Go on...show us your Choora!!

Andy Stevens · 17th January 2012, 12:21 PM

Blimey!! There are a lot of fine example out there! Feel free to post Karuds or even the big brother Khyber knifes. Has anybody a modern resin hilted example? We've seen a couple on Ebay, a new take on an old idea, but still interesting. Keep em coming!!

thinreadline · 17th January 2012, 12:43 PM

Here is a rather basic workaday example . Bone hilt and 40 cm long . I feel that it was a knife like this that Kipling had in mind when he wrote the lines :

'When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains'

.. rather than the more elegant pieces we have shown here !

Andy Stevens · 17th January 2012, 02:07 PM

Ah! Kipling....fine poetry and exceedingly good cakes

! The old work horses are very welcome, its worth comparing the subtle differences between older and more modern examples, especially in the quality and decoration of the scabbards, some of which are just works of art in themselves. We've attached below three images of North Indian knifes, very workman like with re-enforced spines and pesh like overall appearance. All comments welcome. The top example we originally described as a pesh/choora but now we would call a Karud!

Lew · 17th January 2012, 03:27 PM

Here is one that I picked up a couple of years ago. The blade is wootz but I have no good close ups of it.

thinreadline · 17th January 2012, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lew

Here is one that I picked up a couple of years ago. The blade is wootz but I have no good close ups of it.

Very classy Lew , I like it.

A.alnakkas · 17th January 2012, 07:29 PM

These are mine.. Nothing fancy, but authentic I think.

Lew · 17th January 2012, 07:57 PM

I forgot this one which was forged from a file.

ariel · 18th January 2012, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Stevens

Ah! Kipling....fine poetry and exceedingly good cakes

! We've attached below three images of North Indian knifes, very workman like with re-enforced spines and pesh like overall appearance. All comments welcome. The top example we originally described as a pesh/choora but now we would call a Karud!

Aren't they so-called Kerala knives? Long way to Afghanistan :-)

Andy Stevens · 18th January 2012, 01:07 PM

Hi Ariel,
Glad somebody mentioned the Kerala knife; the guy we got this example from had several and had sourced them locally in Rajasthan, we later saw them described as Kerala knifes in one of Tirri's fine books, so not sure as to what they actually are. They certainly share some of the characteristics of the Pesh family, heavy blade, thick spine and multi segment hilts.

Hmm, just don't know!

Stan S. · 18th January 2012, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Stevens

Hi Ariel,
Glad somebody mentioned the Kerala knife; the guy we got this example from had several and had sourced them locally in Rajasthan, we later saw them described as Kerala knifes in one of Tirri's fine books, so not sure as to what they actually are. They certainly share some of the characteristics of the Pesh family, heavy blade, thick spine and multi segment hilts.

Hmm, just don't know!

Not to push ahead with my theory on the meaning of "choora" (as covered earlier in thsi thread) but if it holds to be true, a typical "kerala knife" is also a "choora"

Lew · 18th January 2012, 03:35 PM

Stan

a choora is a specific style of knife associated with certain tribes in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The kerala knife is associated with an area in the southwest coast of india. Even though they may look similar they really are two different animals and we need to differentiate between them.

thinreadline · 18th January 2012, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan S.

Not to push ahead with my theory on the meaning of "choora" (as covered earlier in thsi thread) but if it holds to be true, a typical "kerala knife" is also a "choora"

And choora is also a set of bangles worn by Indian brides !

17th January 2012, 12:43 PM	#2
thinreadline Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wirral Posts: 1,204	Here is a rather basic workaday example . Bone hilt and 40 cm long . I feel that it was a knife like this that Kipling had in mind when he wrote the lines : 'When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains' .. rather than the more elegant pieces we have shown here ! Attached Images

17th January 2012, 02:07 PM	#3
Andy Stevens Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: London Posts: 155	Ah! Kipling....fine poetry and exceedingly good cakes ! The old work horses are very welcome, its worth comparing the subtle differences between older and more modern examples, especially in the quality and decoration of the scabbards, some of which are just works of art in themselves. We've attached below three images of North Indian knifes, very workman like with re-enforced spines and pesh like overall appearance. All comments welcome. The top example we originally described as a pesh/choora but now we would call a Karud! Attached Images

17th January 2012, 03:27 PM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Here is one that I picked up a couple of years ago. The blade is wootz but I have no good close ups of it. Attached Images

17th January 2012, 07:29 PM	#6
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,339	These are mine.. Nothing fancy, but authentic I think. Attached Images

17th January 2012, 07:57 PM	#7
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	I forgot this one which was forged from a file. Attached Images Last edited by Lew; 17th January 2012 at 10:49 PM.

17th January 2012, 12:21 PM	#1
Andy Stevens Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: London Posts: 155	Blimey!! There are a lot of fine example out there! Feel free to post Karuds or even the big brother Khyber knifes. Has anybody a modern resin hilted example? We've seen a couple on Ebay, a new take on an old idea, but still interesting. Keep em coming!!

18th January 2012, 01:07 PM	#9
Andy Stevens Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: London Posts: 155	Hi Ariel, Glad somebody mentioned the Kerala knife; the guy we got this example from had several and had sourced them locally in Rajasthan, we later saw them described as Kerala knifes in one of Tirri's fine books, so not sure as to what they actually are. They certainly share some of the characteristics of the Pesh family, heavy blade, thick spine and multi segment hilts. Hmm, just don't know!

18th January 2012, 03:35 PM	#11
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Stan a choora is a specific style of knife associated with certain tribes in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The kerala knife is associated with an area in the southwest coast of india. Even though they may look similar they really are two different animals and we need to differentiate between them.