Kami mark--heart?

[John T]

Okay, I've done the leg work to try to find which kami used a heart as his mark and found nothing solid. The mark is the same as the one on this kukri gehazi had in this thread here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...le-part-2-Many-sold-Discounts-on-what-is-left

9th pic down "heart kami astk".

 

[Dirtbiker]

I had a Samsher with a heart marking. The previous owner who is very knowledgeable said it was a Murali made piece.

 

[moparsbob]

I bought the short tibetan sword recently listed in the "2nd day Christmas Deals for 12/2" post, and it is marked with a heart-shaped mark, but Yangdu said that it was a leaf mark (it does have a little stem on the heart-shaped leaf), and Yangdu identified it as being made by Ganga kami. I believe Ganga kami is a new kami who recently started working for HI? So if your blade is a recent one, and the heart mark has a stem, then it is really a leaf mark and was made by Ganga kami.

 

[John T]

Thanks, guys. No stem, so not a ganga; second hand pick up but I think it goes back a bit further than his being at Bir Ghorka. Don't think I have a Murali so that would be interesting.

 

[davidf99]

I think it's Murali. The same question was asked about an upside-down heart kami mark back in 2010, and Yangdu replied that it was Murali:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/759104-I-would-like-to-compile-a-new-Kami-Key

Also in 2010, Jay Goliath posted a photo of an ASTK with an upside-down heart kami mark and said it was a Murali.

 

[Bookie]

My records show Murali's cartouche as a 5 veined leaf with stem.

 

[davidf99]

Some postings in the past said that Murali changed his mark over time, so it might have been a veined leaf and an upside down heart in different years.

 

[John T]

Thanks, David. I did not find those threads in my searches. I picked up my knife second hand and the guy described as a ganga ram special--has a chiruwa handle.

 

[philllll]

John, is this a recent purchase?

I have a recently made chainpuri by Ganga kami with a similar heart mark.

 

[John T]

I picked it up recently, but the gentle man I bought it from says it's an older one. So, I'm leaning toward Murali on it.