Nepali Bowie

kronckew

kronckew

Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Messages
3,409
I'd originally posted this over on another forum where it was suggested by a couple of people that i also post it here for info. & historic reference - picked it up from ebay last week-end after drooling over a more modern chitlangi version in one of the deals of the day here. i guess the kami's have seen these before ;) it has been suggested it's WW2 era.

she arrived today - inlays in the wood grip appear to be aluminum. slight amt. of rust on bolster, blade had a few spots of rust and a light stain, but was generally nicely polished. some magnolia colored paint near the tip (and a bit on the grip). scabbard is in good shape except it appears to have been dropped on the tip at some point, could do with a chape. there are some areas where you can see signs that the blade has been forged, then ground to shape. some light marks on the butt plate that look like it may have been used to hammer something, and a few batonning marks on the spine near the upper edge. the grip has some light damage to the grip where a bit seems to have been split off on the edge of the checkering on the lower side, it's all old damage and the area is worn and smooth from someones hand having caressed the grip over time.

photo's after a quick light clean and oiling.
P4120017_DCE.jpg


P4120013_DCE.jpg


grip length 4 3/8 in., guard 2" x 1 3/8 oval (octagonal with rounded 'corners') brass, blade width at guard 1 3/8, 1.5 in. at start of upper edge, 'false' edge is not false, it's sharp & 3 in. long, total blade length 13.25 in. blade is a hair over 1/4 in. at the guard, there is a shallow fuller down both sides which is apparent in the photos. octagonal brass butt plate is 2 1/8 in. x 1 3/8 in. and is held by the peened tang. there is a gearlike or sunburst like washer of about 1/2 in. between the peen and the butt plate.

all in all this is now one of my favourites. it's more of a short sword. love it. now i need to make 6 little aluminum diamonds....
Click to expand...
 
Wow....that is a fascinating piece.


Any way you could get an in-hand pic?
 
It's somewhat like a short tarwar with a double edged point.

I likes it. I really do.

:thumbup:
 
I thought it looked like a "Gelbu Special Bowie". Now wouldn't that be something.

I'd love to see the kamis try to make something like it. It's a gorgeous knife.
 
Lovely piece Kronckew, If I could have seen that hollow grind in the blade in the ebay photo, I would have bid 3x more than I did, its definatly the best quality one Ive seen.;)

Theyve been arround since at least ww2 in Nepal although the octaganal grip & scabbard constrtion look more Garhwalli construction to me. {Dehradun area etc.]

Id guess ww2 era but have no evidence.

What does it wiegh?

Spiral
 
hi spiral,

lucky i bid a bit more than i actually got it for then ;)

on my el-cheapo plastic kitchen scale it weighs 400 grams (w/o scabbard of course)

an old aluminum pan has given up it's life to refinish the inlays back to their former glory. they were fun cutting, each one of the originals appears also hand cut & all are slightly different. luckily one i thought was missing wasn't, was just covered with dirt & recessed a bit where the others were flush so i only needed to cut 5, not 6. i'm not as good as the original maker, but i'm cheap.

-wayne
 
Thats Cool Wayne Its a beuty! ok you might be cheap, but I bet your not "as cheap" :D

Any pix of the restoration? Sounds like your doing a good original style job of it.

Spiral


kronckew said:
hi spiral,

lucky i bid a bit more than i actually got it for then ;)

on my el-cheapo plastic kitchen scale it weighs 400 grams (w/o scabbard of course)

an old aluminum pan has given up it's life to refinish the inlays back to their former glory. they were fun cutting, each one of the originals appears also hand cut & all are slightly different. luckily one i thought was missing wasn't, was just covered with dirt & recessed a bit where the others were flush so i only needed to cut 5, not 6. i'm not as good as the original maker, but i'm cheap.

-wayne
Click to expand...
 
before:

hh122.jpg


After:

bowie007_DCE.jpg


cut diamonds out of old aluminum pan, flattened them, tried them in holes (4 on top row, 1 far left bottom row), trimmed as needed, mixed up some clear slow dry epoxy, filled holes with epoxy, set diamonds in holes, pressed them till they were flush, wiped off excess epoxy. let cure. next day trimmed with a razor sharp knife, sanded with emery cloth & crocus cloth to make sure they were flush and no protrusions, cleaned dirty original inlay far left top row. oiled. the 'white' on the checkering is flash reflection, they are a tad shiney after i oiled them & cleaned the bit of paint out of the grooves near the pommel.
 
Excelent Job! I woud guess they will tarnish down a bit in time, looks like typical kami work. Thats how restoration should be I think.

Spiral
 
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