A Kukri
posted by nk at 12:42 PM
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
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17 Comments:
Always struck me as an effective combination of a big knife and a tomahawk, both good close combat weapons. The shape doesn't do it for me, as I like some back cutting capability but the effectiveness of these in the right hands is awesome. Nice piece of history.
In ancient Greece, they called it "kopis". The Latins "falcata".
Alexander did try to invade India and maybe that's when it was introduced? It may have come from that or maybe it's a universal thing. The Turkish yataghan also has a similar concave edge. Quien sabe?
It does allow a more solid wrist lock for straight thrusting and slashing with a short blade. I never tried using it to get a feel for it.
I don't like a lot of back curve either.
Probably the best I have for a fighting knife.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o109/machinist360/guns/blades/100_3655.jpg
Maybe the best I've seen.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o109/machinist360/guns/blades/originalLMFgerbertactical.jpg
Photobucket won't let me in. Could you email the pictures as attachments?
Sorry about that. If I copy and paste to the address bar I get the picture bit perhaps only me.
The notch near the hilt. Every kukri has it. I'm told
1) It represents Shiva's trident;
2) It means the kukri is female and it represents female attributes.
Interesting! I had no idea.
It is interesting the number of cultures who attach great spiritual qualities to edged weapons. I can't really think of a comparable example in firearms other than some early artillery pieces that were individually made and somewhat unique.
The riddle of steel! It really is a fascinating metal.
Our ancestors (I'm Helene descended and I believe from your name you're English/Celtic descended) brought the Iron Age into Europe about 1,000 BC supplanting the Bronze Age.
From my poor knowledge of history, at about the same time the people we know today as Chinese, also armed with steel, went east to supplant the then indigenous people of China, and the Hittites brought steel to the Middle East and Egypt.
A good point. That would give it a mystique, wouldn't it.
There is also seeming magic in the properties of steel, what you can do with just a hammer, a simple forge and a bucket of brine. You can imbue it with properties that seem far different and above common iron or steel. Magic.
Combine that with the training and zeal of people like the Gurkhas and perhaps it is natural.
Speaking of brine-quenched, I have a new picture up. ^_^
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the notch was originally designed to catch an enemy's blade while fighting.
I like a well used knife, so I really like DirtCrashr's.
But just because; here's a pic of my presentation model kukri.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-53VuWco8ND1_YtukYJjcl-l1zsmS61mgZgxwiH-dEk?feat=directlink
I don't really care for engraving but that is beautiful and impressive work. A piece of art. It shows nice detail on the notch as well.
Thanks.
We (me, my older brother, and a friend) chopped-down inch-thick saplings with it and made a waterproof lean-to in the Government forest behind a vacation house up in Darjeeling in 1967. Good thing we weren't caught, we weren't supposed to be there OR doing that. I was Nine. Missionary kids are fearless.
I always thought the notch(es) were a built-in self-sharpener or strop for the two attendant small knives. The notch in mine has the center wedge broken.
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