What do you think?

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

Joined
Mar 5, 1999
Messages
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Here's an email I got from a kami in Nepal. I suspect he had some pal write the mail but that's not important. I told him if he could deliver 20 top quality khukuris, different sizes and styles, that would not fail and were beautiful we would pay him top dolllar for them and would buy more. Honestly, I told him if they were standard stuff we would pay but would not buy more.

Here's a copy of his mail. He might be a good village kami and if he is I'd gladly hawk his wares. Time will tell.
======================================================
Subj: hello and namaste............
Date: 8/29/2003 6:38:19 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: karmalama99@hotmail.com
To: unclebill@himalayan-imports.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)




Hi friend,

Bill martino namaste although i don't know you so much and you don't know me much but my friend kyle coker had given your address and had discrive about you and then business of khukuri. i also do the business of khukuri that's whyi had contact with you. My name is dal bahadur bishwakarma ilive in rural area of nepal and my main occupation is to make khukuri and sell for those who neeeded.I usually make only the quality type of khukuris. ihad been making khukuris since when i was 15 yrs old and tiill yet it has become 43 yrs in making khukuris.When there was national handicraft exhibition in Nepal many people of Nepal had exhibited their own occupation costumes.Ihad also exhibited the khukuris in Kathmandu and i was top among all the nepalese those who had exhibited the khukuris and was awarded by great prize from NEPAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE but due to i'm living in rural areas ididn't get good market there.I could make all types of items nepalese of khukuris . You had said that you need only the good quality of khukuris if you want the good quality of khukuris that are made by me ;ican send youthe khukuris just for example but i'll send you the Khukuris because nowadays there is quite difficult and dangerous to bring those khukuris to Capital of Nepal from my village "Khandbari" when it becomes easy i'll send those type of itemsof khukuris that you need.And i hope the type of Khukuris you will order me can be made nicely and send it to you i hope you will order me.

my address is 'SANKHUWASABHA'district 'KHANDBARI' municipality ward no.1.DAL BAHADUR B.K"BINOD KHUKURIS INDUSTRY"Koshi Zone Nepal.If you want to send me through Fax you can send me in this FAX NO:00977-29560216.

This is my address through whenever you like to send me the letter can be easily caught by me. Iwould also like to take your address and Ph.No.so that it could be easy to send you some letters and the sample of khukuris photos.

Hoping you will agree me and you'll give your address.

With best wishes and take care of yourself.Ok Byeeeeeeeeeee...

Friend DAL BAHADUR B.K.



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I'd buy one to test out. :)

gimme gimme

Is he going through Birghorkha or is he doing the shipping directly to Reno?
 
Uncle Bill, this interests me.:) He sounds alright to me. If you recive some Khukuris from him and would like help testing them, I would be glad to (helping cover the costs of course;)).
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino ......He might be a good village kami and if he is I'd gladly hawk his wares.
Click to expand...
Why not.

I think a lot of us are still interested in
the village produced 'villager' khuks.
 
Hey Uncle you know I have been waiting for a good 15" 1.25lbs Villager to replace the one that I sent my Bro in Iraq...if he is good I'll take 2
 
I think the sheer effort this guy put forth just to contact you is impressive. If his product is on a par with his initiative, then he's definitely a kami to be reckoned with.
 
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Nepal. Count me in if it works out. But don't forget Bill, you are planning on cutting back.:) You can't save the WHOLE country. You could sell the first batch with the caveat that they are not HI and don't have the standard warranty. The regulars here would probably still buy them just to have something different, and would understand if there's a problem. Just my thoughts.

Steve
 
Please count me in also. I like people confident in their craft and people willing to take a chance on a stranger's word.
Regards,
Greg
 
Every hardworking guy deserves a change to succeed. This one is no exception. ;)
 
I think that it is great that you would give him a chance. See what he can do. I am sure that there are 20 people around here (myself included) that would buy one and put it through the ringer to see if it was any good. I will be curious to see how he handles it. Both in looks and in toughness. Looks would be tough to match H.I. I would think. As far as toughness goes I hope he knows that there are some 230 pounders here in the States that love to chop stuff. :D
 
Will happily prepay and take your pick when they arrive - my "Ugly Duckling" villager went to Iraq, so I am short a good village model.
 
Count me in Uncle Bill.

This guy's letter has brightened my spirits today.

I would definitely like one or two of his pieces, provided i can afford them of course. I am not much of a knife user, so his pieces would be for display. No warranty needed here. Please let me know when these become available to us.

Uncle Bill, please don't "cut back"...
Many people are here, and loving what you do! I am sure the people of Nepal who make these for us, are living a better quality of life because of your efforts. I will remain here as a collector and support these folks as often as i can.
 
Why not? It appears as though you have nothing to lose.
If he follows through, I would also like on to test out.
 
A real salesman. I love it and will be anxious to see what kind of style and quality he sends along. Maybe he'd be the guy to build copies of the old stuff?

Put me down for one.
 
Thanks for feedback. I like the village kamis and Dal tells us in spades why we are not getting much of their work these days.

"but i'll send you the Khukuris because nowadays there is quite difficult and dangerous to bring those khukuris to Capital of Nepal from my village "Khandbari" when it becomes easy i'll send those type of itemsof khukuris that you need."

I wrote Dal and told him when he was ready to hit the road with the 20 khukuris that I'd give him Pala's address and phone number and to deposit them with Pala. Pala will pay him more than he was ever paid in his life for a khukuri (see below) and will ship the khukuris to us along with some BirGorkha stuff via DHL express. Dal wouldn't have enough cash on hand to pay the shipping cost.

Speaking of Nepal pay scale. Standard pay for a kami in Nepal for a 10 hour day is about a buck. After Chokpa got her beauticians' license and went to work in a beauty shop she got a buck a day. (Over at the Atlantis where she now works as a busser in the Sushi Bar she'll get $75 in tips on a good night + her pay. And this is why all third world folks want to come to the wonderful, beautiful and much loved by me and all you forumites USA!) Degreed school teachers make $75 per month. I'm sure you all get the picture.

Sanu, Yangdu's next younger sister and a woman who squeezes a 50 paisa coin so hard before she lets go of it you can hear the king screaming in the palace, gave me hell recently telling me Pala and I were spoiling the kamis by paying them too much. I asked her how much Pala was paying and she said, 20,000 NC per month on the average. That's the equivalent of about $250 USD and the news made me very proud of old Pala. Hell of a guy.
 
Uncle, I agree with all the above comments. I had some questions and reservations about you getting stung, but you answered them for me.
Pala would be sort out the good from the bad and detect a scam, plus the shipping and distribution is already in place by BirGorka.

SIGN ME UP FOR TWO OF YOUR CHOICE. HOPEFULLY NO LONGER THAN 16.5/17, I'M JUST A LITTLE SHORT GUY.:)

DALE
 
What a wonderful guy you are, Uncle!!

I will take a couple so Hog and I don't have to fight over them:rolleyes: :D

With the way things are going in Nepal I hope we can help while the helping is OK. Who knows what will happen if the commies take over. I worry about these wonderful people.:(
 
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