The chitlangi are thinner?
Yes in almost all cases. What i mean about the Siru and Chit being almost the same is only in extreme cases. I have seen and also heard of some heavy Chitlangis (Bawannas 25" Chit) that were equal in weight and possibly edge profile to some lighter Sirus (ndogs 25" Siru). Rare but just depends on the Kami etc. They are fairly close in design anyway with the exception of the fullering but it can happen.
I wouldn't have guessed. That may turn the tide for me in my decision. As I've begun to use my two, the KLVUK is far more "practical" for what I need, but it's a bit short for some tasks. I did like the chitlangi, but I always thought they were more heavy duty than a siru.
You say that the edges are different but then you say they might be the same? Could you clarify? Personally, I was leaning towards the 18" length, but you're saying the 21" ones are lighter and more consistent in weight? I guess I'm asking you to compare the 18" blades (siru or chitlangi) to the 21" blades.
Thanks!
The difference between the 18 and 21" is mainly the weight difference and the reach advantage. Obviously the 21" will be heavier than the 18" but they do feel similar and the balace is an awesome feel on both. To me the reach is a huge advantage especially for the lighter brush work you are speaking of. Its really a personal trade off. I'm an old man and the extra reach is easier on my back but the extra weight don't bother me a bit. I can swing my 25" Siru all day no problem. I do take breaks but the extra reach is worth it to me. The problem with the 25" is obviously the 25". You getting into a carry-ability issue there. I don't get far from home so it is not a problem for me in fact i don't even carry the sheath with me. Walk out the front door and start whackin kinda thing. You would have to decide for yourself the weight versus the reach advantages between the two but i will say they both are very alive in the hand and the balance is awesome in both sizes.
Scara is spot on about the fuller which brings up another fabulous model i neglected (how could I
). You might want to consider the Gelbu Special. It has a deep fuller for lightening and moves the balance point further back so it don't feel so front heavy like a Siru but it has an Ang Khola edge built for chopping. Instead of using the weight advantage for chopping it takes advantage of speed. Force=Mass X Acceleration ya know
Mass and acceleration are DIRECTLY proportional to each other. Watch closely again tho because they can vary in weight. My grail knife would be a 21 Gelbu special with a well pronounced deep fuller. Pillll has a custom one he made for Noah his son. Now THAT IS A KNIFE!!! Will you adopt me philllll? I promise illlll share
You did mention you preferred the KLVUK edge so the Gelbu may not be right for you. I just thought you should know whats on the other end. If you prefer the KLVUK edge then Id consider the Chitlangi. The edge on your KLVUK is about the same as what a Chitlangi would be. When I say sometimes the chit and Siru are the same in some cases i mean only at their extreme differences. It depends on the Kami that made them. In general for a knife the same length it is possible to have a heavy chit with the weight of a light Siru. The Kamis are pretty dang good about keeping the proper edge geometry within the species.
I did some contour lines showing the thickness between a few model just to give you an idea of the geometry. Each line represents equal thickness. The interval between each line is in 1mm in thickness. In other words the first line at the edge is 1mm thick. Second line is 2mm thick...etc. You can see the AK has lines very close together so the slope is steep as opposed to the 17.5" Chit on the far left where the lines are spaced farther away meaning the edge has less slope.
Also note the difference between the AK and the Gelbu. There aint none. Notice the KLVUK and Chit. They are very similar.
Another thing to consider is the overall shape or profile of the edge itself. Notice the spacing on the lines of the Siru. They are close together near the edge and more spaced away from the edge. This is because the edge is not as flat. It has a more convex edge rather than an almost flat bevel like the KLVUK. That's to strengthen the edge. It allows for some extra chopping strength over the KLVUK edge. All of them are very capable for chopping but sometimes you want to worry less about rolling an edge and other times you may need a thin edge to cut vines or springy stuff. Its all a trade off. I guess that's what makes us addicts. Gotta have one for everything.
Had to edit this many times so hope i didnt botch it up too bad. Let me know if I confused you more. Ill fix ya up! From what im hearing from you id say Chitlangi is a very good choice. Oh...Notice the second Chit in the first pic. That is not a normal chitlangi. It is a Single fuller chitlangi and has an event thinner edge than most Chits. Dont know if I got a freek but that is one bad to the bone knife. If you ever get half a chance to get one grab it up! Thats probably in my top three of all HI knives. Balance and everything is just magical
Hope I could help you out some.
That stuff is just plain ol Giant Ragweed. The stuff that makes ya sick all through the Fall. Sure is a lot of fun to chop it up in lil pieces! Kinda my payback