Info on Old Military kukri

[Andy Stevens]

Hello all
This little gem fell into my hands over the weekend. Can someone tell me its age and place of origin. I have looked on other web sites but as yet have not found an exact match. The blade is 13inch long, the handle is 4inches in length and is finnished with a dome cap. The mark on the blade looks like a stylelised deer head or similar. The scabbard is interesting in having a large tinder pouch. The brass scabbard tip is marked with what looks like I&M (samemark is stamped on the tinder pouch ). Both small knifes are missing. Thanks in advance.

[Battara]

From what I understand, the steel bolster points to a pre-1900 piece, along with the easy slope of the blade.

[spiral]

HI Andy,

The scabbard is fairly rare & probably early ww1 & may be marked & dated at the top of the pouch under the flap.

It was made for thr mk.1 issue kukri.

It is official British Gurkha issue.{& Garhwallis, Kuamon, Assam, & Burma units etc. of course.}

The kukri is not any regular military pattern. So it wont truly be identifiable.

Steel bolsters are still made & have been throughout the 20th century.

Brass bolsters are probably post 1910.

But steel is still currant, & a sign that more time was taken making the kukri than brass ones.

That particular shape doesnt date the kukri. But as a pure speculation it could be ww1 or 1920s era.

It may have been taken into ww1 but it was not an issued pattern kukri.

If you ever want to sell the scabbard or trade it, give me a shout.

Spiral

P.S.
I can normaly be found at IKRHS Forum or on Tora Forum.

[Tim Simmons]

Hello Spiral,

I am a little confused about brass or steel bolsters. Are you saying that brass bolsters are post 1910 on military issue kukri only, which might well be true, surely you are not making this statement about the kukri in general. Where do you get such definite knowledege. Tim

[spiral]

Hello Tim,

Years of reserch & study. Its my hobby!

The earliest brass bolster the Gurkha museam has ever come across was picked up in 1915 & obviously hadnt been around that long at that date.

There are also non earlier than that in the Kathamando national museam.

Non of the worlds leading collectors have come across a provenaced one pre.1910

Occasionaly dealers & collectors wish to belive ther kukri are all rather older than seems likely.

But most of us who have truly studied them have separetly come to the same conclusian.

I also have yet to see any unprovenced brass kukri that appears likely to me to pre.date 1910. Based on its design features. {I have bought just on 400 over the years, & handled thousands in both in England & Nepal.}

So thats why I state,"Brass bolsters are probably post 1910."

Why are you surprised or confused about this statement? Do you know of an older one? If so would love to hear of it.

I stated probably because one day one may turn up.

But thats the extent of factual knowledge within the kukri collecting community to date.

If one does turn up it will be an exception to the rule.

The main Military issue pattern kukris didnt have brass bolsters till after ww2. {Although occasionaly some private purchase kukri carried by officers & other ranks did.}

Hope that clarifys the "brass bolster" issue for you.

Spiral

[Tim Simmons]

I still question your assumptions, especially that more care was taken in the manufacture of steel bolster kukri. If you look at the so called thumb spike on Andys you can see that it is rather crude. It would be very helpful is you could post other examples. I am most interested as I live only 2 miles from the old Queen Elizabeth barracks in Church Crookham were untill 2? years ago the Gurkha's were stationed and my town has had a long association with the Gurkha's. I have a Kukri with a brass bolster which is rather fine and said to be very old by Gurkha's themselves not that means a lot. I feel you need to illustrate your statements with more verifiable information before they can be taken as the sum of accrued knowledge. Tim

[spiral]

OK Tim, first off , I suggest you reread what I actualy wrote, & not imagine the assumptions you say I have made!

I didnt make them.

They are your assumptions not mine.

But of course the interpritations of written word can be tricky as we all know.

I am sorry that the clarity I though I used, was obviously missing.

I said steel bolsters took longer to make. {"a sign that more time was taken making the kukri than brass ones."} That is pure fact.

Brass is softer & easiyer to work. Thats why most modern kukri have brass bolsters.

If you go to Dharan & watch them making them & ask the kami thier opinion, It is a straight forward open & shut case.

I didnt say they took more care, steel or brass bolsters come in all quality. From tourist scrap to top quality pieces.

I gave sources of verifiable information including 2 museams. Go to Winchester & veiw there collection & speak to the curator.

I wont suggest you fly to Nepal, to thier National museam , even though thats what I did to satisfy my curiosity about this questian & others.


A gurkhas opinion of the age of a kukri is generaly worthless unfortuantly.
They are mainly boys from the hills with very littkle knowledge of thie own history even. There are of course occasional exceptions.

They make good soldiers though.

Whether you wish to accept what I say is up to you.

But I spoke of facts, & also stated my opinions, which are derived from those facts.

I cant realy give photos to illustrate that steel bolsters are better than brass, because I never said that.

I have some very high quality brass bolstered pieces.

Pictures of your kukri would be interesting & I will tell you as much as I can about dating it if I can.

I am glad you like your kukri.

I like mine as well.

Spiral

[Tim Simmons]

I do beg your pardon, you did not say care, but in manufacture time can be equated to care. I am sure you must of amassed much knowledge, what with trips to Nepal. Even your Nepal museum experience is still not what I would call enough knowledge to pass judgement on the methods used by the countless workshops there must have been and probably still are, not just in Nepal but Northern India and as discussed in the past Indian areas far away from Nepal. I find it a little sweeping. I will post a picture of my Kukri for your opinion. Thanks Tim

[Ian]

This is a fascinating thread and discussion. I'm interested to see the examples from Tim and spiral. Let's stick to the kukhris guys.

Ian.

[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