size of military Khukuri

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Oct 18, 2003
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How large were the khukuri that were used in WWII? HI has a 16 1/2 inch version and an 18 inch. I would guess that military khukuri were larger in the past, especially before WWII and even larger before WWI.
I ask since the pictures of older khukuri seem much larger with longer blades that the current military issue - e.g. the BAS.
 
The 16.5" WW2 is the correct length. The 18" came about as an order to put a Hanuman blade ( dui chirra or double fullered ) on a standard ( WW2 ) handle rather than the Hanuman handle and be 18" OAL

This is why Uncle has a love/hate relationship with the kamis.

When the shipment arrived, they had 18" OAL. But it was reversed, with a Hanuman handle on a WW2 Blade. ( Since referred to as the "Hanuman Special". Uncle probably thinks of it as the Hanuman from H***).

The big problem was that it was perfectly ballanced. So the forumites insisted on a standard handle with WW2 blade in 18".

The Hanuman Special blade was almost exactly halfway between the present 18" WW2 and the present 18" sirupati. You have to realize that at the time HI had 15" and 20" models, with an occassional 12" Sirupati or 16.5 WW2.

We quickly had 18" WW2's, 18" AK's, and finally 18" Sirupatis. I'm surprised we don't have an 18" BAS. The 18" Sirupati comes closest to having the handling of the 18" Hanuman Special. The 18" WW2"s, incidentally, are a pretty good khuk - they just dan't have the magic of the Hanuman special or the 16.5 WW2.

The M43 came along later, does have the magic to it, and is historically correct ( JP can correct me if I err ) and also has the feel of magic in it.
 
Thanks Rusty. Good info. Maybe I ought to try a "correct" 16.5" WWII.
Actually like my Hanuman with the dui-chirra blade.
 
Hi Arty,

To answear your questian I have just checked my own WW1 & WW2 kukris with the following results.

The "standard" WW1 & WW2 mark11 kukris are 17.25 to 18in. long.

The WW2 M43s are 17.6in. to 17.9 in long

The WW2 broken back K44/K45s is 16.75in.to 17in.long

I expect if your measure more kuks there is an even greater average variation.{especialy in the shorter direction due to damage & re shapening!}

I think another reason for the blades to look bigger is the handles were shorter back then than modern ones made for large well fed caucasian American hands!

In Victorian times some of issue kukris were even longer!

{edited to update further measurments!}

Spiral
 
Hogshead: to me the 16.5" Bura WW2 is proof that magic really does exist. Or that an inanimate object can have a spirit or soul to it.

Don't ask me how, but some khuks just have it.
 
Kukri before WWI often had blade lengths around 15", but ther were quite a few that were not that size as well, anything from 122 upwards, epending on the regiment and were in India or Nepal they were made.

WWI kukri have blade lengths from 12-14" in length and there are endless variations, as there is in all periods up to the end of WWII.

WWII blades generally start from 12" and go up to 13.5" blade lengths, one of the most used tyes was a horn handled 12.5" blade, also the M43, which has a blade variation length of 13"-13.25" as a general rule.
WWII handle lengths did vary as quite a few were also made for British as opposed to Gurkha troops, especially the Chindits.

By the Borneo conflict, the kukri had for most of the time a blade length of 11" and a 5" horn handle. Occasionally there there was isued a 10.25-10.5" version, and there was an 11.5" version.

Today however, the only issued kukri by the MOD in the UK is the 11" blade 5" horn handle type, the 10.25-10.5" Kukri blade is no longer issued, and hasnt been for some time now.

I hope that has clarrified blade sizes Tora
 
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