Chitlangi Compared to Sirupati

warty

warty

Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
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So, I thought it would be a good idea to do a comparison between two similar style blades. Both are slim and fast in a fight and would serve the martial artist well. I also find that they are very useful as camp blades. They may not chop as well as some of the "Big Choppers" but they will chop and baton well enough plus this style of blade allows one to skin an animal and do food prep a lot easier then one of the "Big Choppers" IMO as well. So first off here they are side by side along a ruler (scale is inches):
Panchthar Chitlangi on top, Sirupati on the bottom
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Unfortunately I didn't have two of the same size to compare so try to ignore the obvious size difference for this comparison and lets look at some of the differences in each style instead.
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They both have a similarly ornate "Sword of Shiva" on them complete with brass inlay work. The first obvious difference we see is the cho, the Sirupati (top) has the cho you can see on most of the khukuris HI sells while the Chitlangi's cho is enclosed, sort of a heart shape to it plus there is a sort of a protrusion under the cho which would serve to keep the blood from running down the blade should it be needed. :) Another thing to notice are the bolsters, the Sirupati again is plain and typical of most khuks while the Chitlangi has a cross hatch pattern on it making it a bit more ornate.
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Moving now to the handles of the pair, ignoring the different woods and looking only at the differences in style again. The Siru has a fairly basic handle typical of most hidden tang khukuris. It has the typical flare ring to place between your third and fourth finger and other than a few other carved rings, looks fairly plain (other than being a pretty nice piece of neem). The Chitlangi however has a bit more ornate handle. Notice the cross hatch pattern carved into ti, this is fairly typical of this style of blade. Also note the much larger bell flare, this makes holding the blade a lot nicer IMO. Next, look at all that wonderful brass on the pommel cap of the Chitlangi verses that of the Sirupati...
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Both have a similar profile to the spine however. This should be expected as they are both fighters.
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Another major difference is the presence of a fuller (or fullers on some styles) on the Chitlangi

It is hard for one person to do an "In Hand" comparison but this should do...
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Overall, I think this should serve to show the major differences between these two styles of khukuris. Why this is important to me is they both seem to have a similar function. Both of these styles of blade would serve you well as a self defense khukuri and IMO, both would serve well as camp blades. Why I prefer the Chitlangis is the big bell shape to the handle and the fullers on the blade. I always like the look and feel of a fullered blade and the big, brass covered pommel bell just has a great look, especially coupled with the geometric carvings on the wood and bolster that these always seem to sport. Buy both and see for yourself I guess is the only way to be sure though. :D
 
That chitlangi is a beaut man! Going to the Philippines to visit next year and was wanting to bring a kukri (though I'll probably have a bolo made up by a local blacksmith while I'm there). As of right now, most of my kukris are more meant for dense wood (more obtuse edges) and the Philippines is characterized more by lighter vegetation (at least the area I'm going to). Obviously I'll be wanting to pick something up with a really acute edge - I was thinking of picking up one of the new (old style) bonecutters when they come out, but if they aren't to my liking, a chitlangi will probably be a nice alternative.

As always, thanks for these awesome reviews warty! Nice to see that someone with such an extensive collection is so willing to help the rest of us out :thumbup:
 
Fantastic pictures!

Thanks for posting . . . . Except . . uhhh . . . . now I need a Chitlangi too!
 
Thanks warty. I like these as well. My new camera hasn't arrived yet so I can't post pics. I have two 18" Santosh blades that are very similar to my eye; a Chainpuri, and a Sirupati. The main difference to me is the Chainpuri has a closed cho like a Chitlangi. The pre-bend spine length of the Sirupati is approximately 3/8" longer than the Chainpuri. It is slightly slimmer as well but both are slim and fast.
 
Hmmm,. I guess I could have thrown in a Chainpuri as well but it didn't occur to me. *DOH!* :)

When you get the camera heinlein, I will leave that one to you though, can't be a hog now... just a wart-hog. (BOOO!)

I am always happy to do this sort of thing really. I guess I don't understand why others with bigger collection don't do it as well. Heck, I have even asked for a picture from some of them now and then and essentially been ignored. I guess the whole tinfoil hat thing works with knives as well as guns. LOL!
 
My hope to sort of finish the thread off is for Wolf_1989 to show us the various different Chitlangi he has and how they differ. Perhaps if he is willing, take pix of just the Chitlangi only, no other types in the shots. Maybe one from the point on at least for one of the shots to show off those beautiful fullers for us. Pretty please. :D

Just a request here, if it is not possible due to whatever reason then it isn't possible.
I'll still take those pix that he and others ask of me whenever possible because I just like to do so. ;)
 
once again nice pics warty i had a chitlangi like that once why the hell i parted with it i'll never know
 
Thanks Warty for this useful thread. You have a lot of passion in khukuri, i can tell.

The chit is hot! Does any body have different types of Chit? Can I "custom order" a topic on comparison between different types of Chit?

Cheers,

Hung
 
Here is another type of Chitlangi, this one has TWO fullers and a horn handle so I compared it to another Sirupati I have, also with a horn handle. The Sirupati was made before Uncle Bill left us and has a fantastic scabbard with it:
this is above the frog band...
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an this is below it...
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I still favor the Chitlangis in general. :D​

So rather than saying all the stuff I have already said, here is the new set of pix in the same order as above...
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I will say, note the difference in the handle on this chitlangi, it has a hand hugging shape to it...
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see how it tapers from bolster to the finger ring then bells back out to the pommel? :thumbup:

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like I said at the beginning, this one has two fullers rather than just the one like the first Chit I posted...
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these are the only two Chitlangis I have, so far at least...
we shall see what comes up though...
Maybe another new type of tasty Chitlangi will catch my eye balls. :cool:
 
There's only three types of Chitlangi, the standard double fullered one, the Panchthar, and the Dahraine.



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So, which one is which other than the obvious one ("Standard" double fuller)? What makes one a Panchthar or a Dahraine?
 
The Chitlange and similar Chainpure are probably the best looking and best all around general purpose Khukuri pattern there is. Dedicated choppers will outperform them on hard woods, but for just about everything else, I'd choose a Chit/Chain.

Sirupate is a close third, unadorned and plain, but the blade has good mass for it's reduced width given that it has no chira (fullers). When similar length Sirupate are compared to Chitlange or Chainpure, the Sirupate is always heavier.

The only problem is the Chainpure and Chitlange are often too pretty to want to whack against some unseen rock, a task better left for the Sirupate which can be had less expensively and without all the additional handiwork to make one.

-E
 
warty said:
So, I thought it would be a good idea to do a comparison between two similar style blades. Both are slim and fast in a fight and would serve the martial artist well. I also find that they are very useful as camp blades. They may not chop as well as some of the "Big Choppers" but they will chop and baton well enough plus this style of blade allows one to skin an animal and do food prep a lot easier then one of the "Big Choppers" IMO as well.
Click to expand...

Another good thing about these blades, IMO, is for guys (like me) that like the tomahawk/long knife combination, a 15-20" sirupate (corresponding to a 10" blade to 18" machete -- 22"OAL that most like to carry) makes a great companion to a hawk, where you have the hawk to do the heavier chopping.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
Another good thing about these blades, IMO, is for guys (like me) that like the tomahawk/long knife combination, a 15-20" sirupate (corresponding to a 10" blade to 18" machete -- 22"OAL that most like to carry) makes a great companion to a hawk, where you have the hawk to do the heavier chopping.
Click to expand...

What is your favorite hawk to carry?
 
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