Is there a Best Nepalese Khukri Maker?

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453

Just like Samurai swords have their own well known makers, is there any particular khukri maker in Nepal who deserves some mention?

I have read in this particular forum of some names which seem to be familiar among the regulars.

I am totally in the dark about these people. So I was wondering if there is one or maybe a handful (say, two to five) of Kami people who are well known even in their own community for making excellent to wonderful khukris?

------------------
Make Love your strongest weapon. Compassion your shield and forgiveness your armour.
 
Probably.
I have one that I call the Royal Khukukri.
It was made by Bura.
A bit pretentious.
 
Nothing pretentious about it, Bura IS the Royal kami of Nepal. When the king wants a khukuri his people go to Bura because he is the best. Now, as the best khukuris are made by kamis in Nepal, and Bura is the best of these, we can say that Bura is the best kami on the planet. Just don't say it to another kami
smile.gif
The other kamis at BirGorkha are darn close though; Sanu who has a gift for khukuris with gorgeous curves to them, Durba who is gaining a fan base here makes khuks so cleanly it is hard to believe that they were not CNC machined, Kesar who keeps it simple but puts alot of care into each and every blade, and the Kami with no name whom I don't know much about but his work shows serious skill. Forumites, if I missed anyone currently at BirGorkha please chime in with that info. Thanks
smile.gif


There are some old timers in the villages to whom (I expect)even Bura would differ. However, unlike us, they don't feel it's important who made the knife, so long as it's good. So, outside of the few we know about, these artisans of the forge are only known to the people of their village or region.

Each of HI's kamis is superb. If however,you want something really ornate or complicated to forge, then you'd want Bura or Sanu. Durba is gaining skill and experience and will be at that level soon enough as well. Like always this is my take on the situation, YMMV.
 
IMO, not a person, but Himalayan Import factory of BirGorkha is the best in Nepal.

Most of Nepali kami work for quantity. What Uncle Bill cared most and BirGorkha followed is evaluating quality, not quantity. This made BirGorkha unique, and brought a good success in business. More and more proud-of-quality kamis are gathering. If there were better maker our there, he will come to BirGorkha sooner or later.

Nepal has a poor/narrow communication between villages, so there's a possibility a great master kami is somewhere out there. But what do we do with him? His place is as far as light years away for us.

------------------
Otokohadaremo yumenofunanori.
Shonennohinoakogare shinutokimade wasurezunidaiterumonodayo.
 
They all say they are the best and the best of the best are very, very good so it is hard to say. Bura does have the distinction of being labeled the "Royal Kami" because he has made khukuris for the king but I don't think that alone makes him the best kami in Nepal.

I do think the constant pursuit of the highest possible quality at BirGorkha has paid off. It shows and tells in almost every knife they send but every now and then, generally when they get far behind in production, they will toss in a clunker that should have gone back for rework.



------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Archives (33,000 + posts)
Himalayan Imports Shopping Site
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top