Japanese knife?? help identify

[Treasure Trawler]

Anyone have any idea where this knife came from...thinking Japan?

[RobesonsRme.com]

The style suggests India or Nepal.

Most likely a tourist trade item made in the style of the Kukri (? spelling) the standard issue knife of the Indian or Nepalese Ghurka (also ? spelling) soldiers.

But, could have been made in Pakistan, Japan, etc.

My father brought one home from India after WWII, but without the two smaller ceremonial knives. The sheath on his is very much similar to yours. Dad's knife has horn handles. It is marked "INDIA".

Charlie Noyes

[Treasure Trawler]

Thanks Charlie. This one was brought back from wwII with a german sword, samari sword and a wood figure handle long knife. Do you think its a junk souvenir or military issue?

[jerryd6818]

Going only on what I've read, it looks like your Kukri has a strong possibility of being genuine. This appears to be relevant to your knife. Pretty sure it wasn't made in Japan or The Land Which Shall Not Be Named. No country of origin stamp indicates it was not made for export.

"Some khukuris (such as the ones made by contractors for the modern Indian Army) have a very wide tang with handle slabs fastened on by two or more rivets, commonly called a full tang (panawal) configuration."


Educate yourself more here -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kukri

[Treasure Trawler]

What do you think the stones in the handle are? They are dark blue. Will do some research on the Kukri. How would soldiers leaving the war end up with these?

[jerryd6818]

What do you think the stones in the handle are? They are dark blue.

If you want a guess, I'd guess glass. This is not a high end ceremonial Kukri and I don't think it's a tourist piece. It was made to be used. Maybe someone who knows what their talking about will be along and give us the low down.

How would soldiers leaving the war end up with these?

The ways military personnel acquire and get stuff home is as numerous as grains of sand on the beach.

[carrmillus]

...jerry,when i was in high school, i worked for an arcjitect who was stationed in england in ww2. he got a luger and mailed it to his wife , one piece at a time, took over a year. when she figured out it was a gun, she took it to a gunsmith and had it put back together, and mailed it back to him!!!!....... ...................

[jerryd6818]

Now I don't care who you are, that's funny.

[Colonel666]

Hi. I have some info. The color Royal Blue of the stones may refer to the Sudan region and the war that made Alexandria independant. Royal Blue velvet was invented there and became a symbol of that Sudan area. Good Luck!

[jerryd6818]

Except Kukris are from Nepal (and India).