- Model: official issue kukri
- Product Code: officialkhukuri002
- Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Available Options
The Service No.1 Rosewood Working Khukuri — Full-Tang, Steel-Riveted, Rosewood-Handle Variant of the BSI Service Kukri Built for Working Use
The Service No.1 Rosewood Working Kukri — also called the Wooden Handle Service No.1 Khukuri or the Working Variant Service No.1 — is the working-grade construction variant of the British Brigade of Gurkhas Service No.1 issue khukuri. Same 10.5-inch polished BSI Service No.1 blade as the standard duty issue, same Kami caste smiths — but with two structural upgrades that make it the variant for buyers who plan to use the khukuri rather than display it: full-tang construction with steel rivets (replacing the traditional rat-tail tang of the standard issue) and polished rosewood handle (replacing the buffalo horn of the parade-issue spec).
Where the standard horn-handle BSI Service No.1 is the parade and duty issue (rat-tail tang, buffalo horn, as carried at enlistment), this rosewood working khukuri is the construction-upgraded version for active outdoor use, bushcraft, batoning, and hard chopping work. Same $89.99 price as the standard issue — but built for buyers whose use case is the khukuri in hand, not on a wall.
- Blade: 10.5" polished 5160 high-carbon spring steel, water-tempered (same as standard Service No.1)
- Handle: 5" full-tang polished rosewood with steel rivets
- Tang: Full tang (not rat-tail) — structural upgrade over standard issue
- Total length: 16.5"
- Weight: ~700g with scabbard
- Scabbard: Cotton-covered buffalo leather over wood core, hand-stitched
- Included: Karda (utility knife) + Chakmak (sharpener)
- Forged by: Kami caste smiths, Tokha-3 Kathmandu, Nepal
Why This Variant Exists — The Construction Upgrade Story
The standard BSI Service No.1 was designed in the 1980s as a parade-and-issue blade. Its construction reflects that role: rat-tail tang (lighter, easier to forge), buffalo horn handle (traditional, polishes well for inspection). For parade duty, regimental presentation, and the symbolic carry that defines the soldier's enlistment-issue khukuri, that construction is correct.
But not every buyer of a Service No.1 is buying it for parade. Many serving and retired Gurkhas — and a much larger pool of veterans, collectors, and outdoor users worldwide — want a Service No.1 khukuri they can actually use. Working chopping, batoning, bushcraft, hunting camp utility, overland kit. For those use cases, the standard construction has two weak points:
- Rat-tail tang. The rat-tail is a narrow rod of steel running through the handle to the pommel. It's strong enough for traditional Nepalese working khukuri use, but under sustained heavy chopping or batoning by a Western-style hard user, the tang can loosen over time. Full-tang construction — where the steel extends the full width and length of the handle — distributes stress across the entire handle, not just a central rod.
- Buffalo horn handle. Horn is beautiful and traditional, but it can chip on heavy impact, loses character with hard outdoor use, and isn't easy to replace if damaged. Rosewood is denser, takes impact better without showing cosmetic damage, and ages with character through working use rather than being damaged by it.
The Rosewood Working khukuri addresses both. Full-tang with steel rivets locks the handle to the blade with mechanical fasteners (not just glue and friction). Rosewood handle absorbs working use without showing the wear that horn does. The blade itself is unchanged — same 10.5" BSI Service No.1 spec, same metallurgy, same forge — but the handle assembly is engineered for hard use rather than parade.
For buyers who want the authentic BSI Service No.1 pattern AND the construction durability to actually use it, this is the variant.
How the Rosewood Working Variant Fits in the Service No.1 Family
The Service No.1 pattern is the foundational Brigade of Gurkhas kukri. Everest Forge now offers seven configurations of the Service No.1 — the most comprehensive Service No.1 range available from any single forge. Each configuration serves a different role:
- Standard BSI Service No.1 — buffalo horn handle, rat-tail tang, brown buffalo leather scabbard. The duty and parade issue, as carried since enlistment. $94.99
- Service No.1 Gripper Handle — contoured buffalo horn with finger indexing, rat-tail tang. Working/duty variant preferred by long-service Gurkhas. $99.99
- Service Ceremonial Dress Knife — mirror-polished, patent leather scabbard, brass fittings. Ceremonial parade variant. $99.99
- Service No.1 Peace Keeper — whitewood handle, white buffalo leather scabbard. UN peacekeeping protocol variant. $99.99
- Service No.1 Camouflage Issue — whitewood handle, camouflage cotton scabbard. Field-operational patrol variant. $99.99
- Service No.1 Yak Bone Handle — yak bone handle with white metal bolster, brown leather scabbard. Himalayan heritage premium variant. $99.99
- Service No.1 Rosewood Working (this listing) — full-tang rosewood with steel rivets, brown leather scabbard. The working-construction variant. $89.99
All seven share the same 10.5" BSI Service No.1 blade specification. Each differs in handle, scabbard, construction, and intended buyer. This Rosewood Working variant is unique in the family for two reasons: it's the only khukuri in this family with full-tang construction (the other six use rat-tail tang), and it's the only premium Service No.1 khukuri available at the standard issue $89.99 price (the other modified variants are $94.99–$99.99). For buyers who want construction upgrades without paying premium-handle prices, this is the variant.
Why This Specific Rosewood Working Khukuri
What separates the Everest Forge Rosewood Working Service No.1 from generic "wooden handle Gurkha kukri" listings:
Direct supply credential. Everest Forge supplied the BSI Service No.1 specification under the 2008 British Gurkha Army contract. The blade on this page is forged to that exact specification — by the same workshop and smiths who supplied the contract. The Rosewood Working construction is built on that BSI foundation, not a generic working kukri marketed as Service No.1.
Kami caste lineage. Our smiths are Kami — the hereditary blacksmith caste of Nepal that has forged kukris for the Gurkhas since the regiment's founding in 1815. Meet the smiths who forge every blade.
5160 spring steel, water-tempered. Differential hardness — edge 58–60 HRC, belly 45–46 HRC, spine 22–25 HRC. Identical metallurgy to the standard Service No.1 — the construction is upgraded, not the steel downgraded.
Genuine full-tang construction. The blade tang extends the full length and width of the handle, with rosewood scales mechanically fastened by steel rivets through the tang. This is structurally different from the rat-tail tang of standard Service No.1 issue — the same construction principle used on the AEOF Afghan Issue combat kukri and other modern combat-grade khukuris in our range.
Steel rivets, not glue alone. The handle scales are secured by visible steel rivets through the full-tang. Mechanical fastening locks the handle in place under heavy use — different from the friction-fit of rat-tail tang where the tang sits inside a drilled handle, secured only by peening at the pommel.
Polished rosewood. Hand-shaped, hand-polished Indian/Nepalese rosewood. Dense, warm reddish-brown grain. Ages with character through working use — develops a deeper polish from hand oil rather than showing cosmetic damage.
Free personalisation. Engrave a recruiting year, regiment, deployment marker, name, or family dedication. Up to ~30 characters. Free on every order. Common requests on this product specifically: recruiting year and country in the traditional Brigade format ("2008 / UK", "1995 / NEPAL"), regiment marker ("RGR" Royal Gurkha Rifles, "QGE" Queen's Gurkha Engineers, "QOGLR" Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment), retirement marker, name in English or Nepali Devanagari script.
Photo approval before dispatch. We photograph your finished khukuri — including the engraving — and send the images for your sign-off before shipping. If anything looks off, we re-forge.
30-day refund guarantee + DDP worldwide shipping. Duties and taxes paid upfront via DHL Express / FedEx. You pay one price; nothing more on arrival. Tracked door-to-door, typically 10–14 days from order to delivery.
Who Buys the Rosewood Working Service No.1
Working khukuri users — bushcrafters, hunters, overland travellers, survival-kit builders. The full-tang construction handles batoning and heavy chopping without loosening. The rosewood handle takes hard use without showing cosmetic damage. This is the Service No.1 khukuri in the configuration that actually works as a tool, not just a display piece.
Serving and retired Gurkhas wanting a working backup — soldiers who already own (or were issued) the standard horn-handle Service No.1 and want a variant they can use hard without worrying about the parade piece. Many Brigade veterans own both khukuris: standard horn for display, rosewood working for use.
Value-conscious buyers wanting Service No.1 authenticity — at $89.99, this is priced the same as the Standard BSI Service No.1, lower than every other Service No.1 family variant ($94.99–$99.99). Buyers who want authentic BSI Brigade khukuri lineage with working construction at the lowest price point in the family end up here.
Outdoor and tactical buyers comparing Cold Steel-style kukris — full-tang construction is the standard for Western tactical kukris (Cold Steel, Kabar, similar). The Rosewood Working Service No.1 offers the same construction standard with genuine BSI Brigade lineage behind it — competing on construction without sacrificing authenticity.
Buyers building the complete Service No.1 family — collectors aiming for all seven khukuri configurations (Standard, Gripper Handle, Dress Knife, Peace Keeper, Camouflage Issue, Yak Bone, Rosewood Working). The Rosewood Working completes the family as the "working construction" corner.
First-time Service No.1 buyers — those new to the Brigade kukri tradition who want their first Service No.1 to be one they can actually use rather than only display. At $89.99 with working-grade construction, this is the working buyer's entry point to the BSI khukuri family.
Full Specification
| Blade length | 10.5" (26.67 cm) |
|---|---|
| Total length | 16.5" (41.91 cm) — tip to pommel |
| Handle length | 5" (12.7 cm) — full tang |
| Steel | 5160 high-carbon spring steel, hand-forged |
| Heat treatment | Water-tempered for differential hardness |
| Blade hardness | Edge 58–60 HRC, Belly 45–46 HRC, Spine 22–25 HRC |
| Blade finish | Polished (identical to standard Service No.1 BSI specification) |
| Tang construction | Full tang with steel rivets (working-grade construction) |
| Handle material | Polished Indian/Nepalese rosewood, riveted to full tang |
| Scabbard | Cotton-covered buffalo leather over wood core, hand-stitched |
| Weight | ~700g (1.54 lb) with scabbard |
| Origin | Tokha-3, Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Production | Hand-forged after order (5–7 days forging time) |
Each khukuri is individually hand-forged and hand-finished. Minor variations in rosewood grain, rivet finish, and dimension are part of the craft.
What's Included
- Service No.1 Rosewood Working Kukri — polished 10.5" blade with full-tang rosewood handle and steel rivets
- Karda — small utility knife (traditional companion blade)
- Chakmak — sharpening steel / fire striker (traditional companion tool)
- Cotton-covered buffalo leather scabbard over wood core — hand-stitched, with karda + chakmak pockets
- Free text personalisation — up to ~30 characters, engraved on the blade
- Certificate of authenticity from Everest Forge
- Photo-approval images sent before dispatch
The Working Pair — Rosewood Working + Standard BSI
For Brigade veterans, collectors, and serious users building an authentic Service No.1 kit, the Rosewood Working pairs naturally with the Standard BSI as the use-vs-display pair. Both at $89.99 — together the most-bought combination in the Service No.1 khukuri family:
- Standard BSI Service No.1 — horn handle, rat-tail tang, brown leather scabbard. The display/parade/enlistment-issue variant ($89.99)
- Service No.1 Rosewood Working (this listing) — full-tang rosewood, brown leather scabbard. The working/use variant ($89.99)
Buy both together and we will engrave a matching motif (recruiting year, regiment, name) on each at no extra cost — same Brigade marker on the kukri you keep and the kukri you carry.
Import & Knife Law — Read Before Ordering
- UK: Curved blades over 50 cm fall under specific legislation. The Service No.1 blade is 26.67 cm — well under the limit — but carry in public requires lawful reason.
- Australia: Some states require permits for certain blade types. Check your state's edged-weapons schedule.
- USA: Federally legal for import as a knife. Carry and ownership rules vary by state and city — check local statutes.
- EU: Importable in most member states with applicable duties. We ship DDP (duties paid).
- Canada, NZ: Generally importable; carry rules vary by province/jurisdiction.
Related Khukuri Patterns
The Rosewood Working Service No.1 sits within the Service No.1 family alongside six sister variants. Buyers commonly compare or commission alongside:
- Standard BSI Service No.1 Kukri — traditional horn-handle duty issue ($94.99)
- Service No.1 Gripper Handle — working-grip variant with contoured horn ($99.99)
- Service Ceremonial Dress Knife — mirror-polished ceremonial parade variant ($99.99)
- Service No.1 Peace Keeper — whitewood-handle UN protocol variant ($99.99)
- Service No.1 Camouflage Issue — whitewood-handle field-operational variant ($99.99)
- Service No.1 Yak Bone Handle — Himalayan heritage premium variant ($99.99)
- Jungle PRI Training Kukri — the unpolished training/field counterpart to Service No.1 ($89.99)
- Official Afghan Issue Kukri — the AEOF combat variant, sister full-tang construction ($119.99)
- Browse all current-issue military khukuris
Want to understand the parts of a kukri? See our Kukri / Khukuri Terminology Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Service No.1 Rosewood Working Kukri?
It's the working-construction variant of the British Brigade of Gurkhas Service No.1 issue kukri. Same 10.5-inch polished BSI Service No.1 blade as the standard duty issue, same Kami caste smiths — but with two structural upgrades that make it suitable for actual working use: full-tang construction with steel rivets (instead of the traditional rat-tail tang) and polished rosewood handle (instead of buffalo horn). At $89.99, it's the same price as the standard issue but built for hard use rather than parade.
How is this different from the Standard BSI Service No.1?
Same blade specification (10.5" polished 5160 steel, water-tempered, BSI lineage), same forge, same Kami caste smiths, same price ($89.99). The differences are construction. The standard Service No.1 uses rat-tail tang construction with buffalo horn handle (traditional parade-issue spec). This Rosewood Working variant uses full-tang construction with steel rivets and rosewood handle (working-use construction). Same blade DNA, different construction reflecting the intended use case.
What is "full-tang" vs "rat-tail tang"?
Rat-tail tang means the steel of the blade extends as a narrow rod through the handle to the pommel, where it's peened (riveted) at the end. The handle material is drilled to accept this rod. It's the traditional Nepalese military construction — lighter, easier to forge — and structurally adequate for traditional Nepalese working use. Full-tang construction extends the steel as a full-width flat tang the length of the handle, with handle scales (rosewood in this case) mechanically fastened to either side of the tang with steel rivets. Full-tang distributes stress across the entire handle and is the standard for modern Western tactical knives. It's structurally stronger under heavy chopping, batoning, and impact use.
Why is this priced the same as the Standard BSI?
Both are $89.99 because both use the same blade specification and the same forging time. The construction differences (full-tang + rosewood + rivets vs rat-tail + horn) cost approximately the same to execute. The Standard BSI commands its price through the authenticity of as-issued specification; the Rosewood Working earns its price through working-grade construction. Different buyer use cases at the same price point.
Is this still an "official issue" Gurkha kukri?
The blade is forged to the BSI Service No.1 specification supplied to the British Gurkha Army under our 2008 contract. The Rosewood Working construction is a structural enhancement on that authentic BSI foundation rather than the as-issued spec. So: yes, it carries the same Brigade lineage as the standard Service No.1 (same blade specification by the same supply-contract forge), but it's not the literal as-issued construction. For buyers who want the strictly authentic as-issued spec, the standard horn-handle Service No.1 is the choice. For buyers who want the authentic BSI blade with construction durability for working use, this rosewood variant is the choice.
Will this hold up to heavy chopping and batoning?
Yes — the construction is specifically built for it. The full-tang locks the handle to the blade with mechanical fasteners (steel rivets) rather than the friction-fit of rat-tail tang. The rosewood handle absorbs impact without showing the chipping that horn can develop under hard use. This is the Service No.1 family variant for buyers who plan to use the kukri for batoning firewood, chopping vegetation, and similar heavy work.
What is the blade hardness (Rockwell)?
The blade is water-tempered for traditional differential hardness: edge 58–60 HRC for cutting performance, belly 45–46 HRC, spine 22–25 HRC for shock absorption. Identical zone hardening to the standard Service No.1 — the rosewood working construction changes the handle assembly, not the blade metallurgy.
Can I get a recruiting year, regiment, or name engraved?
Yes — free of charge. Add your engraving text at checkout. Up to approximately 30 characters. Common requests on the Rosewood Working: traditional Brigade recruiting year and country ("2008 / UK", "1995 / NEPAL"), regiment marker ("RGR" Royal Gurkha Rifles, "QGE" Queen's Gurkha Engineers, "QOGLR" Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment), deployment year, service span, retirement marker, name in English or Nepali Devanagari script. The engraving is applied by hand on the left side of the blade.
How does rosewood compare to buffalo horn as a handle material?
Different character, different use cases. Buffalo horn (used on the standard issue Service No.1) is denser, darker (typically brown-black), and traditional to BSI parade-issue spec. It polishes beautifully but can chip on heavy impact. Rosewood is warmer (reddish-brown grain), takes hard use without showing cosmetic damage, and develops character through field use. For parade and display, horn is the traditional choice; for working use, rosewood is the more durable choice.
What's included with the khukuri?
You receive the Service No.1 Rosewood Working Kukri, traditional Karda (small utility knife), Chakmak (sharpening steel), hand-stitched cotton-covered buffalo leather scabbard over wood core with karda/chakmak pockets, certificate of authenticity, and photo-approval images sent before dispatch.
How long until it ships, and how is it sent?
Forging takes 5–7 days from order. Shipping via DHL Express or FedEx International Priority, fully tracked, typically 5–7 days delivery. Total order-to-door: approximately 10–14 days. All shipments are DDP — duties and taxes paid upfront, nothing to pay on arrival.
Should I buy this or the Standard horn-handle BSI?
Depends on your use case. If you want the strictly as-issued enlistment-spec configuration for display, parade, or commemorative ownership, choose the Standard BSI Service No.1 (horn handle, rat-tail tang). If you plan to actually use the kukri for bushcraft, outdoor work, batoning, or hard chopping, choose this Rosewood Working variant (rosewood, full-tang, steel rivets). Many Brigade veterans buy both at checkout for matched-engraving display + working ownership.
| Specification | |
| Total Length: | 16.5 inches (41.91 cm) from tip to pommel. |
| B Length: | 10.5 inches (26.67 cm), polished 5160 high-carbon steel. |
| H Length: | 5 inches (12.7 cm), full tang buffalo Rosewood. |
| Weight: | 700 grams including sheath. |
| Note: | Each kukri is individually handcrafted; minor variations in size and finish may occur. |
