Khukri ....... Why do I do it?
 

I've been out of sorts for the last couple of weeks due to some bad luck and a minor car crash (no harm to me, just the car).
Anyway, finally got the car back, and todays been the first time I've had more than a spare minute, so went to the local sunday antiques markets and car boot sales.
I've seen this kuk a couple of times, the vendor brings it out occasionally.
And I'm a sucker for the 'sad case' damaged weapons.
Its rather large at 52cm, but has the rather obvious horrible edge 'click'.
The madness struck me and I bought the damn thing.
My question.... 'Is it worth the effort of restoring?'

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...a/IM000254.jpg

I am very happy to hear that no one was hurt in the accident. As for the damage to the blade, if you are going to do it yourself I would say yes. If you are going to have someone else do it it could be cost prohibitive. Myself, I think that I would go ahead and repair it, but that's just me. :D Other than the damage it looks to be a very nice item.

Robert

depending on how far the hardened edge goes back from the edge to the back of the blade, you may be able to reprofile it into a more sirupati-like blade.

I have a thing for old warriors too. My vote would would be to do what you can. I think I have one that is quite similar. I've always loved the balance. The blade flattens ever so slightly in the belly. I think either due to a lot of sharpening or an old repair, similar to yours.
Cheers

Hi Guys,
Thanks Robert :) Its a strange thing, I've not had a knock in a car for 12 years, and this was one of the first times the mrs and I had gone out for a drive without our new baby. It was one of those bumps where it was relatively minor, but nearly was a bad one. I was stationary, so I'm just waiting to see if the other driver will be honest about it.
I somehow doubt it :(

Anyway, the Kuk.
Its slightly bent, so its going to have to survive straightening first.
What are everyones thoughts on the length and the possibility of etching showing anything?

Pepper, I was wondering about the hardened egde........
Hopefully it'll work.
:shrug:
DhaDha, I think thats a much nicer one TBH. Mine is very plain, just rather on the large side.

Wow what a lovely old warhorse! very early 20th century I would think.

I think I would either keep it as is or renovate it taking the edge back past the chip & have it as a user, Id leave the length the same, as the chip is so large it implys it was tempered to at least that depth & very hard as well. Many modern kukri are tempered that hard but most old ones were made a bit softer so the edge would deform rather than chip & so they could be sharpened in the field.

As long as the metal isnt burnt in the grinding process I susspect the current temper taken back to depth of chip & with a convex edge will do fine.

Spiral

I had a khuk restored by Dan Koster. It looked more like a corkscrew than a khuk. If memory serves me he heated it with a welding torch and straitened it. If you do something like that then you can reprofile the blade and re-heat treat it to something usable. So yes it is very doable, with the right expertise.
Here is Dan's link;

http://www.kosterknives.com/home.htm

The damage is pretty bad and it would cost you more to repair than buying another old one in better shape.

Spiral,
Thanks mate, Its a rough old thing but I do think it has some slight possibilities... ;)
I've got a nice slow bench grinder to do the shaping, then I'll file the edge again.

Mross,
I'm a little worried about the straightening it. My usual method is what we call over here a 'lump hammer'.

Louie,
You're probobly right, I just have a problem resisting the urge to 'save' those hard luck cases! :(

DhaDha,
By weird conincidence, I noticed that mine also has a mark on the blade. Same as yours but two, back to back. Whats the significance?
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...IM000260-1.jpg

I think there are a few theories. I've heard them called armoury marks but I personally think it is a stylized crescent moon. Certainly, more often than not, the mark is found good quality pieces. :)

If it were mine - and I have a few that are in about that condition - I would leave it as is. Appreciate it as an artifact that shows considerable use for the purpose for which it was made. If you grind away a significant portion of the blade to remove the damaged area, all that history is reduced to metal shavings. If you need a kukri to use, buy a new one and promote the preservation of an ancient craft in a very poor country. There is nothing about the condition of that "old warhorse" (to adopt Spiral's eloquent description) that a collector should be ashamed of or apologize for.

Please don't grind the blade down to remove the damaged area :eek: When I said I would restore it I was thinking along the line of replacing the missing section of the blade by forge welding in a piece of another old blade. If you don't want to go through all that trouble I would just clean it up and leave it at that.

Robert

Hmmm,
well, the thing is..........
The reason I buy things like this is because it sadens me to see them in such a god awful state.
I would feel bad owning it and not trying to restore its funtionality.
I think its what 'it' would want.

I agree with Berk, if the damage to the blade looks old then let it be.
Who know what history that blade and its dings has to tell.

Warren in Arizona

Ah, seems reasonable.
Hmm, not sure about the quality of mine though

If you do anything, please have a piece welded in .
The damage to that edge is catastrophic in nature .
Is the blade forged hollow ?
If you re-profile into the concavity, IMO the piece is destroyed .

Quality ?
It's a blade struck with a mark . :shrug:

$.02