Legitimate khukuri? What's its story?

N

New Taft

Joined
Mar 3, 2012
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This is my new kukri, which I bought from an antiques dealer on flea-bay. The seller described it as being Indian in origin.

It's handle is unusually ornamented, but is pretty small, and, being a stick tang, looks Nepalese to me. The blade shape and dimensions look military. The weight and temper imply that it is not a tourist kukri, but I don't know what to make of the blade ornamentation or that of the sheath. The small kharda looks like a tourist's, but it came with a few other tools.

The age seems to be legitimately termed antique, as it came covered in dried packing grease. Makes me wonder if it was stored away in an armory repository somewhere for several decades.

The first picture is from the fleabay listing, the rest were taken tonight.

Please, help me understand more about my knife?

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This baby can really sing through the underbrush!
I'm asking for some help identifying this Kukri, what's its story?
 
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I'm watching for responses from folks far wiser than I which is just about everybody.
The sheath is unique and I see spots for 7 tools.
I just don't know enough to tell for sure. Probably just muddy the waters.
 
Hi Taft, I replied to your post on BRLs forum a day or 2 ago... {So did Tal.} http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1338243-Legitimate-khukuri-What-s-its-story

"Hi Taft, Interesting, many of these with the added stitched on pattern on the scabbard are ww2 era. some are a little later.

As Tal says its a multiple tool piece, which is a bit more unusual than the norm. The tools I guess attempt to mimic a swiss army knife in usefulness. They usually include, knives, a file, tweezers, an ear wax scoop, an awl & other similar things.

Its a private purchase piece that would have been sold in Indian bazaar's & kukri factors, but most of the purchasers at that era would have been allied military. I suspect they were made around the Darjeeling area of India by ethnic Nepalis.

Hope that helps.

Spiral "
 
spiraltwista said:
Hi Taft, I replied to your post on BRLs forum a day or 2 ago... {So did Tal.} http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1338243-Legitimate-khukuri-What-s-its-story

"Hi Taft, Interesting, many of these with the added stitched on pattern on the scabbard are ww2 era. some are a little later.

As Tal says its a multiple tool piece, which is a bit more unusual than the norm. The tools I guess attempt to mimic a swiss army knife in usefulness. They usually include, knives, a file, tweezers, an ear wax scoop, an awl & other similar things.

Its a private purchase piece that would have been sold in Indian bazaar's & kukri factors, but most of the purchasers at that era would have been allied military. I suspect they were made around the Darjeeling area of India by ethnic Nepalis.

Hope that helps.

Spiral "
Click to expand...

Spiral saves the day again... You wont get a more honest answer than that Taft. Spiral is our resident historian, he is like an encyclopedia when it comes to khuks.
 
Spiral, thanks for info and the link back to the other post too. Thomas' example pic of the accompanying tools is awesome. Though I have to wonder about anyone that would want to carry a "ear wax scoop" in their khuk toolbox :D WAY cool how I always get to learn something here.
 
Having the set of little tools alone would be a pretty cool thing, I don't see none of them that I'd like to stick in my ear though. The cork screw looking one is definitely not in contention for the ear thing.

Very cool indeed.
 
Thank you, Gentlemen.

It was comforting to have the community of cutlery cognoscenti confirm this blade is of customary construction by conventional khukuri kamis.

I'm glad that I didn't pay as much as I did to learn that it's just a sharpened crowbar or KLO.

Taking a second look at the photos I took has me wondering if better pictures wouldn't help. Some details aren't seen: the kaudi has a few angle to it I have not seen anywhere, the same goes for the filigree on the blade, and the guard seems to be meant for a thicker blade than this one's, as there are gaps on either side where he ricasso meets the guard.

If I were to take better photos, would you help me get them up for discussion at the IKRHS site, SPIRAL? I can't find where one can join the forum.

As for my Khukuri, what model would y'all say it was, or most closely resembled?
 
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New Taft said:
Thank you, Gentlemen.

It was comforting to have the community of cutlery cognoscenti confirm this blade is of customary construction by conventional khukuri kamis.

I'm glad that I didn't pay as much as I did to learn that it's just a sharpened crowbar or KLO.

Taking a second look at the photos I took has me wondering if better pictures wouldn't help. Some details aren't seen: the kaudi has a few angle to it I have not seen anywhere, the same goes for the filigree on the blade, and the guard seems to be meant for a thicker blade than this one's, as there are gaps on either side where he ricasso meets the guard.

If I were to take better photos, would you help me get them up for discussion at the IKRHS site, SPIRAL? I can't find where one can join the forum.

As for my Khukuri, what model would y'all say it was, or most closely resembled?
Click to expand...

I am sure better pictures would find an interested audience, being a bit jaded I can see recognise those features as Ive seen them on similar kukri before. {Sorry but its true... their not common though. }

This thread tells how to join ikrhs http://www.ikrhs.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=509 its been a bit quote their lately in truth...

So an email to registration@ikrhs.com mentioning this thread should get our chief administrator, {Berkley on this forum.}admitting you.

I wouldnt personaly describe it as copying a pattern model, but it would be interesting to have a few weights & measures with it.

Spiral
 
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