The Officer Kukri of 1857: A Blade That Shaped History

Having studied military history for over 10 years and made more traditional blades for the last fifteen years, I can easily say, few military blades of the Kukri that participated in combat during the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

It is not an overstatement to say that it is not just an uprising, but one of the Company’s fiercest East India battles, and the Gurkhas were very loyal to the way it tilted.

The rebellions of India had nearly taken over the throne. The combination of multiple factors had contributed in the defeat of the rebellions such as poor leadership within the rebellion, less discipline, and unclear objectives, yet in huge numbers against the smaller number of East India Company forces, with more well-equipped, with better leadership, clear objectives and the forces of Gurkhas.

When Steel Met Rebellion

 

The rebellion engulfed every single square mile of northern India, and the British were the last to expect it. Every single regiment began changing factions, and military rebellion evolved to the most rampant street combat. During that confusion in Gurkhas, the Gurkhas were the only ones who were loyal to the British and were notoriously famous for their use of Gurkha Kukri, and the way they would charge with it was brutal.

Having dealt with numerous Gurkha Kukris of that age, I can say that the Kukri certainly had a history, mixed with elegance and the pain the region has to had to endure. A Gurkha never considered his Kukri as a sidearm, it was as an extension of their very being.

It was the time when one of the most brutal hand to hand combat took place, Gurkhas shooting and stabbing with bayonets and chopping with their kukris. It was a blood bath.

The Officer’s Edge

Of all the Kukris that saw action in 1857, the Officer Kukri was distinct in its class. From the pieces I have examined, the primary difference was not in the finishing touches, because the finishing touches alone was something bespoke – it was much deeper than that. The Kukri of an officer was a tool of authority. However, it had to live up to the expectations in times of peril for the lives of men.

 

While the Officer Kukri is remarkable because of the finer workmanship, that is not the only reason. It is much more than that. Finesse is often in the sheath of elegance and lethality. The Order Kukris were a lot sleeker and more refined than those of common soldiers. They were finished to a standard befitting an officer. However, in the absence of polish, these were blades that could turn the tide in hand-to-hand combat.

Forging History

Every detail is crucial in the officer mounted Kukri, especially the one escorted by the British forces during the 1857 “sepoy” mutiny. I have dedicated months to this piece, from research to copying, leading to truly special blade specifications. As with any form of creation, something is drawn first that serves as an original template. In this instance, templates would be pieces in displays and military archives and then cross-reference those with the dated military records.

Specifications of the Officer Kukri

• Blade Length: ~ 13.5 inches

• Weight: ~ 500 gm to 580 gm

• Handle Material: Buffalo Horn Handle

• Tang Construction: Partial Tang fixed with industrial adhesive

• Additional Tools: Comes with Karda (small utility knife) and Chakmak (sharpener)

• Blade Design: 2 deep and functional fullers along the blade’s intersection

More Than Steel and Horn

All the collectors I met who own an authentic Officer Kukri told me the same thing. The myth of the Kukri, it is specially imbued with history that transcends just being a hallowed weapon of the British Gurkha. The 19th century craftsmen designed the blades with such elegant form that it would not be an overrepresentation to say they delivered perfection. Whatever the case, if you own one of these blades, you do not simply own a weapon, you own a part of history that helped carve modern India.

The Kukri blade is taken to be one of the most recognized blades in the world, and the Officer Kukri from 1857 is without a doubt its most stunning masterpiece. It is the point where tradition met necessity, where craftsmanship served strategy, and where a curved blade became a mark of loyalty where humanity was being its most despicable.

See more of military production here.

Desclaimer

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