Found 'not new' khukuri, help ID please

ddean

ddean

Joined
Mar 26, 2002
Messages
3,397
Bought 'not new' khukuri in Mil Surplus store
bearing a tag from a local pawn shop.

[Note: Complete pictures & ID info at the bottom of the thread]

attachment.php


Stamped:
K.B. THAKURI & SONS
SHOOM DARJEELING
(That's all I can make out of the second line)

Feels like a user.
11-3/4" OAL [down, Duck]
9.7-oz
Horn handle: curved, Nepali size (big crack down the horn)
4-facet diamond 'eye' on pommel cap,
(facets include steel center-pin or tang end)
White metal fittings on blade & scabbard.
Nice scabbard with space for karda, chakma, & ? tinder?
Red leather around top of karda & chakma pockets.
White metal around top with descending pointed 'tongue' on front.
Nice leather still soft.
Double hanger straps.
Chape rounded off.
 

Attachments

  • khuk k-b-thakuri-n-sons small.jpg
    khuk k-b-thakuri-n-sons small.jpg
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Dean,
Thats a nice well made khukuri. Is it a golden pawn tag by chance.
I've looked at it before. The pawn shop always wanted way to much for it though. Which surplus store did you get it at, 11th and Memorial or 41st and Memorial?
I have made a sheath for one of these that was 18 in. long. The original sheath and handle was the same style.
What did you give for it? JP Will know more about it.
God Bless.
Terry
 
Originally posted by Kismet
nice find. You do any edge work yet?
Click to expand...
I had only had it home a few minutes when I posted;
Haven't touched it yet.
Someone took a very course file to the edge at some time,
and irregular filing at that.
But I think most of it will disappear once I start to clean it up.
 
Originally posted by T.Sisco
Is it a golden pawn tag by chance.
Which surplus store....?
What did you give for it?
Click to expand...
Golden Pawn III
41 & Mem
$20

The GP tag had $49 underneath the surplus tag.

They had another khuk & scabbard in the same box,
but when I saw the lion-head I didn't pay much attention.
I think the blade was not chromed.
Probably was 15", and it was also $20.
 
That's the one I looked at. You got a very good deal! They had it at the pawn shop for about a year, I checked on it from time to time and wouldn't get off the $49.
I'm glad it found a good home.
God Bless.
Terry
 
Cool!

Looks like persistance or luck pays off.

Looking forward to futher reports on this one.

PS: maybe you should re-post the "place-holder" pic so the earlier posts make sense.
 
Originally posted by firkin
PS: maybe you should re-post the "place-holder" pic so the earlier posts make sense.
Click to expand...
:p
attachment.php

One of the lesser known weapons of Chinese martial arts.
Used in pairs to trap & counter;
effective against long weapons such as sword and spear.
 
Well, -maybe- a little disappointment, we'll see.

File check of hardness was iffy.

Then I used my usual soapy vinegar wipedown to reveal the
hardening zones & can't see anything -for sure-.
But the bevel is pretty rough from file sharpening done on it at some point.
Polished up the blade with MAAS (100% prettier, going for 1000% soon)
and now the blade is soaking in a soapy vinegar bath.

If it's still -maybe- after this,
I'll have to smooth out the bevel before I try again.
 
Yippee!

Smoothed a small section of the bevel & evened out the finish
to a very light satin in that area.

Then I thought, "why not use ferric chloride this time?"
Diluted it way down (1:20-1:30 ratio range, maybe more)
Added dish soap and rubbed it in on both sides of the blade.

Thirty seconds later, "It's Wally-World!"

Hardened area turned black.
Maybe whatever this steel is doesn't react to vinegar the same as the HI steels.
But then the edge of the zone line was much more diffuse than
I've seen before;
Just enough so that it needed the extra contrast the ferric Chloride provided.
Once I get a pic I'll see what it looks like underneath after polishing.

It's a user.
Felt & looked like it, but I wasn't sure.
 
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