How to clean and identify a khukuri?

C

chully

Joined
Jul 24, 2004
Messages
16
Hello,

I recently picked up an old, rusty khukuri at a military show, it's a nice old thing which will be useful just as a big heavy knife. Anyway i've been looking for khukuri information on the web (which led me here), because i'd quite like to know how old it is, and the best way to clean it up a bit and sharpen it. Here are some pics:

khukuri1.JPG


khukuri2.JPG


khukuri3.JPG


I can't see any markings anywhere, but something might appear once i've cleaned the rust off.

Anyone got any ideas?

edit, forgot to add, it's just under 16 inches long from the handle retaining pin to the tip, and the blade is just under 12 inches.
 
Looks good.

Search this forum for
rust removal
& you'll find several threads.
 
Hi Chully,

Nice Shape to that, Looks 1880 to 1905 to my eye.

To clean dont use any chemicals, just wet & dry paper & paitence, Id go 300, 400,600,800, working throrgh the grades then plenty of baby oil on handle & blade, then wipe it all off & put a clean lot on & wipe it of again untill the cloth or paper has no rust or dirt comoing off.

That should do it.

Welcome to the world of antique kukri.

cheers,
Spiral
 
thanks for the replies guys. i think i'll soak the blade in oil overnight, then wipe off as much as i can tomorrow with a cloth before getting started with the wet or dry paper.

i didn't think it would be that old... it's not worth anything is it? i wouldn't have thought so, but i'll think twice about hacking stuff to bits with it if it's a valuable antique :)
 
iTS A BIT FAR GONE TO BE WORTH ANYTHIG, eNJOY HACKING WITH IT!

wOOPS CAPS LOCK ! apoligies

(I talk quetly realy :D }

Spiral
 
Spiral, have you ever tried EvapoRust to clean a really rusty khuk? I used in on some of the chakmas and kardas from the Atlanta Cutlery Nepalese armory a while back. Let them soak for about 2 days (the REALLY bad ones) and they cleaned up nicely without using any sandpaper. I just used some 0000 steel wool.

This way seems a little less "intrusive" than the sandpaper.
 
Evaporust. Can anyone tell me the active ingredients in this product as is unavailable to the best of my knowledge in Oz and I would like to find an equivalent here.
 
Don't know, Rod. This is from http://www.orisonmarketing.com/corrosion/evaporust/evapo-rust.html

EVAPO-RUST TM works through selective chelation. This is a process in which a large synthetic molecule forms a bond with metals and holds them in solution. Most chelating agents bind many different metals. The active ingredient in EVAPO-RUSTTM bonds to iron exclusively. It can remove iron from iron oxide, but is too weak to remove iron from steel because the iron is held much more strongly.

Probably have to wait for Firkin to comment.
 
Someone mentioned that it might be available in concentrated form. That way, you wouldn't have to pay for the transport of tap water.
 
Aardvark, if you find out more about the concentrated form at any time send me an email. That would be the way for me to go. Many thanks. Rod
 
a little update - the cleaning is going well, there's just a light speckling of black stuff left now. i'll post new pics once it's all clean and shiny.

oh and i'm a student, which means i have lots of time and very little money, so i can't afford fancy things like this evaporust stuff. elbow grease will have to do :)
 
Got your priorities straight, I see, Chully.

I have nothing against elbow grease, myself. I DO try to preserve as much of the original, metal in this case, as possible. So, sometimes the chemical route is the best. Especially since EvapoRust is non-toxic.

How bad is the pitting on the blade?
 
chully - considering your budget, go with a mousepad and a few sheets of sandpaper to get it up to a razor edge. Mostly elbow grease and just a couple of bucks worth of paper (and reusable!)
 
there isn't any pitting, apart from perhaps a very small amount right next to the handle. it feels nice and smooth. there's still a bit of black stuff left which i'm slowly getting rid of. also, i've discovered that the blade is bent very slightly - there's a sort of twist about halfway along. it's hardly anything though, the tip isn't more than about 1mm out of place.

and i hadn't thought of using a mousepad, thanks for the tip!
 
The twist is probably from the original forging. Steel often has a mind of it's own when you apply heat and quench!
 
that looks like a nice khukuri under all that rust.
please send pics when you get it cleaned up.
I think that one has a nice bitey profile to it...
 
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