The Kumar Bishwakarma Special -- a real fighter.

K

Kami Sherpa

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Aug 12, 1999
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Namaste all! It is me, Pala, again with another very interesting khukuri for you.

Here is a khukuri made by one of our younger kamis, Kumar Bishwakarma, who is only 26 or 27 years of age. He asked me if he could make this special version and I told him to go ahead but do a good job. He has done a very good job and I am proud of his effort. He has learned a lot from the older kamis.

This khukuri is made from a file we wore out from use in shop 2. It is the lightest khukuri we have ever made. It weighs only 14 oz. for a length of almost 18 inches. Blade thickness is less than 1/4 inch and only about 1& 1/8 inches wide. Kumar hatchmarked the blade in a very finely done pattern of about 1/16 inch squares and the karda and chakma carry this same pattern. Kumar was not sure if he should mark this blade or not (finished after I left Nepal) so he did not put the HI logo on the blade and he put no serial number. The only marking is Nepal on the back of the blade.

The sarkis have done an excellent job on the scabbard. This shipment shows the best work I have seen them do to date. Gelbu conducted a leather search to find the best leather available and this is some of what he found. Very, very nicely done.

This is what I think you call here a "fighter." It is not made for use as a prybar as are the 15 inch, two pound, Chiruwas which came in the same package I received today along with this Kumar Special. I will ask Bill Jwai to take a picture of one of these and post it tomorrow.

For Jim March or anyone of similar tastes who wants a khukuri that is lightning quick with excellent balance (you can see the balance point from the picture) this is the one for you.

I will sell this first edition of the Kumar Bishwakarma special for $150 and I will pay shipping. If you like this knife I will make it a regular line item.

Contact Bill Jwai via phone or email if you have an interest in this khukuri. And, dheri dhanyabad for looking.

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Pala (Kami Sherpa)
Owner, Himalayan Imports
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
 
I have a 17 1/2" Chainpuri handled, eye of the dove cho, 14 oz villager. It doesn't just handle like a dream, it handles like a very erotic dream.

Darn it, someone grab this before I become fiscally irresponsible!
 
Sorry Rusty.

Mom's Sirupati comes first.

Harry
--"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943.
 
That is absolutely lovely. I'm going to pass on it for two reasons: #1, finances and #2, in this smaller class I have something nice already. "Skinnybeast" fills a nice "larger size need" already.

But I predict you'd sell a small but steady stream of those little beasties.

I do have one minor criticism: in this size and heft class, you're bordering on a different fighting system whereby tip control and finely-placed stabs become a major factor, somewhat like a classic Bowie. And that's cool...but to safely stab with something that doesn't have a lot of "momentum" you need a lower guard for safety.

See...to stab with this you'll need to "continuously push" on impact and there's a fair chance you could have an accident whereby your hand slides down the blade. NOT good. True, there's those grooves at mid-grip but if your tip hangs up on something solid I'm not sure it'd be enough unless you had a grip like a Gorilla. I know that extending the brass piece right behind the blade downwards into a lower guard wouldn't be very traditional BUT if I'm not mistaken, producing a Khukuri this small ain't traditional either?

Does this make sense to anyone else? It's a GREAT concept but Kumar is venturing into a whole different type of bladeplay and may have to make adjustments accordingly.

Something else: in handling Skinnybeast, it's clear that it should NOT be used for stabbing. So forget the double edge! What feels proper is chopping/smashing movements combined with whole-body movement...then it comes ALIVE. For some reason, "upwards" drawcutting movements while dodging/jinking feel right. Much more play needed...it's "telling me things" that I'm barely starting to understand.

But I'd be willing to bet something as small as Kumar's sweet little critter will be a bit different.

Jim March
 
Jim,

The village Udhaipur I recently received is a traditional blade in this class. It’s 17” long and 14 oz. Surprisingly, the chop still “feels right” with this size blade, and I don’t doubt that it could sever a limb. It can be thrust hard into a log with either a forward or reverse grip. The curve of the blade ensures that the force the hand exerts on the knife is not parallel with the handle as it is on a straight bladed knife. This helps to reduce the tendency of the hand to slip forward on a stab. Try it. (Carefully.)

Some of the old dedicated fighting khukuris did have hilts. As I recall John Powell has one such in his collection. Whether the hilt was to stop an opponent’s blade or to prevent slippage I cannot say. I suspect both.

I also suspect the addition of a hilt will seriously reduce general utility. You will not find hilts on the khukuris that have evolved as farm and home tools.

The khukuri seems to make obvious a lesson that took me many years of martial arts practice to discover. The tool will tell you its ways and its use. Your khukuri is starting your lessons, and you obviously have the ears to hear. For another style, another weight, the lesson will be slightly different, but no less effective. This is the real secret behind the fearsome effectiveness of the Ghurka warrior. It is not secret martial arts techniques studied in a dojo. It is intimate familiarity with his tool.
 
Right...and making my freakin' knees work right so I can actually move properly instead of lurch around would be an even better beginning (sigh).

I'm workin' on it but it'll take lots of time. B'gawd am I stiff
frown.gif
.

Oh well.

Jim March
 
Lovely little piece indeed
smile.gif


Looks like the balance would be perfect for a curved fighter too. (just my opinion)

Would also make a useful hunting knife. He has done well for a young man.
 
KS., BM.,
If nobody else picks it up, I will next month. 'cuz after the gifts that I've got to take to Washington this week, I'm flat.
Dan
 
I have never done this,but have heard of people who,while filleting fish,or whatever,caught the tip if their knife on the counter and slid right up it.A guard is good.

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A lot of the common filet knives are based on the Scandinavian "Puuko" type handle, "smooth elongated egg shaped wood". Slip-up accidents are WELL known with this grip.

I would think the standard Khukuri mid-grip rings (watchamacallems?) would be enough to prevent this accident in any concievable utility role. It's a combat stab that has me slightly worried...although if a Khukuri this small still feels like a good chopper as Howard implies, I'm impressed.

Jim March
 
I really wish I could pick this one up. All of my khuks are utility blades thus far. 2 Village Dahnkutas, 1 800lb Salyan, 1 15" AK and (oops!) 1 GH mini jungle. The mini is a nice concealable little defensive knife. My AK just wants to smash and cleave. The Salyan encourages me to join the WWF ad put it to work. The DAhnkutas want to work. I don't have a khuk that just says "lets play" (vbeseg).
I do have a Gelbu Special on the way and I suspect that it will have some lessons to teach me that my poor clumsy self will have trouble learning. This one looks really sweet. Hmmmm.... do I really need to pay ALL of the mortgage this month?

Mike
 
Jaeger -- is that WWF the World Wildlife Fund or World Wrestling Federation?

Pala -- beautiful khukuri -- depresses me to see such a fine knife made by someone the same age I am -- I am wasting my life! And I suppose I am too old to become an appretice...

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Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com
AKTI Member A000847

Specialization is for insects.
 
If you could see and handle the Salyan you would know that I meant the World Wrestling Federation. The 800lb Salyan is a spectacle.

Mike
 
Pala, this demonstrates something I had started to comment on but ended stopping before I posted it.

A couple of years ago, a large number of types of guns were banned in the USA, not from sale or ownership of those people already had, but from further import and manufacture. And there were several months notice given before the ban took effect. People flocked in droves to buy the rifles, pistols, shotguns, and 10 round+ magazines that would would later be legal to keep, but only possible to buy at outrageous prices. The result was the best year for sales the gun industry ever had.

But the next year after that happened saw more gun shops go out of business than ever before. Why? Because their best customers had already spent their discretionary money in a buying frenzy the year before. Customers who'd bought a couple guns a year for year after year had bought four or six the previous year.

Uncle Bill says that 80% of your sales are to people who've bought from you before. This means knowlegeable customers willing to pay for HI quality, toughness, and beauty. And for the spirit in each HI. And those who find beauty in the ugly ducklings ( explain to Pala the fairly tale ) for the heart and soul beneath the villagers' rough exterior.

The forward curving Sanu.

The "old man"'s ( Royal Kami's ) banspati.

The Gelbu special.

The Kumar fighter.

These are all wonderful, but the way to increase your customer base seems to me to be the villagers. And the "visiting kami" made khukuris. These are your entry level blades, the ones that first time buyers will get. Once that happens, they are probably permanent customers.

I like the idea of having "rail common" knives available, but you are seeing what your customers buy with the unsold brass handled ones. I know that you have some 25 of them coming in. My suggestion is to ( if you have room on the web pages ) put up pictures of them on the HI site, and offer them special order. If you get a request for one, have someone hand select one from a nearby factory. I'd like to see a khanjarli, or a patang of good quality, but few others would, I suspect.

This would leave your line as follows:

1) Collector grade/Shop 1 and 2.
2) The world's finest using khukuris/Shop 2.
3) Villagers and visiting kami made models as a value line and entry level for new customers.

And, if feasible, special purchases from the other/tourist factories when requested.

You already have loyal customers. Don't try to sell to them. They will sell themselves. Let them buy as they can afford to. Go instead after the new first time buyers. Then they will became your loyal regular repeat customers.

Take this for what it's worth, as I may be typical in some ways of your other customers, or I may be very different in my point of view.
 
Rustyji, you make a lot of sense and dheri dhanybad for good and sound advice. I hope to learn from customers much more than they will ever learn from me. One is never too old to learn and the guru always comes to you.

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Pala (Kami Sherpa)
Owner, Himalayan Imports
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
 
WHAT RUSTY SAID! Many of the village goods are only a bit above the price of the rail commons and are the perfect entry-level types. They *work* right. People will handle them, like the performance and realize a full-tilt HI will be even better, more reliable and prettier.

The visiting kami program can fill a need for "strange items for strange people or needs"
biggrin.gif
. It'll fill out your product range. Am I right in thinking most of these are only a bit below the standards of a "full HI"?

Come to think...I can think of one type of use for large amounts of fair factory blades: large-volume sales to forestry departments for wildfire fighting duty? What I mean is, they often stockpile large amounts of brush-clearing tools "in case there's an urgent local need". The gear might even be used by crews of local low-security prisoner-volunteers, this is pretty common.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but brush-clearing ahead of the fire's path and around buildings is a common need? And I don't know of *anything* better suited to the task.

Sales get easier when the customer buys in 500-unit lots, right? Anybody have any contacts in a forestry service? Pala, if you can't unload those 25 it might be worth giving samples to gov't forestry managers?

Jim March

[This message has been edited by Jim March (edited 22 September 1999).]
 
Palaji.
I would like to suggest the following specs for the 2nd edition of this Kumar Bishwakarma Special Baraba Khukuri:
  • Increase the weight to about 1lb.
  • Increase the length to about 20".
  • Increase the blade thickness to at least 1/4".
  • Increase the blade width to about 1 1/4".
  • Hatchmarked the blade in a pattern of about 1/16" as the original version.
  • Karda and chakma carry this same pattern as the original version.
  • Mark this blade with H.I. Logo.
  • It is OK with or without Serial Number.
The main reason why I suggest for the increase in this Kumar Bishwakarma Special specs is to ensure that it will have the usual dual functions of utility tool and weapon as well.
Please consider it - Palaji, Pakcik Bill and our young Kumar should know better!
 
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