Trip to Nepal - Where to look for a Khuk?

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DamascusPete

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Feb 4, 2010
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We are trekking Nepal for the third time later this year. Previous searches for a good quality khukuri have resulted in disappointment. Apparently, the main thoroughfares of Bhaktapur, Thamel, and Patan only yield the tourist pieces. Any insight as to where to purchase a quality piece would be appreciated. I would also be open to looking at WWII items, as well. Thanks in advance!
 
Welcome DamacusPete,

Unfortunately, most of what is sold on the main thoroughfares and in bazaars in country are tourist pieces....because that is what tourists buy.
In order to find quality pieces, you will either need to know someone and/or travel well off the beaten path to find one. Why? because most quality pieces and World War items are either already kept in collections, museums or have long since been exported out of the country to collectors abroad.

The good news? You have found the forum of the company that produces the finest quality traditional khukuri to come out of Nepal today.
Unfortunately, while our khukuri are made in Nepal, we do not sell there. All HI product is either sold here on the forum or in the store here:
http://yhst-7333098713883.stores.yahoo.net/

You may also wish to peruse our site here: http://www.himalayan-imports.com/

And do some reading here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...me-to-Read-the-Himalayan-Imports-Link-Library
 
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what karda said, there is no finer knife maker for the price anywhere, and there is not a single knife in HI line up that will disappoint, they can be touristy if you want to pay for it, but mostly they are just supremely functional works of art and tools
 
This is excellent information and I suspected this to be the case. Thank you folks and I will be in touch with HI! It is not necessary to come back from Nepal with a Khuk as long as I know where to get a good one! :)
 
yeah nepal is still a very cool place to visit by all accounts, a forumite posted one of his recent trips there and it got me to buy my sister a singing bowl :D
 
Be sure to take lots of pics and keep a diary. We are always interested in trekking trips.
We will love to hear and see all that you've done while there.
 
Haha! I actually am completing an hour and 40 minute DVD of our first two treks. Should be about three weeks. If anyone would like a DVD or Blu-Ray, just let me know. The first trip was to be Annapurna circuit, but I got heat exhaustion and dehydration and my wife got severe dysentary so that one was cut short. The second was Annapurna Sanctuary and though it rained most of the time it went MUCH better than the first time. I'd be glad to post still pictures as well to the forum. Cheers!
 
I'd dig a copy if you let me cover the material and shipping cost etc. You can leave out the exhaustion/dehydration and dysentary parts. Got no interest in that. Some of us namely myself will most likely never ever get there so go forth as our ambassador and bring us back some nice pictures. Love to see it.
 
Bawanna said:
I'd dig a copy if you let me cover the material and shipping cost etc. You can leave out the exhaustion/dehydration and dysentary parts. Got no interest in that. Some of us namely myself will most likely never ever get there so go forth as our ambassador and bring us back some nice pictures. Love to see it.
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You bet! But because you don't want the TMI stuff I'm gonna have to cut 1/2 of it! J/K. :)
 
Bawanna said:
You can leave out the exhaustion/dehydration and dysentary parts. Got no interest in that.
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Yea, video and pictures fail to capture some of the true horrors. I used to travel the globe extensively for work; four words my friend, Thank God For Marriott!!! My biggest regret is not having/making time to soak it all in, take pictures, etc. As my buddies like to say, "we've been everywhere and seen nothing" and "been there, haven't done it". Unless of course you count airports, vehicles, hotels, buildings/bases/embassies and restaurants.
 
Ah come on. How bad can it be? Almost every local hotel/ guesthouse beats camping in the woods. The "worst" I've seen was a mudhouse in the Indian Himalayas where the shower was a bucket with water in the corner of the bedroom. I thought it pretty luxurious compared to some times in the military or hiking where there was no cleaning (other than brushing teeth) for a whole week at times. Anyways some friends made fun of the lack of toilet paper and other minor stuff...
 
Last year on my Manassarovar trip, I shared a "hole". Was weird sharing the toilet with 10 other people sitting next to me. Gave me PTSD...
 
DamascusPete, I would also like to find out about getting a copy of the video ect Bawanna asked about. I have been all over the world with the military, with the exception of Nepal and Czechoslovakia. Funny they let me go to Xing'an region China, and Moscow Russia but wouldn't let me go to Nepal or Czechoslovakia (before the country split in half) weird military rules we have, make no sense at all. Anyways perhaps one day I will be able to go now that I am a silly-vilian. But in the mean while would love to see the video. Let me know via pm or whatever.
 
You guys (and girls) are pretty worldly. One of my biggest adventures was driving to Reno last summer (had to drive through a corner of California:eek:) to watch a rodeo and meet Auntie. The place we stayed was plush, all kinds of stuff under one roof but I still got PTSD. Too big, too many people, too many cars, I had 3 favorite things really. A Dolly Parton slot machine that treated me kindly one night, robbed me the next, Harrahs car museum and Auntie. That order should be reversed to list my favorites in order.
 
DamascusPete said:
We are trekking Nepal for the third time later this year. Previous searches for a good quality khukuri have resulted in disappointment. Apparently, the main thoroughfares of Bhaktapur, Thamel, and Patan only yield the tourist pieces. Any insight as to where to purchase a quality piece would be appreciated. I would also be open to looking at WWII items, as well. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

In Nepal especially, one finds amazing things in unexpected and out-of-the-way places. Keep your eyes open and poke around. Let no doorway be too small or no hut (or arun) too humble for your curiosity and polite interest.
 
Howard, Perfectly true and I love your emphasis on polite interest. I find almost everywhere being politely curious most locals will go out of their way to show me their countries wonders great and small. The tourist things are tourist because everyone wants to see them and you should too, but I enjoy getting out and seeing the real local environment at least half of whatever time I am in a place. If you politely show curiousity most people LOVE to show you their part of the world and what makes it so unique.

Bawanna, sounds like a great trip, despite the too many/too much thing. But never turn your back on one of them slot bandits. To overly Anthropomorphise the issue I think they are EVIL sadistic machines that take great pleasure in the pain of building you up then ripping it all away just when you think you are winning.
 
I don't gamble much as a general rule. Do like Kenny Rogers and loved the Gambler movie but gambling is just to fickle for me. Now if my luck gambling worked like my luck here it might be gosh durn lucrative.
Meeting Auntie and getting to check out a veritable mountain of cool knives was a win/win, despite the drive, the gambling hug loss, I bet I lost 20 bucks, and the too much stuff. I'll go back again.
 
LoL, I consider gambling as paying for entertainment. Because that is what I always do. Don't think I have EVER actually left with the same or more than I started with. But if you consider it that way then it can be cheaper than going to a movie these days. LOL. A mountain of HI knives... now there is a mental vision to dream about. hehe, I can try counting them when I can't get to sleep. But might be more stimulating than relaxing.
 
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