How much is a Nepal khukari worth?

W

WallyWest

Joined
Oct 25, 2000
Messages
5
My mom has been in Nepal for the last year, came home for Christmas and brought me a Khukari knife. It has a handmade sheath and a fairly plain wooden handle. The blade has carvings in it on both sides, a dragon on one side and a temple of some sort on the other. I believe that this is completly hand made. I know enough about knives to be dangerous and there isn't any part of it that looks machine made to me. I can also attest to the fact that the metal is not stainless or processed. It got a little rust on it before I knew that. Polished off easily and now I keep it oiled of course.

Just wondered what the market for these knives is over here. I think she said that she paid about $25 for it.
 
Just scoot on over to Craig's site and have a look around. Sounds like you got a nice kukhuri there!
David

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"Kaphar Hunno Bhanda Marnu Ramro"
 
At first I was directed to the link at: 'http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~kace/index.shtml', but I edited out the part after the .sg/ and added the '~nospam', as written in the post, and it worked fine.

How did you get such good resolution? Did you just lay the blade on a scanner?
 
It is great that u like those pics. it was just placed on the scanner and trust me that it looks betta real life than those pics. My scanner has got this tendency to magnify the scratches. have got other pics pls email me if keen in have a look. the pics are just a few that i have scanned while putting them up on sale to friends. they have not been edited. pls send me any pics that u have. i love good look pics.

regards
 
Here's some pics of mine. Sorry about the load time. The blade itself is a little over a foot in length. I've also got the fancy sheath for it.

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[This message has been edited by WallyWest (edited 11-11-2000).]
 
I'd put the value at just about $100.00 for the khukuri and about $30.00 for the stand (full retail). That stand and the engraving work on the blade was probably done by the guy Lalit uses to do our blades. The engraving is identical, and the thing that convinces me is the stand woodwork - the engraver is also a woodworker (carves Newari woodwork details for homes and buildings in Kathmandu).

Nice score! I never thought of engraved stands. I may get a few in to see how they sell (yeah, I'm "copying")
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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
Sounds like the same guy. I've got him making a custom entertainment center for me now. Two bookshelf-like units flanking a center console made to fit my widescreen Mitsubishi HDTV. Folding screens carved like dragons move out to cover the TV. Thing's costing me a fortune, but after seeing enough of that guys woodworking I think it's worth it. I'm also getting one of the Nepali style coffee tables and a couple of the window treatments. The only thing making this even remotely feasible is that my mom has like a 3000 pound freight allowance when she comes home next summer. So my shipping's free
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Thanks for the info on the Khukuri. That's about what I thought it was worth. Can't believe those guys make them for so cheap, if you can get it at the source anyway.
 
I would love to go to Nepal just to get khukris for cheap
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My dad just came back from South America with a really nice light duty machete. It is Brazilian in origin. It is completely handmade. 10" blade and leather sheath. Good quality steel. I like the sheath because in addition to the belt loop, it has a flap the can go over your pants if you don't have a belt. I cut many saplings with it so far - VERY nice. I was amazed when I heard how much it cost: $9. And this is the better model that the knife shop had, I was told. The cheaper one cost $3. Yikes! I want to go down there!
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I'll see if I can borrow a dig camera and post some pics.

Warthog
 
She's a nurse, working as a missionary in a hospital over there. Kind of tricky since what there is of their government over there forbids any kind of religious activity by "foreign devils"
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Mostly she just manages the nursing staff and tries to keep the doctors from killing too many patients.

If you ever go over there, DO NOT let them take you to a hospital UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!! You would be better off laying in the street. Really.

She's in a small town not too far from Katmandu. She picked up the knife in Katmandu, and goes on and on about the woodcarvings that he does so I think it's the same guy that Craig deals with. I've got a certificate of authenticity with the knife, I'll have to dig that up and let you know the name of the guy.
 
Their hospitals are that bad?

Is that because of poor medical education, or lack of equipment & facilities?
 
On second thought, never mind. That was pretty harsh, sorry. I've had some pretty lousy experiences trying to help out in places that needed it. My mom has spent a large part of her life doing the same, with similar results. Still, doesn't mean that I should sterotype every country that's less developed than mine like that.

Please ignore my previous comments.

[This message has been edited by WallyWest (edited 11-12-2000).]
 
Dear Wally,

I really want to thank you for taking the time to explain everything in your previous post. And especially, thanks for joining the blade.forum!

My prayers go out to your mom and all those who she helps.

In finishing, I'm still very surprised.

Thanks again, Wally,

Chris

 
I would love to go to Nepal just to get khukris for cheap
Click to expand...

It is very fun to do that - in fact - you'd be surprised how cheap everything is over there.

Wally: I could post a pic of the guy making your Newari wood carvings if you wish. I'll have to find it. Also, he's in our video, which will be coming out in a couple of weeks.



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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
And about the hospitals: Marya got really sick over there for a couple of days (3 to be exact). Fortunately, my USMC status gave me access to the Embassy doctor (a Navy LT). He told me the drugs to buy and I went to the local pharmacy to buy them - and guess what? They were really cheap too.

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Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
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