Best machete?

I've been looking around the net for a decent machete, something for the thicker stuff the woods throws at you.

I've kind of settled on the British army machete, seems short enough not to be too cumbersome, but strong enough to use on a regular basis without damage.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

CX.

The best machete is the one that's big!

Originally posted by Whine Flu
The best machete is the one that's big!

Thanks for the reply, thats what i thought originaly, but i've read a lot of articles saying that something witha blade of around 12 inches is ideal.

CX.

this one is great for most tasks.


Cold Steel Kukri Machete w/Sheath
good price too at
www.afmo.com...

Get one that has a blade that is thick and balanced. A thin blade doesn't feel right when you swing it and it won't penetrate what you are trying to cut very well. Those Gurkha blades look good, but I haven't tried one yet.

When i was in the Navy living in the Philippines they made there own from car springs.

They were heavy but went through any wood or coconuts like butter.

They would put the car spring in a charcoal fire till they were soft and they flattened them, Cut them to shape and ground/hammered a edge on them.

They would then put them in another charcoal fire with air blowing through the charcoal and get the blade red hot and dip it in oil.

The last step was to take the brittleness out from the hardening and to do that they polished the blade till it shined. and then they would heat it carefully again just till the metal started to turn blue and let it cool on its own.

This is part of the lost art of blacksmithing that few of us know how to do in the US.
I worked in the mining trade for many years and had to know to make simple items needed around a mine


[edit on 29-7-2009 by ANNED]

Thanks for the replies, i'll try the kukri for now.

CX.

reply to post by ANNED


Hi there ANNED,

Love your name. LOL.

I find your information interesting. I believe that there should be more in the way of workshops and projects to maintain and develop blacksmith skills which are being lost and forgotten. Young people would get a lot out of such projects.

I live in Glasgow, there are quite a few "Neds" here. I don't imagine for one minute that the Council would want to be encouraging the youth of the City to make their own machete or any type of blades.

However the concept still stands that is would be, in theory at least, beneficial in encouraging youths to be engaged and creative, and willing to learn skills which are fading. I would also like to believe that for many it would impart a deeper respect for knives and potential wepons. Also, it would be handy skills for self sufficient "living off the grid".

I know there are now very few Blacksmiths running local businesses any more.

I think the whole Knife Crime mentality is worsened by the high availability of the mass manufactured imported knifes that can be bought so cheaply in the high streets.

Rarely a day goes by where I don't use a machete of one kind or another. The best? It really depends upon the application and duration of use. Where I live, there is heavy bush, small trees, but not jungle-like undergrowth.

For most bush-cutting, I like the Gerber Gator -- it's well-balanced, and 24" overall. Unlike this link, the one I have doesn't have the serrated back edge. I don't see much use for that when a fold-up saw is available.

I acquired a Woodsman's Pal, and what I really like about it is that it holds an edge well. If you're cutting small trees, especially hardwood, it does a good job. The downside, for me, is that it is fairly heavy, although for hiking it doesn't hang down so low that you risk tangling up with it.

Much of what I chop is at ground level, and with so much rock here, I keep a couple of basic, thin-steel machettes. Sometimes I will file the first three inches of the back side of the blade, for when I know I'm going to be cutting around rock. The problem with these machetes is that while they sharpen easily with a file, they also dull quickly.

One thing to remember is that in most cases, you don't really want a "razor edge". Too sharp of a machete blade sinks in too deep, whereas it's often quicker to "chunk" out wood in the same way you would with an axe -- with 45 degree V cuts.

If your application is to hold a coconut in one hand and neatly zip off the top with the other hand and impress tourists, then you want a very sharp machette, and, quite possibly, extra appendanges.

If I were planning on being on foot with backpack for several days or an extended trip, I'd probably take the Gerber and the Woodsman, with the Gerber fastened to the backpack and the Woodsman at my belt, handy.

I once combined a thick machete blade with a 40" piece of sea grape for a handle. It was a fearsome looking thing, being 54" long overall, and I thought it'd be the kitten's whiskers for clearing land. It was a dismal failure, as the angle was all wrong for using as a machette. It remains a scarepiece that sits in the corner by the kitchen, unused now for more than 10 years.

I second the Woodsman's Pal vote.

reply to post by argentus

LOL. I like the woodsmans plow too. Guess I have to piss the wife off again and get one. One tool just isn't enough!

Originally posted by Viking04
I second the Woodsman's Pal vote.

Third. I use it all the time, hacks through almost anything.

reply to post by CX


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Clyde machete's have lasting horsepower for mowing down vegetation, chopping stuff and a general coolness factor

Machetes are fine for trail cutting and for vines and branches under 1.5/40mm". For serious clearing, a brush hook and woodsman's ax are the way to go. Woodsman's axes have 1-2lb head and 18-30" handles. The head is single faced with 3-4" blade edge. They fit in between tomahawks and camp hatchets and full size felling axes.