Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: nightowl1 on April 04, 2011, 09:46:00 PM
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Howdy,
trying to pick out a new machete for packing, canoeing and camping. Needs to be light, sturdy and decent quality.
Last one i had didn't make the cut
Thinking about the condor golok or outback. Any experience?
Anyone carry machete on their trips besides me? I know some of yah carry 'hawks but that doesn't quite fit my style or need.
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I know there are a lot of people that like machetes, but I can't figure out why. :dunno: Maybe I have just never had a good one...or even seen a good one. I have used a folding saw or loppers working side by side with folks using machetes on countless tasks and ended up getting more done with less effort every time.
Sorry to rain on your parade or hijack your thread, but that is just my experience.
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I LIVE IN A VERY THICK JUNGLE-LIKE AREA OF WESTERN WASHINGTON, AND I CARRY ONE ON MY QUAD, THAT I MADE FROM A PIECE OF OLD CROSS - CUT SAW BLADE. JUST A STRAIGHT 20" BLADE, NO POINT, WITH AN OSAGE HANDLE RIVITED ON. IT'S HANDY IN OUR KIND OF BRUSH, CLEARING TRAILS, ETC.
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Not quite in the machette league, but I have two large knifes I pack around when erecting ground blinds and clearing shooting lanes.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/HPIM1321.jpg)
Either will sever a 3/4" sapling pretty easily. The left one is a replica of a blade found at Ft. Ticonderoga and on the right is a Finnish Leuku (which is big AND scary sharp).
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Take a look at these guys: http://www.machetespecialists.com/
Guy
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That is the site i have been frequenting lately.
Not raining on my parade Gregg, machetes are a very handy instrument if you have a quality one and know the proper way to use it. Most people hack and try to use it like a hatchet, that with a flemsy piece of barely sharp metal would sour my view too...
Machete can be used to down trees, clear paths, split logs (baton), self protection, finishing wounded or trapped game, game processing, shelter construction... list goes on and on...saves my hunting blade lots of trouble when I'm out...
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COOL KNIVES,STUMP KILLER,,,
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I'm with stumpkiller I use a bowie for most purposes 12" blade horn handle. The thing I like the most is I made a case that I can wear bandleer stlye its fits snuggly under my arm. Out of the way, but there if needed
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Personally, I'd be looking at the Martindale golok #2. No actual experience with it, just like the design and size.
Guy
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Mine is a Maasai warrior sword that I got my last mission trip to Tanzania . More of a machete with a sinew grip with a goat skin sheath.
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nightowl1
I understand and second , the use of machetes, here in Mexico as well as in Texas we have very thick brush.
I use a cheap one from the home depot, but a friend of mine has an old military surplus machete that is great and heavy. Very nice one !!!!
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We use them at Bear Quest in Quebec. A lot of that terrain is like rain forest where you need to hack a path out hauling a big bear. I forged this up for a cutting contest at an ABS hammer-in that I'll probably pack for trackin'...Doc
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/Re-ForgedBlade008.jpg)
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The only machete I ever had that was worth a darn is made by Cold Steel. I now take a Woodsmans Pal with me, it's great for a lot of things.
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BOLO knife....it's a 100% machete, just heavier and stronger than most machetes I've seen
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My vote would be for a Military surplus ontario knife company brand. They are heavy duty and well made for the price. I have had one for several years and it works great. My old man still has one that he has had since the early 70's, Uses it every season for clearing shooting lanes.
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I have a Tramontina. It's well made and if I expect to be someplace with a lot of grassy/reedy or viney type cover I'd take it along. Here's a link to a series of videos by a guy who knows and uses machetes all the time. He also has a good video on how to sharpen one. He sharpens different area of the blade for different purposes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5vlHt7L4lM&feature=related
This Woodsman Pal is an interesting tool also. It's sort of cross between an axe, machete, and large knife, which means it doesn't do the job of any of those tools perfectly, but is a good compromise if you can't take all those tools. I was surprised how quickly it went thru a 6" diameter tree that fell across my practice shooting lane.
(http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z208/DannyBoats/DSC00433.jpg)
I like these for heavy duty hunting/ bushcraft chores. The top one is a Becker BK-9 and the bottom is an Ontario Spec 10 Tanto.
(http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z208/DannyBoats/DSC00434.jpg)
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I am the pastor of a Spanish-speaking church. Last summer we had a father-son campout and one of the older men in our church brought an old, beat-up machete. He has used one all his life, and as I watched him, I realized that this is one GREAT tool. He cleared grass, chopped up fallen wood into firewood, split logs, cleared paths into the woods, etc. I was amazed. He said that he has never found a good machete in the U.S., and prefers those that he finds in Mexico. [In our defense, he has no access the quality stuff that a lot of "connected" people would, such as the traditionalists that frequent this site.]
In the hands of someone who knows how to use it, a machete is clearly a great piece of equipment.
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I've always been interested in the machete. I have a piece of junk one I use in the garden, but wouldn't bother taking it to the woods. There's a TV show, Ray Mears Outdoors or some such, an English guy doing outback stuff. He has a machete that looks awesome and makes that "tinging" sound all good steel makes when at work. That would make it to the woods with me.
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Skip the machete and get a woodsmans pal, 5 times the tool.
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'Acero cryptonite', by Solingen is the Machete everyone was using on my last trip to South America.
Great tool, as has been stated before, you'd be amazed what the guys who use them everyday can do with them.
The steel rings even on a heavy grass stalk.
I got the 20" version and a great sheath.
(http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn273/andyabersoch/DSCN1101.jpg)
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Have you thought about the ever-versatile Kukri?
I find them as useful as a machete, perhaps more so because they are heavier.
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I've used them off and on all of my life and they're fine and functional if you keep them sharp.
However, be very careful with them. Always remember to pay attention and keep your hands and especially your legs away from their arch.
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I carry the woodsman pal to and this year I pick up RTAK II it is little over 16" long and will cut through just about anything,it is and Awesome knife.
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Like I said, I must have never seen a good one or anyone that knew what they were doing with one...going to haved to youtube machetes now lol. I'm still not giving u my folding saw... ;)
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Originally posted by gregg dudley:
I know there are a lot of people that like machetes, but I can't figure out why. :dunno: Maybe I have just never had a good one...or even seen a good one. I have used a folding saw or loppers working side by side with folks using machetes on countless tasks and ended up getting more done with less effort every time.
Sorry to rain on your parade or hijack your thread, but that is just my experience.
Hey Gregg you are getting a machete! Just let me find out about the laws here to ship it.
Here in Mexico a machete is a must on every outdoor trip, it can do the work of an axe, a knife, etc, even as a weapon, plus it is part of our culture
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Gerber and SOG make good ones you can get them from SMK.com . The best one I ever had was when I was in the Philippines it was made from a leaf spring from a car. Great tool to have especially if you have brier's around your area.
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Just an update but it has been narrowed down between the condor kukri, golok and bolo
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nightowl1,
I have read reviews of the Condor brand in places such as British Blades. Most of the reviews are quite negative as to quality. Those folks prefer the Tramontina brand from Brazil, which I have not tried. The only complaints about the Tramontina is the handle needs to be shaped and the edge needs some attention. I have and use the Martindale #2 Golok. I would not classify it as a true machete, but it suits my needs. It was a replacement for the Woodsman's Pal, which didn't. Martinade also makes a wide assortment of machetes, and the quality of the steel is excelent. The only thing I would say about the Martindale line is, like the Tramontina, they also benefit from a little work on the handle and edge.
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for Machetes my bet is "Tramontina" from Brazil or "Bellota" from Colombia
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gregg,
I'm in your boat. We have a lot of palmettos and vines, and a pair of loppers really goes fast on those, especially when trying to clear a trail to the ground. For a quicker, dirtier trail (on the move) I would think a machete would be useful.
For the ultimate in lane clearance why not a tractor and shredder. :dunno:
On machetes, my only advice would be to not buy Gerber, but I see that is not on the list. :D
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Dave Canterbury has taken an Ontario machete/sheath and modified them into a nice Bushcraft/Survival tool. I picked-up a couple of the Carborundum sharpening stones he attached to his sheath and they work well on large blades.
http://www.youtube.com/user/wildernessoutfitters#p/u/0/pQhwbR2a2X4
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Like Gregg I live in Florida, I use a set of long handle loppers when cutting or trimming trails..30 years ago I bought whatwe call a sugar cane knife..it was made in Columbia South america and is the best machete I have ever seen or used..the metal is thin and strong. I use a file to sharpen it. I wish i would have bought a dozen of them, I got it at a army/navy store when I was 18 years old..it looks similar to thisone http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/product/machete-cane-knife-86003.aspx
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I would look at a Kershaw Outcast 1079 with D-2 Tool steel for around 80$-100$$.Very high quality for the money!10 inch blade and about 14" overall length.I dont think you could do better for the costs.
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OK, Pon! If you say its a good 'un that's good enough for me! :thumbsup:
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I use a cold steel long handle machete,this is a very handy tool for clearing shooting lanes,and can be used as a digging tool,walking stick,snake smacker,list goes on,plus there cheap.
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Nightowl, try here for handmade REAL kukris. There is no option for a kukri but to buy from Nepal if you want a good one. They are cheap but awesome and will last forever
http://www.nepalesekhukuri.com/
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I have a Tramontina that was a gift from my Grandmother about 20 or so years ago. Its awesome. Ive hacked through brush, vertebrae, and have used it in the yard since I got it. Its an awesome tool that every outdoorsman who gives a try will fall in love with em and like Pon, theyre a big part of my culture. :goldtooth:
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This is my "Buffalo Knife" that I carry when I need to do some serious hackin. The handle material is a choice of buffalo horn or walnut. It has a 10 1/4" blade and is 14 3/4" OA. This is a big knife with a shoulder rig option for a high underarm carry.
http://shrewbows.com/buffaloknife/
(http://shrewbows.com/buffaloknife/Buff-Knife-sheath.JPG)
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Nice looking knife Ron. Even though my small knives get the most use, I love big knives.
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Check out the Fiskars Brush Axe. I bought one to use around the house. The blade wasn't as sharp as I like so I put a file to it. Maybe they don't sharpen the blades very much because they are afraid of getting sued by careless people.
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I've had good luck with my Blackie Collins. Pretty sturdy, blade is between 3/16" and 1/4" thick. Picked it up at gander mountain if I remember correctly.
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I use Tramontina machetes daily. Use the 12", 18" and 22", and prefer the wood handles. Have even cleaned and butchered hogs and deer with the 12". 18" is great for clearing heavy brush, 22" is better for thick tangled brush (vines, briars, palmettos).
I have a few friends in the surveying business and they swear by the 22 and 24" Tramontina machetes for their business. Each of their trucks have a minimum of 4 on them. These guys cut some serious lines through some of the thickest heaviest brush you can come up against in Florida. They insist nothing short of a bulldozer will cut it as quick as a sharp Tramontina. Once you learn to use one they are priceless.
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I will second the Tramontina machetes. This will be on my belt while bear guiding this spring.
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The Kabar 1249 is terrific and you don't have to spend a lot! http://www.tomarskabars.com/1249_INFO.html
81 reviews on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-2-1249-9-Ka-Bar-Machete/product-reviews/B001H53Q8A/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
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I always have a sawback ontario machete handy. Mine are leftovers from military days. If you need them for vegetation, longer is better.
That Dave Canterbury video that Dannybows posted is spot on--
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Like several people have already said, Ontario makes a good machete. It isn't anything fancy but it does the job. I did land surveying for about 8 years and spent plenty of time swinging one and Ontario was the best one that I used. I own two of them. I cant remember what length I have but I would go with the mid-size one.
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I’m very surprised I haven’t seen any mention to the USA made Legitimus Collins machete. It was the issued machete for our troops in WW2. Im sure some of our vets here can comment on their quality.
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As has been mentioned, the Ontario machete is a good choice for a straight up machete. The handle sucks but you can modify that.
For a great large knife that will do many machete tasks and pretty much all knife ones, have a look at the Becker BK9 - it's one mighty blade.
Slightly more machete-like and much more costly is the ESEE Junglas. They are great but I like the BK9 lots better.
Another decent option to check out is the KaBar Kukri Machete. It's not really a machete though it performs like one and it's not really a kukri though it's shaped like one and chops like a freak.
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GingivitisKahn you're right about the Becker BK-9. I've got one (pictured earlier in this thread) that was made by Camillus, before Ka-Bar started making them. If I was going to be dropped off in the wilderness and could take only two knives, it'd be my Becker BK-2 Companion and the BK-9. If I could only have one, it'd be the BK-9. Awesome knives, especially at their price point.
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I have an old one! No clue on make but I use it to cut out paths to my stands. Keep it sharp and it works a lot quicker than clippers or loppers. Shawn
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cold steel kukri. the only way to go
ChuckC
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ok, I would be a fool to not listen to resounding advice from my fellow tradgangers... so..
Sounds like Tramontina or ontario... I found one called fiddleback forge that looked real promising but I believe in the 80/20 principle... get 80% of the function for 20% of the cost...
Thanks for all the sound advice. Maybe I'll post some pics later of my choice and show you some of its many many great uses.
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A good budget alternative are Cold Steel Kukri machetes, either the standard or the magnum does the job to a low price, takes alot of abuse without breaking.
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This was a Christmas gift from my father-in-law, many years ago. He brought it back from Honduras. (He’s a retired missionary.)
The blade isn't anything special, but it's taken more than one chicken from the coop to the dinner table. ;)
Their's is a big family, so we draw names around Thanksgiving. I always get excited when I find out he's drawn mine.
Funny... His wife seems to think his gift are poor choices. She's always apologizing for him as the recipient is unwrapping the package… Yeah, right? :dunno:
I also have a small hand-made cast net hanging on the wall. It was made by a fisherman he met on the beach in Cost Rica.
(http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/3824/img3381.jpg)
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I am a huge fan of the ESEE Junglas but no doubt will look to a Beccker-9 at some point .
I always have one in the truck . I don't carry them when hinking etc but use them a fair bit for chores around the farm .
I like big knives !
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NICE PICS,,,GOOD INFO
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We use them constantly guiding for bear in northern Saskatchewan Take a look at Baer Grilz model that just came out. Good handle good feel. Too bad it has his name on it..
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"Chops like a Freak" I like that Kahn.
I guided with a mountain man when I lived in Montana.He always had a Kukri with him in the woods.He said it was the best design he ever used for big knife chopping chores.(he was REAL handy with a blade). He was in NAM and learned the value of a big knife. For pure cool factor,it is hard to beat the pictured longblades from south/central America.
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Kukris are a super knife. It's quite incredible what forces get put to effect with the big, curved blade. A good, hand-forged kukri is an indispensable blade. Here are some of mine:
(http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad137/Captain_Sensible/14-08-10_1707-Copy2a.jpg)
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The cold steel sax is the best I have ever seen or used. I have both the 12in and 18in and they are great.
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The Gerber Gator is what I use.......has a stiffer blade than some.....a good,no-slip, rubberized handle
i like the full-lenghth saw teeth on the top side. I have used mine for 3 yrs now fror trimming shooting lanes and trails. I like that I can cut through branches/trees with it ( largest log I cut was a about 12" in diameter;making a ground blind and that log just "had to go")
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I have the army one and it is superior to the other ones I've tried. Balanced and light, does not try to jump out of your hand when you hit some thing. Also it holds an edge for an amazingly long time under very heavy use. All day or more cutting green wood. I can see why the army people chose this design.
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Just an a brief update to this thread, I've just received a Condor Parang.
It's a little heavier than your usual machete, having a ¼" thick blade, rather than the usual 1/8".
It's great for clearing heavier brush, rath than whispy grasses & blances & swings beautifully. You can really see why the parang is so popular!
That said, out of the box it was as blunt as a spoon. It has a fairly steep, almost Scandi style, grind. Heat treat seems to be excellent though. It's a pig to sharpen with a file & you'll definately need a stone or belt-sander to get an initial edge. However, once sharp, it has maintained it's edge exceptionally well. Between brush clearing, tree trimming & chopping up some fairly well seasoned Post Oak I haven't managed to blunt it yet. There are no chips or rolls aywhere along it's 17½" blade either! I've used it for 3 straight days now, for roughly 4-5 hours a day without feeling like I need to touch up the blade at all.
So, in summary, it's a fantastic tool, if you're prepared & happy to put in a little effort altering the edge geometry & getting the thing sharp.
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Just to be a little different. My Cold Steel Katana machete.
(http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp233/TradNut/101_0523.jpg)
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Last week I was given a Blind Horse Knives. I love machetes and although this is not a true machete it is great. Part of the back is squared for striking flint, the sheath is open so debris and water drain out and has a lock on it
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN1523.jpg)
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN1525.jpg)
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN1524.jpg)
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/Hunting/DSCN1522.jpg)
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My "Legitumus Collins" can't get better than that but getting hard to find
(http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/149/img00114201104271924.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/857/img00114201104271924.jpg/)
(http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/5238/img00117201104271938.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/807/img00117201104271938.jpg/)
(http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/1884/img00115201104271924.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/808/img00115201104271924.jpg/)
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I spent three years in the light infantry in Panama and we very seldom used machetes because it was usually alot faster to walk over, under, around or through brush obstacles (besides, they don't tend to promote stealth). That said, most of the locals we encountered around the jungle carried them and they are very handy around camp.
I had a surplus Ontario machete when I was a kid. An old man down the street (who used to sharpen scalpels for the navy in WWII) sharpened it for me. He used a bench grinder and a few buffing wheels to create a 1/4" wide edge on each side of the blade that you could see yourself in. Man that thing was sharp! It would cut deep into a sapling with relatively little effort. Eventually the edge broke off in a tree, because it was too thin and tempered too hard. I think softer steel is best for machetes as its less brittle and easy to resharpen with a file. Be careful, 30 years later I still have a scar from that Ontario machete on the knuckle of my right thumb. :nono: - John
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I have used many tools for trimming and clearing. Noting worked better than the Gerber Brush Thinner. It makes short work of about anything within reason. I cut down small trees with mine all the time. Stuff in the 4” range, but it can do larger ones. It does the job of a machete and a small ax all in one other than splitting wood. It is not too heavy to carry, but has a sharp and heavy blade. They cheapened the handle a little on the more recent ones I have seen, but still a great tool. The hooked end keeps it from slipping of heavy stuff you are chopping on when it moves some or you can't get through with one hit. Two hands can make for faster work of heavy stuff like small trees. Much more cutting area than a hatchet for less critical accuracy. I would never be without one now that I have had one.
http://www.gerbergear.com/index.php/product/id/149
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A 1910 model of the U.S. bolo. Sharpened on one side only with a 10 1/4" blade and 1 1/4# it is a serious cutting machine.
They were used as a clearing tool and a weapon from 1898 through WW2 with many design changes. The marines used the WW2 version to clear shooting lanes for machine guns.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/reddogge/US%20Rifles/IMG_1503.jpg)
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I bought a Cold Steel today at the gun show for $20. It's sharp, and I've heard good things about them. It reminds me of the military type machete my dad had when I was a kid.
I had a Gerber from the local sporting goods store. What a piece of junk. It could more accurately be described as a "club"