Had time to read and roam the Internet while on XMAS vacation... I looked up the new offerings of Cold Steel (I've owned a Trailmaster and Tanto in the past), and eventually came to a site where a CS khukuri was compared to a HI khukuri, and fared better! Knowing very well the "legendary" toughness of the Trailmaster, I immediately looked up Himalayan Imports. I could not even get in and see their khukuris which was frustrating, and sent an e-mail to Uncle Bill. Having know idea who he was, I respectfully addressed him as "Dear Sir", if I recall correctly. No response... (He was in Kansas I later learned). I then proceeded to read the entire webstite, and was VERY interested, and even more frustrated that I could not see his khukuris, and buy what i thought would be one, and that would be it...
I eventually found a way to enter the HI website by clicking on swords, and then on the khukuris on the left margin. I also found the forum, and liking Japanese katanas, asked many questions as diplomatically as I could about khukuris. Yvsa and a few others were very patient, and I finally got gently straightened out, and even more interested in learning as much as i could about khukuris. I really found a wonderful group of helpful, witty, and very intelligent and caring people on the forum, and am most happy to have done so.
I've purchased a GS and a Kobra thus far, and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the GS and Customs advisory note, so as to see if I will have any problems receiving the sword in Italy, where they are basically illegal. If not, I will then order a special order Chitlangi, and then... If it is illegal, I will explore the possibility to have it sent to another EEC country, and then off to Italy.
If anyone can host a photo, I'd be happy to post one on the other thread of myself with my young son at a circus in Italy. It's one of my favorite shots of myself and my best buddy in the world...
Dan