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Who are we?
Kailash Blades is primarily composed of senior ex employees of other khukuri houses, who became dissatisfied with slipping quality standards and working conditions with their former employers. The one goal in mind when setting up Kailash Blades in 2015 was to do things better. Better pay, better knives and better lives for everyone involved. While we may come from different backgrounds our team members have all come from the apex of their respective fields and are committed to setting a new standard of excellence for traditional nepalese manufacturing.
Mandip Rasaili
Mandip is a strongly motivated and highly skilled Blacksmith who has been working in the field and putting out excellent work for over 17 years. Over that period, he became enamoured with the traditional khukuris due to their simplicity and efficiency. Even though, he can make all sorts of traditional and modern blades flawlessly he loves making Angkholas as they're both beautiful to look at and very powerful in hand. He has a knack for patternmaking and has recently been working with Andrew to update certain models
Mandip has loved to play football ever since he was a child, playing barefoot with a ball made up of rags. As someone who spends so much time covered in metal he relishes the opportunity to scrub up and is a notoriously snappy dresser. This is a trait that his son has inherited- they're a mean looking duo. He is a loving and responsible man to his wife and caring dad to his beautiful son. After a hard days work, he enjoys nothing more than going home to their happy and smiling faces, forgetting all the sweat and aches from a hard day forging.
Mandip’s makers mark is the star. If you find one on your blade you can be sure that he’s made with a lot of heart honouring the traditions involved in making the blade.
Srikrishna "Siru" Karki
Karki is not a name usually associated with knifemaking. Srikrishna is unusual in that he comes from what would traditionally be the the administative and governmental caste of nepalese society, but went into the knife industry due to his sheer love of the craft. This non-traditional style has been a major part of his work for the last 13 years.
While he was initially involved in the forging process, his thirst for knowledge has led to him tackling new and challenging techniques, eventually specialising in new techniques like kydex sheathmaking, ergonomic handles and composite materials like micarta. He currently acts as a pioneer of new processes, learning and absorbing before training up new workers. He has been working with kydex longer than anyone in Nepal and is responsible for all of our Kydex as well as working alongside Andrew to adapt and create new sheath designs for limited runs or custom orders. He test cuts every blade that comes through Kailash and is the first line of defence for QC, while also handling our heat treat. Aside from this he's also our resident photographer- he first picked up a camera for Kailash since then his work has improved enormously. He also has plans to develop some of his own knife designs in future, something we absolutely cannot wait for.
Siru loves pigeons and is a real musical talent. If we're lucky he'll sing and play guitar for us in the workshop, with his voice weaving around the blows of the hammer.
Bikram BishwaKarma
Bikram is a passionate, but has been making khukuris under various houses for the last 13 years. His favourite khukuri styles are those that have more modern aspects to them and his skill in executing them is extremely high.
He's an extremely hard working, earnest man and his family is his number one priority. He has a son who is just learning to read and a daughter in year 3. He wants to provide for them and ensure they have access to as much education as they want and also for them to grow up to be kind and good people. He loves cooking with his family and in his spare time plays a lot of Carrom.
One day he'd like to run his own khukuri house and focus on training up his fellow smiths and reinvigorating their craft to keep them from taking up work overseas and leaving their craft to wither.
Bikram's makers mark is the Sun. Should you be lucky enough to find his mark on the blade, take solace in the fact that it was made with some of the most experienced hands in the industry.
Srikrishna "Siru" Karki
Karki is not a name usually associated with knifemaking. Srikrishna is unusual in that he comes from what would traditionally be the the administative and governmental caste of nepalese society, but went into the knife industry due to his sheer love of the craft. This non-traditional style has been a major part of his work for the last 13 years.
While he was initially involved in the forging process, his thirst for knowledge has led to him tackling new and challenging techniques, eventually specialising in new techniques like kydex sheathmaking, ergonomic handles and composite materials like micarta. He currently acts as a pioneer of new processes, learning and absorbing before training up new workers. He has been working with kydex longer than anyone in Nepal and is responsible for all of our Kydex as well as working alongside Andrew to adapt and create new sheath designs for limited runs or custom orders. He test cuts every blade that comes through Kailash and is the first line of defence for QC, while also handling our heat treat. Aside from this he's also our resident photographer- he first picked up a camera for Kailash since then his work has improved enormously. He also has plans to develop some of his own knife designs in future, something we absolutely cannot wait for.
Siru loves pigeons and is a real musical talent. If we're lucky he'll sing and play guitar for us in the workshop, with his voice weaving around the blows of the hammer.
Bikram BishwaKarma
Bikram is a passionate, but has been making khukuris under various houses for the last 13 years. His favourite khukuri styles are those that have more modern aspects to them and his skill in executing them is extremely high.
He's an extremely hard working, earnest man and his family is his number one priority. He has a son who is just learning to read and a daughter in year 3. He wants to provide for them and ensure they have access to as much education as they want and also for them to grow up to be kind and good people. He loves cooking with his family and in his spare time plays a lot of Carrom.
One day he'd like to run his own khukuri house and focus on training up his fellow smiths and reinvigorating their craft to keep them from taking up work overseas and leaving their craft to wither.
Bikram's makers mark is the Sun. Should you be lucky enough to find his mark on the blade, take solace in the fact that it was made with some of the most experienced hands in the industry.
Mandip Rasaili
Mandip is a strongly motivated and highly skilled Blacksmith who has been working in the field and putting out excellent work for over 17 years. Over that period, he became enamoured with the traditional khukuris due to their simplicity and efficiency. Even though, he can make all sorts of traditional and modern blades flawlessly he loves making Angkholas as they're both beautiful to look at and very powerful in hand. He has a knack for patternmaking and has recently been working with Andrew to update certain models
Mandip has loved to play football ever since he was a child, playing barefoot with a ball made up of rags. As someone who spends so much time covered in metal he relishes the opportunity to scrub up and is a notoriously snappy dresser. This is a trait that his son has inherited- they're a mean looking duo. He is a loving and responsible man to his wife and caring dad to his beautiful son. After a hard days work, he enjoys nothing more than going home to their happy and smiling faces, forgetting all the sweat and aches from a hard day forging.
Mandip’s makers mark is the star. If you find one on your blade you can be sure that he’s made with a lot of heart honouring the traditions involved in making the blade.
Sisir Mangrati
Sisir is our traditional sheathmaker and is our youngest team member at 21 years old. Despite this he has over 8 years of experience under his belt, and was helping his father with from a very young age. Historically sheathmakers have been treated even more poorly than smiths and have in some ways remained worse off as the industry has developed.
He is extremely skillful in his work and is very open to new skills and ideaa. This is crucial as we're in the process of building him up into a unqiuely talented craftsman, with specialised frog and dap designs already mastered and Kailash planning a deeper push into the nuances of historical sheath design in future. He works without power tools and has built a formidable level of strength and control through his daily work. His power is very much appreciated when the team needs another striker at the forge and his area of the workshop is sought as refuge as it is quiet and filled with the pleasant smell of wood carvings.
He has a beautiful wife and 2 infant children and lives a very clean lifestyle with no drinking, smoking or gambling. He's committed to ensuring his children get education and opportunities that he didn't have access to as a child. He's often watching TV with his kids and has developed something of a cartoon addiction, with the telltale laughter of spongebob coming through the workshop wall from time to time.
Mahesh BishwaKarma
Mahesh is the most recent addition to our blacksmithing team but don't let that fool you- he's been making khukuris for over 17 years.
He's a very ambitious maker who is eager to demonstrate specialised techniques he's learned through his career like making formed metal handles and intricate fullering. He's very keen to take on challenges and advance his skills as much as possible, particularly in modern and hybrid designs.
He is the older brother of Bikram (in fact they are both named Mahesh and Bikram is a nickname). Sometimes there is sibling rivalry in the workshop- neither likes to be outdone by the other. This only helps the pair to improve their skills.
He is married with 3 children and loves watching nepali movies with them in his spare time. Finding balance betwen the stresses of work and family is something that has been difficult for him at past houses, but we're working to get the best situation we can for him at Kailash.
Mahesh's makers mark is the crescent moon (though it could be mistaken for a setting sun) this shape is also found on the Nepalese flag. If you receive a blade from Mahesh you can be sure that it's been made with proudly by a man who wants to make a name for himself.
Ashok Mangrati
Aside from answering emails, managing accounts and performing QC work our management staff all get their hands dirty in sheathmaking and composite work. As Kailash has grown the load on our management staff has increased a lot and the guys are often spread a bit too thin these days. Ashok is a longtime friend of the company (and brother in law of Sisir) who has been brought in to help out.
He helps work flow smoothly by taking over some of the simpler parts of the western leather, kydex or micarta making processes while also keeping the workshop organised and running errands. His relaxed and friendly demeanour has been very welcome to the sometimes stressful and always loud environment in the workshop.
In time he'll be gaining more skill and entrusted more freedom in these areas.
Who knows- as we grow he may find himself taking over one of these areas completely. Regardless he's an asset and a frient to the team.
He has a wife and 2 children in his family and he'd love for them to be able to travel internationally to study, work or just see the world. In his spare time he's developed a reputation as a fierce table tennis player in the local scene.
Sisir Mangrati
Sisir is our traditional sheathmaker and is our youngest team member at 21 years old. Despite this he has over 8 years of experience under his belt, and was helping his father with from a very young age. Historically sheathmakers have been treated even more poorly than smiths and have in some ways remained worse off as the industry has developed.
He is extremely skillful in his work and is very open to new skills and ideaa. This is crucial as we're in the process of building him up into a unqiuely talented craftsman, with specialised frog and dap designs already mastered and Kailash planning a deeper push into the nuances of historical sheath design in future. He works without power tools and has built a formidable level of strength and control through his daily work. His power is very much appreciated when the team needs another striker at the forge and his area of the workshop is sought as refuge as it is quiet and filled with the pleasant smell of wood carvings.
He has a beautiful wife and 2 infant children and lives a very clean lifestyle with no drinking, smoking or gambling. He's committed to ensuring his children get education and opportunities that he didn't have access to as a child. He's often watching TV with his kids and has developed something of a cartoon addiction, with the telltale laughter of spongebob coming through the workshop wall from time to time.
Mahesh BishwaKarma
Mahesh is the most recent addition to our blacksmithing team but don't let that fool you- he's been making khukuris for over 17 years.
He's a very ambitious maker who is eager to demonstrate specialised techniques he's learned through his career like making formed metal handles and intricate fullering. He's very keen to take on challenges and advance his skills as much as possible, particularly in modern and hybrid designs.
He is the older brother of Bikram (in fact they are both named Mahesh and Bikram is a nickname). Sometimes there is sibling rivalry in the workshop- neither likes to be outdone by the other. This only helps the pair to improve their skills.
He is married with 3 children and loves watching nepali movies with them in his spare time. Finding balance betwen the stresses of work and family is something that has been difficult for him at past houses, but we're working to get the best situation we can for him at Kailash.
Mahesh's makers mark is the crescent moon (though it could be mistaken for a setting sun) this shape is also found on the Nepalese flag. If you receive a blade from Mahesh you can be sure that it's been made with proudly by a man who wants to make a name for himself.
Ashok Mangrati
Aside from answering emails, managing accounts and performing QC work our management staff all get their hands dirty in sheathmaking and composite work. As Kailash has grown the load on our management staff has increased a lot and the guys are often spread a bit too thin these days. Ashok is a longtime friend of the company (and brother in law of Sisir) who has been brought in to help out.
He helps work flow smoothly by taking over some of the simpler parts of the western leather, kydex or micarta making processes while also keeping the workshop organised and running errands. His relaxed and friendly demeanour has been very welcome to the sometimes stressful and always loud environment in the workshop.
In time he'll be gaining more skill and entrusted more freedom in these areas.
Who knows- as we grow he may find himself taking over one of these areas completely. Regardless he's an asset and a frient to the team.
He has a wife and 2 children in his family and he'd love for them to be able to travel internationally to study, work or just see the world. In his spare time he's developed a reputation as a fierce table tennis player in the local scene.
Bisnu Thapa. Head of Operations.
Bisnu manages every stage of production at Kailash Blades. He gives the Blacksmiths their orders, updates customers on progress, does the final quality checks before shipping and just generally makes sure that everybody is doing their job and doing it well. Having worked as the production manager of houses for nearly 15 years, he's a veteran of the industry and has developed connections and respect with smiths far and wide. In recent years he's taken a big step outside of his comfort zone and has taken over Kailash's social media, helping to give a stronger connection to the day to day operations of the business. He also is responsible for all stacked leather and micarta handle production- talk about an asset to the team.
When not working, he dedicates his time to punching above his weight with his beautiful wife and raising their two gorgeous daughters. He's also the vice president of Buddhamarga Youth Club. With BMYC he organises funding for local infrastructure, funds a free library and other charity work all aiming to improve the quality of life for his extended community.
Radhe Karki. Supply Manager
Radhe's role is very broad and absolutely indispensable. He handles accounts, plans for investments for the business' future, manages shipping and also is the first line of contact for customer email enquiries. He's also responsible for all the western leather sheaths that leave Kailash. Perhaps his most crucial role is managing our stock and raw materials so that manufacturing can go smoothly. In the west this would be a challenge- In the tangle of Nepali industry, ever shifting regulations and import issues this is a superhuman task. For over 13 years he's been navigating the unusual, disorganised and chaotic pathways that are unavoidable in order to source products in Nepal at the right price. He has connections and know how and gets things done. To many in the Kathmandu valley he is the face of Kailash.
When not haggling with a remote villager over the price of some exotic buffalo leather, he'll be either tearing up the streets on his beloved motorbike or tearing up the Football court with his teammates.
Andrew Lucas. Industrial Designer, Strategic Consultant.
Andrew is a Melbourne based multidisciplinary, who does a lot more than just put bottle openers and knives (though he does do that a lot).
He decides which new products Kailash will introduce, what they'll look like and how they'll work. He takes care of its marketing and business strategies and all parts of the branding from the website to the packaging knives arrive in. He soaks up ideas, problems and opportunities from both customers and the teams and spits out new designs, new processes, and new systems. He's also responsible for the full custom section of our website and guides all of those special projects to completion.
He's a trained bicycle mechanic and loves two wheeled machines. Having a worklife that allows him the freedom to dictate his own hours and work remotely has been a lifechanger. He's hoping to set up an old van as a camper to seize these opportunities as much as he can- sketching up bendy knives from under a gum tree a few days drive away from the next set of traffic lights.
Bisnu Thapa. Head of Operations.
Bisnu manages every stage of production at Kailash Blades. He gives the Blacksmiths their orders, updates customers on progress, does the final quality checks before shipping and just generally makes sure that everybody is doing their job and doing it well. Having worked at KHHI as the production manager for nearly 15 years, he's a veteran of the industry and has developed connections and respect with smiths far and wide. In recent years he's taken a big step outside of his comfort zone and has taken over Kailash's social media, helping to give a stronger connection to the day to day operations of the business. He also is responsible for all stacked leather and micarta handle production- talk about an asset to the team.
When not working, he dedicates his time to punching above his weight with his beautiful wife and raising their two gorgeous daughters. He's also the vice president of Buddhamarga Youth Club. With BMYC he organises funding for local infrastructure, funds a free library and other charity work all aiming to improve the quality of life for his extended community.
Radhe Karki. Supply Manager
Radhe's role is very broad and absolutely indispensable. He handles accounts, plans for investments for the business' future, manages shipping and also is the first line of contact for customer email enquiries. He's also responsible for all the western leather sheaths that leave Kailash. Perhaps his most crucial role is managing our stock and raw materials so that manufacturing can go smoothly. In the west this would be a challenge- In the tangle of Nepali industry, ever shifting regulations and import issues this is a superhuman task. For over 10 years he's been navigating the unusual, disorganised and chaotic pathways that are unavoidable in order to source products in Nepal at the right price. He has connections and know how and gets things done. To many in the Kathmandu valley he is the face of Kailash.
When not haggling with a remote villager over the price of some exotic buffalo leather, he'll be either tearing up the streets on his beloved motorbike or tearing up the Football court with his teammates.
Andrew Lucas. Industrial Designer, Strategic Consultant.
Andrew is a Melbourne based multidisciplinary, who does a lot more than just put bottle openers and knives (though he does do that a lot).
He decides which new products Kailash will introduce, what they'll look like and how they'll work. He takes care of its marketing and business strategies and all parts of the branding from the website to the packaging knives arrive in. He soaks up ideas, problems and opportunities from both customers and the teams and spits out new designs, new processes, and new systems. He's also responsible for the full custom section of our website and guides all of those special projects to completion.
He's a trained bicycle mechanic and loves two wheeled machines. Having a worklife that allows him the freedom to dictate his own hours and work remotely has been a lifechanger. He's hoping to set up an old van as a camper to seize these opportunities as much as he can- sketching up bendy knives from under a gum tree a few days drive away from the next set of traffic lights.
Thanks for getting to know us!
A hearty Namaste from the entire team at Kailash Blades.
