Antique KUKRI blade Advice

[Jomo]

Ok so I bought this Kukri blade at a carboot for 2quid. I found it in a box of old tools. I love my knives and i think this one is an absolute corker and of pretty good quality. Hand forged with considerable skill and care, the only problem is it doesn't have a handle and the tang is shamefully short!! i was wondering if anyone out there had any thoughts on how best to put a handle back on it and whether it was ever meant to be used or just displayed with the tang being so short and all.I want to put it to good use not leave it on a shelf. I should also mention that all the other smaller knives and extras were also missing.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/555202_10152508040930611_269170331_n.jpg the back edge is 11mm thick

a bit of size perspective. Just over 40cm long from tang tip to blade tip

very nicely shaped IMO

Nice crisp stamp, is this symbolic or the makers mark?

the tang is sturdy to say the least, but short

beautiful double wave/furrow

really fine stitching on the sheath,nice detail

 

[plastic-ninja]

The only ones I've ever seen without their handles on have had a longer but very thin tang, like a scandinavian stick tang.
Yours does look a hefty piece of kit and with a three inch -ish tang.I guess you are going to have to treat it as a stick tang.
You could always drill the tang and pin it for more security but probably best to ask Mark HillBill as he seems to be a bit of a Zombie-slayer
these days.
You could always enter it in the Knife Making comp thread.That would be lots of fun.I'm sure there will be lots of advice on the way!
Cheers , Simon

 

[Jomo]

how do i contact mark Hillbill? thanks for the advice by the way

 

[hog]

This must be him.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/member.php?u=10810

 

[Fat ferret]

Not ideal but there you go. Two options

Make a handle and drill some holes so you can just force the tang into the handle and then drill a hole or holes through the handle and tang for a rivet or two. Probably hard metal so carbide bits, slowly and plenty of oil.

Or you could grind the blade so the blade is shorter but the tang is longer and can go right through the handle and be peined over a metal pommel. You would have to re-instate the notches though. This is probably the option I would go for as it would make a good sturdy job of it. Especially if you put in some rivets too. Don't want it coming loose and although it may be antique it's not valuable. Good luck.

 

[plastic-ninja]

This must be him.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/member.php?u=10810

That's the man alright.Check out his knifecomp Bowie!
Cheers , Simon

 

[HillBill]

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.....

Handle it like a stick tang and put a pin through the wood and steel so it holds it in place. That is a short tang indeed, but the pin will hold it secure

I can do the work if you aint equipped for it.

 

[Jomo]

Ok thank you all for your advice much appreciated.I will probably pin it with some 6mm brass rodding i've got and then if that all works out i'll make a sheath for it and put some photos up

 

[Tristar777]

Hi. If I was you, before you do any work on the blade Id take a look on the Torah Kukrhi web site and maybe speak to the guys on there. You never know what you have till you check with the guys in the know!!

 

[Tengu]

Your so lucky, all the ones I have found were naff

 

[Longstrider]

An alternative would be to weld an extension onto the existing tang. This could be pre-shaped to make it into either sensible length for such a large blade, or even make it into a full tang.
You would need to protect the blade from overheating whilst you welded, but if done properly it wold make the knife a lot safer in use later on.

 

[Jomo]

more great and sage advice thanks for the input everybody

 

[Jomo]

An alternative would be to weld an extension onto the existing tang. This could be pre-shaped to make it into either sensible length for such a large blade, or even make it into a full tang.
You would need to protect the blade from overheating whilst you welded, but if done properly it wold make the knife a lot safer in use later on.

i have a friend who's a specialist welder i will have a chat with him about this possibility thanks

 

[joshiecole]

Please whatever you do, don't drill it through with a pin!

I have a very similar kukri which also needed rehandling. It's about the same length, has a similar leaf shape and crucially also has quite a short fat partial tang. Pinning the tang may cause stress risers, or damage the heat treat. With a pin you risk damaging the blade, whereas with a short partial tang you will only ever break the handle -- that's the worst case scenario, and as I will point out later isn't as big a deal as you might think. Before you do anything drastic it might be worth knowing a couple of things about why your kukri has the tang style that it does.

Firstly the tang is short because the handles on Nepalese kukris are short. The handles are often about 3.75 inches long. Many Westerners prefer a bigger handle and this is fine, but the small handles are perfectly workable if you are using the proper two fingered chopping technique (that's what the ring in the middle of the handle is for)

Secondly, the philosophy behind the short fat tang is that eventually all handles will come off and are easily replaceable, much better for the stress to go into the wooden handle rather than risk breaking the tang.

Thirdly, I am led to believe by the wiser heads at Tora's specialist kukri forum that the partial tang kukris have better balance for use.

Fourthly, a short tang transmits less shock into the users wrist/elbow than a full tang. This point makes no difference if you are a recreational user but if you have to use this tool every day for agricultural purposes then it matters a great deal.

There's a reason why Nepalis themselves prefer the short tangs, and I'm pretty sure it's not just because -- as I've heard someone suggest on an American forum -- they haven't learned about full tangs yet from there American cousins!

Finally, I should add that it is possible to replace the handles on a short tang with very minimal tools, and possibly even in ''The Field'' I have personally replaced a kukri handle using the awl from a victorinox and a machete to whittle down the piece of ebony to size -- the finish was a bit rough and ready, but I wanted to learn how to replace it so that I would have the skills to use the kukri within its original philosophy of use. I have since refined the handle, slimming it down to a more traditional shape and more correct ring..