Ring grip Army issue Kukri, A correction for collectors

spiral · 18th July 2015, 07:27 PM

These kukri in India are known as Garhwali kukris after the Garhwallis who made them.. I should add kukris with silver rings on the hilt probably date back to WW1. And were probably purchased privately by & for Officers. But there a very different beast.

Silver ring grip kukri. from 4th Gr.

[see first picture below]

And one from the 10th GR.

[see second picture below]

The legitimate known ww2 versions of these have steel bolsters. Those made later have steel, brass or white metal bolsters.

All of the posts claiming these are WW2 Indian Army issue are from one person. The picture he uses most to justify his belief that they are ww2 Indian Army issue is this rather strangely blurry one.

[see third picture below]

Recently another kukri collector/researcher came across this less blurred copy.. & accurately named it. Its Gurkhas of 4th Indian Division keep watch on enemy positions in Alpi di Catenaia from high ground on Monte Castiglione, 29 July 1944. The complete picture is found here: http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y266/qwer3/gurkha%20amp%20kukri.jpg

Here are closer up views

[see pictures 4 and 5 below]

Interestingly this picture is from the collection of the Imperial War Museum in London. Copies can be found, enlarged & downloaded here..

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205204677

It Shows beyond doubt the supposed Indian Army Ring Grip kukri. feature is actually a typical probably standard looking WW2 Regimental or Battalion issue kukri. {usualy made in group purchases from the many & varied kukri manufacturesrs in India & various engineering yards on occasion & perhaps on even rarer occasions Nepal. Also on a few documented occasions in times that demand outstripped supply made in house within the Gurkha units from available scrap metal.

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"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge."

Daniel J. Boorstinpiral

18th July 2015, 07:27 PM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	These kukri in India are known as Garhwali kukris after the Garhwallis who made them.. I should add kukris with silver rings on the hilt probably date back to WW1. And were probably purchased privately by & for Officers. But there a very different beast. Silver ring grip kukri. from 4th Gr. [see first picture below] And one from the 10th GR. [see second picture below] The legitimate known ww2 versions of these have steel bolsters. Those made later have steel, brass or white metal bolsters. All of the posts claiming these are WW2 Indian Army issue are from one person. The picture he uses most to justify his belief that they are ww2 Indian Army issue is this rather strangely blurry one. [see third picture below] Recently another kukri collector/researcher came across this less blurred copy.. & accurately named it. Its Gurkhas of 4th Indian Division keep watch on enemy positions in Alpi di Catenaia from high ground on Monte Castiglione, 29 July 1944. The complete picture is found here: http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y266/qwer3/gurkha%20amp%20kukri.jpg Here are closer up views [see pictures 4 and 5 below] Interestingly this picture is from the collection of the Imperial War Museum in London. Copies can be found, enlarged & downloaded here.. http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205204677 It Shows beyond doubt the supposed Indian Army Ring Grip kukri. feature is actually a typical probably standard looking WW2 Regimental or Battalion issue kukri. {usualy made in group purchases from the many & varied kukri manufacturesrs in India & various engineering yards on occasion & perhaps on even rarer occasions Nepal. Also on a few documented occasions in times that demand outstripped supply made in house within the Gurkha units from available scrap metal. .................................................. .................................................. . "The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge." Daniel J. Boorstinpiral Attached Images Last edited by Ian; 23rd July 2015 at 04:13 PM.