Authentic WWII Kukri of not?

[Flying10uk]

it wouldn't be unexpected if it still had the British stamp

But India and Pakistan carried on using the Broad Arrow long after independence.

[Flying10uk]

how would it have been marked?

Quite a lot of the antique Nepalese Kukris were unmarked while some had Nepalese markings along the back edge.

[Aragorn243]

Doing a little further research this morning. There is some old information on Blade Forums that is no longer complete and the links are missing. It's from 2001. A broad arrow over India is a postwar tourist knife. If there were other markings on the blade, it is an actual military knife that was purchased from the army post war and overstamped with India to satify export requirements. So they do exist as broad arrow with India but the India was added post war and the original WWII markings would also be present. If no other markings are present, strictly a tourist piece.

On a side note, I made a deal for a MK III WSC Kukri on eBay. First WWII at a reasonable price I've seen. This is one of the British made knives made in 1944 and 1945.

I also dug mine out as I noticed I can't see the markings on it in the photos I took. I now have a mystery on my hands as the Kukri in the photos is not the one in my hands. It is obviously mine as that is my green storage bin I took the photos on. So I evidently have two of them. Not sure where the one in the photos is but as I never sell anything, it's here somewhere. Perhaps a quest for later in the day. I'm thinking I picked it up cheap at a flea market and it had to be since 2000 as that's how long the bins have been here. I built them when I was stuck at home during Covid.

The one I was thinking of, the Nepal one, is larger than most, considered to be WWI vintage. It has markings on the spine KPD993, possible makers designation and serial number. This one came from IMA.

[Aragorn243]

Not happy. I was at a new flea market today and came across a Kukri sitting on the counter by the register of this little shop. Guy was frantically looking at his phone trying to figure out what it was. I asked if it were still for sale and the lady wasn't answering, the guy said he was buying it. I asked to look at it and of course its a WWII issue M43 kukri. I left, came back a few minutes later and it's gone, he's gone, she confirms she sold it for $30. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. As a consolation if there is one is it was in by far the worst condition I've ever seen a kukri. The rust was removed but the pitting was widespread and very deep. At an earllier flea market a guy bought a starter pistol for dirt cheap before I had a chance to get hands on it. Not a good day.

[tramadoc]

My father in law retired in 1993 from 5th Special Forces Group. He has a Gurkha issued kukri that was given to him by a Gurkha. It’s a beautiful knife. Not with anything special on it, just that the knife is plain and beautiful by itself.

[Flying10uk]

overstamped with India to satify export requirements.

I thought that was a US import requirement for a time requiring the country of origin to be stamped on the blade. Like I have seen some blades stamped with England on the blades imported into US. It may have happened for a relatively short period.

Personally I don't trust that all markings found on all Kukris are necessarily always original and genuine to the knife.

[Sapper740]

Gentleman, thank you all for your thoughtful posts. You've convinced me that my kukri is almost certainly a reproduction but I can't complain about getting three for only $35.

[Flying10uk]

reproduction

It's still old and vintage but tourist Kukris have been about for a very long time.