Old? Dui Chirra? Khuk ID

ndoghouse

ndoghouse

Joined
Aug 26, 2010
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Anyone have any ideas what this might be?

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I bought it from a seller in the UK. It was advertised as "post WWII". The wood doesnt look that old and the sheath and handle has a lacquer coating that is flaking off like someone tried to preserve it at on time. The blade is really light and no more than 1/4" and has two fairly deep chirras. Feels very fast and well balanced and just over 15" OAL. The Karda and Chakmak look like the antique Gurkha Army Khuks but have some surface rust. It is full tang peened on the end and without a real keeper. The butcap is stamped to look like it has a separate keeper but aint so. For this reason i wonder if it is tourista? It does look aged but is solid and well made.

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The sheath has a riveted Sam Browne stye frog. There are a few surface rust spots on the blade but overall the steel just doesnt have the same texture as the old GAK's. The handle is short and definitely not made for western use. Overall its a very cool fast and well made blade. Any ideas welcome.
 
It's actually not a Dui Chirra. It's and Ang Khola Style Khukuri.
Likely a tourist item or bring back from someones trip to Nepal.
Possibly even India Made.
Blades like this are common in bazaars and marketplaces there.
If it has decent heat treat it might make a good user. But you know it likely won't be as tough as what you buy from HI.
 
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I have one very similar and can be certain karda is right, mine almost looks chromed ;o
 
Looks like its well built, the scabbard and frog look very sturdy and well built, the rivets on the frog look better than a tourist grade khuk though I could be wrong. Looks real good man.
 
Karda said:
It's actually not a Dui Chirra. It's and Ang Khola Style Khukuri.
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That brings up another question. What features make a Dui Chirra different from an Ang Khola. Both have two Chirras? Chirras stop at the shoulder on AK? Thanks for the info Karda.
 
I don't see tourist version in that blade either. That sheath sure looks like the real deal to my untrained eye.

Tell me again the difference between a Chirra and a Fuller?
 
While obviously not HI standards this proves that some older tourist knuks can be pretty reasonably made little knives. Looks like you got a 1 in 100,000 there. Someone put far more effort than just knocking it together. I have seen similar but not quite the same blades (but never that style frog) in some 1950-1960 era blades made in India. Not saying that is what it is, there are enough differences that I couldn't really say. The very very tiny cho is what reminds me of them. Also you hit on the big info. The stamped keeper? why would anyone making anything other than tourist stamp a keeper? if you are making a user then either a real keeper or not, but not trying to imitate one.
 
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Ill try to post a few more pic tonite. The keeper diamond shape is stamped into te but plate to make it look like it is a separate piece. The seller had many blades and most were guaranteed authentic. When I buy from auction I usually check out everything the seller is selling and he did have an impressive collection and there were thirty plus bidders for each. He said he thought it was made for soldiers after world war II on their way back home so that could be about that era Shavru. The rivets are definitely handmade and well done. Leather is thick and in fair condition except where the Chak and Karda go. Must have got wet there at one time because leather is dry rotted and the C&K are rusted.
Bawanna: The fuller is between the handle and shoulder or bend of the blade (Sword of Shiva). Chirras are the wide shallow depressions like all them on your Foxy Foxy Foxy Folly!
 
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You mean the Chirra is between the handle and the shoulder (Sword of Shiva)? The fullers are the beautiful things on my Foxy foxy foxy. Am I reading you loud and clear in a muddy sort of way?
 
Oooops i just corrected myself.sorry . Chirras= wide pretty ones as on FFFFF. Sword of shiva as on all Khuks are fullers. My brain is a bit muddy today!
Bawanna said:
You mean the Chirra is between the handle and the shoulder (Sword of Shiva)? The fullers are the beautiful things on my Foxy foxy foxy. Am I reading you loud and clear in a muddy sort of way?
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Nice angle to the hilt. The cho looks touristy, with that big open flat space, but the rest looks like a worker.
 
Well that clears up the chirra count. Thanks again Karda and Yvsa. I was always confused about the count but as Yvsa pointed out if the edge is hollow forged it is considered a chirra. I still dont understand why an Ang Khola with two chirras is not considered Dui Chirra? Back hollow=chirra? Or why a Chitlangi with two fullers is not a Dui Chirra? A Single Fuller Chitlangi has one fuller and one chirra. A sirupati has one fuller and no chirras. Sorry im just missing something i guess. Maybe these terms are used so loosely that this question cant be answered? I can deal with that. I just thought it was a good time to ask. Did I loose ya yet Bawanna?;)
 
Long, long ago my friend. I've tried to walk the way you walk and talk the way you talk but I'm so far behind I can't even track ya no more. I even tried to go barefoot what day last week, didn't work for me. I'd rather go without britches than go barefoot, just felt nekkkid and vulnerable.
 
The blackberries are so thick this year ive been having to wear my PLO's.
Bawanna said:
Long, long ago my friend. I've tried to walk the way you walk and talk the way you talk but I'm so far behind I can't even track ya no more. I even tried to go barefoot what day last week, didn't work for me. I'd rather go without britches than go barefoot, just felt nekkkid and vulnerable.
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All i can say is im glad that diamond plate aint plexiglass:eek:
 
ndoghouse, I have to say that I would have called that a dui chirra too! It looks to have two ground hollows, though the section handle to shoulder looks to have no grinding at all.

Here are some of my "dui chirras", three different styles: The oldest example (on the left) has well formed full length fullers, where as the other two have fullers that run closer to the spine and stop a few inches from the tip. The kukri on the right has relatively shallow fullers too.
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Are there any you guys would call ang kholas?

Here are some of what I would call ang kholas for comparison, having only one ground out hollow on the blade:
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Thats the thing concerning chirra. It's somewhat subjective according to the eye of the Beholder.
Ebay descriptions are more often than not wrong, unless you are dealing with someone who knows his stuff and even then it can still be subjective as above.
When dealing with chirra and particularly with ang khola one must also factor in blade shape.
Some westerners will call ang kholas dui chirras and most Nepalis would not.

In Johns pics above.... The top pic could be called an ang khola style chirra at far right, either or in the middle and dui chirra on the left.
They really are all dui chirra IMHO.

The bottom pic has two ang khola, one in the middle and one far left. These two have more or less the classic ang khola shape as well as chirra.
The one on the right has the back hollow but not the classic shape.
 
So the Ang Khola has a more pronounced shoulder and maybe even more drop and the Dui and Tin chirra style have a more smooth rounded shoulder and less drop. Maybe the drop doesnt even matter but I think i see your point Karda. Subtle and subjective for sure. Thanks for the pics Silverjohn. Those are some really nice blades by the way!
 
ndoghouse said:
So the Ang Khola has a more pronounced shoulder and maybe even more drop and the Dui and Tin chirra style have a more smooth rounded shoulder and less drop. Maybe the drop doesnt even matter but I think i see your point Karda. Subtle and subjective for sure. Thanks for the pics Silverjohn. Those are some really nice blades by the way!
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The drop kinda matters, as does the shape. I still think only Nepali people know for sure. ;)
These things give me a headache. I'm sure when you've seen hundreds of khukuri you will begin to understand.
Most Nepali people would probably giggle at us politely while thinking that we read into things too much and are nitpicking.
Its a khukuri...It Chops and cuts... what more need be known? :D
 
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