Giant Chitlangi Bowie preliminary review.

I received my Chit Bowie from the DOTD here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=577925


Overall length -- 24''
Weight -- 61 oz
Spine thickness -- 1/2''
Steel guard
White metlal bolster, buttcap and tip
Horn handle
Brown leather scabbard


OK, first to answer the question of what the discoloration is. It's grind marks. It's the raw steel after being ground on a grinding wheel. The rest of the blade has a satin finish like from steel wool or scotch brite. It looks like they did everything but the end where the marks are. Despite the looks, that part is actually shinier than the rest of the blade.

Next, let me just say this thing is a monster. This coming from a guy who owns a 25" CAK. It's really more of a backsword than a bowie, it's just that hefty. Appearance wise, I love the villager look. I didn't know if I would, but I do. It's like the girl that likes to go fishing, camping and stuff, looks good, but looks really out of place in an expensive dress and makeup. The blade begs to go outside and murder some vegetation (probably wouldn't mind being on the hip of one of those guys that hunts feral boar with bowie knives).

As it comes, the horn handle is rough -- very good for the grip, a smooth, polished handle would probably be a hazard -- the spine is squared off and fairly sharp, the edge is fairly sharp, but has a very crude edge, very rough grind. Only thing I did before testing it was to run a rough diamond hone over the edge to remove what were basically burrs. Having a coarse edge, I didn't expect much in terms of soft vegetation capabilities.

One big surprise was the scabbard. This has to be the nicest scabbard I've ever gotten from HI. It's thicker and strudier than most, the brown dye is very even. It looks like a scabbard you'd pay $100 for, seriously.

OK, on to the chopping.

Freestanding "stump" (4 feet high) of a pine sapling, 3" diameter. Took 3 swings. First two cut a wedge, third clean cut all the way through.

2" diameter pine branch, on ground. Held one end, put other end on log laying there. One shot, near the "sweet spot" of the blade, clean through.

Birch log, 6" diameter. One swing, drove about 3.5" deep. Didn't bother chopping all the way through, it wouldn't have taken long.

Birch branch, 2" diameter, held same as pine branch above, two swings to get through.

Birch branch, 3" diameter, held as above, 3 swings to get through.

It chopped as well as my 20" CAK, although it does have 4 inches and a pound on the kukri. I did find that while "whipping" the blade did enhance performance, it wasn't nearly as much of an increase as you see with a kukri.

Soft vegetation. Here was my next BIG surprise. Like I said, I had a coarse edge on it. While it wouldn't cut soft vegetation with a flick of the wrist like my CAKs will, if I gave it any swing, any at all, it sliced right through. This is on stalky weeds, flower stems and palmetto fronds. That really floored me, as everything about the blade says it should suck at soft vegetation. I'll have to see how it does when I can get to putting a smoother edge on it.

All in all, I thought the blade would be impressive, but it actually exceeded my expectations.

The only downside si that it will tire you out on softer vegetation, simpyl because it takes a lot of effort to STOP the blade. But really, you don't use a 2 foot long, 4 pound blade to cut your flowers with anyway, so it's probably a moot point.

Two thumbs up,
:thumbup::thumbup:

 

Pushes the borders of overkill? I think it walked right across that border, thumbing it's nose at the border patrol the whole way.

LOL, if anyone buys one thinking they're getting a knife, they're in for a shock, LOL. I think a viking would take one into battle.