Great News... My Chitlangi Special Project Is Soon To Arrive!

Drdan

Drdan

Joined
Dec 24, 2003
Messages
1,390
Uncle Bill e-mailed me today saying that my 21" special project Chitlangi should arrive today, and might be shipped out as early as Monday...! I waited a bit for it to arrive, but I trust it will be worth it.

I specified a non-habaki type bolster, no cho creep, an engraved buttcap and a purpleheart handle. I'm honored that Uncle Bill accepted the order, and I did say that I would accept full responsibility if the kamis didn't make it as requested. :rolleyes: Hopefully Bura made it light and responsive, as I had planned.

Anyway, it will be visiting a certain forumite living in Arkansas before it makes the voyage "over the pond". I hope the forumite in question, who's a good photographer, will post some photos on the forum before it's shipped out.

My next request might just be the Nasty Gentleman's Sword. I hope to see these as regular offerings... :cool:
 
If it comes as ordered, it will be a delight and I congratulate you on having the patience and funds to have achieved it.

A one of a kind Chit, handforged by today's masters...well, you'd better have some grandkids someday to pass it down to.



munk
 
munk said:
If it comes as ordered, it will be a delight and I congratulate you on having the patience and funds to have achieved it.
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Thanks, Munk! I REALLY LIKE Chitlangis, so I was (and am) willing to take a gamble. I know that Uncle Bill does not like to take special orders, and anyone who has used the search function will soon know why. :eek:

It will be a user for light cutting and tameshigiri, but will be well maintained. It will certainly be a handed down to someone who will appreciate an ever so rare commodity -- quality handmade by "old school" artisans...
 
My third or second khuk was a chitlangi, can't remember which. The little BAS wasn't enough. The chit is 19" and made by Kesar. It is great. I've taken it hiking. It was so amazing when pulled out of the box- many things today are representatives of items from the past; reproductions. This Chitlangi was a Chitlangi. That concept amused and touched me very much.


munk
 
I hope the knife is everything you wanted- I'm looking forward to seeing it.
Purple heart will be beautiful on a khukuri.
 
Does purple heart stay purple, or is it like Bois D'Arc and changes color after a period of time?

Dan I hope the Chitlangi is all you want it too be! I'm looking forward to the pix as well. If it turns out well then that means that the YCS project is more apt to do so as well and then the Foxy Folly project!
Perhaps the kamis will get a message about the cho creep and so-called habaki bolsters with all of these special orders, we can only hope so.:D
 
Yvsa said:
Does purple heart stay purple, or is it like Bois D'Arc and changes color after a period of time?
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I don't have any experience with purple heart but thought I remembered reading a thread about it, found it here.

Apparently it starts out brownish and oxidizes, especially in UV light, to a purple color pretty quickly, then darkens to a deeper purple as it ages over the years.

Ryan
DrClckWrk
 
Take a look at the pictures in the middle of this thread! The wood is just so rich in color. It must be stunning on a Chitlangi which is already a beautiful blade.
 
Remember, the kamis often say one thing and do another. Fingers crossed ....Bill Martino

That's very strange. No one else does that. Why do they do that?






(defining tongue in cheek)
munk
 
munk said:
Remember, the kamis often say one thing and do another. Fingers crossed ....Bill Martino

That's very strange. No one else does that. Why do they do that?






(defining tongue in cheek)
munk
Click to expand...

The only rational explanation would be "Nepali Ho!" :D
 
Yvsa said:
Does purple heart stay purple, or is it like Bois D'Arc and changes color after a period of time?

Dan I hope the Chitlangi is all you want it too be! I'm looking forward to the pix as well. If it turns out well then that means that the YCS project is more apt to do so as well and then the Foxy Folly project!
Perhaps the kamis will get a message about the cho creep and so-called habaki bolsters with all of these special orders, we can only hope so.:D
Click to expand...

Yvsa, I too hope the kamis do start producing the "old style" habaki and khukuris with the cho in the traditional area close to the bolster. Uncle Bill is trying to get them to do just that, as shown in this thread... Whether he gets his wish is anyone's guess. :rolleyes:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=306270

I'm happy that the kamis are concerned about blood running on to the handle, but it's highly unlikely my knife will ever see blood, unless the khukuri bites me! :D

I have both a 24" X 1 1/4" fighting stick and a bokken made of purpleheart, which were made by Kim Taylor. http://www.uoguelph.ca/~kataylor/
They were purchased about 4 years ago, and look pretty much like the photo of purpleheart pulled off Gilmer's website. It's a very hard wood, is beautiful, weather and insect resistant, and heavy.

Yvsa, for the FF... :confused: Uncle Bill sent a bunch of nice hardwood to Nepal. If Uncle Bill gave them explicit instructions NOT to use this wood for the FF, we might have a lot of even more satisfied FF customers, as they'd get all the best attributes of the FF, plus an exotic wood handle! :D :rolleyes:
 
Bill asked the Kamis recently about the bolster. The Kamis told him they would not change it as it is safer the way it is now. They fear someone's hands slipping past the cho onto the blade. This is only what I remember being said.

munk
 
As a handle material, purpleheart is like curly maple - straight off the tree it makes a nice handle......But.....a little tweaking can make it a knock-out handle. If you want to keep the purple "as-is"....just requires a good seal with clear polyurethane sealant. Otherwise, like every wood, it will oxidize (and absorb UV), and darken with age. The polyurethane-coated ones will oxidize too....just takes longer.
The same can be said for lignum vitae, Bois d'Arc (osage orange), and others.

But the process usually takes years, not months.
 
You're an optimal "tweaker" Dan, as many forumites, including your truly know!
 
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