Austin Powers gets attacked by khukuri

I've seen dozens of Nepali farmers pick a stone up from the field, touch up the khukuri edge, and then toss the stone back where it came from to be used another day. I guess it all shows that sharpeners are where you find them.

Clay, a little epoxy, a small stone, and the TV remote and you are in business!

Uncle Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 18 June 1999).]
 
_364960_kukri150.jpg

Image of Kukri referenced aboved.

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Mike Turber
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Hard to see, but that cho looks like the chainpuri style to me.
 
Thanks for the post of pix, Mike.

The blade is that of a BAS but that cho is something else. It is either very deep or else you are absolutely correct, Rusty. It's unusual for a BAS. If you browse our website and look at the khukuris of the modern Gurkhas shown the cho is not like the one we see on the Kosovo Gurkha's blade. There is an outside chance that is not an issue khukuri but one of his own favorites.

Uncle Bill
 
I'd agree, Bill. It is probably not an issue khukuri (the Service Number One), but one of the soldier's favorites. I say this because the engraving on the blade on the trailing edge is not compatible with the SN1's engraving, which has only one groove. Lalit tells me that although his SN1 is issued, Gurkhas often carry different khukuris into combat - just like not all Marines carry Kabars.

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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
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I have taken several looks at that Kosovo khukuri again and here's what I have come up with.

Here's the HI British Army Service. If these old eyes are not playing tricks on me the Sword of Shiva area appears to be the same as the Kosovo Gurkha's khukuri. Double groove top and bottom of brass inlay. It looks like the Kosovo khukuri has brass inlay in same locations. Blade looks pretty similar until you get to the cho. HI blade has the HI logo and some jazzed up scrolling inside the double groove which, of course, the Kosovo khukuri does not have.

But that Chainpuri looking cho has got me. A possibility is if the Gurkha is from the Chainpur area he may have taken a file to his khukuri to make the cho look more like home style. I just don't know. It is very unusual for a BAS.

The BAS is 15 inches, Clay, and I'd guess that's the size of the Kosovo khukuri.

Uncle Bill

<img src = "http://members.aol.com/yangduspag/pict5.jpg">
 
It is really hard to tell, Clay. All we have to judge by are the hands of the Gurkha. If the Gurkha is average Nepali then the knife is not 15 inches. But, I have seen Gurkhas who were bigger than me so if it's one of these then it's a 15 incher. Just can't tell.

Uncle Bill
 
Kosovo khukuri?

HI has the two piece scrolled buttcap even on the BAS model. Brother-in-law, Lhakpa, thinks the HI khukuris are much superior to the military issue and after looking at a couple he sent me from Gurkha stores when he was in Hong Kong I've got to agree with him.

uncle Bill
 
Among the Gurkhas in the Indian Army, I recall seeing several khukuris with the same cho as that shown in the Kosovo picture above. I'm pretty sure they were personal khukuris rather than issue items. I'm afraid, though I don't know what particular name this type of khukuri had, or even what part of Nepal it is common in.

- Sonam "adding to the puzzle"
 
I'd agree with Bill on the size of the "Kosovo" khukuri - 15 inches. As for the "Hong Kongness" of the issue khukuris, the khukuris issued to the Nepali Gurkha soldiers serving with the English are the Service Number Ones made in Nepal. As for the markings, I wish the gurkha's fingers were a bit lower. I'll email a fellow Captain from my reserve unit who's in Kosovo right now (Civil Affairs people have email everywhere they go!). Captain Kuo is assigned to the British Sector, I think, and can hopefully give us more info on the Khukuris being used in Kosovo.
 
Maybe Capt. Kuo can send us a khukuri! I'd like to see what they are actually using. The pair that Lhakpa sent me from Gurkha stores in Hong Kong were made under contract by a shop in Bhojpur and they were just not up to snuff.

I have been away from Nepal and Hong Kong for almost 8 years now so I really don't know who is making what for whom. Lhakpa is in Brunei getting ready to retire in November and Gurme is in Singapore so they are not much help in the information area.

Uncle Bill
 
She emailed me last night, so I emailed her back and asked her to send pics if she can. Although if she's dealing with British Gurkhas, I'm pretty sure the khukuris they carry weren't aquired in Hong Kong, but instead, from Lalit's shop. We'll see what Melissa (Capt. Kuo) has to offer as far as information goes.

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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
OK, Craig. I saw a couple more news clips and I think the Gurkhas may be carrying whatever they want.

Uncle Bill
 
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