Markings on army blades?

M

Marc Girvan

Joined
Aug 7, 1999
Messages
9
Can anyone tell me if the British/Indian army khukris of WW1 and WW2 carried any markings?
I have seen bayonets and a Lee Enfield 303 from WW2 which are stamped with the British army broad arrow mark.Would khukris be stamped in the same way? Any help on this subject would be appreciated.
thanks

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Many are marked with the ever-popular "MK" at the base of the blade, followed by a roman numeral (I think it's 2 or 3).



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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
Thanks for your reply Craig.My father-inlaw does a similar ceremony to the one on your site except he uses a sugar cane knife instead of a khukri, on a goat instead of an ox.
I've seen a picture of a khukri of WW1 vintage, with a nicely curved blade, would this be MK1? Any ideas on the dates for the different models? Also has anyone seen the broad arrow mark on any army issue khukris.
Cheers, Marc.
 
All Brit ordanance has the broad arrow acceptence mark.
My S/F knife is marked, additionly 1 and england on the back of the guard.None genuine without it.
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[This message has been edited by ghostsix (edited 16 August 1999).]
 
The broad arrow is a very easy mark to duplicate and I have seen it on khukuris which would not come close to meeting Brit. Ordinance specs.

Uncle Bill
 
A few magazine articles I have read indicate.

Recent khukuri's: broad arrow and acceptance date and location.

Older service khukuri's, sometimes no markings at all. Usually at least a broad arrow.

Numbering and stamping became a fetish for the British after WWII.

Will
 
Early markings are symbols. The half moon/crescent sometimes seen can be more than a design. The # of 'dots' with it indicate early regiments. As do any shape in conjunction with the crescent.

The broad arrow was not applied to any blade prior to WW I and is never used in conjunction with the word India. Those marked as such are Indian repros and junk. An authentic broad arrow proofed blade from India will be marked with just the letter "I".

There are terrific WW II khukuris marked "India" that will be some of the best made knives you'll find.

The 'Mk' stands for "mark" and is used indiscriminately and some new knives and fakes are stamped with Mk III. You may also see a series of 3 numbers. Or 'bgn'. These do not mean they are from a regiment but are from someone mass producing knives for export.

WW I knives were marked with the date: 1917 or 1918, the "Co", and "I" with broad arrow, and various letters and numerals. They vary. Authentic ones are very rare. Repros are not. The scabbards were also marked, especially in WW II.

To make the whole thing even more confusing most khukuris, military or not, have no set markings.



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JP
 
That is not true.
the broad arrow predates WW1.
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[This message has been edited by ghostsix (edited 19 August 1999).]
 
The broad arrow may predate WWI but was it applied to khukuris before WWI? I am not sure.

Uncle Bill
 
Like I said, the broad arrow was not applied to any khukuris until WW I.

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JP
 
Like I said, you're the expert in this area, John, and if you don't know your contacts at the Gurkha Museum probably do.

Uncle Bill
 
Thanks for the help guys.
Last year my father gave me a khukri my mother bought him in 1965.The antique dealer she bought it off told her it was a WW2 issue Gurkha knife.
After cleaning off 30 odd years of rust I could find no markings.The blade was still very sharp but roughly finished with grind marks clearly visible.The scabbard has the military style frog but with non adjustable straps. The scabbard also has no markings except for a flower engraved into the leather.
I've just received 3 books I ordered from our national library,In Gurkha Company. by J.P.Cross, The Gurkhas. by Byron Farwell,
and Gurkha by Christopher Chant. Only the book by Chant has a decent picture of a khukri.WW1 issue I can just make out the numbers 8205 1 on the blade near the hilt, although it could just be writing on the photo.
So I'd like to thank the forumites again for their help,it is very hard to find info on khukris.This forum has given me more info in a month than I've found in a year of looking in knife books and libraries
Cheers Uncle Bill and forumites


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One more time: This forum is great because it is visited by great people who make it so.

Uncle Bill
 
Marc,
You're right about information on khukuris. I have been trying to compile as much as I can, but source material is very, very scarce. Even the books written by ex Gurkha officers have conflicting stories, much less the 'correct' spelling of kukri, khukri, kookrie, etc. and Ghurka, Gurkha, Gorkha. Even the Ghurkas I know spell 'khukuri' differently.

With Lee Jones' growing web site, and some helpful Museums, I am trying to put together some accurate info. I am going to England next month and will be talking with some interested parties at the Gurkha Museum, the Royal Armouries, The Army Museum, The Imperial War Museum and The Victoria and Albert. When they saw some of the pictures I sent, they said they had never even seen some of the knives!

Whatever I get will be passed along via questions from the forum and thru Uncle Bill.


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JP
 
:
Gee,I come on here to agree with Uncle Bill and gig him a little about the book I know he probably will never write.(I wouldn't either Uncle,because I could write my own and won't.
smile.gif
)
I was also going to say how nice it would be for John Powell to write a book and he has already been here helping us with more information.

How about it John?
Is there a chance for a book someday on Kuhkuri's?
I would even like to read one about your adventures of collecting.
I know you must have some of those what I call 10 % stories like the one about my Keris that I only gave $22.50 for twenty two years ago.
The places you've been and probably unlikely people and or places where you have found Kuhkuris would make for some interesting reading.IMO


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>>>>---¥vsa---->®
The civilized man sleeps behind locked doors in the city while the naked savage sleeps (with a knife) in a open hut in the jungle.

 
I think John is the logical candidate. All us old timers are too busy to think about writing books!

Uncle Bill
 
Somebody with a RW-CD needs to copy the HI KnifeForums Archive, first of all. There's more than enough just there for a book. SO DON'T LET IT GET LOST!!!!! Then we can go after the Bladeforums HI Archive.

Until someone does that, be very careful Uncle Bill. You are a living treasure.

( Hmmm... come to think of it,maybe you'd feel better about being considered a living treasure if you just bear in mind that the ultimate treasure trove at an archaeological dig is the place's garbage dump! LOL )
 
:
Rusty:
Just what would the thing with the CD take?
I am absolutely computer illiterate so anything you could 'splain would go over my head.
Do you have the capabilities for doing what you suggested? What would it cost?
Is it time intensive?
I know I would also like to see it saved before it is lost!!
Lke you said,"there is enough for a book over there."


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>>>>---¥vsa---->®
The civilized man sleeps behind locked doors in the city while the naked savage sleeps (with a knife) in a open hut in the jungle.

 
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