Primitive Making

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Man over Machine, sweat and skill, uniqueness and rawness, and the nobility make the Primitive Making so special and stand out.

Taking 'kukri making' to new zenith… Primitive Khukuri Making

Exclusively only at 'The Khukuri House - KHHI nepal'

'Gurkha Kukri Knife' Conservation Project...
KHHI moves further with the beginning of Nepali New year BS 2076 (April 2019) by establishing its new unit “Primitive Making”. Kukri making has always been a passion for KHHI; a pioneer company in the kukri industry. It takes pride in being the first-ever company to be the official supplier/maker to British Gurkhas, foremost to work on kukris/knives customization with the latest CNC technology, and also first to manufacture high-quality kukri knives using the traditional way in Nepal. Now it is time to look beyond the ordinary and hence this new “Primitive Making”…

What is / Why Primitive Making at KHHI nepal??
One of the main reasons to establish KHHI Nepal was to promote this national knife (weapon), the skills and methods to the outside world, and also to ensure the living standards of Kamis, the born kukri makers is exalted. Being a pioneer and responsible company KHHI also felt the need of saving the age old bladesmithing of making the khukuri from the classic era. The way our great grandfathers forged blades without electricity, power tools, and various modern industrial raw materials must be conserved for the new generation to admire the art and respect the profession and people involved. Moreover in today’s context where machine completely rules why not man and his skill be the domain here. This gave birth to the 'primitive making' at KHHI Nepal which is more a conservation project than any commercial benefit. Here the making is done entirely by hand. Moreover, only very old raw materials, tools, and basic equipments (no power tools at all) are used to get the final product. 

Currently, Gaule Khukuri (Nepali Heritage), and Primitive Gurkha Khukuri  with GI3 (Gurkha Issue 3rd), World War (Historic), Gurkha Service No.1 (Sarkhari)  models options are only available under Primitive Making. Click on the link above to buy these khukuris and select the model you want.



With each khukuri a buyer gets the following exclusive benefits::

• a full documentary video of the making from forging to finishing
• short videos of the raw materials, tools, and equipments used for primitive making
• the maker’s bio-data and signed document, a Nepali national cap (topi), traditional silk scarf (khada) and an old Nepalese coin

To Conserve the age old craftsmanship (blacksmithing) >>

How was it possible?
Briefly speaking, we spent many months doing rigorous research and exploration in the field, interacting with local blacksmiths, gaining important knowledge, and trying to find the right people to undertake the job in the best and as accurately as possible. The journey was tough but worth every bit. It made us realize the hardship and prolong time devoted by the Kamis into making back then. The determination got stronger than ever before. Finally, the day came when we found the right person, an expert in this field in the fashion who knew every bit of this age old makings. So we brought him back to KHHI nepal in Kathmandu to commence the primitive making and thus the “Primitive Wing (making)” is finally materialized. It took him almost one month to make only the tools ready, let alone the old raw materials, equipments, and final product…

What’s so special about Primitive Making??

KHHI Nepal is very proud to be the only company in Nepal to offer primitive making. It is one of the making departments in which just bare hands, sharp skills, basic tools, very old raw materials, and homemade equipments are used to accomplish the final product. As said above it is more a conservation project to showcase this unique method of making to the locals and people worldwide. This would not only preserve the age old craftsmanship that has almost extinct as we speak now BUT would also make people realize the hardship, skill, and time that is put into making a single piece. This will bring admiration and respect to the kukri and kami itself.

Come, witness the making in an age old method and be part of conserving the aboriginal ways of making the national knife of Nepal, the KUKRI!

In our primitive making, any guest or customer is well entertained should he desires to be the part of making and in the process learn a skill or two from the master. We have tried our best to set up a typical outlook of a Kami’s house up there in the hill so the visitors can feel the ambient and warmth of the classic environment. One can also lay his hand in sharpening a dull khukuri under the expert’s eye to get the hang of the making as a part of basic survival skills. A visitor can also find various backgrounds, materials, articles, things, and paintings exhibited that have a close ties with the khukuri and it’s making in our Primitive Making.

NATURAL RAW MATERIALS used for Primitive Making::

See How the khukuri is made in a Primitive way (KHHI RARE exclusive videos)

Full video documentary on primitive making >> making the Nepal Army Model 

Making King Prithivi Kukri in primitive making methods

Making SAAN, the primitive knife sharpener >> video from scratch

Making the Primitive fire air blower (BHAATI), known as Traditional Fire Bellow

Some pictures to show our primitive section at KHHI Unit 2 

Overall view of the interior keeping in mind the typical Nepali set up

A kami, his workplace, and his small village home (portray of a kami working back in those days)

Exhibiting the remote lifestyle and various raw materials needed for Primitive Making

"Aayo Gurkhali” Fun Shoot and a typical Nepalese home set up

Milestone to address the opening of the Primitive Making at KHHI Nepal

An aaran (typical anvil) where the beautiful blades are born

A not so angry Gurkha!! Enjoying the fun shoot