Info on Old Military kukri

[spiral]

Thankyou Ian, Its a subject I warm too.

I agree Tim, time can equal care in manufacture & see why you took that deduction.

But high carbon steel does take longer to work than brass, that is a pure fact of physics.

Any metalergists{?} here I am sure could explain it in great detail.

Thier are also some poor quality steel bolstered pieces. So sometimes other varibles seem to be playing thier part. {supply of materials, tradition,meeting the customers demands etc.}

Theres far more about the history of kukri I dont know than that I do.

I become more aware of that all the time. Many questians I will never know the answear to. But thats part of the beuty of them & why I enjoy finding & reserching about them as much as possible.

But I havent even been to Dehra dun!

But I still do ok .

Sorry if my statements sounded sweeping, I tried to be as factual & concise as I could to advoid confusian.

I Look forward to your photos, could you give the length , weight spec, & point of balance distance in front of bolster, as well please?

Thankyou
Spiral

[inveterate]

Spiral, whilst you mention a museum having a brass bolstered Khukuri dating around 1915 I personally have come to the conclusion that this Khukuri will be an exception a more general rule would say brass bolstered Khukuri are post 1920 , I have yet to see a provenanced Khukuri with a brass bolster made prior to that time nor has (I believe) any other dedicated Khukuri collectors. Thanks all interesting post. Rod

[spiral]

I tottally agree Rod,

But They did exist in 1915 & probably back to 1910. So thats what I state as definate fact. {Which people seem to want.}

But sure most are post 1920, Thats the opinion most of us have come to accept I think? I think I may have even said the same to Mark & Andreas before?

I always wonder if the artilary shell cases from WW1 prompted the growth in the post war use of the brass bolster?

Spiral

[Battara]

Spiral that was helpful. I thought they stopped making steel bolsters by the turn of the century.

Oh well..

[spiral]

Thankyou! I am glad it was of use to you Battara.

All those fake military issue brass bolster kukri on ebay dated 1917 dont help either!

Heres a complete pair of rather nice officer quality crescent marked kukri with all brass fittings from my collection.

I would think probably early or mid 1920s.

But Definatly post 1910. & pre WW2.

For some reason pairs of kukri high quality kukri seem rather uncommon.

Spiral

[Rick]

I've got one of those .
Exactly the same except the horn handle is lighter brown and has white dots inlaid .

[Emanuel]

Hello, can the chirra on the blade serve as an indication of date or the user it was made for? I've noticed that many "Made in India" khukuri on ebay lack these depressions while traditional examples seem to have one or even three to lighten the blade. I imagine forging chirra into the blade would also take longer time...Would it perhaps be the difference between a user and a collector/presentation piece?
Manolo

[spiral]

Any photos Rick? Always nice to see another kukri!
Brass, steel or silver fittings?

Manolo, They dont realy help with dating, They can still do the broad fullers today.

Sometimes they forge them sometimes they grind them, often both.

This one is Dia Chirra.

It shows the kukri cost more to make, & was more likley to be an officers or senior NCOs piece. {Or Diplomat, or owner of Tea plantation etc.} or as you say a gift or perhaps presentation piece.

They were definatly carried into combat though. Thats well recorded.

I have seen pictures of inlisted men in Burma in ww2 carrying Dia chirras. {not quite such dressy versians though.}

Officers always bought there own kukri {certaly untill at least ww2.}, so often carried quite fancy ones, if that was to there taste.

Spiral