- Joined
- Oct 11, 2000
- Messages
- 372
This is naive me stirring again. A friend sent me some copies of drawings and a contract reputed to be those of Indian Army khukuris. Forumites have in the past written with disdain about these khuks and their accompanying drawings. So do they deserve our disdain? Can't we at least try to establish the validity?
Here's some extracts from the info on the drawings: "Drawing ISA 796A of Kookrie Mk 3 for the Inspectorate of Small Arms, Ishapore, India. Date of drawing: 2/2/1948. First amended 18/8/1959. Further amendments 15/3/1960 and 16/2/1967. Contractor's initials and year of manufacture to be marked with 3/32" letters and broad arrow head to be stamped as shown (on ricasso): (example BB 44 on khukuri in drawing). Blade steel: BS970 EN 43. Grips: Walnut, Amari or other approved timber (the grips to be dipped in linseed oil before fitting). Heat treatment: to be hardened and tempered within the area indicated by the dotted line on the drawing (the remainder to be left soft). Note: AVPH hardness of 500/600 (steel to specification IRS M10 hardened and tempered to purple [285 degrees C] has been found satisfactory)." There's more.
I have read of one such khukuri in a forumite's post in which he reported having a "DD64". Now I refuse to believe that some clunk grabbed information out of thin air and falsified the drawings. So, if I want to be gullible, then I will believe there are India-made Kookrie Mk 3's floating around. Now I have NEVER yet seen anyone writing about a Mk 3 in Bladeforum (unless I missed it, of course). Yeah, JP wrote about a WW II K45, which is a look-alike. But not yet of a Mk 3. He also wrote about a post independence model, but the handle pins are thinner. So am I the dumb clot to be so gullible, as to think there something real here, and that it's not a tourist gimmick?
[This message has been edited by Johan van Zyl (edited 06-27-2001).]
Here's some extracts from the info on the drawings: "Drawing ISA 796A of Kookrie Mk 3 for the Inspectorate of Small Arms, Ishapore, India. Date of drawing: 2/2/1948. First amended 18/8/1959. Further amendments 15/3/1960 and 16/2/1967. Contractor's initials and year of manufacture to be marked with 3/32" letters and broad arrow head to be stamped as shown (on ricasso): (example BB 44 on khukuri in drawing). Blade steel: BS970 EN 43. Grips: Walnut, Amari or other approved timber (the grips to be dipped in linseed oil before fitting). Heat treatment: to be hardened and tempered within the area indicated by the dotted line on the drawing (the remainder to be left soft). Note: AVPH hardness of 500/600 (steel to specification IRS M10 hardened and tempered to purple [285 degrees C] has been found satisfactory)." There's more.
I have read of one such khukuri in a forumite's post in which he reported having a "DD64". Now I refuse to believe that some clunk grabbed information out of thin air and falsified the drawings. So, if I want to be gullible, then I will believe there are India-made Kookrie Mk 3's floating around. Now I have NEVER yet seen anyone writing about a Mk 3 in Bladeforum (unless I missed it, of course). Yeah, JP wrote about a WW II K45, which is a look-alike. But not yet of a Mk 3. He also wrote about a post independence model, but the handle pins are thinner. So am I the dumb clot to be so gullible, as to think there something real here, and that it's not a tourist gimmick?
[This message has been edited by Johan van Zyl (edited 06-27-2001).]