Hand-Forged 3 Chirra Beast Kukri/Khukuri, Configurable Build

A Hand-Forged 3 Chirra Beast Kukri/Khukuri, Built the Way You Want It

Choose the blade finish, the fittings, the handle, the scabbard colour and whether to add the karda and chakmak — then we forge that exact khukuri. Every selection updates the preview on screen. There are 864 possible builds, each one a piece our smiths in Kathmandu make routinely, and you can add a display stand.

Underneath every combination is the same heavy working blade: 12 inches of hand-forged 5160 spring steel with three chirras — fullers — running along the spine, the cho notch at the base, and a panawal handle with the scales riveted through a full tang. It is a kukri/khukuri built for real work: chopping, splitting, clearing and camp tasks, day after day.

Your Choices

Blade length and construction are fixed on this pattern. For anything outside these options, use our custom forge service.

What Is a 3 Chirra Kukri/Khukuri?

Chirra is the Nepali word for the grooves forged along a kukri/khukuri blade — what a swordsmith would call fullers. A 3 chirra khukuri carries three of them running side by side along the spine. They are not decoration and they are not blood grooves: taking steel out along the flat lightens the blade while the ridges between the grooves keep it stiff, so a heavy chopping khukuri stays quicker in the hand than its size suggests. Our guide to how fullers work explains the principle in full.

The Beast pairs those three chirras with a broad, forward-weighted belly for chopping, the cho notch that marks every genuine kukri/khukuri, and a panawal handle — scales riveted through a full-width tang, with a lanyard hole at the butt. Panawal construction is the answer to the most common failure on cheap kukris, where a thin tang glued into a solid handle works loose under hard use.

Which Blade Finish Suits a Working Khukuri?

Fittings and Handle

The fittings are the bolster at the join of blade and handle and the cap at the butt. Silver-tone is a bright white metal that stays bright longest; brass is warm gold and the traditional partner for rosewood; copper is warmer and redder and darkens fastest.

Rosewood is our standard handle: dense, stable and sure in the wet. Whitewood gives a pale grip that contrasts with a dark blade. Buffalo horn is glossy black and takes a deep polish, but is the least forgiving of very dry heated rooms. The three two-material grips pair contrasting sections along the handle for a two-tone look; because two materials wear at slightly different rates, the softer section shows handling marks first on a hard-worked khukuri.

Scabbard, Karda and Chakmak

Every scabbard is a traditional dap: a carved wooden core shaped to the blade, wrapped in leather. Black and brown hide field dirt best; red, green and blue make a statement; white is the most striking and shows wear soonest.

Add the karda and chakmak and two companion pieces ride in pockets on the back of the scabbard. The karda is a small utility knife for the fine work a heavy khukuri is too large for, such as carving, skinning and food preparation. The chakmak is a blunt, hardened steel used to burnish and straighten the edge in the field. Leave them out for a lighter, simpler carry.

Why the Beast Works

Standard Build Specification

Blade, handle and overall length are fixed on this pattern and do not change with your selections. Weight varies slightly with handle material and rises a little with the karda and chakmak. Because every piece is hand-forged, small variation in weight, dimensions and finish is normal.

An Honest Note on the Beast

An honest note. Three things worth saying plainly. First, this is a heavy khukuri — around 796 grams for a 12-inch blade. That weight is what makes it chop, and it is also what you will feel after an hour of work; if you want a lighter khukuri to carry all day, our configurable sirupate is the slim, fast pattern. Second, the silver-tone fittings are a bright white metal, not sterling silver. Third, 5160 is not stainless. It will rust if left wet or stored in its scabbard; keep it lightly oiled. The softer spine is deliberate: it can take a light dent where a fully hardened blade might crack.

How Your Order Is Made

Caring for Your Kukri/Khukuri

Wipe the blade dry after use, paying attention to the chirras, where sap and moisture sit longest. Keep a light film of oil on the steel in storage, and do not leave the khukuri in its scabbard for long periods, because the leather and wooden core hold moisture against the steel. When you sheathe it, put the khukuri in first and the karda and chakmak in last; a full pocket pressing on the scabbard can make the khukuri tight to draw. If the dap feels tight over time, wood shavings cut from the core by the edge are the usual cause, and tipping the scabbard out clears them. Our kukri/khukuri maintenance guide covers sharpening and storage in more detail.

Shipping, Returns and Warranty

Every piece is prepared at the forge in seven to ten days, and shipping adds a further seven to ten days. Orders to the USA and Canada travel with FedEx; everywhere else ships on a DDP service, which means duties and taxes are settled before the parcel moves so there is nothing to pay on delivery. Every piece carries the Everest Forge manufacturer warranty against defects in forging and heat treatment. Because a configured khukuri is made to your specification, it falls outside our standard returns window except where the blade is faulty — full terms are on our shipping and returns page. Import rules on edged blades vary by country and are the buyer's responsibility to check before ordering.

Explore More Everest Forge Blades

Questions About the 3 Chirra Beast Kukri/Khukuri