Himalayan Imports Shop No. 2 -- a possibility.

The boss, Kami Sherpa, is trying to launch Himalayan Imports shop number 2. Here's why.

First, down at the shop in SE Nepal there are just not enough master kamis to go around and we are slowly falling behind. Our special orders are taking longer than ever and our standard models are in very short supply. The solution: Open another shop in a different location which has access to a few master kamis and start handling overload and some special orders.

Kami has found a location for a shop just outside the Kathmandu Valley and he has found one master kami willing to work full time. He is going to contact our old pal, Nara, and see if he can work at least part time. Helpers and apprentices are no problem but we need to find about four master kamis who can work full time or give us at least four days per week. We are getting close.

This is good news. Due to its location communications will be much better with shop number 2 so we can handle the special orders much easier. And, this means better delivery on special orders and easier maintenance of inventory of standard models. So, we will see how Kami makes out in his master kami recruiting effort and we will keep you posted.

Uncle Bill

 
Howard Wallace

Howard Wallace

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Great!

A few more of the masters may have a chance to spend their efforts making top quality knives. Japan designates certain artisans as "National Treasures." Some of the master kamis are "Planetary Treasures."

Bill, you are providing a great service by helping to connect these men with a market that values and can afford top quality. This is a good example of "right livelihood." Without the connection you are providing, the kamis would be turning out lower quality work for the tourist market, along with the occasional quality, but poorly finished, blade for the local market. I think HI is giving these master kamis a chance to test their limits, which they might never approach otherwise.
 
Bill, if this takes off, you will have to break down and get a credit card system.
 
And the second shop would be out of the monsoon area you were telling me about, with 110 degree farenheit temperatures and 98% humidity.

I still think you ought to take the rejected blades ( that you then handle and sell locally ) finish and stamp them HI with a line or X's thru the logo, and ship them unhandled over here.

This would accomplish several things. Sending the perfectly sound but cosmetically flawed ( somewhat ugly ) blades unhandled, without sheath and karda/chakma would cut down the shipping costs on them.

When a kami realized a blade wasn't going to measure up to the HI standards, he could cut his losses by finishing that blade much faster, taking it to a reasonably nice but not up to the normal HI standards finish. He could eliminate the time otherwise spent on making and fitting handle, scabbard, and tools. Which means he could then move on to the next blade and, being a master, probably do that one right. You should actually end up making more knives that met HI standards in the same amount of time.

And you could, with reduced shop time spent on the rejects and reduced airmail costs for just the blade, be able to sell them over here for a bigger profit than by taking all that time to finish them for selling a completed knife locally.

It's an idea to run by Kami Sherpa when he comes over. But then I'm probably missing something important and obvious. Rusty.
 
Howard, you've been there and seen those incredibly strong but poorly finished khukuris. The kamis can do it and my hope is if we can get enough $$$ and interest the master kamis won't die off as soon as they would otherwise. The location is between Kdu and Banepa -- a good place with electricity, phone, fax, and roads and buses.

Cobalt, if Kami can get this shop smoking (and I do mean smoking) I will get set up to accept plastic. Right now I don't want any more business than I have.

Rusty, you could have a good idea. Our rejects -- about a 20% rate in Nepal -- are better than the khukuris produced for tourist and export. I'm hoping that we won't have a lot of them in shop number 2. Kami will be on site here and I think he can stop the rejects before they get started.

Shop no. 2 is past the dreaming stage and I think it may materialize. It depends on how many master kamis Kami can find.

Do all of you know why Kami is so named? If not let me know. It's an old Sherpa tradition.

Uncle Bill
 
Ooops: I'd sent Uncle Bill an email, then this thread came up and I checked my email - nothing - so I posted to this thread, checked my email, and found Uncle had emailed me back one minute before I posted.
 
That's good news. Maybe, there will be enough interest and skills to pass on to the next generation.

sing
 
I hope so, sing. Although the old master kamis are considered to be untouchables according the the caste system they are actually one of Nepal's dying treasures. My hope is we can contribute to their longevity.

Uncle Bill
 
Update on shop no. 2.

Kami applied for his license to operate the shop and it will be soon forthcoming.

Interestingly and equally frustrating, one needs a permit or license to do just about anything in Nepal. A couple of examples are permits for buying copper wire for your home and farmers who must get a permit to buy fertilizer.

One of the problems is we will have to provide room and board for master kamis who work in the shop. They will have to bus in from whatever village, stay and work for a week or two, return to take care of their little farm, and back again -- commuting kamis! A new concept in Nepal.

We will keep you updated.

Uncle Bill

 
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