Woman needs help choosing the right knife!

Ironhandjohn,

I like this knife also and have been thinking my neighbor will probably love any knife I get him from HI.
 
I live in the "outback" of NewJersey and have a big grove of out-of-control bamboo. I stumbled on the HI site a couple of years ago and I eventually found exactly the right tools to help with my chore.

Everything else that I tried to chop this stuff down with failed miserably or was too dangerous. The hatchet was the worst as it would skid off the stalk and then aim for my body parts. The kukris I have, seem as if they were made for the task; cutting cleanly into the tough stalk and usually severing with one well coordinated blow.

I ended up with a two kukris but the names escape me at the moment(sorry for the senior moment). One is smallish about 15 inches which I use for the initial severing. Then I use an even smaller one which has a very straight profile(I think "knife" is in the name)which I use to trim off the tough branches. Again, a proper sweep of the blade will sever with the first try. I also am glad that I chose the smaller of the blades as there is not much room to swing in my tightly packed bamboo forest.

Anyway, good luck with your task. When my mind starts working again I will give you the names of the Kukris. BTW, we honeymooned in Hawaii in 1984 and went back several times, and it is THE most beautiful place we have ever seen. You are very blessed to live in that Paradise.
 
One might well be a Pen Knife

From HI site:
yhst-7333098713883_2019_1294407
 
Yes!.........Pen Knife. I have it honed to razor sharp and it is an awesome blade. Thanks Cpl
 
I think I have narrowed it down to either a 15" sirupati or a 20" kobra. I am still not sure what to get my friend. I am leaning towards one of the sturdier knives, a gelbu or larger. I like the "deals of the day" but can never seem to get there in time. They are always sold by the time I see them.
 
There is a time lag on DotDs (which Yangdu has commented on), so don't blame yourself. I got plumb lucky on the M43 I sharked last month.
 
If you see something on DOTD that you want that has been bought before you can get on due to different time zones contact Yangdu she might be able to help you out.
 
knifes101 said:
I think I have narrowed it down to either a 15" sirupati or a 20" kobra. I am still not sure what to get my friend. I am leaning towards one of the sturdier knives, a gelbu or larger. I like the "deals of the day" but can never seem to get there in time. They are always sold by the time I see them.
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Well first of all Knifes101 Welcome to the H.I. Forum.:thumbup: :cool: :D
I haven't been around much lately but I'm one of the old timers around here and not to dispute Yangdu because she is from Nepal and knows what a 15" Sirupati is capable of but personally I think it'd be a bit light for chopping coconuts, either green and especially not those that have been off the tree for a while that's had time to season a bit. I've had hands on experience with both of them due to having kids who live in Florida and think it's funny to send me coconuts still in the husk and I'm really happy they quit when I started going downhill.:thumbup: ;) :D

Personally I think Wolf nailed it when he recommended the Chitlangi and for several reasons.
The Chitlangi is a Dui Chiarra or a Double Fullered Khukuri, consequently it's *usually* lighter than a comparable sized Sirupati.....
And being lighter makes it faster which I've been told increases the momentum which in turn increases the amount of force it hits with which in turn makes it more efficient.....
Therefore in my opinion a slightly heavier than usual 18" Chitlangi would probably serve you well.
You're probably well aware of it but there's definitely a learning curve when it comes to khukuris over the general western straight fixed blade knife.....;)

As to your neighbor it sounds as if you also would like to get him a khukuri rather than a regular and familiar straight western fixed blade. Of course there are several options and each one of us has a different opinion which is often either our favorite or one of our favorite khukuri's. My favorite is the 17" Foxy Folly which would serve him very well, it's also a Dui Chiarra or Double Fullered khukuri.
But there are several that would serve him well, the 18" M-43 comes to mind as does the 18" WW II.....
The reason I mention the 18" WW II is because it's a proven defensive khukuri when it comes to dangerous animals. A Florida Park Ranger took out a rather large, 10' or 12 foot alligator if I remember correctly in a Wendy's parking lot that was posing a potential danger to some children nearby, again IIRC.
But most any khukuri he would happen to have in hand at time would do the job as that's what has happened in Nepal when one fellow was surprised by a Nepalese bear and another was attacked or surprised by a Nepali leopard!!!!:thumbup: :eek: :cool:


.
 
Back to the Chitlangi again. I was fortunate enough and quick enough to shark the very first H.I. Chitlangi which was a tad over 21 inches long overall length. What struck me the most when I took it out for a test run was that it did indeed cut like a much heavier khukuri.
I was really surprised at its performance as there wasn't a lot of room where I was at to get a full arm length swing at the tree with the 1/2" to 1" branches I was aiming to trim up but it cut through a lot more of them than I expected, about a foot through and the branches were growing pretty well upright with the branches being anywhere between 2" to 6" apart. My short account of it is probably way back in the archives somewhere.;) :)
My 21"+ Chitlangi is my favorite among the lighter khukuris.:cool: :D


.
 
Yvsa said:
Personally I think Wolf nailed it when he recommended the Chitlangi and for several reasons.
The Chitlangi is a Dui Chiarra or a Double Fullered Khukuri, consequently it's *usually* lighter than a comparable sized Sirupati.....
And being lighter makes it faster which I've been told increases the momentum which in turn increases the amount of force it hits with which in turn makes it more efficient.....
Therefore in my opinion a slightly heavier than usual 18" Chitlangi would probably serve you well.
You're probably well aware of it but there's definitely a learning curve when it comes to khukuris over the general western straight fixed blade knife.....;)
Click to expand...

I have a 20.25" Sirupati by master kami Bura which is unusually light at 24 oz, placing it right at the edge of being a Kobra. It's an oddball in more ways than one but the most noticeable thing about it is the unusually deep fullers; more like those found on a Gelbu Special than a 'normal' Sirupati. On the other hand I have two 21.5" Chitlangis made by kami Sher which are certainly heavier than the Sirupati, even considering the small difference in length. I still maintain that the Chitlangi is the halfway point between the light & quick Sirupati and the powerhouse chopper Ang Khola, as this photo illustrates:

HPIM0934.jpg


Again, I have a 25" Sirupati and a 26" Chitlangi. The Chitlangi is definitely heavier by what feels like at least 5 ounces.
 
Going on the HI sales site, I took a look at the 20" Sirupati and it is quoted at 1.75 pounds while the 21" Chitlangi is rated at 2 pounds. From reading on the Hi sites, I know that weights and lengths can vary quite a bit because they are all handmade, but it does give me the impression that the Chitlangi is a bit heavier on average than the Sirupati.
 
Sort of off topic, but I was thinking that a sickle type knife (if people still make sickles) would help in the safety aspect, since the blade is crescent shaped. You would reaaaaaaaaally need to follow through to cut your legs off with a hand held sickle. Someone here could probably make one for you that's not too expensive.
 
Wolf_1989 said:
I have a 20.25" Sirupati by master kami Bura which is unusually light at 24 oz, placing it right at the edge of being a Kobra. It's an oddball in more ways than one but the most noticeable thing about it is the unusually deep fullers; more like those found on a Gelbu Special than a 'normal' Sirupati. On the other hand I have two 21.5" Chitlangis made by kami Sher which are certainly heavier than the Sirupati, even considering the small difference in length. I still maintain that the Chitlangi is the halfway point between the light & quick Sirupati and the powerhouse chopper Ang Khola, as this photo illustrates:

Again, I have a 25" Sirupati and a 26" Chitlangi. The Chitlangi is definitely heavier by what feels like at least 5 ounces.
Click to expand...

My Bura made 20" Sirupati weighs about 23oz. Lots of people say that a Martial arts blade should be about 1oz per inch and mine is close to that. I've done plenty of trail clearing with that blade. anything from light vegitation to 9" Diameter Quaking Aspen trees and everything in between. Definanlty a good blade and BTW yours looks like the twin to mine.

knifes101 said:
Going on the HI sales site, I took a look at the 20" Sirupati and it is quoted at 1.75 pounds while the 21" Chitlangi is rated at 2 pounds. From reading on the Hi sites, I know that weights and lengths can vary quite a bit because they are all handmade, but it does give me the impression that the Chitlangi is a bit heavier on average than the Sirupati.
Click to expand...

Used to have a 16" Gelbu Special and a 15" Sirupati. The GS was ligher then the Sirupati or at least if felt that way. It was the fastest blade I've ever had. One of these days I'll replace it. When I go backpacking I carry either a Becker knife and Tool BK-9, SOG Tigershark or a newer 15" Sirupati. My new 15" Sirupati hasn't seen much use so I'm planning to take it camping with me this weekend to give it a real workout.

IMO the 15" to 20" sirupati sounds like the blade for you. I don't have experience with the Chitlangi so I can't comment on them. And I'd go with an M43 or 18" Ang Khola for your friend. Awesome blades!!

Heber
 
harkamus said:
Sort of off topic, but I was thinking that a sickle type knife (if people still make sickles) would help in the safety aspect, since the blade is crescent shaped. You would reaaaaaaaaally need to follow through to cut your legs off with a hand held sickle. Someone here could probably make one for you that's not too expensive.
Click to expand...


That's called the Hasiya, and it's in the catalog, under Special Runs.
 
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