Khukri ....... Why do I do it?

DhaDha · 7th March 2010, 09:09 PM

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

Atlantia · 7th March 2010, 11:33 PM

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.

DhaDha, I think thats a much nicer one TBH. Mine is very plain, just rather on the large side.

spiral · 8th March 2010, 09:26 AM

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

mross · 8th March 2010, 05:24 PM

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

Lew · 8th March 2010, 05:47 PM

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

Atlantia · 8th March 2010, 10:04 PM

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?

DhaDha · 9th March 2010, 12:23 AM

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.

7th March 2010, 09:09 PM	#1
DhaDha Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 178	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 Attached Images

9th March 2010, 12:23 AM	#7
DhaDha Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 178	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. Attached Images

7th March 2010, 11:33 PM	#2
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	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. DhaDha, I think thats a much nicer one TBH. Mine is very plain, just rather on the large side.

8th March 2010, 09:26 AM	#3
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	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

8th March 2010, 05:24 PM	#4
mross Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 478	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

8th March 2010, 05:47 PM	#5
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	The damage is pretty bad and it would cost you more to repair than buying another old one in better shape.

8th March 2010, 10:04 PM	#6
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	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?