- Joined
- Aug 28, 2010
- Messages
- 5,431
I'm a newbie here, I've only bought 3 HI khukuris so far (all in the past month), and when reading the HI forum archives I notice that sometimes the Kamis have medical problems and need funds for treatment to get them back at the forge (and providing for their families again). I'm thinking that a good way to be prepared for these crises would be to have a Kami Medical Emergency Fund.
With Auntie Yangdu's blessing and encouragement and participation, here is a plan for raising $1,000 for a Kami Medical Emergency Fund and for keeping this Fund from running out of money:
I've seen that people who buy a HI khukuri for outdoor work will sometimes get a spare sheath so that the nice HI sheath does not get spoiled by wet weather or dirty conditions. This makes sense to me, so I found a leather sheath made by Camillus that would fit my Murali Bonecutter (16.25") with slight modifications (I added a snap to the closure strap). These photos show the Bonecutter in the Camillus sheath.
I recently found a clearance sale with this sheath being sold at a low price, so I bought 50 of them to help establish the Kami Medical Emergency Fund. (Some backstory: I just turned 50 and am steering the usual "donations in lieu of gifts" to buy these sheaths and thereby leverage the gifts to end up with $1,000 for this Fund. I'm happy to do something to make this milestone more significant to me, and, hey, 50 sheaths for 50 years...) I will make the necessary modifications (basically add a snap, I already have the equipment) and mail them to Yangdu, who will offer them for $20 apiece, with the understanding that the entire $20 purchase price will go to the Kami Medical Emergency Fund. 50 sheaths times $20 each makes a total of $1,000 for the Fund once they are all sold.
The sheaths could be sent to buyers along with any khukuris that they order, so there shouldn't have to be any additional charges for postage. If the sheaths are ordered separately, I guess that Yangdu will work out some arrangement for shipping them (I previously bought one of these, unmodified, from the Bay of E, and the first class postage on the envelope was $2.75).
The 50 sheaths sold for $20 each would raise a thousand dollars for the Kami Medical Emergency Fund. This amount is a great start, but it won't last forever unless it is replenished, which could be done by having a $5 donation option that all khukuri buyers could add to their order total, if they want to help the Kamis in this way. This would result in money coming into the fund as well as going out when medical assistance is required.
These sheaths should fit a variety of khukuri sizes up to 17 inches, including the popular 15" AK and the CAK. The sheaths are made in the USA from thick leather. They have an optional leg tie which can be removed. Here are some more photos:
Here's a shot comparing the HI sheath with this sheath. The Camillus sheath has a thinner profile, can be easily attached to a pack, and can be scratched, soaked, or muddied without undue grief.
So, in conclusion (hooray!), here's what you can do:
1. If you are interested in getting some of these sheaths (with the full $20 price going toward the Kami Medical Emergency Fund), then please reply to this thread, as well as let Yangdu know that you want them at the time you place your next order. (You can order them separately now if you like, too.) The more interest that is expressed here, the more sheaths I'll mail to Yangdu at this point, since she probably doesn't want all of them on her shelf unless they are going to sell. Please reply even if you intend to get one with some future order (whenever that might be).
2. Anytime you order a knife from HI, you can add $5 to the total (with a note to Yangdu) and Yangdu will add the $5 to the Kami Medical Emergency Fund. Five dollars is not a lot of money on top of the cost of a khukuri, but $5 can buy a lot of medicine in Nepal, and all those $5 donations will add up over time to keep the Fund from running out of, um, funds.
Thanks for considering this,
-Steve
With Auntie Yangdu's blessing and encouragement and participation, here is a plan for raising $1,000 for a Kami Medical Emergency Fund and for keeping this Fund from running out of money:
I've seen that people who buy a HI khukuri for outdoor work will sometimes get a spare sheath so that the nice HI sheath does not get spoiled by wet weather or dirty conditions. This makes sense to me, so I found a leather sheath made by Camillus that would fit my Murali Bonecutter (16.25") with slight modifications (I added a snap to the closure strap). These photos show the Bonecutter in the Camillus sheath.
I recently found a clearance sale with this sheath being sold at a low price, so I bought 50 of them to help establish the Kami Medical Emergency Fund. (Some backstory: I just turned 50 and am steering the usual "donations in lieu of gifts" to buy these sheaths and thereby leverage the gifts to end up with $1,000 for this Fund. I'm happy to do something to make this milestone more significant to me, and, hey, 50 sheaths for 50 years...) I will make the necessary modifications (basically add a snap, I already have the equipment) and mail them to Yangdu, who will offer them for $20 apiece, with the understanding that the entire $20 purchase price will go to the Kami Medical Emergency Fund. 50 sheaths times $20 each makes a total of $1,000 for the Fund once they are all sold.
The sheaths could be sent to buyers along with any khukuris that they order, so there shouldn't have to be any additional charges for postage. If the sheaths are ordered separately, I guess that Yangdu will work out some arrangement for shipping them (I previously bought one of these, unmodified, from the Bay of E, and the first class postage on the envelope was $2.75).
The 50 sheaths sold for $20 each would raise a thousand dollars for the Kami Medical Emergency Fund. This amount is a great start, but it won't last forever unless it is replenished, which could be done by having a $5 donation option that all khukuri buyers could add to their order total, if they want to help the Kamis in this way. This would result in money coming into the fund as well as going out when medical assistance is required.
These sheaths should fit a variety of khukuri sizes up to 17 inches, including the popular 15" AK and the CAK. The sheaths are made in the USA from thick leather. They have an optional leg tie which can be removed. Here are some more photos:
Here's a shot comparing the HI sheath with this sheath. The Camillus sheath has a thinner profile, can be easily attached to a pack, and can be scratched, soaked, or muddied without undue grief.
So, in conclusion (hooray!), here's what you can do:
1. If you are interested in getting some of these sheaths (with the full $20 price going toward the Kami Medical Emergency Fund), then please reply to this thread, as well as let Yangdu know that you want them at the time you place your next order. (You can order them separately now if you like, too.) The more interest that is expressed here, the more sheaths I'll mail to Yangdu at this point, since she probably doesn't want all of them on her shelf unless they are going to sell. Please reply even if you intend to get one with some future order (whenever that might be).
2. Anytime you order a knife from HI, you can add $5 to the total (with a note to Yangdu) and Yangdu will add the $5 to the Kami Medical Emergency Fund. Five dollars is not a lot of money on top of the cost of a khukuri, but $5 can buy a lot of medicine in Nepal, and all those $5 donations will add up over time to keep the Fund from running out of, um, funds.
Thanks for considering this,
-Steve
