Hoping for a little identification help

t1mpani

t1mpani

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Jun 6, 2002
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5,501
Hello folks,
Yes, I'm still here---I just post less and less these days. :)

A friend of mine picked this up recently, and asked me if it was a "real" kukri. I know, I know...can of worms. However, I wanted to know if anybody here recognized it. It's easily more than 1/2" thick at the base of the blade, zone hardened in the usual way (not as hard as HI but definitely harder than at the point or inside the curve). Seems a decently made khuk at any rate. Ring any bells for anybody? I can add info as needed. Says "Gorkha Army" on the blade, is marked " G R 1045" on the butt (which is blackened brass) and the karda and chakma are both marked 1040. I know HI but am lost on the other stuff, so I'd appreciate any light that can be shed!

Warren

 
Strictly speaking, the "Gorkha army" units would be part of the Indian army, not the British Army Gurkhas. A quick search found khuks with the same markings (though with different number stamps) being sold by some arts and crafts site from a touristy section of Kathmandu.
 
Yes, I think it might be "real" in terms of being made out of heat-treated steel and not pot metal, but not an issue piece. Out of curiosity, what other number stamps did you find? I was wondering if it was the carbon content being listed on these.
 
because of the fact the karda and chakma are stamped similarly, I am going to suggest that it is to imply an "issue number" so that a complete "set" was identified as being issued to one "service member" since we are assuming that it is a reproduction piece I am pretty certain carbon content is not the purpose of the stamping, but an effort to provide more of a military look and feel. though with the differing numbers I could be wrong...
 
I'm not on the same planet as an authority on these things but to my untrained eye it screams tourist knife. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Agreed it looks like a very nice one. Too much frill for an issued khukri. Still looks good to me.
 
That's a tourist kukri. Not necessarily a bad kukri but this wasn't a Gurkha's carry blade.

The army doesn't mark their tools Gorkha Army. If anything they will only have a unit number or sometimes they were marked "ORDEP NEPAL"
 
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