sv wrote on Dec 7
th, 2007 at 8:36pm:
Quote:The notch in the blade is called the cho; no one is quite sure what it's original purpose was or what significance it had, but it stays in the blade as tradition.
the gurkha tradition is that when this blade is removed from the sheath, it must taste blood, and the notch with the little spike in it is for the owner to prick his finger safely(!) therefore the knife can be drawn and used for non-fighting purposes, but still taste blood as tradition demands.
i want one of these knives, it's a beautiful design, and the review was excellent. thanks.
SV
This is one guess.
Straight from the horses mouth:
"It has various meanings according to various people. A few are: the clitoris of Kali, the carrot of Shiva, Surya ra Chandra (sun and moon, symbols of Nepal), a "Kowdi" ('cow-track' because the cow is sacred to the Hindus), a blood drip, a substitute guard, and on and on and on. Take your pick. The true meaning has been lost in time so today it is anybody's guess". -Bill Martino
EDIT: Well now look at that, the forum software is polite. The quote is not "thingy". Bill Martino used the word for the male phallic organ, but the forum apparently won't allow the word to be typed.