Speaking of Durba...

raghorn

raghorn

Joined
Feb 23, 2002
Messages
3,674
Can anyone here post a good pic of Durba's mark? I'm still wondering about two of my khuks that were advertised as Kesar's.
 
It's the flag of Nepal. If you got your knives more than six months back and they carry this mark they are almost certainly Durba's work.
 
I have two distinctly different sets of Nepal flags, all of which are attributed to Kesar. I've been dying to see a pic of a bona fife Durba for comparison. These were purchased between February and April. Any way you can post a pic of the mark on the UBE before you pack her up for France?
 
I can take some pics tonight, like I need an excuse to get out everything :D A known Durba GRS (from Foxjaw), and then theoretical Kesar flags starting from February and more recently.
 
Raghorn, I've come down with the same questions..as Kesar's flags are different in the two blades I have attributed to him.

munk
 
From what I've seen on mine, Durba's mark is small. About 1/4 inch high. The Kesar ones I have are about 3/8 inches high. Dunno if it's true but that's what I've been going by. :yawn:

Does that mean Durba has returned to BirGhorka?
 
as long as we've asked this many questions, Bruce, what is the story with Durba? There is reverance attached to him, breathless wonder and all. Was he the former shop chief?
How does his work compare to say, Bura's?

munk
 
Thanks, mPisi! I'll take all mine out and gather them around the computer too. ;)

Munk - I recall we've mentioned this a time or two in the past. Hopefully this will clarify things a bit.

Bruise - That's kinda the same observation I've had, in addition to the small, fine flags facing in a different direction than the big bold flags.

And now we have the added mystery of the mysterious trisul mark accompanied by the letters "K.S." Is this a new kami or a new Kesar?

Stay tuned!! :D

(edited because I wrote with my elbows)
 
..and Raghorn has just asked my number one question; where is Kesar?


munk
 
I know that Mr. Clifton is partial to Durba's. I have a few of em' myself. Compared to Bura's stuff, Bura's lines are straighter and the corners are sharper. Depends what you like I guess. For a working knife it doesn't really matter much. Straighter edges or rounder edges personal preference.

I have found that Bura's handles are larger than Durba's (in general) and Durba's handles are shorter than bigger than Kesar's. A Durba BAS I have fits my hand quite well. I have a Kesar 15" AK that fits even better. Dunno if it's just the one's I have or if it's the way they make handles. My hand is kinda gimpy too. :yawn:

Sanu's handles are biggest I've seen for a 15".
 
Don't forget that Murali was also marking with a flag IIRC. But at least the one I have of him was also marked with M.R. initials. K.S. i thought was Kesar, but who knows...

Full catalog tonight :D. I need to make a list anyways since I'm at that happy stage of collection of not being able to recall every detail immediately.
 
since I'm at that happy stage of collection of not being able to recall every detail immediately" -M Pisi

Isn't that funny...? You think you'll recall everything, how could you forget...and then! I wonder how else one might apply this phrase..."I'm at that happy stage of Life where I no longer recall every detail of my teenage years immediately."

Or how about one for the plus 90 crowd and the Grateful Dead: "I'm at that happy stage of Life where I no longer recall the details of breakfast imediately."


munk
 
I recall someone stating that the Kami's mark may be put in the steel by one of his assistants sometimes? This could then account for differences in the marks from the same Kami?
 
Here's a pic of my flag-based kami marks. All were taken from the same point of view with the handle at the bottom. The Kesars were purchased in February and March of 2002. The Durba was relatively older, I don't know when it was made. The Muralis were purchased within the last 4 months, with the initials as well.

Kami_Marks_1.jpg


As you can see, the Kesar "flagpole" is oriented toward the cutting edge, flag tips toward the bolster, on the left side of the knife if viewed in the chopping position. The marks seem made of single strikes for each line. The flag is made up of almost equilateral triangles.

The Durba flag is oriented the same way, but is relatively smaller (the scale of the GRS throws it off a little). The lines are made up of small marks in a row. The flag is slightly different as the chevrons overlap and are closer to right-angle 3-4-5 triangles.

The Murali flagpoles are toward the bolster, with the flag tips towards the cutting edge, on the right side of the knife. The marks seem made of single strikes, but the chevrons are right-angle triangles but are not overlapped.

I'm doing an inventory tonight for my records so I'll have another post showing other kami marks.
 
Here's the others. Bura's mark seems to roam around a little, his latest one with L.B. initials. Interestingly, Kumar has his initials in Devenagari (sp), with the others in english.

Kami_Marks_2.jpg
 
Personally I'd prefer the kami's initials in Devangari. Dunno, it would just look more exotic that way.
 
who didn't know.

De·va·na·ga·ri (dâ'və-nä'gə-rç)
n.
The alphabet in which Sanskrit and many modern Indian languages are written. Also called Nagari.

[Sanskrit devanâgarî, royal city writing (from its supposedly having been invented in Pataliputra, a royal city) : deva-, divine, royal + nâgarî, feminine of nâgara-, of a city (from nagaram, cityprobably of Dravidian origin).]


Although, if I was, it wouldn't have been the first time.

Kis


:rolleyes:
 
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