Looking for a new machete to clear shooting lanes.  I have always just used a corn knife, but want to upgrade to a nicer machete or possible a woodsman's pal.  Any recommendations?

corn knives are generally made of soft steel and dent too easily ( from my. .  not vast experience).  A pair of pruning shears (hand held size) and a small folding limb saw are generally a bit slower, but usually WAY stealthier, unless you are cutting grass and similar stuff, which needs a blade.  My son's khukri (sp?) does wonders for that.
ChuckC

Last year I bought a Fiskars brush axe and it works pretty well.It is about 2' long and about half of that is a curved blade.Reviews I read said the plastic holder/sheath that comes with it doesn't work well and that's a fact.I need to make a sheath for it,possibly with a shoulder strap.The brush axe costs about $25.

It works well for chopping off limbs and saplings and really great when I need to mow down high grass or thistles.I also carry pruners and a folding saw.I haven't used the Woodsmans Pal but considered it when I was looking.Gerber has a machete with a saw edge down the spine,that looks pretty interesting.

Check out the long handle cold steel 2 handle panga machete with a plastic handle.  They will drop a tree if needed !  lol

I own a heavy blade 22" (I think...maybe a bit shorter) Ontario machete. Excellent weight/length ratio. Great for cutting larger foilage. I use a anvil type pruner and a Gerber folding hand saw in combination with the machete. Other than full size trees I can take down just about anything. And have.

If you get a Woodsman's Pal, let us know how you like... Been thinking about getting one for years.

I like the gut hook type conception for cutting roots and such.

Condor tool and knife.  Check them out,you will not find better blades for the money.

Thats a good price on the Fiskars Axe!     Where did you buy it? Always looking for a Good Camp/Everything Axe!  :rolleyes:    

I have a woodsmans pal.  Hate it.  The grip wasn't comfortable at all, and after a long day of chopping brush for a blind and clearing lanes, I had a serious case of the crab claw.   I later ground down the grip to make it a little more ergonomic for me but it just didn't get any better to use.  

Nowadays, I use a $9 Brazilian made machete with a 12" blade and a pair of cheap pruning shears for all my ground hunting needs. Sadly the cheap machete goes thru a 3" pisselm quicker than the Woodsmans Pal, and with less effort and strokes.

I have to agree with VG,got the Woodsman pal,Leather lace grip seperated in 2 days,and really I think a machette and a pair of whoppers are all you need,you are not going to clear a trail with the woodsman,do what I did rent a Bush Hog at Lowes,or sunbelt or any rental house and be done with it,or i jump on my Kubota and Bush hog...good luck

I have a Woodsman Pal, the Military model with the hand-guard, and several machetes, but I'll be taking my new Ontario Kukri and a pair of pruning shears this season. The Kukri is an impressive large blade, and for about $40 it's the best value I've ever gotten in a blade.

Used a cheap machete for a few years until I got some smarts and switched to long handled pruning shears. WOW, what an improvement, faster, safer, quieter, can cut overhead too, etc, etc.

JMHO... ditch the machete and get you some good long handled pruning shears.  

QuoteOriginally posted by NoCams:
Used a cheap machete for a few years until I got some smarts and switched to long handled pruning shears. WOW, what an improvement, faster, safer, quieter, can cut overhead too, etc, etc.

JMHO... ditch the machete and get you some good long handled pruning shears.      

Yep...or a gerber folding saw.

I have the woodsman pal and love it for clearing and limbing.
Just need to watch the fingers the blade can be sharpened and just a touch can give you 6 stiches across a nuckle so I hear.

Gerber folding saw and a Fiskars ratchet pruner.

Though I also sometimes carry a Finnish leuku for clearing brush and saplings.  It's the one on the right.

 

On the left is a "homespun" 10" bladed rifleman's knife that serves as a machette, chopper or what-have-you.
 

The best of the best: The Ka-Bar Kukri. It is around the US $50 has an 11.5 inch blade and chops and cuts like crazy. I consider it a very good knife and I own many.. Go to Amazon and read the 255 positive reviews.
You can't go wrong with that blade!

I have one of the gerber machetes  and love it. It has the rounded tip.

I like my little Gerber! It's a work horse for it's size!

Gregg,
Yes, no amount of money could get me to part with my $20 Gerber folding saw ! Every climbing treestand I own has one in the side saddle bag for limbing trees I have never climbed before. Even has a bone blade too for splitting a deer pelvis if needed.

If my long handled pruners had handles another foot longer they would be even better and keep me from bending over slightly to reach the ground while trimming lanes and paths. My lower back is sore for a day or so after trimming lanes for the year, ughhhhh !  

I have a the Military Model Woodmans Pal. It works good. But takes some getting used to if you are used to a machete or knife. Once you get the technique down it does real good. You gotta learn to flick it and let the foward wieght of the blade do the work for you. Swingin' it with a full arm strike does not work very good...use the wrist. My pal and some loppers with telescoping handles are my kit. I only use the Pal for stuff that the loppers won't handle.
John