Kukri dated 1945 marked "HW"

[Will M]

I have not been able to make photos attach. The Kukri is a WW2 army and is marked on the leather scabbard. However the ricasso has a marking I don't know of, a "HW" however most likely not Wilkinson that used "WSC" as their marking. Does anyone know what HW represents?

[BBJW]

Photo?-- bbjw

[werecow]

I have not been able to make photos attach.

Manage Attachments -> This will open a popup window; select the files you want to attach with the Choose File buttons -> click upload (there are two buttons, but the upper one is what you'll probably want). It'll say that it is uploading the attachments. Now keep the upload window open until you see the attachments listed in the window where you're editing the post. Do not close the window before that time or it'll interrupt the upload and you'll have to start over again. Then finally, save the post.

[fernando]

Wil, kukris are usualy discussed in the ethno forum. Let us move this thread there. Certainly more members will show up.

[RobT]

Hi All,

I have a khukri with "HW 44" stamped right above the cho. The particulars are as follows:
11.75" Blade with Double Sword of Siva.
Mahogany Wood Hilt with Steel Ferrule & Steel Butt Cap (Secured with 2 Steel Screws).
Incised Black Leather Wrapped Wood Sheath, Kissa Present (Karda & Chakma Missing). No military markings.
Prior to Will M's post, I had always thought that my khukri was a private purchase. I had thought that "HW" was the owner's initials and the 44 stood for 1944. Now, I too am curious to know what "HW" stands for.

Sincerely,
RobT

[werecow]

Over here (https://chinesemartialstudies.com/2012/11/05/identifying-and-collecting-the-nepalese-military-kukri/) there is a picture of three kukri (different looking from RobT's, but presumably the same maker; see attached) with the subscript:

A smaller group of MKIII knives all dating from WWII. The top blade was produced by CMW in 1944, the middle example is from HW in 1944 and the last piece carries the iconic K-45 stamp (which was once mistaken for a model designation, instead it refers to the year of manufacture.)

So, made by HW, in 1944. Here (https://www.oregonknifeclub.org/Kukri%20Articles.pdf), again mentioning the Mark III, it says:

Manufacturers stamps

MIL=Military Industries
WCS= Windless Steel Company
CMW= Located in Calcutta
K45= K stands for kukri and the 45 the year of manufacture
HW= Unknown but it could stand for a city called Hardwar located between Almora and Dharadun India. Both Almeria and Dharadun served as Gurkha Regimental centers.
LD 64= unknown
KEO 1975= unknown
RGR= unknown, this stamp was on a very
nice modified Mk.3
SA= some proofs mark found on all
WWII Mk.3 that I have seen. It is found
on some kukris made prior to Indian
Independence in 1947. SA stands for
small arms.

[Will M]

Mark has told me that my kukri was made by Cossipore Armory in India.
Photos won't post being heic and I don't know how to convert them.

[werecow]

There are online converters for HEIC -> JPG. For example (https://freetoolonline.com/heic-to-jpg.html) (there are numerous others if this one doesn't work; just google "heic to jpg").

[RobT]

Will M,

Since you used the term HEIC, I assume that you're using a Mac:

Open the image

Go to the top left hand side of the computer screen, click on "File", and pull down to "Export"

A window will come up that will allow you to name the image, select a place to save it, and select a format option (HEIC, JPEG, JPEG-2000, OpenEXR, PDF, PNG, TIFF)

Select "JPEG" in the "Format:" pull down menu, put ".jpeg" at the end of the image name you have chosen, and save the image.

It will now be a JPEG

Sincerely,
RobT

[Will M]

Thanks that seemed to work converting pics.

[werecow]

So, HW45 and the SA proof mark... Would be good to see the whole thing. }|:o)

[RobT]

werecow,

From the look of the cho, I would be willing to bet that Will M's blade was made to British GI specifications.

Sincerely,
RobT

[Will M]

Pics

[RobT]

Yep, British GI spec khukri. They had to have worked at it to produce such an ugly cho design.

Sincerely,
RobT