Himalayan Imports or Khukri House

Since Cybrok has a need to know (or is just nosy) :jerkit: I will go ahead and voice my opinion here - with one caveat - I own neither HI nor KH. I am more of a student and researcher, but I have been around awhile -so here it is;

HI
- I've always heard very good things about the knives, I have lurked on the HI forum since when Uncle Bill was still here and I thought very highly of his honest and informational posts.
- The forum does sell Blemished knives - "Blems" though it is very hard to score one for several reasons. If you purchase a "Blem" from the Deal of the Day - then the normal HI warranty does not apply.
- They have a nice selection and have over the past 12 months been branching out into new styles and designs.
- They have a very loyal following (as evidenced by some of the posts here).
- They have a very well put together website that gives lots of info on Khuks.

KH
- I have read posts of folks who each own several of their knives, most were well pleased with them and felt they got a great deal for the price.
- They have 2 very nice websites, one now takes PayPal to expedite the process.
- They have many more designs than HI, some traditional some not.
- The Shipping is not exorbitant. Shipping for each item can be calculated simply by choosing that item and checking the Cart for the cost. Multiple items will reduce in single item shipping so it pays to purchase 2 or 3 and then give 1 or 2 knives away as gifts.
- KH has a seller on Ebay that has the exclusive rights to sell there (don't recall his name).
- I personally tried to purchase from KH more than a year ago and due to the amount of info they wanted (CC number, SSN, DL Scan) I ended up just saying NO Way.


My Opinion
- If a particular knife really appeals to you, buy it if you can afford it.
- There are very few Kukris that will sell on the secondary market for what you purchased them new for (like a Cadillac, once you drive it off the lot you just ate alot of deprecation).
- These are traditionally made tools from folks who are poorer than most of us can imagine.
- Khuks are tools, not investments, no matter which camp you choose. A cheaper price does not necessarily mean a cheaper product in this case.
- If you are just trying them out you may or may not like them, choose carefully.
 
I own 5 HI Khukuri's and one HI sword. They are very strong and well balanced choppers. Quality control? very spotting. You can send them back if you get a bad one. I carried a 12 inch HI in the woods for making fires ect.
Very nice knife....great for self defense against anything that moves. I think that they may be a little overpriced for what you get, but, they are nicely finished AND handforged, depends on what you like. Frank
 
Hillbillenigma said:
Since Cybrok has a need to know (or is just nosy)
Click to expand...

I was just curious about what you had to say. I think it's normal as a customer. I have bought a blem and am happy with it.

Also, about blems:
"We guarantee blems blade only not the handle." - Yangdu

Same as the villagers.
 
I have owned several khuks in the past and HIs are well beyond KH in average quality, even though some of my KH, like their Afghan model (sold at the time by Gurkha House) were also excellent.
If I had to get another khuk today it certainly would be an HI.
 
It is way better to support a peoples economy than to give money to some corrupt or political motivated charities. Health clinics in the third world are not even allowed to mention birth control or they risk losing all US funding.
Charities are often used to keep people poor and ignorant and to support the policies of the major contributor wheras helping to develop an economy puts people in a position where they don't need outside help and control thier own lives so paying a small premium for a HI kukuri is the best kind of charity and you get a cool knife. (Sorry about the rant but I did bring it back to knives eventually.)
 
I have a HI Khukri and am happy with it and the speed of their processes. Always hear great things about their service and response. Simple choice.
 
Just as a 'sidebar' to note. Some of these knives are hand made in much of the same way they were made during the 1800 & 1900s , probably earlier too. From that perspective you are getting a little piece of history. For me there is something about weapons made with old technology .

My Best
Dwight
 
H.I. has a lifetime garuntee... stated right there on the home page.

K.H....no guarentee that I could find.
 
The knives from HI and KH are each unique and hand made under very primitive conditions. The quality of the finished product is always an unknown; they should be tested before you take them out and rely on them. In the old days the bazar khukuri sellers would have kept a long bar of mill steel in their shops and customers would have been invited to try their khukuris before they purchased them. Having said that, I have had very few problems with HI, and I have picked them because of their participation and support of these forums and because of the terrific good will they have created over the many years.

These are very large, heavy, and powerful knives. The forces generated are such that it is easy to damage the knives and yourself if you are careless. They will easily load forces equivalent to a 3/4 size axe onto a very sharp knife's edge. Performance will vary; but, go slow and easy, until you get the hang of it and things will work out much better.

Welcome to the world of khukuri.

n2s
 
Another satisfied HI buyer and user here. I have had no issues with quality or service.
 
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