How Far The Khukuri Has Come!

Big Bob

Big Bob

Joined
Oct 13, 1999
Messages
1,731
Yesterday I was feeling bored, so I decided to see how well my old 16" Indian kukri would chop, compared to my 16.5" WWII. I selected a log that was around 4" in diameter. I chopped on it with the Indian model, but soon gave up because it would've taken too long to chop through. It turned out to be a decent splitter, when hammered with another log (when splitting with my WWII, I also use another log because I'm paranoid about a hard blow glancing off and causing injury), but that was about it. It was then that I fully appreciated having real khukuris. Thanks Bill, for all you've done to help create the best khukuris in the world!

Bob
 
You're right, Bob, about the quality of Uncle Bill's khuks. I have HI khuks and I have some non-HI khuks, so I feel qualified to say that Uncle Bill consistently offers the best-made khuks to be had -- and consistency is the key to real quality (and success).
 
Pala, Gelbu and Bura turn away maybe 24 kamis out of 25 who seek employment at BirGorkha, taking only the best that can be found. Then the best kamis do their best to produce only the best. I offer what the men of BirGorkha make.

Again, the applause belongs to the men of BirGorkha.

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Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Archives (18,000+ posts)
 
Yes, applause does go to the men of BirGorka, but some of it also goes to Pala, Gelbu and Bill for making it all work. The kamis clearly understand that without Bill, they would have no market for their work and no opportunity to do what they are doing. The kamis are immensely talented and dedicated men who have spent their lives learning to how make excellent knives. Without Pala and Bill, they would have to go back to their villages and make good, tough working knives, but for a lot less pay and with a lot less time or inclination to make really excellent ones. It takes a team to support this. The kamis are the heart of the team, but the team still needs sarkis for the scabbards, local management to buy supplies, arrange for electricity, handle payment and all those myriad tasks. And finally, someone to market the khukuris so that money can come in and keep the whole operation going.

Bill is the marketer, the salesman, the customer representative. Bill is the channel for feedback, the constant reminder of what the customers are looking for. And from our perspective, Bill is the person we trust to make sure that the US end of the operation runs smoothly. The trust is important and the knowledge that communication is taking place is important. I hope that the kamis are getting even a small fraction of the understanding and appreciation of the "other" culture that we are.

So, applause to all.

Paul


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Paul Neubauer
prn@bsu.edu
A tool is, basically, an object that enables you to take advantage of the laws of physics and mechanics in such a way that you can seriously injure yourself.
 
:
Well I agree to a point that the Kami's of Birghorka are responsible for the quality of the H.I.Khukuri's, but if it wasn't for you Bro that wouldn't have happened.

Like so many others that really could care less about the finish on the blades and prefer quality working blades instead; I am beginning to come around to that opinion myself. (One reason I have been so interested in the village models of late.) And if not for you prodding the kamis along because so many want museum qulity khukuris, that's what we would still be getting. (And there's not a thing wrong with a rough finshed quality working kuhkuri!!!! The people of Nepal use them everyday!!!!)
And that's a good thing!!!!!!!

As you and everyone that frequents Uncle Bill' Cantina and General Store knows I have a lot of khukuri's!
(Just like you're the only one who _Really Knows_ just how many_Khukuri's Jim has
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Just a little humor Jim, and you don't need to tell me it was dayumed little.
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) Now if they hadn't of been so marvelously finished I don't know if I would have bought as many as I have. Who can say? That's something that no one here could possibley know about themselves. However I doubt that H.I.would have sold as many, because most people who buy knives of any kind want them pretty.
There's just something "Magic" about a piece of steel that has been fashioned into a beautifully finished working or art knife.
Many very serviceable blades made from the very finest materials and technology of today and costing thousands of dollars will never see any use at all. And I have a few khukuri's that are the same way.
I know they're serviceable, because I took them out back and done some chopping and beating them on all sides, so I would _know_ that they would hold up. Then I brought them in and cleaned and polished them better than new. They will never be worked again by me. And hopefully in 10 or 20 years if I am still kicking around they will be worth a little more than I paid for them.
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I doubt that many, if any of those other "Art Knives" have ever been tested. Their quality comes from the bladesmith working for years to _prove_ his product.
H.I had already _proved_ their product.

The last couple of years in the history of khukuris and Himalayan Imports has been a very magical time. Just look at what has happened!!! The khukuris from Shop-1 were absolutely the best being made at the time and if they didn't meet your standards they were sold off to dealers who were still getting a pretty dayumed nice khukuri for their money.
Then came along Shop-2 and all those problems were faced and overcome.
And now we have Birghorka!!!!

No longer than I have been in this forum and started buying and continueing to buy khukuris from you and the rest of the crew which makes up H.I. I have seen the H.I. khukuri evolve into something truly amazing!!
The quality that comes from still such primitive conditions is overwhelming in spite of the improvements that have been made in the shop!!!!
The H.I.Khukuri is a World Class Knife!!!!

Bro you are the one responsible for bringing a World Class knife to the rest of the world by starting Himalayan Imports!!!
And you are also the one responsible for getting the quality of the fit and finish of the H.I. Khukuri up to the standards of a _World Class Khukuri_.

So Bro you are responsible for all of it by demanding only the best and by knowing just what the kamis were capable of, and you and Kami Sherpa provideing the ways and means of getting it all done.
And to top it all off you are a World Class Man.
My life is richer by knowing you and the other fine people who make up this forum.
And by you being a World Class Man you are the one responsible by bringing all these things together in a good way.
So like I told Terry once, "Suck it up and deal with it."
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And loving beautiful thngs I no doubt will buy more of the H.I.Khukuir's which are of museum quality and are World Class.
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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."

........unknown, to me anyway........

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
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That'll teach ya Bro.
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And I mean every word of it!
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------------------
>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."

........unknown, to me anyway........

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
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