Kukri/khukuri

[Timo Nieminen]

A few more:

#10 Estimated to be early 20th century (1900s - 1920s), horn handle which is very wide front-to-back (side-to-side seems to be a normal thickness). Comfortable in hand, except for the damage to the front corner.

#11 Don't know any details about this. It was very filthy when I got it; it's still pretty filthy now, but much cleaner. Looks like some damage to the edge has been fixed.

#12 Brass and grey metal grip. Very nice weight and balance, lovely to swing. The owner before the previous owner claimed WW2 or earlier (supposed WW2 bring-back). Just got this one, and am very pleased with its ergonomics. What might the grey metal be? I don't think it's aluminium.

[spiral]

Hi Timo,

The grey metal is usualy a "pot" metal of any handy meltable scrap with a low melting point that getys thrown i8n the pot!

Usualy a very high zinc content due to the prolific use of old toothpaste tubes & cylinder battery casings.

Spiral

[Timo Nieminen]

A few more:

#13 is very small. Seller estimated 1920s.

#14 is also small. Horn handle. Last 1/2 century or so, and Indian ("Tempered steel, Made in India").

#15 is engraved, has 8 white metal pins as decoration, aluminium I think, around larger brass rivets. Horn grip.

#16 is supposedly from the Royal Nepalese Arsenal in 2003, nicely handling for the size.

#17 is a fancy one, velvet and silver(?) scabbard, horn grip. 2 large chips in the blade (or 1 large, 1 medium, depending on opinion). Seller estimated c. 1900.

#18 is modern. I thought, "Cute! Somebody makes a tulwar-hilted kukri!" It's OK, but I strongly suspect I could do better myself with a $20 ebay tulwar hilt and a bare blade. Task for the future!

[Timo Nieminen]

And one more very long one:

#19 is very long. Modern. Do very long kukri like this have any history, or are they modern fantasy/martial arts items?

This one is a nice fighting sword. As well as being about the length of the (modern) wakizashi I show it with, it's also about the same weight (1oz heavier, 771g vs 742g).

As my longest kukri, I also photographed it with my smallest kukri.

[spiral]

O yes they can have history! Battle or sacrifice! {Some wall hangers too out there. & modern pieces to.}

This link. Shows a few of mine & explains a little about them.

Spiral

linky.

Also a thread on this forum including links to various other kukri slaughter pics. {Caution advised for link for Vegitareans or upset by animal slaughter.}

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10292

[Timo Nieminen]

Or, more specifically, are very long kukri of this form - very slender - historical? A couple of modern makers do these, but I haven't seen any old ones.

The top one in your link is about the same length and weight (a little longer, and a little lighter). Should be a very good fighting kukri!

Modern "sacrificial" kukri I see (i.e., what's made for the tourist market as sacrificial kukri) seem to be much heavier than yours, 50oz and up.

[spiral]

Not of the same shape as yours ,no I dont think so.

Modern kukris are often more heavily built & sometimes more clumsy than many antiques. {Although you get some clumsy old ones to!} Many corners are cut compared to the old ways.

Certanly the finest craftsmen of 100 years ago are not equaled today. {And thats understating it.}

The only 100% sacrificial kukri of mine is the bottom kora handled one from First quarter/third of 20th century. {Gifted in 20s.}

The others could be sacrificial but are also likely to have originaly been used for war. {But of course in there long lives will have probably been used for sacrafice as well, while still in Nepal.}

Spiral