Thank you Spiral, Thank you Bill for putting me out of my misery. This is the first item I bought about a year ago and its been niggling me since. I then rediscovered kukris, thank goodness!
Johnathon, I must respectfully oppose your designation as a $1 shanghai ebay sword. Clumbsy yes, illformed yes, ugly yes. modern chinese construction, not from where I stand.
Structurally I feel this is a very strong piece of steel, It can absorb a great deal of stress and return true. Thank you for difinitively telling what it is not. I still feel it has some redeeming qualities. I wonder If bored Australian engineers made this at the end of WWII for sale to the better paid American soldiers.Perhaps they copied from a genuine piece, which could explain its crude but robust nature. I was hoping it was of a more tribal nature. Thanks again for ending my confusion
The next items I'm about to post are of chinese origin I believe, more bad news on the way I expect
Kind regards to All
Daniel