You've never seen a khukuri like this. Pix.

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

Joined
Mar 5, 1999
Messages
34,096
ffb570d0.jpg.orig.jpg


ffb570cf.jpg.orig.jpg


They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Knowing that, there is no way these pictures do justice to this khukuri. The real thing is worth a thousand pictures.

I have been looking at khukuris and playing with them for almost 20 years now and have been learning from kamis and others about their merits. I like to believe that this exposure alone has helped me recognize a decent khukuri when I see one and play with one. Various experts and the khukuri aficionados who have dropped by Uncle Bill's Cantina seem to think I can separate the poor khukuris from the good and without bragging but only being truthful I think they are correct. There is no teacher like experience.

Having said that, this is all well and good to be able to tell a good khukuri from a bad one but there is something beyond just good and bad and that is provenance. Anybody worth his salt in determining the true value of any old or handmade item will tell you that provenance can be as important as the product or item itself.

And this is what makes this Bura made Dhankuta style so special -- it can be provenanced completely.

We know everything about this khukuri. We know who made it and where and when-- Bura in Surya Benai in BirGorkha in May, 2000. We know the corner of the Himalayan Imports shop, BirGorkha, where it was made and have posted pictures of Bura at his forge. I know where the spotted deer horn came from as soon as you learn I think you will get a huge kick out of this info.

The spotted deer horn used on this khukuri was purchased from Ganga Ram by Gelbu. This horn was in the shop of Ganga's grandfather when he passed on to his reward and Ganga's father and Ganga himself have had it ever since. It is easily 150 years old and came from a deer who was in no way threatened by over hunting. Ganga sold us six pieces of this horn and this is the first khukuri to be handled with it. Five more in various configurations will be coming in the future.

The scabbard is made of gray water buffalo horn that was purchased by Bura some 4 or 5 years ago and has been in his "curing" box ever since.

The silver used on both knife and scabbard came from the shop of a Newari jeweler near Chetrapati whom I know and whose shop I have visited. This Newari is a friend of brother in law Nabin Karmacharya. The silver was purchased by Gelbu.

The steel for the blade is a piece of a MB leaf spring which was purchased by Pradeep and carried to BirGorkha on the backs of the kamis themselves.


This is a flawless execution. I have never seen this particular model done better than this one and perhaps this is why Bura is the Royal Kami. It is an excellent khukuri and will come with written provenance. There is not another khukuri in the world like this one. It is a one of a kind and very special.

This is the only deer horn model I have in stock and the first to arrive in Reno in almost a year. Finding good deer horn and being sure that it is not taken from some poached animal takes time. When we will see more of this horn I can't say.

But I can say the price of this very special offering and it is $275.

If interested call or email.

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

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Uncle Bill, if I weren't already in debt to you for the Kothimoda blem, I'd certainly grab this one. A true beauty. Someone is going to be truly fortunate to own this work of art.
 
Uncle Bill,

I would like to buy this as a present for my father.

He deserves this and more.

Chris
 
Chris, your Dad is a lucky fellow. Both for being the recipient of such a nice khuk and for having such a thoughtful son. He is truly blessed.
 
Thanks, Steven.

It's only after accumulating a few years myself (just a little over 52) that I fully appreciate how much God blessed me by making me this man's son.

Maybe he'll starting hanging out here. I think he'd enjoy himself at the Cantina.

Chris
 
Gone. Lasted less than one hour. I will ask Bura to make another one so stay tuned. Before all of Ganga's deer horn is gone I may stick one of these under myown bed. I remember the Kancha Kami specials only too well.

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

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Harry, I was so impressed with the rig that I forgot to get specs! But, it was about a foot long and a pound.

I really liked this khukuri and probably should have stuck it right under my bed. But, I'm counting of getting a few more.

And, Chris, Yangu is down at the mailing service right now getting this rig shipped to you. And, I enclosed a signed provenance.

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

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
I had a couple of customers waiting for deer horn which are special orders and I have to get them their khukuris but we should have enough horn left for two more of these babie's and I've ordered them. Harry, you have one and that leaves one. Whoever comes in next has the last one.

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

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Beautiful Work. That's a Father's Day present that we all would like to receive.
To put a few things into perspective, Bill, I offer a comparison between this Bura masterpiece and a knife of mine, and the circumstances of its acquisition:
In 1963, I had saved enough to order my first custom knife. In those days, Randall was the premier maker. His order book was running about 18 months behind. I ordered a Raymond Thorpe model Bowie with ivory handle (legal back then.) Price was a week's paycheck for me in '63 dollars. After an interminable wait, the knife came. Nicely made, forged blade; a far-from-select piece of ivory (which promptly developed a couple of deep checks. Yes, even then I was jinxed!!)
I was interested who, in the Randall shop, had worked on my knife, and wrote (Bo was alive and active in those days) to ask about the 'provenance'of the Bowie, and about some modifications that I would like to have in a matching Arkansas Toothpick. I got a short brusque reply from son Gary, who had just started working with his dad, saying that they "...couldn't supply information on who had made the knife, or provide modifications to their cataloged models." So much for 'custom' work and the personal touch.
Don't get me wrong. The Randall bowie has been kept close and provided enormous satisfaction all these years. But now, in the year 2000, a replacement (minus the ivory) would be over $500, custom modifications are still offered only to favored Randall customers, and forget any personal information about the craftspeople who made the heirloom you paid so much for, and waited so long to get.
So if I had the chance to make a choice between this Bura masterpiece and another Randall, I know which way I'd go...
Ken

------------------
The sword cannot cut itself, the eye cannot see itself.
 
A couple questions:

Is the deer handle characteristic of Dhankutas?

I am curious how "Dhankuta" is pronounced. I consulted the Khukuri FAQ and learned a good bit about the knife (Dhankuta is a town in S.E. Nepal). I would guess "don-KOOT-ah," but I was pronouncing "khukuri" "kuh-KOO-ri," instead of "KOO-kuh-ree," which I think is correct.

Could somebody who knows the correct pronunciation of khukuri related words post a list here sometime?

BTW, I can't give enough praise to Howard for the Khukuri FAQ. I check it out every now and then, and there is always something new and interesting there. Just very well done, an invaluable resource, and must take a lot of time and effort.

Chris
 
Howard, Bura put on Sri Pance (symbol of royalty), Nepal flag, crossed, and a Bura style dragon. The brass used on the scabbard is pretty thick and generally this knife and scabbard are a world apart from the tourist versions you see.

Ken, thanks for sharing that story. As anybody knows who is into collecting anything at all provenance is usually very, very hard to come by.

Chris, we are going to sign you up for the HI forum resident Nepali pronunciation expert. You have everything right.

I think we may see one or two more of these khukuris in the near future and then it will be a long, dry spell unless we can find some more deer horn. Pradeep is at this very moment out scouting various villages for old deer horn such as this. We will get a provenance for anything we might find.

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

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Uncle Bill, when you state that it is spotted deer horn, you mean Axis Deer horn, right?

Harry
 
Harry, I am not sure if Axis deer is right or not. You probably know better than me. I have never bothered to research the proper or latin name. In Nepal, they call it a "little spotted deer" so that's what I call it. I actually saw a couple of our last trip to Nepal when we were heading for Manakamana. On one of Nepal's currency notes there is a picture of one but I can't recall offhand which denomination bill it is.

Customs in various countries sometimes mistake this horn for ivory.

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

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
If that is the only spotted deer in Nepal, then the Axis deer, also known as Chital or Spotted Deer (scientific name was Axis axis and now is Cervis axis) must be it. Not an endangered species according to CITES, in fact, the USA , Australia and other countries have very healthy populations of them.

Harry
 
Years ago when I was new and wanted every khukuri handled with the beautiful spotted deer horn I was told that little deer got overhunted in Nepal and the government would give big problems to those trying to export horns or other parts. Also, I was told a permit was required for hunting it and I think a permit is still required today. One thing is for sure, the horn is very hard to find in Nepal today and has been since I got interested in it a dozen or so years ago.

Of course, even trees are endangered today in Nepal and certain types of wood are illegal to buy and sell. We have had problems with some of the wood we wanted to use for handles -- illegal in the Kathmandu Valley and also customs will not allow export.

Remember, Nepal is poor and overpopulated and almost every resource is sorely taxed.

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

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ

[This message has been edited by Bill Martino (edited 05-29-2000).]
 
I got the Deer Horn Dhankuta a couple days ago, and made some scans of it, and I think you'll be able to see more detail than in the pic above and in the album linked to below.

(I took out the pic, because it was making this thread way to L-O-N-G to load, but you can see it in the album)

Album of Dhankuta Pictures

It's a wonderful little ("little" - only 12 inches
wink.gif
) knife, but I guess I won't do any "testing" with it, and try to wait until Father's Day.

Chris

[This message has been edited by buoy (edited 06-01-2000).]

[This message has been edited by buoy (edited 06-02-2000).]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top