Khukri

[Big1]

Bill, I have a question about a Khukri I have and it was suggested I ask you. It is the first I have added to my knife collection.

I picked it up at a local gun show. It was hand carried over from India about 50 years ago. Has horn handle (water buffalo) and brass at each end of the handle. It is a thick (3/8" spine) carbon steel blade that has been oiled all its life, looks like new.

Below the spine and for about 1/3 of the blade depth the thickness narrows, in a gentle taper, to about 1/4" and then widens out again before beginning the continual taper to the edge. The spine itself is ground so as to have a shallow ^ to it with the center being about 1/16 inch higher than the side edges. It holds a beautiful edge and the wood and leather sheath is complete with it's two accessories.

This has none of the plating on the blade or decorative marks on a polished handle like most of the (to me anyway) tourist Khukri's I've seen. The whole thing, including handle, wears an oil finish.

Could you give me some idea as to the type of Khukri this might be and an approximate value. I didn't pay much for it at the gun show but it seemed to be to "authentic" as opposed to "tourist" so I figured it would be a good addition to the collection.

Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.

 

[Bill Martino]

This sounds like it might be an Ang Khola which is rare for India. How long is this khukuri? A picture is worth a thousand words.

John Powell told me a WWII Indian khukuri in mint condition went for something like $175 or $200 at auction. Since John is an avid and active collector he is better at pegging prices than I am.

Uncle Bill

 

[Ken Cook]

Hi Bill,
Saw the pic of this knife, and man, it is NICE!
Tell him it's a junker and I'll give him 20 bucks to help cover his losses!
LOL

BTW
Good to see you Big1!

------------------
I cut it, and I cut it, and it's STILL too short!

 

[Bill Martino]

If that is not a Nepali Ang Khola it is the best Indian imitation of one I have seen yet.

Uncle Bill

 

[John Powell]

Bill,
just for clarification the WW II Indian issue wasn't mint(very few of the authentic military pieces are), but these knives are getting between $125-$225 consistently at shows, auctions and antique shops.
Big1,
I checked the photo on KnifeForums and it would help to see the whole handle and hilt and especially the scabbard, frog, chakma and karda. My first impression is that it is a Nepalese Ang Khola, and that it isn't 50 years old.
Any chance of you reposting a new photo so we can help you out?


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JP

 

[Yvsa]

:
John.
If I may ask. How did you get all your knowledge about the Khukuris that you have? What advice could you give someone that has a lot of time on thier hands,but limited funds and traveling opportunities to learn more about these wonderful tools?

I have seen the photo of your collection and find it fascinating. I am almost certain that you have studied a great deal or been around
people and places that provided the opportunity to learn.

I love Old Knives from other cultures as well as the new ones like Bill is good enough to provide us.
I have been in touch with a man named Paul ??? (there goes my memory again.) that does the Keris's. I now have my Keris soaking in an acidic medium. He was very helpful in telling me what I needed to do with it. it is in surprisingly good shape.there was very little rust and I have had it for about 20 years.
I look forward to putting it back to its proper state.

I have learned much more than I can retain in the little while I have been in the forums.
It is wonderful to be with people who share my love of blades of all kinds.
Thanks.

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

 

[Bill Martino]

To Big 1's credit his description was accurate enough to allow me to guess Ang Khola. The picture confirmed the guess.

Sorry about the "mint" condition, John. I get so much email about khukuris I can't keep it all straight. I am happy to see the Yvsa also suffers from memory loss. Misery loves company.

Uncle Bill

 

[Big1]

Thanks Bill. I'll try re scanning those pictures and get them off to you in the next day or two

 

[Bill Martino]

I keep receiving the pix in mime format which doesn't work with win 95 which is what I'm still using.

Uncle Bill

 

[Cougar Allen]

Well, the quick fix is to resend in uuencoded format, but your operating system has nothing to do with decoding mime format, Bill; you just need to use an email program that can do that. You have Netscape, don't you? The Netscape email module can read mime. The latest version is so powerful I've quit using Eudora and Free Agent and now I use Netscape for email and news as well as web browsing.

-Cougar Allen :{)