The HI Cantina

Originally posted by beoram
I'm going mad with crescents and dots!! :eek: ;) )

cheers, B.
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Hey Ben, don't go mad. Relax and check your mail. I think you will like the pics I just sent you.:D
 
Originally posted by wildmanh


Hey Ben, don't go mad [with crescents and dots:eek:]

Relax and check your mail. I think you will like the pics I just sent you.:D
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For those who are perplexed as to why crescents & dots who drive me crazy, it refers to the markings on one of my khuks and their meaning (thread here).

Thanks for the mail Wildman. Very nice--now you just need to get them (and the rest of your collection) up on Your Kukri Site.

cheers, B.
 
Beo, you are overthinking a subject that is very subjective. My conclusions come from years of research and very little of that conclusive. You need to realize that virtually no records are kept about the history of the kukri in Nepal (or India for that matter). As you heard me quote a kami before, "It is just a kukri...".

You want to be perplexed, wait till you get into types of k&cs, number of grooves on a grip, blade types, cho designs, type of design, depth of design, then the whole scabbard design, manufacture and subtleties. And then what was replaced when.

Speaking of replacement...I think the grip, if not just the bolster, is a replacement on the kukri your going into fits over. The crescent marking and condition are way to crude and beaten up to have that pristine a bolster/grip.
 
It's a matter of perspective. Think about it.

In Nepal the khukuri is a common tool, the most widely used tool in the country and it's been around since day one. They don't get any more excited about it than we do a pair of pliers or hammer.
 
Originally posted by John Powell
Beo, you are overthinking a subject that is very subjective. My conclusions come from years of research and very little of that conclusive. You need to realize that virtually no records are kept about the history of the kukri in Nepal (or India for that matter). As you heard me quote a kami before, "It is just a kukri...".

You want to be perplexed, wait till you get into types of k&cs, number of grooves on a grip, blade types, cho designs, type of design, depth of design, then the whole scabbard design, manufacture and subtleties. And then what was replaced when.

Speaking of replacement...I think the grip, if not just the bolster, is a replacement on the kukri your going into fits over. The crescent marking and condition are way to crude and beaten up to have that pristine a bolster/grip.
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I'm not really that agitated over the matter--I was just joking round about the khukuri-marking and the nagari anusvara symbol being similar (which they are, showing the ubiquity of dots & crescents ;) ).

I *want* to be perplexed in a way. That's why I ask so many questions--I'm trying to get into the types of k&cs, scabbard design, &c.

On replacement:-- thanks for remarking on this, that's interesting. I wouldn't have thought that. So on a kukri which was originally more 'kothimoda-ish', the crescent-stamping should be 'sharper'?

When you say the 'grip', you mean the entire handle+bolster?

It's very interesting if it was replaced. For, if this is true, then it would appear that someone replaced the handle on the kukri, the handle on the 2 kardas (or added two new kardas), probably the entire scabbard [most likely it was due for replacement anyway] or at least the chape--because the style of the design on the silver furnishings match on the kukri, kardas & chape. So it looks like it would have been a whole-sale replacement.

So someone thought enough of the blade to have someone replace various bits. The replacement looks 75+ years old at least to me--and the buttcaps on all three are not entirely pristine-they all are slightly dented and the khuk one has a slight crack.

Still curious about the arrow-marking; has anyone seen another 'royal nepal arsenal' khukuri with arrow+crescent?

Originally posted by Bill Martino

It's a matter of perspective. Think about it.

In Nepal the khukuri is a common tool, the most widely used tool in the country and it's been around since day one. They don't get any more excited about it than we do a pair of pliers or hammer.
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I might get excited about a hammer with a horn handle and silver fittings ;).

Thanks again for the info. cheers, B.
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino
You wouldn't want to use it.
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Well, I might if it were a particular well-made hammer.

I'm wondering if someone used this khukuri and liked it enough that he had it 'poshed-up' after he 'retired'.

cheers, B.
 
Beo,
You are correct in thinking that if someone took the task and expense of replacing the grip/bolster it must have been a good or important blade. It is in very rough shape and the marks are as crude as I've seen. There are many different marks within or adjacent to the cresecent. These could have been anything, but broad arrows they ain't. And it would make sense for them to have replaced the 2 kardas to match the new grip.
 
Originally posted by John Powell
Beo,
You are correct in thinking that if someone took the task and expense of replacing the grip/bolster it must have been a good or important blade. It is in very rough shape and the marks are as crude as I've seen. There are many different marks within or adjacent to the cresecent. These could have been anything, but broad arrows they ain't. And it would make sense for them to have replaced the 2 kardas to match the new grip.
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Thanks John. Interesting stuff - it is a fairly nice blade, I think, dvi-chirra and all that.

The replacement, if it occured, was a while ago it would seem, so I think the condition of the blade has deteriorated since then. Wonder what made it worth refurbishing though...and I'll just keep on wondering ;).

I'll still be curious to hear about any other crescent+arrow kukris that surface. Wonder if there will/would be some (interesting) commonalities between them.

On the broad arrow--just curious--when does it start appearing on kukris?

cheers again, B.
 
I think the blade was heavily used prior to the new grip. If there was that much abuse the bolster would reflect that.

The broad arrow started appearing consistently in WW I.

Why do you spell 'dui' with a v (dvi)?
 
Originally posted by John Powell
I think the blade was heavily used prior to the new grip. If there was that much abuse the bolster would reflect that.

The broad arrow started appearing consistently in WW I.

Why do you spell 'dui' with a v (dvi)?
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Thanks again for the info. Interesting about the replacement.

Originally posted by Bill Martino
Because he's a linguist.
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That's probably it. ;) I thought it was 'dvi' though. Is the Gurkhali word actually 'dui'? (pronounced 'dvi' or 'doi' or ?).
In Sanskrit, 'dvi' is 2--there's why I must have read 'dui' in the FAQ as 'dvi'

B.
 
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