An afternoon in the woods with a chitlangi bowie

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Skyler R.

Joined
Dec 27, 2005
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I have had this chitlangi bowie for sometime, but for some reason never used it. It was a nice day out today so I put it to work clearing a thorn tree and then chopping some 4" thick old logs. Overall it did decent, about what you would expect from a knife this size (15" 26oz), personally I think the 15" with a chirwa handle is a bit much since it makes it handle heavy.

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Skyler R. said:
...from a knife this size (15" 26oz), personally I think the 15" with a chirwa handle is a bit much since it makes it handle heavy.
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Thanks for the observation. Little bits of information like this really help in the decision making process.:thumbup:

Wonder if that would still be the same with the Giant Chitlangi Bowie?:confused:
 
Skyler, that's not just an ordinary thorn tree, that my young friend if you don't know is Osage Orange, otherwise known as Bois D'Arc, Hedge, Hedge Apple, and I'm sure there are some more I'm not even aware of.;)
That stuff is a real beeatch to chop when it gets seasoned!!!! :eek: ;) :D

Skyler R. said:
I have had this chitlangi bowie for sometime, but for some reason never used it. It was a nice day out today so I put it to work clearing a thorn tree and then chopping some 4" thick old logs. Overall it did decent, about what you would expect from a knife this size (15" 26oz), personally I think the 15" with a chirwa handle is a bit much since it makes it handle heavy.

DSCF0313b.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Yvsa said:
Skyler, that's not just an ordinary thorn tree, that my young friend if you don't know is Osage Orange, otherwise known as Bois D'Arc, Hedge, Hedge Apple, and I'm sure there are some more I'm not even aware of.;)
That stuff is a real beeatch to chop when it gets seasoned!!!! :eek: ;) :D
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Osage is cool. Real uncommon round here.

I actually bought 50 seedlings and planted them on my place.
 
Yvsa said:
Skyler, that's not just an ordinary thorn tree, that my young friend if you don't know is Osage Orange, otherwise known as Bois D'Arc, Hedge, Hedge Apple, and I'm sure there are some more I'm not even aware of.;)
That stuff is a real beeatch to chop when it gets seasoned!!!! :eek: ;) :D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information Yvsa, had no idea. Would you happen to know how big osage orange can get? Where I found this one there is a good sized tree (probably 20 feet tall) that looks very similar to my untrained eye as well as another 20-30 the same size as the one I chopped, the only problem is that the other trees are not on my land.
 
hollowdweller said:
Osage is cool. Real uncommon round here.

I actually bought 50 seedlings and planted them on my place.
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Good for you HD!!!! You do know that if it likes an area it'll propagate like mad don't you? ;) :eek:
There's a spot along the road going up towards Red Bud Valley, a nature preserve, not far from here the county went in and cut down a few years back. I wouldn't even begin to try to imagine what it looks like now but the little saplings then were around 10"-12" from one another! :eek:

That Chitlangi Bowie did one helluva job cutting that little tree down! Osage Orange is damned near impervious to chopping when it's fully seasoned and is plenty tough enough when it's growing and green. :eek:
 
Skyler R. said:
Thanks for the information Yvsa, had no idea. Would you happen to know how big osage orange can get? Where I found this one there is a good sized tree (probably 20 feet tall) that looks very similar to my untrained eye as well as another 20-30 the same size as the one I chopped, the only problem is that the other trees are not on my land.
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Skyler, Osage can get to be a pretty decent size. I'm not a real good judge of height but I'd say 20'-30' isn't at all uncommon. I've seen a few real old trees that were a good 18"-20" in diameter! :eek: :D
The Osage self bows are made out of the heartwood and of course the larger the tree the more apt one is to find good bow wood.:thumbup: :D ;)

I'm really impressed with the way the Chitlangi Bowie took care of that tree, how long did it take to chop it down if you remember?
 
Yvsa said:
I'm really impressed with the way the Chitlangi Bowie took care of that tree, how long did it take to chop it down if you remember?
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Didn't time it but maybe a min. Wasn't long at all, but I have had kukris cut similar sized trees in one swipe (not osage).
 
Nice pictures, thank you
 
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