Cooking with Chitlangi...

BruiseLeee

BruiseLeee

Joined
Sep 7, 2001
Messages
5,946
I brought my Chitlangi out to the woods this morning in the pouring rain. The wood handle offers a better grip than horn when wet. Cutting logs was done in half the time and with less strokes than with my BAS. I noticed that the chunks that the blade took out in the wood were huge in comparison to the chunks from the BAS. However, the added weight of the Chit. made it more tiring to use.

The added weight and length made splitting wood lengthwise very easy. Clearing brush was efortless.

Wedging between a stump I managed to bend the blade about 3/4" in either direction several times with the blade coming back into true each time (I didn't want to bend further). Slamming the side of the blade into a log made a metallic ringing sound. No damage, it was probably vibration. Beating the spine into a log repeatedly caused no damage to the chit. However, I found the BAS to be a more solid performer as a bludgeoning tool.

I didn't realize that the blade would rust so quickly. On the 20 minute drive home the blade developed some bright orange rust spots. A little flitz cleaned it off rather quickly. Next time I'll bring some oil.

I thought that the longer and heavier blade would be more difficult to control but in the end it wasn't. Either that or my aim is getting better.
It is a fine blade but too long for general carrying around. It was too big for a daypack and stuck out of the top :) But for hanging on a bedpost or to persuade a home invader to change his ways it is a wonderful piece of equipment. :D
 
Thanks for review BL!:)

I may just have to change my mind and make this my next khukuri (it was/is? the YCS). After all the Designer of the YCS himself praises the Chitlangi VERY highly:D
 
MauiRob,

You will absolutely love a chitlangi. It flows into your hand and has an incredible balance. Mine's back at the Sarki Shop getting a repair on the scabbard and a canvas cover. I've only got 4 khuks, but between the 18" sirupati, WWII and chiruwa ak, all 3 by KNN, the 21" Durba chitlangi is sweet. I love all 4, but the chitlangi is my favorite.

Hank:cool:
 
Many thanks for good report from the field. I'm very happy that most khukuris are getting the Dasein tang test. So far we have had one tang failure and a chiruwa bolster and slab failure but the tang held.

I hope this is all we see this year land now Dasein is over so I can breathe easily again.
 
Got to me. The heavy dead stalks are gone from the lilac bush, but the tops looked a little scraggly, so I grabbed the fence rail and took a swipe. Ever see a BIG lilac bush with a crew cut? The tops were thin, and would bounce off a shorter, heavier blade, but you can generate so much speed with the Chitlangi that it just whistles through them. The only other thing immediately available were some lower limbs on the four maples, some just over 2". They aren't soft, as we've had a couple of freezes, and they've toughened up for the winter. Even on upward-backhanded strikes, nothing I was allowed to cut took a second shot. One 2 1/2" was still hanging by a strip of bark, but I didn't have much leverage on that one :) Tomorrow, when the neighbor goes to work, some of her pear trees.......Naw..I'm the only "suspect" in the area. Maybe down at the park...
 
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