any chance of a custom khukuri?

gearGOON · May 23, 2002

uncle bill,
i've been checking out your site, trying to make the big decision about which khukuri to buy. i was going back and forth between the 15in. Ang Khola and the Chiruwa Ang Khola (the Chiruwa was winning) but i finally decide that the knife i liked the shape of best was the one in the little image on the first page of the sale site next to the words "Welcome to Himalayan Imports" (it's the one with the brass and bone handle on a red background). feel free to laugh everybody. for some reason i just love the shape and proportions of that knife. is there any chance of having a knife made by one of your fine craftsman that is basically a Chiruwa Ang Khola (ie full tang) with the blade and handle profile of the one in the icon?

i whipped up a fullsize picture of this knife in photoshop, but i can't post it as a basic member. if you're at all interested i'd be happy to email it to you.

if this question is too specific for the forum, perhaps you could just comment on HI's custom policy (if one exists)?

thanks for your attention.
e.

Matt H · May 23, 2002

gearGOON, welcome to the HI cantina. It's a fun place to hang out and talk about khuks and other stuff.

The Khukuri you referred to is actually (IIRC) from about WWII, and was Pala's personal khukuri when he served as a Ghurka. The handle is spotted deer antler, not bone. It's called a Salyan style, and I think most people here (including me) would agree it's one of the prettiest styles of khuk. Unfortunately I don't think the kamis are familiar enough with this style to really make one that has the same profile. I know a few years ago some people custom orderred Salyans "like Uncle Bill's Khuk, just bigger", and got back the infamous "Super Salyan", a huge, ugly knife that weighed about 4 pounds. The kamis just scaled up every proportion equally and came out with a very... odd looking

...knife. Uncle Bill will be by soon and tell you for sure if they can make you one, though.

ddean · May 23, 2002

Originally posted by gearGOON ......feel free to laugh everybody. for some reason i just love the shape and proportions of that knife.

We would only laugh out of recognition.
After all, Bill chose it for the logo for his company.

gearGOON · May 23, 2002

uhoh...
why am i starting to get that "my fly's open" feeling...is this the question every newbie asks first?

so how long is a normal Salyan style knife (as opposed to the "Super Salyan)? when i refered to a Chiruwa Ang Khola, i was mostly interested in the full tang construction, not neccessarily the length.

thanks for the info and not making fun of me,

e.

Yvsa · May 23, 2002

gearGOON no laughing from me either. Everyone would love to have a copy of that knife!!!!
Matt's got it mostly right, but IIRC it wasn't Pala's khuk. Bill will be along to get everyone straightened out.
I'm one of the few who managed to get a copy of the (In)famous Super Salyan. When you lay it edge down and back up about 20 feet it looks just like the one in the pic. Up close it's an ugly thing that grows on you and one helluva worker!!!!
Even if I did have to take the handle down about 1/2 inch in the center to be able to hold onto it!!!!

Welcome to the Cantina.

Yvsa · May 23, 2002

Originally posted by gearGOON
uhoh...
why am i starting to get that "my fly's open" feeling...is this the question every newbie asks first?

Probably because you didn't have enough info let alone knowing what the khuk is called. Anyone can make that sorta mistake.

thanks for the info and not making fun of me,

e.

You're welcome and you asked right. FNG's are given the benefit of the doubt most of the time.

Again, Welcome to the Cantina.

not2sharp · May 24, 2002

gearGOON,

You have good taste in knives. Welcome to the cantina.

n2s

gearGOON · May 24, 2002

well i decided to quit cryin' about the salyan and get in the game. i just ordered a PGA and a Chiruwa Ang Khola from uncle bill.

man, i can tell already that this is gonna get ugly (to my bank account anyway)

e.

Bill Martino · May 24, 2002

The khukuri was not Pala's issue model but was carried by an Uncle of Govinda Dhital, my sort of adopted Nepali son years ago, who served in with the Gorkhas in Burma. Govinda gave me the knife when I left Nepal the second time and it has great sentimental value. No kami has ever copied it exactly so I wouldn't count on getting a duplicate.