Kukri/khukuri

[kai]

Hello Timo,

#30 is extremely curved, S-shaped even. Thin blade, only 5.1mm thick, and light, only 230g. Seller suggested north Indian, and it looks Indian to me. The back of the scabbard has an open slot to let the blade in and out. Very round end on the grip.

Afghan (IIRC).

Any blade marks? How long is the blade?

Regards,
Kai

[Timo Nieminen]

Originally Posted by kai

Afghan (IIRC).

Any blade marks? How long is the blade?

Unmarked. Blade is about 10" (see tape in photo).

The scabbard with the open slot on the back makes me think Indian. Are such scabbards used/common in Afghanistan? (I've not seen any at all, so any examples will be interesting.)

[kai]

Hello Timo,

Nice collection - seems like the kukri infection is in full swing...

The scabbard with the open slot on the back makes me think Indian. Are such scabbards used/common in Afghanistan? (I've not seen any at all, so any examples will be interesting.)

I believe the slotted scabbard is a form-follows-function thing rather than allowing to narrow down on its geographic/ethnic origin.

The roundish pommel seems quite distinctive though and also the missing/integral bolster and recurved blade design are not unique:
http://www.swordforum.com/forums/sho...MKI-Variations
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15899

BTW, does your blade have a false edge towards the tip or is it even sharpened?

Regards,
Kai

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Timo Nieminen

Unmarked. Blade is about 10" (see tape in photo).

The scabbard with the open slot on the back makes me think Indian. Are such scabbards used/common in Afghanistan? (I've not seen any at all, so any examples will be interesting.)

Hi Timo,

I believe you are correct about the origins as being Indian.
The sheath tip is typical of Khanjar, Tiger Tooth Jambia and other small arms from Indian manufacturing centres.
The presence of the block ricasso on the blade side of the Kaudi is also indicative of this origin.

Gav

[spiral]

Yes Indian I agree, The only ethnicaly made, open back kukri scabbards I can recall also come from India, Jodhpur to be precise.

These strange beasts turn up occasion, they usualy have have very large & fat grips, even by western standards.

Spiral

[Timo Nieminen]

It's single-edged, and respectably sharp. The blade has a fairly uniform taper in thickness towards the tip, from 5.1m near the hilt to about 2.5mm an inch short of the tip.

No bolster, but the blade end of the hilt is carved in the shape one would expect of a bolster.

This would work as a kitchen knife, if sharpened better. At the moment, it's sharper than the kitchen knives some people use, but not as sharp as a kitchen knife should be.

As for "form follows function", most conventional-bladed kukris have conventional kukri scabbards, whether Nepalese, Indian, or Afghan. But I've see (somewhere on www) a couple of Indian conventional-bladed kukris with slotted-back scabbards. More than one form can fulfill the function.

[spiral]

Originally Posted by Timo Nieminen

. But I've see (somewhere on www) a couple of Indian conventional-bladed kukris with slotted-back scabbards. More than one form can fulfill the function.

Did you read my repley Timo? Suggest you google jodhpur kukri, for other such practicle scabbards.

{ignore sales pitch re.ww1.... ww2 is much more likely it know seems.}

spiral

[Timo Nieminen]

Originally Posted by spiral

Suggest you google jodhpur kukri, for other such practicle scabbards.

Oh my! What an excellent magic search term! The ones I had seen before were just generically described as "Indian" and "north Indian".

How well do they work? Do they work if worn in a sash? In my experience with slotted scabbards, they need a lot more care when re-sheathing. Still, perhaps more elegant than a chunky wide-mouth scabbard.

[kai]

Thanks a lot for chiming in, Jonathan and Gav!


Hello Timo,

As for "form follows function", most conventional-bladed kukris have conventional kukri scabbards, whether Nepalese, Indian, or Afghan. But I've see (somewhere on www) a couple of Indian conventional-bladed kukris with slotted-back scabbards. More than one form can fulfill the function.

Yep, but the reverse isn't neccessarily true: I was assuming the blade not to be single-edged and that would have made it unpractical if not impossible to draw from a conventional scabbard...

Regards,
Kai