Nepal had bowies?

tallwingedgoat

tallwingedgoat

Joined
Jan 13, 1999
Messages
1,422
This is a picture form the Himalayan Imports homepage showing traditional weapons. Notice in the lower right -- what is that, a bowie? I thought bowies were an American invention.


<img src = "http://members.aol.com/himimp/pict13.jpg"></FONT><P align=right>



[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 03 June 1999).]
 
Hi wingedgoat; since the knife in the lower right is having a khyber handle and a bowie blade ~ I think I have read somewhere that it is called as a "khyber bowie" ! Pakcik Bill should know better.

Pakcik Bill, what models are those two khukuries in that pic ? It seems that those two khukuries are shoulderless and more curvy ~ looks ferocious ! Replicas of those two khukuries must be a real enchanter, isn't it ?
 
Hello nephew Mohd:

As you can see the old Gurkhas had quite an array of weapons in their arsenal. I am not sure what they called the Khyber Bowie. Kami will be here in September, I think, and I will ask him if you remind me.

Those khukuris are old timers and that is the way they were made years ago, with the curved rather than angled blade that we see today.

Uncle Bill
 
Uncle Bill, is there any chance that one of the Shop 2 kamis could be persuaded to make a few of those old-time rounded khukuris? I'll bet there are several people besides myself who'd love to have one, maybe in the 20-24" range. Wouldn't necessarily have to have a scabbard - the blade's the thing.
 
Large clip blades were around for millenia before Jim Bowie went out to the sandbar -- since the Bronze Age. I haven't seen one from every country on earth, but I wouldn't be surprised to.

-Cougar Allen :{)
 
The major difference between the "Khyber-Bowie" shown in the picture (which I am almost certain was made before Jim Bowie was born) is handle to blade length ratio.

Berk, we can make the old style khukuri in a 20 to 24 inch length but I need about six takers to make the project feasible. Making one of anything is costly simply due to the logistics.

Uncle Bill
 
The general shape bowie is not an American invention. Just the name. I have a replica of a Viking Scramsax that was found in a burial mound that is bowie shaped. There are a lot of things that have been re-discovered in the "New World" that are taken for "invented here". One thing we can usually tkae credit for is "perfected here" sometimes. Also remember that the knife is one of man's oldest and most prolific tools.
It is hard to come up with a design that has not already been tried by someone.

Just my .02.

Cheers,

ts
 
Berkley;
I love your idea.

Pakcik Bill;
If by any chance the kamis could be persuaded to make a few of those old-time rounded khukuris, I'd love to have one with length of 20-24" range. Pls log me second after Barkley ~ OK ! Anybody else interested ?

BTW, in what circa do you think those old-time rounded khukuries were making appearance ? Is there anybody having info about the stage of shape enhancement in the historical side of the khukuri ?
 
Nephew Mohd:

I have not visited the museum since 1991 but I think the khukuris in this picture are 200 to 300 years old. This style slowly evolved to the angle forward style that we see today starting maybe 150 or 175 years back.

They would not be so difficult to replicate. The kamis can go to the museum, take a good look, make a few sketches and notes, and go back to the shop and produce something pretty close.

If we can get a couple more takers I will ask Kami to make a half dozen of these old timers.

Uncle Bill

Comments John?
 
Pakcik Bill & JP;
Do you have any of those old-time rounded khukuris aged 200 ~ 300 years old in your collections ? If you have any what is the spec of yours ? Is there any specific name for those type of Khukuris ?

Cliff & Will;
What’s your comment on those model ? Is the design meant more for field works or more for weapon ? I think those type of Khukuris are good in clearing grass or shrub but not for chopping logs and cutting trees ! As a weapon ~ I believe those old time rounded Khukuris are real hair raiser !
 
Mohd, in terms of utility I would bet that it would be lowered by making the design circular like that. If you check this out :
http://www.knifeforums.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000217.html

You can see a knife with a similar rounded design to the handle but with a more normal shaped blade. A regular HI khukuri has a straight handle and a curved blade. Combining two good things does not always mean you get one better thing.

However I am evaluating this by thinking of me using it as I would a regular khukuri. There may be a different technique that takes advatantage of the curvature.

-Cliff
 
I agree with you, Cliff. Force transfer would be quite different on circular vs angled blade.

Mohd is there is a name for those old curved type khukuris I don't know what it is. Another question for Kami when he gets here.

Uncle Bill
 
Mohd,

I really don't know if the curved or angle blade is better for chopping. I own a CS Gurkha which has a curved spine and slightly curved handle but they are not to the extent shown in the picture. The curved spine and handle do not seem to help or hinder performance.

I would suspect that the angle blade is better for chopping trees and logs as you suggest. The forces are more off balance in the angle blade than the curved blade, which might cause the blade to cut as it will tend to slide more as it penetrates. As well the angled blades have a 2-3" straight section after the bend. The straight edge would have to slide against wood as it penetrates, also resulting in more cutting action.

The curved design would probably be very similar to a sickle for cutting grass. Like a sickle it is proabably great for slashing attacks.

Hope this makes some sense.

I believe Uncle Bill and John Powell saying the older khukuri's are generally thinner and longer.

Will
 
Did Nepal ever have Scimitars?

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No, I was never lost. But I was mighty bewildered one time for three days.

--- Daniel Boone

 
Goat, not that I know of.

Will, I came to that same conclusion regarding slashing. Those khukuris were the weapons of ancient Gurkhas before there were Gurkhas so I don't think grass cutting was a consideration.

Uncle Bill
 

I was looking at the copy of Knives'98 I have and on page 39 there is a pic of a Nepalese Kuhkuri that has the rounded shape. I don't believe it is as pronounced as the ones in the pic here,but there is no angle to the blade like in the AKs.
It would be neat if someone with a scanner and a copy of this book would be good enough to send us a copy for comparison. It seems to have a little more rounded belly than most I have seen,which admitably are few.
smile.gif

The cho s also higher on the blade side and the blade side point of the cho has been rounded off.Perhaps by its keeper to insure against a possible cut from there ?

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