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 from a Chettri background which were historically aristoractic warriors. These days this is not the case however it is still uncommon for these higher castes to become involved in blacksmithing and other heavy manual work. However he 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 14 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 15 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 from a Chettri background which were historically aristoractic warriors. These days this is not the case however it is still uncommon for these higher castes to become involved in blacksmithing and other heavy manual work. However he 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 14 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 15 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 26 years old. Despite this he has over 13 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.
Krishna “Keshu” BishwaKarma
Keshu is a deeply experienced and passionate khukuri maker whose 35 years in the craft speak for themselves. Coming to Kailash more recently, he brings with him a lifetime of accumulated skill and a deep knowledge of traditional blade styles that few can match.
His love of craft goes far beyond the forge — in his leisure time he carves intricate designs on both wood and brass, sings, and continues to make khukuris simply because it is what he loves to
do.
He is a family man through and through — devoted to his wife, mother, son and two daughters— and his warmth and steadiness make him a grounding presence in the workshop.
Among all the blades he has encountered across his long career, it is the Salyani that holds a special place in his heart, and he has quietly built an impressive personal collection of traditional blades over
the years.
Keshu’s maker’s mark is the Nepalese Flag. A blade bearing his mark carries with it the weight of three and a half decades of dedication to this craft.
Som “Krishna” Dahal
Krishna came to Kailash after years working the land as a farmer, and he has brought that same honest, hardworking ethic into every corner of the workshop. Now four years into his time at Kailash, he has become a reliable and valued member of the team — assisting in western leather sheath production and lending a hand at the forge whenever needed.
His family is his mother and brother, and when he is not in the workshop you are likely to find him dancing or singing — a lightness of spirit that makes him a pleasure to work alongside. He is the kind of person who gets on with the job quietly and well, without fuss or fanfare.
Nirajan Khadka
Nirajan arrived at Kailash with a background in carpentry, and the precision and patience that trade demands has translated seamlessly into his work on leather sheath making. In his first
year he has proven himself to be loyal, diligent and genuinely hardworking — someone the team can depend on.
He lives with his brother and father, and in his spare time loves nothing more than visiting newplaces — a curiosity about the world that keeps him fresh and engaged.
He is still early in his journey at Kailash, but the foundations are strong.
Sisir Mangrati
Sisir is our traditional sheathmaker and is our youngest team member at 26 years old. Despite this he has over 13 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.
Krishna “Keshu” BishwaKarma
Keshu is a deeply experienced and passionate khukuri maker whose 35 years in the craft speakfor themselves. Coming to Kailash more recently, he brings with him a lifetime of accumulated skill and an encyclopaedic knowledge of traditional blade styles that few can match.
His love of the craft goes far beyond the forge — in his leisure time he carves intricate designs on both wood and brass, sings, and continues to make khukuris simply because it is what he loves to
do.
He is a family man through and through — devoted to his wife, mother, son and two daughters— and his warmth and steadiness make him a grounding presence in the workshop.
Among all
the blades he has encountered across his long career, it is the Salyani that holds a special place in his heart, and he has quietly built an impressive personal collection of traditional blades over
the years.
Keshu’s maker’s mark is the Nepalese flag. A blade bearing his mark carries with it the weight of three and a half decades of dedication to this craft.
Som “Krishna” Dahal
Krishna came to Kailash after years working the land as a farmer, and he has brought that same honest, hardworking ethic into every corner of the workshop. Now four years into his time at Kailash, he has become a reliable and valued member of the team — assisting in western leather sheath production and lending a hand at the forge whenever needed.
His family is his mother and brother, and when he is not in the workshop you are likely to find him dancing or singing — a lightness of spirit that makes him a pleasure to work alongside. He is the kind of person who gets on with the job quietly and well, without fuss or fanfare.
Nirajan Khadka
Nirajan arrived at Kailash with a background in carpentry, and the precision and patience that trade demands has translated seamlessly into his work on leather sheath making. In his first
year he has proven himself to be loyal, diligent and genuinely hardworking — someone the team can depend on.
He lives with his brother and father, and in his spare time loves nothing more than visiting newplaces — a curiosity about the world that keeps him fresh and engaged.
He is still early in his journey at Kailash, but the foundations are strong.
Bisnu Thapa – Factory Manager
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 over 19 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 – Operations 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 15 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 on 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 – Factory Manager
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 over 19 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 – Operations 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 15 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 on 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.
