Hello Everybody!

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

Joined
Mar 5, 1999
Messages
34,096
This is sort of a windy post but I'd like to give the folks who don't know me a little background.

Well, here I am with another forum to moderate. In keeping with my policy of basic honesty, I really was not crazy about doing another forum. The two I have on the other site keep me pretty busy and on top of that I get a lot of email to answer. And, I'm supposed to be retired!

So, why did I do it? I'll tell you.

Himalayan Imports has been in business 11 years and during that time we have developed a decent reputation. We sell the best khukuri being made in Nepal today and we unconditionally guarantee it for life. Customers tell us our customer service is second to none. But these kudos we receive are not free. We had to earn them and we worked very hard to develop the fine reputation we have. Now, here's the rub.

In the past month or two I have had folks copy pictures of the HI khukuris off our site and paste them on their own site and hold the HI khukuri up as their product. Over on Ebay there are people selling khukuris and listing the seller as Himalayan Imports. It is not us.

My theory is the best defense is a good offense so rather than attacking these people and trying to check every site on the net to see who is trying to pawn themselves off as Himalayan Imports it's better to go on the offense and tell as many people as I can reach who and what we are.

I realize that imitation is the sincerest form of compliment but imitation is one thing and impersonation and deception is quite another.

So, here we are, the REAL Himalayan Imports.
I'm Bill Martino, the general manager which means I sit at the screen and answer the phone. My wife, Yangdu, does everything else. The owner of HI is Kami Sherpa, Yangdu's dad. We make our khukuris down in SE Nepal at a shop with a dirt floor and no modern conveniences and they are the best being made in Nepal today.

As moderator of this forum all I ask is that we do not use profane language and that we do not make personal attacks. We can argue, discuss, disagree, spout or likes and dislikes until the cows come home if we follow only those two basic rules of conduct.

If you have not checked out our websites you might want to if you would like to know more about us and our khukuris. Here's the url:

http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html

But the easy was is use Yahoo and search for khukuris or Himalayan Imports.

Questions, comments, welcome all. Since our khukuris are a product of history, culture, Gurkhas and religion the doors are wide open.

Bill Martino
HIMALAYAN IMPORTS (the real one!)



[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 07 March 1999).]
 
Hello, Bill, and welcome!

The khukuri is one of those tools that have intrigued me for a long time but I haven't yet convinced myself to buy one. The "original" ones that I've seen to date looked more like wall-hangers than practical tools and the modern production ones (i.e., CS, Ontario, etc.) just don't "do it" for me. I'm looking forward to learning more about your quality khukuris and to possibly adding to my collection.

------------------
--+Brian+--
 
Bcaffrey, if you are looking for a quality made, good looking khukuri, that can double as possible the toughest knife you have ever owned, then the H.I. Khukuri is for you. Pictures don't do these knives justice, because you can see wall hanger pictures on other sites that look as good. However, those knives will never perform anywere near half as good as these.
 
Hi bcaffrey:

Cobalt should know. He owns about a half dozen HI khukuri with more on order!

Somewhere around these forums are some reviews of our khukuris. Take a look and see what you think.

If you want to look at one and try it out let me know. If you aren't happy with it you can send it back for a refund. If you can break it I'll send you another free.

Thanks for stopping by.

Bill
 
Bill,


Welcome to Bladeforums! It is great to see you decided to moderate here.
biggrin.gif



Regards,


Tom "Gee that 20" AK is big!" Carey
 
Hi Tom:

And many thanks for the welcome.

For those who don't know Tom is another HI customer and owns one of our 20 inch Ang Kholas -- 5/8 inch thick and maybe 4 pounds, depending on the kami. Now, this is a knife!

Bill
 
Bill,

I too wish to welcome you aboard
smile.gif
! It's great seeing you here. My 15" Ang Khola continues to provide great service.

Perhaps on another thread you can share with us how the experiments with the 18" models went.



------------------
-=[Bob]=-

I did NOT escape from the institution! They gave me a day pass!

 
Hi Ya, Bob:

Glad to see you stopped by and to learn that the 15" AK is doing its duty.

I will post a thread on the 18 inch models a bit later. I am still trying to get oriented! If that is possible.

Bill
 
Hi Bill,

Congratulations on moderating another forum. Your fine khukuris(I own a BAS British Army Service 15" overall khukuri by Himalayan Imports),superb customer service,friendly demeanor,knowledge of Gurkha and Nepalese customs and history, refreshing business integrity,and gentlemanly words of wisdom, are sure to win over many more online friends and customers. I do not state this lightly, but everything I mentioned has been earned.
It is gratifying that Mike Turber and Spark have elected to have you moderate a forum here at Bladeforums.com in addition to you moderating over at Knifeforums.
Many of us knife aficionados frequent both Forums like myself, and it is great that a harmonious interchange of knowledge and mutual respect between both Forums is alive and well. We knife devotees are a relatively tight knit and small group, and this is all for the better.

So once again, Bill, welcome to Bladeforums.

Stay safe and all the best, Phil <---<
 
Thanks a million, Phil. Your posts are always intelligent well thought out and well said. It is my pleasure to have you as a contibutor plus an email pal.

You are quite a gentleman yourself.

Bill


[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 07 March 1999).]
 
Cool! HI and Bill are here too!

Guys, besides the blades themselves Bill is personally gaining a rep to rival James Mattis. I'll confess I haven't even seen an HI piece yet; like anybody who's been around knives I've seen the cheap Indian stuff that usually has a slight warp to it left over from it's days holding down a truck axle. I was intrigued by the concept, especially the combat possibilities of an "overhead smash" type usage...and we all know where that eventually led
biggrin.gif
.

Worst case I'll see and fondle some at Knifignugen or the Blade show, I'll definately make one or both. Every single comment so far says these are *not* warped crap; to be honest I half wonder if sales of the Mad Dog TUSK are gonna drop as a result of these beasts.

'Cuz I can't see how a good Khukuri could possibly fail to outperform a "heavy woodsman's Bowie" or similar concept. That's not a slam on Kevin, the TUSK is the *only* piece of his that can be described as having a "similar role to" a Khukuri or any other HI product.

A chopping competition at Knifignugen between somebody like Cobalt or Cliff and an AK versus Kevin with a TUSK racing through a 2x4 would be something to see. My money's on the Khukuri; the only dicey part (pun alert!) is that Kevin can trigger a "crazed wolverine hyper mode" at will.

Jim March
 
Welcome to the neighborhood Bill.

I remember the early days of the original HI forum across the street, when you were quite the computer novice.

Now two forums, scanning photos, surfing the Web tracking down fake khukuris, and e-mailing and posting like a demon.

Must be from handling all of those Gurkha blessed blades...

Joel
 
Bill,

Just want to say "HI!", too. You must have 25 hours to the day.
smile.gif


sing
 
Hi sing:

Good to see you again. Where have you been hanging out.

25 hours per day. That's what I need. It is what everybody who thinks they are retired needs!

Bill
 
Bill,

Congratulations on the new forums here! Make sure you remember to take some Heinekin breaks now, willya? ;-)

Best,
Brian.
 
Jim,

The Himalayan Imports blades have put in their dues holding down axles also. Bill’s khukuris are made from automobile leaf springs, from the junkyards of India. The springs are carried back to Nepal via bus, and forged into khukuris by some of the most talented (and cantankerous, according to Bill) smiths on the planet.

The blades I have seen are not perfectly symmetrical. They are forged to the discerning eye and heart of the smith. You are right that they are very different from the $25 khukuris coming out of India.

Here’s what the late Bob Engnath had to say about 5160.

“5160 is a common spring steel, basically 1060 with one per-cent of chromium added to make it deep hardening. (It may still be selectively drawn with a softer back, if desired.) An excellent steel for swords, or any other blade that will have to take some battering. The choice of Jim Hrisoulas who makes some of the finest working swords in the business. Long blades are best around the mid 50's on the Rockwell scale, while small, working blades can be put into service at a full 60 RC. Forged blades with a well packed edge seem to cut forever! Rough on grinding belts. Jokingly called O-C-S, old chevy spring.”

The kamis (smiths) of Nepal routinely create the “forged blades with well packed edges” that Bob referred to. It is hard to believe the potential of an old automobile spring until you use one of these blades.
 
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