time I tried to stab something. They released an updated model with a tiny handguard on the side of the blade.

[@MaliciousMollusc]

If you want something that functions like a Kukri but has a handguard, then I suggest Filipino blades.

[@CannaCJ]

Parangs and bolos are nice, I really like nata machetes too. Good for yard work or hachet-type duties.

[@riverraven7359]

or a falcata

[@MaliciousMollusc]

@@riverraven7359 That too, I'd love to own one

[@kazikek2674]

@@riverraven7359 When I saw the Kukri version with a guard I immediately thought of falcatas.

[@andreasolsson4539]

Just thought a brown bess would look stylish with a pair of quillions and a bayonett with langettes. I'd want that.

[@paulpolito2001]

A bit more modern, a Mosin-Nagant can be slightly modified - primarily stock reinforcement and contouring - to be a *very* heavy, but serviceable pike. Now that I think about it, high fantasy-style combination weaponry is a niche that might be worth developing some thoughts on.

[@breandan3280]

I'm fond of katana with a cross guard from an asthenic standpoint.

[@VNSnake1999]

So, a Kriegsmesser?

[@landenmorton4543]

Kinda like a kriegsmesser? They look cool as hell.

[@davidterry3288]

I got my Kukris today from Atlanta Cutlery. It is a BEAST!

[@jbc175]

If I intend to use the tip of the knife, then I like to have a handguard to help keep my hand from sliding into the blade.

[@jlthearcher]

Knowing how to use a kukri in the traditional way doesn't mean a cross gaurd isn't better when one's hand has been injured and the grip is slick with blood.

[@thesmallestminorityisthein4045]

Ive been considering a "custom" kukri, basically a bowie handle on a kukri blade. I'm already set on getting scales on a full tang, so I'm past the point of some recreation of historical designs.

[@WanderingTetsubo]

Musso Bowie or coffin style grip?

[@thesmallestminorityisthein4045]

@@WanderingTetsubo I was thinking coffin bowie......but now i have to reconsider. I was thinking basically a bit of flared out brass at the guard and hilt, something simple, but I'm a sucker for curvy guards.

[@WanderingTetsubo]

@@thesmallestminorityisthein4045 Then a regular Bowie style handle might be good as an option. Coffin handle Bowies usually have a symmetrical guard, whereas regular and Musso style Bowie handles are asymmetrical, so you can get away with as curvey of a guard as you want.

[@thesmallestminorityisthein4045]

@@WanderingTetsubo I'll probably just go simple on the first one. I fully intend to use it as the chopper it is, I really just want something to sure my grip up. I'll have to see, may just do a coin toss.

[@WanderingTetsubo]

@@thesmallestminorityisthein4045 something I would recommend then, is to make some mock-ups of the handed types before you commit to one type and compare them. So you have a chance to see which one you like and which one suits the blade and the intended use better.

[@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699]

Hey Matt, I always wondered why Japanese tsuba were the size that they were. You say the tsuba was only good for protecting your hand from sliding off of the guard and not for protection against blows…but I disagree. If that was the tsuba’s only purpose, you would think that the makers would forge the smallest possible tsuba that still prevents your hand from sliding off in order to save material. However we have evidence from the warring states period that many tsuba made for katana and tachi are bigger than the ones we are used to (8-9 cm diameter opposed to modern 7.5 cm). My guess would be that it had something to do with the Edo period and the shortening of katana/tachi. The katana length we are used to did not come out of a natural development. The Tokugawa shogunate passed a law that required blades to be shortened so this is where we get our average of 26-28 inch katana blades. With this, only the blades were made smaller and not the handle nor the guard. We know that samurai in the Edo period put more emphasis on appearance over functionality and with the blade being shorter, the guard size looked disproportionate. I’d wager that making the guard smaller was seen as fashionable and was widely adopted. Then, as many other things developed in the Edo period, it became long lasting tradition. An example of proportion emphasis I have are Edo period koshirae. If you compare koshirae of katana and wakizashi, you will find that the guard on the wakizashi is slightly smaller in an attempt to be more proportional. Again, if the tsuba’s only purpose was to prevent the hand from sliding off the handle, why weren’t katana guards as small as wakizashi guards? Two examples I have of Edo periods emphasis on fashion over function are the Unokubi zukuri blade shape and the placement of the menuki. The unokubi zukuri blade shape came from the conversion of old naginata blades into sword handles. It just doesn’t work as well as a sword blade and is quite weak when compared to the typical shinogi zukuri. The menuki, prior to the Edo period sat in the palms of the hands. During the Edo period, it became fashionable to wear the menuki on the finger side. The reason for this is because they wanted to emulate the look for the tachi being worn. The menuki on the tachi would be closer to the guard on the display side and would still sit in the palm as the blade is worn downwards. Samurai, or sword owners in general, wanted to mimic that look with katana and moved the menuki to the finger side because katana is worn edge upwards. This gives more light to my theory that the tachi was still very popular during the 14th 15th and even the 16th centuries and was only ever over taken by the katana in popularity in the early 17th century. Anyway you may be familiar with other KZbinrs complain about the menuki finger placement and it is clear that is not as practical as the palm placement. In short, I don’t think the tsuba’s only purpose was for keeping the hand on the handle and that it got to its size from Edo period fashion rather than battle useage. The Edo period was not foreign to fashionable, but impractical, designs. And we should acknowledge that what we see now in Japan and the traditions that still survive are mostly from, or have been heavily changed, by the Edo period. Thank you if you read all of that I would like to know your thoughts.

[@johanmetreus1268]

Nothing to add really, it's sound speculation from the facts available.

[@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699]

@@johanmetreus1268 thanks man. Sorry you had to read all that I’m just excited because I think I’m really onto something

[@johanmetreus1268]

@@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699 NEVER apologize for providing worthwhile reading. It's stringent, provides the necessary background with enough detail that it can be verified as needed for faults and misconceptions.

[@DM-sq3jm]

Good insights, however, you started with a pretty big assumption; that handguards would be made smaller to save material. Everything else points to historical facts. I would ask the following question: if the handguard functions as a safety device, why would the maker try to build it as small as possible?

[@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699]

@@DM-sq3jm I think you misunderstood. I said they would make tsuba as small as possible going under the assumption Matt has for them being only to protect sliding. Again, a common misconception is that they were only used for sliding and not for protecting the hand. So then I ask, “if preventing sliding is its only purpose, why not make it as small as possible to save materials”. I say this because not everyone in history was rich and would want to cut costs when necessary. If there was no purpose in not making the tsuba optionally small to only prevent sliding, we would see more of that since historical people would want to conserve materials when necessary.

[@Pavlos_Charalambous]

Actually that rib thing reminds me of a traditional style of knife handles from my country that are made from horns, so they can be curvy and full of " ribs" to give better grip And of course no hand guards, although to be honest a small guard wouldn't be a problem for my taste

[@bellakaldera3305]

I have a nice Khukri style folded steel blade with a brass "S" guard, stag handles and a brass pommel. It is full tang and of modern manufacture. I have found it a very pleasant blade to have at my side. This presentation explains well the differences between a traditional Khukri I own and my fancy Khukri-Bowie.

[@joelsmith9311]

Great video Matt. I've always been irritated by Kukris' with handguards added because I love the original with the ribbed grip and thought that adding a handguard was usually done out of ignorance - but then your explanation as to why people have added this historically and in modern times makes sense and has eased my ire! My wife is Nepalese and her father (retired now) was an officer in the Gurkhas - and when we met for the first time he formally presented me with a beautiful traditional ceremonial Kukri as a way of symbolizing handing over the responsibility of providing for and protecting his daughter. It was a lovely moment and the Kukri now has pride of place in a glass display case. Making the moment even more magical, my now-wife had secretly ordered an antique Officers Sabre (from YOU Matt!) and had it shipped all the way to Australia as a wedding gift to me. Anyway, I digress but it's a nice story - and yes don't worry, I got my wife lots of nice things too and look after her very well. She's a keeper! :D

[@Almosteasyese]

On the thrust: maybe these weren't seen as needing more of a handstop for the thrust because with the forward curve ,especially with the wrist canted , the force from a thrust meeting resistance would run down the blade to where it curves forward. At this point, where the blade curves forward becomes a fulcrum and the grip handle of a lever. So instead of wanting to be pushed down and out of the hand, the grip might have more of a tendency to rock back into the palm.

[@kailashblades]

You're absolutely right on getting a lot of custom orders for khukuris with guards! It's our most frequent request- even more frequent than having the cho removed. I absolutely respect it and can understand the preference that people have for one. Coming from a western background guards are strongly emphasised in fighting blades, be it a bowie, fairbarn sykes dagger or longsword it can sometimes feel like if a knife doesn't have a guard is it fit for fighting at all? I think the kind of utility that these workhorse guarded blades are put through can be a good example of the transformative utility and development of these blades. At the same time though I feel a lot of it is based on assumption of what does and doesn't work- give a rat tail a try! Try one without a guard and see how it goes! In terms if aesthetics there's such a purity and flow to a khukuri with no guard as well! Thanks for the video and the discussion as always :) Take care, Andrew and the team at Kailash

[@gre8]

I think we shouldn't underestimate the power of tradition in such designs. Maybe they just thought that the proper Kukri did not have a guard, and that was that. We sometimes tend to emphasize function over form too much in our modern thinking and I feel like that this wasn't always the case in the past. Just think about all the complex rituals that humans elaborated over time that don't seem to fill any particularly functionally advantageous role (practical or spiritual). I really believe some things were done because it was the "right" and traditional way to do it, even if not the most functional.

[@Dimetropteryx]

Agreed. The notch on the kukri is a prime example. It has no identifiable function, but people still insist that a kukri should have one.

[@texasbeast239]

If you can opt for a model that has a hand guard and works for thrusting, why ever pass it up? Better to have and not need, than to need and not have.

[@finalbossd]

There could be a trade off for some designs. Some of the knives for rescue teams have a flat, almost pry bar shaped tip. Also, hand guard can make certain grips of the knife harder to use for fine detail work. Finally, there’s always some concealment factor. Large guards are a pain to conceal. Still, my favorite knife is a Bowie knife with a sharpened clip point, which is a good all around tool.

[@KuK137]

Because hand guard is heavier, less comfortable to wear on your belt, if small it doesn't protect from much anyway, adds cost and manufacturing time, etc, etc?

[@loganfong2911]

However, you always lose something by having some other things. In this case, cost, weight and bulkiness may all come into play.

[@oskarhaggmark5208]

I love Mat!

[@WhatIfBrigade]

Another thought on Kukri handguards: might be easier for certain styles of sheathes.

[@lunarmodule6419]

Interesting. Thx

[@texasbeast239]

Glock Gen 3 and Gen 4 handguns feature finger grooves on the front of their grips to help keep a shooter's hand solidly planted on the grip when the gun recoils and the muzzle rises. Personally, I love this feature. But the Gen 5 omits such grooves, supposedly because of lots of complaints. Also, on the rear of gun handgrips towards the top, there is often a pronounced curved feature called a beaver tail, which helps to keep the webbing of a shooter's hand (between the thumb and index finger) from creeping up and connecting with the gun's slide or hammer.

[@warshipsatin8764]

it seems perfectly reasonable to change the design of a tool to make it more practical for your intended use. isnt that pretty much how weapons and tools have evolved throughout history?

[@azrasashima3733]

when u swing it, ur hand slides down which is why it has a wide bottom on the handle. hand guards come into play for 2 things, ur hand slipping forward during thrusts, and when an enemy blade can entangle urs, namely in the bind where both fighters are feeling out the opponent.

[@George_M_]

I'd rather have something to keep my hand from slipping onto the blade than not. Even if it's just the hook thing on a kopis or silly disk on the katana. Speaking of the tsuba, hand guards have other non-blocking uses like helping drawing.

[@shovelchop81bikeralex52]

I've got a kukri with a Confederate style brass D-guard, I bought it because I love D-guards (and Kukris) so it's an interesting large fighting knife, good transition piece from a D-guard collection to a kukri collection on display or visa versa! LOL.

[@darionietlispach2470]

im watching the video on mute with subtitles because im not allowed to wear headphones during nightwatch at the hospital and i have to say those cookeries and the nipple army that used them sure sound interesting xD

[@Theduckwebcomics]

Kopises and falcattas have handguards and they're basically the same kind of knife so obviously the form and the use of the knife absolutely does not preclude the use of a guard, only the specific traditional Nepalese way of using it.

[@kccarnine2124]

An incredible story from WWII was when the Germans holed up in the basements of a bombed out city. The task of uprooting them was given to the Ghurkas, who cleared the basements one-by-one with grenades and kukris.

[@etiennesauve3386]

I think it's interresting to look at the Kopis too. The shape of the blade is similar but it has some kind of minimal hand protection.

[@mrkiky]

Hey kukri owners, I'm trying to forge a kukri, but I never actually held one in my hand and I'm pretty confused about the grind. It would be great if someone who owns one (preferably as close to authentic as possible) could answer a few questions: 1) How thick is the spine? 2) Does it have any distal taper? 3) How far does the primary bevel extend beyond the cutting edge, also is there a secondary bevel? 4) Does the angle of the primary bevel vary from the hilt to the tip or is it constant? (sorry for being off topic, but this is the most recent kukri related video with the best chance of viewers who know what they're talking about)

[@Sugardaddy501]

He has a video on it as do lindebage.

[@KartarNighthawk]

As someone whose studies have included a lot of examination of West Africa, most of the swords and knives you see there don't have handguards--most likely because you wouldn't go charging in with blade in hand until after showers of poisoned arrows and javelins (not to mention cavalry charges) had broken the enemy ranks. Swords and knives being pursuit weapons, handguards were pretty unnecessary, at least on the curved swords (the straight swords imported from the Berbers have handguards).

[@frankgonzalez3822]

If you change the shape of the handle to smooth (remove the ring), then a hand guard could be a good idea. On my personal khukuri, I sanded down the part of the ring that goes into my palm and left most of the ring that my fingers lock into.

[@jongustavsson5874]

I would say a hand guard is a good idea period. Even if it's not strictly needed, added protection from cutting your own fingers off is never a bad idea.

[@choiettech]

Could you do a video on how you could use very short two handed swords, like some dadao, the "ko-katana" And the Maciejowski Bible Falchion?

[@raphlvlogs271]

D guards were also found on later period Shaskas.

[@Rinocapz]

Next video: adding points on slashing weapons. You can use that kukri again

[@Adam_okaay]

Question about handguard evolution. Do you think it's possible that the popularity of wearing Arming Doublets in civilian attire during the 14th and 15th century, due to it insinuating plate harness ownership, could have inadvertently led to the development of complex hilts? Given that arming doublets were rather protective against chops and cuts, do you think that they influenced civilian sword designs to focus more on thrusting and quick tip-centric cuts? Leading to a focus on quick strikes targeting the hands as a means to disable the opponent, rather than the arms or torso, so much so that fencers and duelists began requesting more hand protection from swordmakers, thus driving the development of complex hilts. I find it very hard to believe that crossguards were the limit of hilt complexity due to a lack of capability rather than a lack of necessity..

[@DerrillGuilbert]

IANAA (I Am Not An Archeologist), but the bits of history I've read about would suggest that things like what you describe are exactly the kinds of reasons things happen - although there's almost certainly additional steps and factors involved.

[@dmill6103]

I request more videos on the Scottish big knife the Dirk being included in topics such as this! And not the post Jacobite era "men's jewelry" types but pre 1740s, but whatever you do keep all this up WITHIN CONTEXT 😎

[@dmill6103]

Especially considering the dirks seem to be specifically stabbing weapons and don't usually have any kind of guard on them

[@mormengil]

Just one point really, you might know exactly how a weapon is meant to be used and have trained extensively to use it that way, but circumstances around you change, and that way of using it might not be the best idea any more :)

[@etherealicer]

Yeah, or if your primary training teaches you a different grip, it might also be hard to remember the right technique in a stressful situation. And if you have trained stabbing, chances are you will stab with a kukri too (even if you theoretically know how to use the kukri).

[@markfergerson2145]

Aligns nicely with my experience using and thinking about the design of knives. Any thoughts as to why the bolster/ferrule at the front of the handle has those angles? I can't think of a kukhri I've ever seen that deviated from that. It's not as if the mouth of the sheath is typically angled to match those on the bolster/ferrule, as we see in a lot of European designs. Is it purely for looks, to make the transitions from the diameter of the handle to the width of the blade less abrupt? I mean, the front of the handle could as easily be flat to match the mouth of the sheath and a non-angled bolster/ferrule would be simpler to make.

[@Si74l0rd]

All I can say is that it's been like that for hundreds of years. The form of the blade changes from region to region, but the components are the same throughout. I have a couple of Georgian period ceremonial "Villager" Kukris, which have the same style of bolster, and indeed the same construction methods were used, as far as I can tell. Using pitch to mount the horn handle over the tang, as is still done by proper kami's. The handle is intended to be replaceable, so the bolster might just be a placeholder to fit it up against when rehandling. The bolster is usually brazed on and fixed to the blade, where the handle just surrounds the tang and the pitch fills the gaps around the tang to support the horn handle, then the end cap is peened on and squeezes the handle between the bolster and bottom diamond shaped plate buttcap on most Nepalese Kukris. I have more modern villager "tool" Kukris, with a horn handle and a centre drilled horn buttcap just peened on. No extra decoration, and in a much plainer sheath with just some embossing on the leather and a little leather button that's affixed to a leather cord encircling the sheath, which presumably interacts with a sash, belt or other item of clothing, as it didn't have a proper frog. That one is my go to Kukri for bushcraft stuff, an amazingly well made tool, and the horn handle is slightly textured so it's super grippy in the hand.

[@WarpathActual]

Matt... You don't think handguards started out as something "extra" and unnecessary? Hell we went from essentially no hand protection through Roman times to swords with basket hilts.... The first nagle added to a messer was probably considered unnecessary by elitists who considered the designer a noob...

[@darthkek1953]

He said it, they're not as necessary on short weapons.

[@shinobisauren]

I mean, with a kukri that's used as a chopping or cutting tool and most kukris I've handled at least having handles you aren't going to slip up and over anyway, it can very much be extra and unnecessary, that doesn't make it anything negative per se until it starts interfering with something else. If you are not (primarily) intending for your knife to be a fighting knife but a utility tool you carry around all day, I could see not having extra bits stick out as an advantage in ease of carry. Even if you intend to chop or slash a handguard isn't going to do that much unless it's big enough to get cumbersome to carry in which case it's trade-off and I don't see anyone carrying a utility knife with a basket hilt. Different tools/weapons are designed with often quite specific uses, usually something evolves some way for a reason (although of course sometimes that reason is just 'tradition'), but if the handguard is meant to be a practical thing and it's practical function is either not needed or fulfilled by other aspects of the design, it is 'extra' or 'unnecessary' by definition of what 'extra' and 'unnecessary' mean.

[@tl8211]

The world changed. Swords aren't practical weapons these days, innovation doesn't make that much sense in traditional weapons.

[@darthkek1953]

@@tl8211 some modern army rifles still have bayonet attachments (e.g. SA80) and soldiers still carry knives which they have used in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq when lines get overrun. Modern army knives are just iterations of the bollock dagger itself an iteration of the seax.

[@WarpathActual]

@@tl8211 yes the world changes. Im glad no one ever added an optic to a pistol. For such a close range, short weapon it is definitely not necess....

[@joeyvanhaperen7715]

Okey matt I finnely know what the nodge on the kukri blade is for. I asked a store owner from nepal that was selling kukri's and he told me this. The shape of the nodge resembles a cows hoef this is that shap for religies reasons. For why it's there if blood drips down the blade it won't be able to reach the hand cause it will drop from the nodge instead of comming down to the hand making the handel slippery. Sow it's to keep your hand clean and there for a better grip while fighting. He also told me why cows are holly in hindoe relligion and it's the most adorable thing ever. Since the cow gives them Milk to drink they see it as like there second mother, ain't that the sweetest thing you ever heard? I hoop it inriches your live like it did mine. 😉

[@Si74l0rd]

Seems like the Kukris available from Atlanta are Windlass, which makes them Indian made, not Nepalese Kami made. Part of the Indian armoury clear out and bulk importation into America couple decades ago, by the look of them. They do have provenance, just not the right type for me, personally. I'd be interested in antique, vintage or one off Nepalese Kukris, but I prefer the unusual villager Kukris as a general rule. For display purposes they're so much more interesting to look at than the military issue ones. I do wish they offered a custom dimension sheath, but again the sheathes are modern recreations imported from India and not made to measure the blades themselves. I might have a punt on one of the longleaf sheaths as I have a couple of similar size and shape bare blades. My lingam longs for a nice tight fitting yoni!

[@chetan.gondaliya]

Hey Matt, you shoud've mention Tulwar or Khanda Hilt indian Khukries in this video as "Khukries with Guard"...

[@raptorrogue4227]

I so wanna see some sirupate khukuri tutorials and flows.

[@adambielen8996]

I was wondering if you could make a video on dual wielding Rapiers, which gets shown in some treatises (or were they sidesword?).

[@boogboog8097]

Always thought of it as primarily a tool which could be a weapon if needed.

[@turbografx16]

@scholagladiatoria Do you know in which other video you talked about the Victorian kukri with the guard?

[@leemcgann6470]

Me, being a huge fan of the Bowie… my taste leans towards having a guard. I have used a traditional kukri as a tool & enjoyed its practicality. I just like a guard. Specifically an S guard 🤷🏼‍♂️ I’ve even taken a machete & modified it it to look like a big Bowie 😁

[@anantasheshanaga3666]

I've seen images of Khukris with Talwar handles.

[@vikasg989]

Sir, could you explain the anatomy details of the weapon and the metal composition too please?

[@danielking8862]

I always wonder about this, I have a machete that needs a new handle and considered adding a guard of some description at the same time, possibly a d guard or bowl guard, essentially becoming a short fat cutlass. I'm interested in Haitian machete, but find the lack of hand protection disconcerting, perhaps the addition of a guard would allow for a more European fighting style to be used such as William Pringle Green.

[@michaelsexton70]

@6:35 you mention Talwars. I decided to Google Talwar and what poppped up? Directly above the Wikipedia link to "Talwar" was a thumbnail of your face and a link to your June 27, 2019 video on the Talwar. I took a screenshot lol

[@eoagr1780]

I have an old machete with a small “hand guard” more like a small quillon between the grip and the true edge, but not in the back. I have no idea why.

[@SuperOtter13]

Is it from Mexico by chance? I have seen many machetes from there that have hand guards and or sword like hilts

[@ice4cow]

Although I understand that implement can be used as it is originally, there is no reason to believe that it can't be improved. I would want a handguard just as ancient man wanted to socket a spear instead of just tying it to the shaft - it's safer that way. Proving that it's possible to use an implement is not a proof that it can't be improved.

[@quintoblanco8746]

A khukuri is a heavy knife and the most comfortable way to carry it, is to tuck it under a sash. Add a handguard and the guard is going to poke you in your belly and/or in your side. These knives are tools first. That's the problem with 'improving' things that haven't been changed for centuries. People have settled on a design for a reason. I don't have a problem with a khukuri with a guard, but I would not want to own one. A bowie knife is designed in a specific way where a guard makes sense. A khukuri is desigend without a guard, because that also makes sense.

[@johanmetreus1268]

@@quintoblanco8746 , whether or not a handguard would poke you or not depends entirely one the construction o0f it. For instance a small D-ring on the knuckle-side (pointing outwards from belly when the knife is worn in the sash) between blade and handle would add the desired slip-protection without effecting functionality in a radical way. Sometimes people settle on a certain design is due to tradition rather than an argumentable reason

[@quintoblanco8746]

@@johanmetreus1268 That argument only works if additional slip protection is important. And with traditional machete-like swords and heavy choppers with angled blades it's not. As somebody who has done a lot of work with a klewang, I have never had a moment where I thought: I need a guard, even when using the point. Some klewangs have decent anti-slipping protection without a guard (the shape and texture of the hilt) , but even the klewangs that don't, can be used safely under normal conditions. The same applies to khukuris. I can see the benefit of a guard for a dedicated weapon, but at that point I would want more than slip protection and the 'pokes in the side' argument would apply. Th Dutch army used klewangs with a saber hilt. less convenient to carry around, but a good weapon.

[@johanmetreus1268]

@@quintoblanco8746 I don't know if you are familiar with the traditional Swedish mora-knife style, but that originally did not have any slip protection either: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mora_knife First addition was just a short metal bar protruding between the handle and the edge, later included in the mould for the plastic handles of today. There wasn't really a *need* for them, but the extra level of protection was on the other hand very cheap to add, and didn't effect the function so it remain a standard today. The point is that if something is made slightly better without any real cost (price, weight, function) added, you now have to find arguments against simply adding it as a standard.

[@quintoblanco8746]

@@johanmetreus1268 I have been using Mora knives for the last 10 years and own several Mora knives. The Mora Kansbol, Mora Companion, and the Mora Garberg do not have a guard, instead the shape of the handle gives some protection against slippage when stabbing, but the bulge near the blade is not as pronounced as on the Mora Bushcraft. This is very similar to khukuris and other traditional knives without a guard. The shape of the handle offers protection, no guard needed. The large surface area of the hilt of a khukuri and the ring in the middle give decent protection against slippage. Side note: here's an interesting test. Even without a ring, your hand is unlikely to slip if the handle is large. You can safely test this with an axe handle. Get a short axe handle and stab a wall. Conversely, a small bulge (or a small guard) doesn't offer great protection when the handle doesn't offer a good grip if your hand slams against it. The hand can open, slide past the small guard, and an injury is likely. This is why a handle that allows for a good grip is important.

[@aggroalex5470]

I will put hand guards on car steering wheels at positions 10 and 2. Only on fiats though for safety.

[@budahbaba7856]

I would posit that the reason a kukri does not need a hand guard is because it is optimized for a surprise, mortal strike. What happens after that is left to Gods mercy! EDIT: Matt, & i listened to the whole thing, & no, you didn't fail to mention "context" in the video! Love to you my friend! :)

[@adrianjagmag]

If only some Indian Gorkha regiments still had a direct training lineage to the 1800s oh well ;) ... secondly we literally have direct quotes from the 1800s saying khukuri were most definitely used to stab (so much so they were many times leading with the stab, stab, not thrust in the western sense), I would share them but I'm sure can find them yourself, the wound channel of the khukuri is so large that it most definitely does the job in the stab even with a few inches of penetration, in which case over penetration and jamming is a very real issue.

[@andersbenke3596]

Perhaps the kukri notch was partially a fail safe, in case the handle midrib didn't stop the hand from riding up? A rather painful fail safe, mind you, but it might just work.

[@thatguybrody4819]

It was mainly to deburr and sharpen your small skinning knife you would have with you when hunting.

[@user-ns5yy4px3u]

can you make a video on the spetsnaz machete, the soviet “taiga” i believe its called

[@badnewsBH]

Makes sense, Matt. The weapon/tool probably didn't get the form that it has by accident.

[@ChefBoyhardpeen]

What kind of shield would they be used with?

[@raphlvlogs271]

Were there pole arm versions of the kukri?

[@Adam_okaay]

Fauchard is the closest thing I can think of.

[@shawnwolf5961]

I just like the guard because it looks better. It might not be historical, but it does have a nicer aesthetic, I think.

[@MendocinoMotorenWerk]

The rib on the grip is a classic case of Chesterton's fence [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._K._Chesterton#Chesterton's_fence]: If you don't understand why it's there, don't remove it.

[@rhabdob3895]

I want a guard between the wood and the sharp.

[@karthikeyan-ii8cc]

Kukris do need handguns and slip guards at bottom handle part. It makes w ridiculously functional superb weapon

[@sirfith]

Where can I get kukri with a spiked knuckle guard? ;) Cold Steel Chaos Kukri

[@stanlim9182]

I noticed there’s a bunch of katanas hanging in the background

[@not-a-theist8251]

love kukris

[@TheChompaz]

What about Lurtz' (LOTR) bow with things that look like axe heads on front of it? Since Matt did the Aragorn vs Lurtz fight review he must love LOTR....

[@falconole8633]

I like the stabby kukri

[@longpinkytoes]

this really reminds me of the hubris of western boat builders that seem to think they can make a proa but 'do it better' xD

[@samdog166]

Is that a bottle opener just above the handle?

[@peterwall8191]

6:25 If you do not know ask! You do have Nepalese nationals in England, some quite famous i believe. Look them up, see what they have to say.

[@GTMarmot]

I don't think anyone wants to open that Pandora's box. It's like being in Africa and finding your nearest Englishman, to ask him how Morris dancing is done. You will end up with some guy in a costume saying he's the last grandmaster of Morris dancing, appearing on TV shows, doing the Cornish twist and the Manchester step, citing oral tradition all the way, and nobody will be able to second guess his BS. If you open yourself up to be conned, a conman will appear.

[@peterwall8191]

@@GTMarmot I agree, yet an archeologist, with an expertise in weapons, is hard to con.

[@TristanMorrow]

Is there a difference between hand guards to keep others from slicing you, and handguards to keep your hand on the handle? (and not slide up onto the slicy bit?)

[@quintoblanco8746]

Size. If the only purpose of a guard is to prevent the hand sliding onto the blade, a small guard is preferred because it's more convenient when carrying the sword/knife and a small guard makes it easier to give the weapons a better balance.

[@Si74l0rd]

@@quintoblanco8746 And for finger protection you only need a guard on the edge side. For hand protection you'd prefer to have the back of the hand and wrist to have some protection too. Though symmetrical guards generally have a better aesthetic.

[@quintoblanco8746]

@@Si74l0rdA symmetrical guard is a good thing when using an icepick grip, especially if it's impossible or impractical to put a thumb on the end of the grip. There are downsides to a disc guard, but as somebody who has been on boats a lot, I would actually like to own a tool knife with a disc guard. I used to own a knife with a 'nagel' guard and it was extremely comfortable to work with in the rain or when waves were hitting the boat, while holding the knife in an icepick grip.

[@helifanodobezanozi7689]

Looks like they just basically inadvertently turned a Khukri into a Filipino bolo.

[@davidpowell5437]

Makes sense to me! Matt, if I may go off at a tangent, Did you ever come to any conclusions about that little cut out just in front of the hilt?

[@markfergerson2145]

Oh, boy. People have been arguing about the purpose of the cho for a very long time. Worse, AIUI even the peoples who make and use them tend to say that its origin and purpose have been lost *to them*.

[@Si74l0rd]

@@markfergerson2145 Agreed. I've read up extensively, including interviews with modern Kami's, and their theories are pretty much the same. What it isn't, is a blood groove to stop blood running onto the handle. As the ceremonial villager Kukris I have, which date to the late 1600s early 1700s have a cho in the same style, it's certainly something that was an original feature of the blade at that point. Those blades fulfilled a ceremonial role, rather than a battle role, though at nearly a metre long and almost 2cm thickness on the spine they do look like hero weapons lol. The intended use was beheading a sacrificial animal for ceremonial purposes, to bring the village a good harvest, hence the size and mass. As I understand it, if the sacrificial animal was beheaded in a single blow it boded well for the village. The particular villages mine came from originally must have had huge dudes to wield them, as I barely can! You could take a leg off at the thigh no problem if you had the strength to control it. Sadly as far as I'm aware there isn't a definitive answer to the purpose of the Cho. But it's been part of the blade form for hundreds of years, and was likely to have some sacred significance.

[@markfergerson2145]

@@Si74l0rd Thanks for all of that- it verifies what I've heard and read. Maybe you can help me with something; I bought a sirupate at a yard sale that has a closed cho, no notch. What's the deal with that? Or is that something else lost o time?

[@stinkyfinn6977]

Everyone knows it's a sight for when you throw it like a boomerang 🤣

[@andypanda4927]

Well, for a thrusting blade, IMO, doing w/o handguard contra-indicated, usually. Given a well made & designed hilt (heft on swords?), vanguard may be a hindrance (snagging or extraneous weight?). Given a focus for a utiltarian tools, never, personally,saw handguards as needed. Still, do see point for having one as a weapon. Just my ignorant $0.02 worth.

[@jongustavsson5874]

As a hunter I prefer hand guards on my knives. Wet grips do tend to get quite slippery, and I like my fingers attached to my hands.

[@LuxisAlukard]

Weapons don't need hand guards - people do!

[@inregionecaecorum]

At some point it is simply a matter of aesthetics and what looks cool and that is not a new thing by any means, people are always going to tweak and improve on a thing. if you have the skill to do it, and some time then why not.

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

Probably kukri was originally for sacrificing animal and tool

[@mehwhatever9726]

The worst fantasy concept for a weapon so far would be double-bladed sword (Aka darth maul sword), but I wonder if there could exist a context in which this kind of design would be practical.

[@chadfalardeau5396]

He wields it more like a ataff

[@b.h.abbott-motley2427]

Sword blades are perhaps excessive, but various spears & lances with a sharp point on each end saw use historically. A modest blade on each end of a staff seems fine.

[@jintsuubest9331]

Best case scenario you get naginata type weapon with a very short pointy bit for jabbing on the other end. You have to realized you can only point one end at the enemy. If your front and back is compromised at the same time, you are screw regardless the weapon. Sword staff type weapon are specialized stuff for warfare. Best case scenario of having 2 ends is extra useless weight, with hampering the usefulness of the weapon being a worst case scenario.

[@b.h.abbott-motley2427]

@@jintsuubest9331 The half pike or hunting staff, with a sharp point on each end, was perhaps more of a civilian weapon than a military one. (Other double-pointed spears & lances were more military weapons.) One 17th-century manual describes how to use it to hold off lots of folks with swords, with broad similarities to the montante employed for the same purpose. The points on these weapons were pretty short, but I bet a version with somewhat larger & bladed points would be fine. It presumably wouldn't be better & might well be worse overall, but still ok. Anything with two big blades & a short grip would probably be overly awkward. Thought Shad's video on the subject indicates it's not actually that bad.

[@tech9auto223]

I have cut myself quite badly my thumb and fore finger whilst using it in self defence due to adrenaline and blood didn't realise how bad and unbelievably what was a solid blade was completely bent twisted due to the force exerted in this life and death struggle so yes a hand gaurd is a good idea without one your going to cut yourself most killers caught that used a knife have self inflicted wounds

[@creamofthecrop6743]

It’s skalligrims fault he’s a celebrity in the sword community (so are you) and he used to emphasize the importance of hand guards and that has a massive impact on the sword community Ps I have a custom katana from hanbon and it’s tsuba is large enough (roughly 9cm in diameter) that it covers my whole hand well enough to stop a blade from sliding down into my hand in a theoretical bind. I have pretty small hands for a guy though and I doubt that it would cover most people’s hands

[@Dimetropteryx]

Sounds like you're just trying to stir shit.

[@creamofthecrop6743]

@@Dimetropteryx okay my wording on it being Skalligrims “fault” was bad but I’ve been watching him for 5 years now and he used to emphasize guards a lot. he doesn’t do it anymore, I’m just commentating that his presence is large enough in this community to effect a lot of peoples opinions. Matt and Shad also have a lot of influence too. I myself hopped on to the katana’s aren’t cool/good band wagon because of his influence. Even though he actually mentioned that he doesn’t want to effect other people’s opinions and interests. If you’re referring to the hand guard I talked about, I was only mentioning that mine is oddly large. But since you mentioned the stirring of shit I’m going to mention that I think Shadiversity acts like he knows more than he does and I take everything he says with a grain of salt especially after I found out he deleted counter arguments on his nunchuck videos. (Edit) Don’t get me wrong I do think that nunchucks are pretty stupid and most of Shad’s points make sense. But his attitude doesn’t reflect his lack of experience compared to Skalligrim, Metatron and Especially Matt.

[@Dimetropteryx]

@@creamofthecrop6743 I was referring to you bringing Skall into this at all. His influence is limited to a fraction of his viewers and he certainly has no influence over knife makers. Historical, current or future.

[@creamofthecrop6743]

@@Dimetropteryx yeah I took what he said about modern bias out of context and thought he was referring to KZbin/internet perceptions of hand guards and blew it out of proportion.

[@thomasmadden4949]

I have a kukri so sharp it partly cut it's leather scabbard.

[@andrewhoward7200]

Not much call for the traditional application of a Kukri in Reigate these days-although that may well change.