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I have a couple that could possibly be WWI, at least they came from a WWI soldiers estate with some other US wwi knives. I got them from the granddaughter. I don't collect foreign knives so I am trying to determine what they are. One could be WWII from my limited google searches but I really don't know. I couldn't find a good website or forum, so if someone could point me in the right direction or give my advice that would be great. I can take phone pics.
Regards,
CC
Welcome to the Forum, cpc. Collecting Kukris can be a minefield and it is easy to get caught out. The best thing is to post some pictures here of your knives and let the chaps here have a look and we can take it from there. If nothing else we all like looking at pictures and, between us, we should be able to offer some help.
As you can see they are not in great shape, but they are what they are. Not sure if you can see what appears to be a cartouche on the metal base of the larger knife. Both have bone handles.
Regards,
CC
Both those examples show wear condusive with age, and the one on the right (light handle) has clearly been repaired in the not to distant past.
I was lucky enough whilst based in Aldershot to have the Brigade of Gurkhas based at Church Crookham a few miles outside the town. If I told you, that if you went to the old Home of the British Army today, there are literally hundreds of Gurkha families desperately trying to integrate with the town. Most old soldiers who wanted to stay in the UK. After a massive campaign by a few in the UK including Joanna Lumley whose father served with them in WW2, they decided to let families stay here after their 22 years+ in the British Army, and quite rightly in my opinion.
During that time, I have acquired many blades for ex jungle veterans of other crap hat units, and all had Regimental crests on the handles and the sheath.
So on that basis, and not knowing when crests for Regimental or ceremonial use came in force by QM's on the Kukri's, I would say they are highly probable WW1 stock, ( with one caviat, that the black sheath first photo RHS does look as if it has been stitcHed in more recent times as the present ones come in a similar sheath today )when such Regimentation wasn't "paramount" if that makes sense, and the Gurkhas fighting prowness wasn't so evident until during and after WW2.
Both very nice looking and I suspect correct combat knives. I have a much younger issue...
Thanks for the comments... yes the mark on the screw is my fault. The base of the screw area had let go and I was trying to get a little more purchase on the screw to hold.. The other scabbard looks old too, it looks better after I cleaned the mold etc off it. I believe it is the same period as the knife. based upon the rust areas of the smaller kukri I like to believe in my wildest imagination it was a pick up and that is a blood stain that was never properly cleaned off. These knives were in a trunk untouched for about 40 years or so before I received them a few years ago. Who knows the real story but they were with his WWI items, which included a trench knife and a WW1 german bayonet. I don't collect imperial WWI so I helped her sell the bayonet.
More likely moisture in the scabbard. Stored for four decades in the scabbard will do that.Quote:
Originally Posted by cpc
I don't pretend to be an expert on these but I have researched them in my own efforts to find collectible examples. In my opinion, these are not military knives. They were probably made for the market to sell to soldiers in the Indian theater. This was a common practice then. My reasoning is traditional knives are made with wooden handles. Even the ones produced by the British have wooden handles. Military blades also typically have some sort of marking, be it a serial number, broad arrow, or writing in script.
I agree partly, they should likely have a marking, I forgot about that. Mine has a number done by chisel. Mine however has a horn handle, I promise you it's correct and issue. If you read up on them you find both wood and horn handles are employed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aragorn243
Is the handle to the larger Kukri really bone or is it something else? It just seems a dark colour to be bone from any animal.
Somewhere on the net there is a site for kukri collectors. For comparrison you can also go look at the ones for sale on the IMA website that cam from Nepal.