Old HI 12" AK?

ferguson

ferguson

Joined
Feb 21, 2001
Messages
4,238
I picked up this little AK on Ebay. It's supposedly an older HI model. I know that some of the earlier production had scrolled buttcaps like this and weren't marked with the kami's name or mark. This one has devangari script. It looks just like the HI marking on my old Durba Chitlangi, except the first letter is a mirror image (kami mistake?). On the reverse side, it's stamped NEPAL. The edge is beautifully convexed, and was pretty sharp. Can any of you old-timers confirm that this is HI?
Thanks,
Steve

old12AKoverall.jpg

old12AKnepal.jpg

old12AKbuttcap.jpg
 
Looks like a good one to me. This is how a khukuri should be like--convex edge, no cho creep, and a egg cross-sectioned handle.
 
kamagong said:
This is how a khukuri should be like--convex edge, no cho creep, and a egg cross-sectioned handle.
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Congrats Steve! Looks like an HI too me.:D :cool: :D
Gotta love everything about it except for the scrolled butt cap. Granted they are beautiful and enhance the look of the khuk but they were a real pain in the ass if you needed to modify them.
It's not solid brass but a thin butt cap with a skirt soldered too it.
 
Steve, thats a really nice Khukuri you scored. :) Love the double fullers on the old AK's.. My old 15" AK has them. IMO it makes them very classy. Thanks for sharing it with us. :D

Heber
 
I was lucky to get this one, and had decided that I liked it whether or not it was an H.I. The fact that it is, just adds icing to the cake. :D It's a sweet little cutie, come home to Papa. Like Uncle Bill says, they always seem to find the right home.

Steve
 
Thomas Linton said:
Senior Cantina members, when did they stop putting "NEPAL" on the blades?

Tom
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I'm not certain, but sometime around '98 or '99.
 
Thomas Linton said:
Senior Cantina members, when did they stop putting "NEPAL" on the blades?

Tom
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When they found out that Nepal printed on a piece of tape or paper strip wuld work just as well. IIRC it was the US Customs or some other agency that required all imports too be marked with their point of origin.
We were all yelling about the stamped Nepal on the blade and not in a good way!!!!:grumpy: ;)

Edit:
IIRC the Nepal stamp wasn't done very long as Uncle bill hated the stamped blades as much as the rest of us.:D
 
Yvsa said:
When they found out that Nepal printed on a piece of tape or paper strip wuld work just as well. IIRC it was the US Customs or some other agency that required all imports too be marked with their point of origin.
We were all yelling about the stamped Nepal on the blade and not in a good way!!!!:grumpy: ;)

Edit:
IIRC the Nepal stamp wasn't done very long as Uncle bill hated the stamped blades as much as the rest of us.:D
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This is another factoid to go in the Official History. Thanks.

Tom
 
Yvsa is correct that the cap looks beautiful, the cho is in the correct place, and the spine thickness is probably heavier than the current ones.

I recall personally handling only one stamped Nepal, but it was stamped on the left side of the top of the spine rather than the reverse side of the blade ( I belive that one was an early Sanu Forward Curving ). The obverse side has the Hee Eee in the proper place.

I do wish the kamis would bring back the hatchmarked Eighteenth Century. That one felt like it was designed to be used like a hammer or spontoon. It felt like you could "throw" the khuk in an overhand with all your might behind it so it came together just at the point of contact and you could batter it through just about anything with the follow thru.

I had one I traded Yvsa for his brother or cuz to make me a wonderful spike hawk. When it arrived I felt humbled to have it because the spirit in the hawk felt as if it needed an owner who could temper - or balance - it's aggressiveness. It held the spirit of a hawk or eagle ready to strike with it's talons. I need to thank you again for that, brother of my heart.
 
I was just thinking about the 18th Century myself today. I'd like to see the kamis start making it again. It'd be interesting to see how it stacks up against some of the newer models.

Bob
 
yiterp said:
man a excellent find--i want one--lol :eek: :) :eek:
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Hell Wyatt, you want 'em all! LOL :D Me too! HIKV won't kill you, and you can't be cured, but you can go into remission. Hang out with this crowd and it flares up from time to time though.

Steve
 
Steve?

If anybody should be the owner of a special find, it should be you.

We all contribute to our small world in our own ways, but few are so spontaneously generous or continually supportive as you are.

And I don't care what those other guys say about you, I figgur if you want to wear hot pink fingernail polish, well, you are entitled! :p

Beautiful, historic, and charming little khuk. Congratulations.
 
I *think* that I got the last crosshatch 18th Century they made...it is a beautiful piece.

Of course...things always show up in the used market or as trades...keep your eyes open!
 
Kismet said:
Steve?

And I don't care what those other guys say about you, I figgur if you want to wear hot pink fingernail polish, well, you are entitled! :p
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Hot Pink? How gauche. Not after Labor day, or before Easter. :confused: :p

Steve
 
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