Looking for info on kukris

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
5,703
Mainly grind type but also handle, size, etc...
I am sure it's been discussed before on here but my search FU is not finding it. :(

Anyone happen to have some threads or info handy?

Thanks
 
Jay, materials will be 5160 for the blade and stabilized woods for the handle. I am thinking brass for the fittings as this is traditional as I understand with kukris (What IS the right spelling?) made after 1910 or so. I don't want to make a full tang one so it will be through tang with nut at the pommel. Probably take down as I always end up making that. :o I want to make it look fairly traditional but hopefully with a slightly updated flair, if that makes any sense. :confused:
What do you think?
 
Patrice I am really looking forward to you doing this!

Here is what I know.
The Craftsmen that make Kukri (Western Pronunciation) or Khukuri (Traditional) are called Kami.
They are usually made from 5160 (Leaf Springs) because that is what is avail.
They usually have 1 (Angkhola),2 (Dui) or 3 (Tin) Fullers (Chira) "Blood Grooves":o

The Choil Knotch Called a few things: Kaudi, Kauda, Kaura, Cho... is actually meant to represent the Cow's Hoof (Shiva) in honor of their goddess

Gurkha are the Nepalese solders that carry them as a utility and weapon The sheaths are usually made from Hardwood, and have a small blade called "Karda" They sometimes have Flint and Tinder pouches in the sheath as well.

Keep us posted
 
Dammit, Patrice... now I've made on offer on a monkey knife, and it's all your fault! :D I don't even have any monkeys to cut up!
 
Greg, what are you talking about? Did you get into the liquor cabinet again?

Thanks for the additional info Ryan. I probably won't go the wooden scabbard way, just leather with only one of little utility knives on top. Well that's the plan as it stands for now anyway. And we know it never goes according to plan.:o
 
Patrice Lemée;10358382 said:
Greg, what are you talking about? Did you get into the liquor cabinet again?
Click to expand...

Why yes... yes I did. I fail to see the relevance! :)
 
I'm so looking forward to seeing this. I've been inspired by Wick Ellerbe's incredible historically inspired knives and some recent antique books to make some traditional/historical blades.
Woot! Woot!
 
Patrice Lemée;10357066 said:
Mainly grind type but also handle, size, etc...
I am sure it's been discussed before on here but my search FU is not finding it. :(

Anyone happen to have some threads or info handy?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Patrice I have this Khukuri

DSC01653.jpg


While not a traditional one and the leather wrapped handle is my own doing I would be glad to send it to you if you wanted to play with it and study it first hand for a bit. I admit that I have abused it a bit and the blade isn't exactly straight any more, but it is still one of my favorite knives and my favorite blade style. If you are interested just send me an PM or email and I could ship it out in 2 weeks.

It is a larger knife with a 12" blade and heavy at just shy of 2 pounds, almost 3 wit sheath:o
 
Thanks I appreciate the offer Unki but the pic and description should do the trick. That's about the size I am shooting for.

I am starting to get excited as well Brian. Hopefully I don't go too far out of the box as I seem to have a tendency to do.:o
 
Patrice, my hope is that you look at several varieties and styles. Some of the ones I saw in the other forum are a bir more aligned with what I perceive to be your style, particularly as regards the handle details.
 
If I was still in Winnipeg I could have scanned an actual technical drawing of the WWII Khuks for you. One of the guys that I worked with father was a collector of WWII items and just happened to have the WWII drawings and specs along with a couple of Khuks from the era. I was always trying to buy them off of him, but I never thought of copying the drawings:o

I will take a bunch of measurements today of mine and post them up some time today for you. One thing I will mention is that you may want to make the handle a little bigger, that is one of the reasons I leather wrapped my handle. I found that mine was causing all sorts of hot spots and the front and back of my hand, and I don't have large hands by any means.
 
OK here are the measurements from my Khuk
  • overal length: 16.75"
  • blade from handle to tip: 12.5"
  • blade hight at handle: 1.375"
  • blade hight at at widest point: 2"
  • length of drop: 7.25" measured from top side
  • length of flat before drop: 5" measured from top side
  • length of furrel: .75"
  • length of handle, butt to furrel: 4.5"
  • thickness of spine from handle to the start of the drop: 7/16" constent
  • thickness tapers off from drop to point from 7/16" to 1/4"
  • blade has a slight bevel down to the convex edge that starts 1/2" up from the edge
and a few pictures, the graph paper is standard 1/4" squares
DSC00698.jpg

DSC00701.jpg

DSC00702.jpg

DSC00708.jpg

DSC00709.jpg

DSC00710.jpg


If you have any questions about my measurements and where I took them just ask and I will try to clarify what I am trying to describe:o
 
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Thanks for your help unky. Great pics. I should be all set with this to come up with a design. It's not like there is a lot I can do if I want to stay relatively close to the essence of the Khukuri. That technical drawing would have been uber cool. :(

Greg, if you have any links, feel free to send them my way. ;)
 
RyanW said:
Patrice I am really looking forward to you doing this!

Here is what I know.
The Craftsmen that make Kukri (Western Pronunciation) or Khukuri (Traditional) are called Kami.
They are usually made from 5160 (Leaf Springs) because that is what is avail.
They usually have 1 (Angkhola),2 (Dui) or 3 (Tin) Fullers (Chira) "Blood Grooves":o

The Choil Knotch Called a few things: Kaudi, Kauda, Kaura, Cho... is actually meant to represent the Cow's Hoof (Shiva) in honor of their goddess

Gurkha are the Nepalese solders that carry them as a utility and weapon The sheaths are usually made from Hardwood, and have a small blade called "Karda" They sometimes have Flint and Tinder pouches in the sheath as well.

Keep us posted
Click to expand...

good job:thumbup: another Khukuri fan... :)

I will add, Himalayan's, specifically HI seek out 5160 leaf springs from older Mercedes exclusively... ;)
 
Patrice Lemée;10361473 said:
Greg, if you have any links, feel free to send them my way. ;)
Click to expand...

Here are some examples I've "borrowed" from the HI forum that I think are more aligned with your style.


DSCF0130b.jpg

DSCF0612b.jpg

old12AKoverall.jpg

DSC00705.jpg

DSC00709.jpg

Chitlangi-15.jpg
 
Patrice, I own 2, one from my father when he was in the Navy, it dates probably from the 50's or 60's and one that I picked up in Spain that is probably from the 20's or so. I can get some pics and measurements if you would like. Also Swordforums International has a Kukri page and khukriblades.com and gurkhakukris.com, are of course, all about them.
 
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