Can someone tell me about this knife

johnwaynesandw

johnwaynesandw

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Mar 18, 2005
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I bought this one off of a friend and wanted to get some information on it. All my friend knew was it was in the actic of an older lady for some odd number of years. It belonged to her late husband who had a few other knives. My friend sold me both of these knives, and I am new to Khukris.

It has INDIA marked on one side with a few designs. There is nothing on the other side. The handle looks to be some hind of horn.

I bought this with thoughts of using it as a chopper. Was this knife ment to be used, or was it ment to be for show?

Any information would be great.









Thanks,
John

Pics of the other knife I bought.










 
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The Khukuri is an ornamental Tourist Piece made to sell,and be bought, as souvenirs of someones journey. It is really only good for hanging on the wall. Most are made from mystery metal and are not usually heat treated. Almost always a lion head pommel indicates an ornamental or display piece.

Other than it most likely being made in India by it's design and ornamentation, I'm not sure what the second knife is,other than a type of dagger.
 
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I think the second blade (dagger) would be classified as a Jambiya -- the style is strongly associated with Yemen. A lot of them are made in India, and I agree that's probably the country of origin based on the blade decoration. The handle looks like camel bone to me.
 
the jambiyah is a nice one, not sure what the arabic inscription is in the gold koftgari, you may want to post that one over on the ethnographic arms site and ask for info on it. it's a winner as far as i can see, not sure how old it is. the guys over on that forum who specialise in these will know more.

i have one with a similar hilt, tho a straight blade which is not as nice as yours. i like the raised rib on yours, and the gold; classy.
sudan003.jpg


this is from khartoum in the sudan, and from the era of the mahdi, gen, gordon, omdurman, etc. and would likely be a battlefield pickup by a british trooper. arabic inscriptions in silver are koranic verses.

the khukuri is as noted a souvenir for those who travel. sadly not very well made either. likely not worth the postage.
 
Forget the kukri its a tourist piece.

I could be wrong but the Jambiya or perhaps more accuratly Khanjar looks, Turkish or at least Ottoman empire regions to me, could be some Balkan influonce in there as well looking at the grip.{Most likely Albanian I would say.}

The handle is definatly walrus ivory.

Its good one. ;)


If its not for your taste it would certanly sell easily in the right circles & I would be happy to be first inline for cash or if you would rather an exceptionaly good & reliable antique kukri. Ebay with a good description would find its full market value on a good day.

Handle & scabbard I love & appear 100% correct, I do wonder if blade is later though? but I could only tell in hand {or with proffesional quality photos perhaps.}But intialy the koftgari inlay looks rather perfect & new perhaps, could be Indian or Syrian re.work? Still an excelent piece though.


Its certanly a piece worthy of more study I think. If the blade is its true original its possible it could even be sham wootz or damascus steel.
, probably 50% of them are.

Then it realy is a keeper.;)

Spiral
 
Thanks guys for all the great replies and information. I bought the Jambiya because the handle was Ivory. From what I gathered looking on the net, the handle is more important than the blade itself.

The Khuk was taken out this morning after getting it shaving sharp to cut down some pines, and clear some small brush. I really like the feel of this Khuk, and have been thinking of just using it as a beater. I have been thinking about heat treating the blade. The steel is some kind of carbon steel that took a slight patina from the work this morning.


I will join the forum mentioned and post pics there.

As for professional quality photos, I am not sure what that requires.

Thanks again,
John
 
Some of the earlier lion head kurkris were made with decent blades not great by any means but decent...primarily before 1970, the handle appears to be slightly better than average and the blade has a nicer shape...so still a tourist piece but possible not a total loss.
 
Interesting piece, that dagger; I've always had a fondness for dark blades with some contrasting gold (or similar color). Of course, that, too, may signal that it's a decorative piece, but it's a jolly nice-looking one, and definitely a Jambiya.
 
decoration on Indian blades does not always mean that they are for decoration..the quality of he blade is more telling.. the fact that it is limited to the upper third of the blade could simply mean that it was someones "good" knife.
 
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