Cane knife

[The haunted]

I know this probably doesn't go here but I couldn't find the knives subforum on the list so admins please move if need be. I have recently started using machete out of curiosity. Of course there are many many opinions on what each tool.should be used for but that is not my point here. I have several of these tools of varying designs and some that are loosely categorized as machetes. But I'm specifically asking about thin bladed tool intended for light targets. I have panga styles and bolos as well as Latin. I recently acquired a cane knife and was wondering why the misconceptions that this blade is inadequate for wood. It has a relatively thin blade even by machete standards but not by much. I've used it with out fault for all task for I would use any other thin bladed machete for and haven't seen the short comings. I've chopped reasonable sized wood with minimal blade disfiguration, I've even done light batoning. I'm just curious why its labeled as inadequate by most. Just for argument sake for a while I worked with some migrant workers and watched them do all manner of things we would consider using two or three separate tools a knife axe and saw to accomplish out of doors. It bite well enough and stays sharp I have dressed larger game cleaned fish, all with in reason biggest draw back being my skill level which is still a work in progress. After seeing woman carrying babies process wood with machetes and then turn around prepare a meal over the same wood its far fetched to imply these as less then capable tool over all.

 

[hso]

minimal blade disfiguration

The right tool would have no deformation of the edge or blade. Any damage to the edge or blade indicates a different tool better suited to the task would be in order.

As to people making do with just a single blade, that's because they don't have the luxury we do so they must develop the skills needed to compromise without damaging the one essential tool they can afford. It can be done, but it doesn't mean that it is ideal.

 

[The haunted]

Thanks for moving

I totally overlooked that sub forum. Thanks for moving it, read other knife post that came up on Google that linked me to your site but can't seem to find them either?

 

[The haunted]

That is understood, but I'm challenging my self I guess to step outside my conceived comfort zone. Being one to enjoy a healthy challenge I was drawn to this by watching the people working along side me making these tools work for every task they needed to accomplish during our land clearing duties. And it made me reconsider all the tools I carry when out of doors. Truth be told its not my first choice for a machete here in the north east, but when I was choosing a suitable pattern for my neck of the woods this one came up as unsuitable and me being me after using other model successfully hearing how they wouldn't work I had to try it for my self. I have a heavy pattern designed for woody targets that does its intended jobs very well under the right circumstances. There is a time and place for everything. I'm pretty sure a good deal.of the reason for edge damage was my lack of skill. But then again it's a learning curve and I'm getting better with these types of tools, properly sharpening angles, not treating them like axes when they're not and knowing when I've reached my limitations as well as the tools. Just like I wouldnt hunt big game with a squirrel load so to speak.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

A cane knife, or a corn stalk knife, is pretty much a lighter duty blade. The thinness of the blade/edge and lightness makes it good for cutting tall grass and corn stalks.
As you say, there are better blades/tools for the heavier wooded stuff you have in the north east. The older Woodsman's Pal is a good example.

 

[JShirley]

Welcome to THR.

I can understand the desire simplify your tools and load, and to learn to most efficiently use a single tool. I can say, that at the very least you should have a small task knife, and a much larger blade, whether that's a machete, bowie, kukri, recurve, bolo, or hatchet.

If you're trying to use a single large blade, it should be thicker than traditional machetes, if you're going to try to take on even smallish wood chopping. Something like the Ka-Bar Grass Machete (misnamed, IMO: it has a .16" thick blade) might be a good choice. It's also a compromise length, long enough to get good leverage, but short enough to be fairly easy to pack.

A slightly thicker, but shorter option would be the Kershaw Camp 10 (do NOT get the 14: it's badly balanced).

Even shorter, the Condor Hudson Bay Knife should be another excellent knife for doing most of what needs doing outside, though I wouldn't expect it to be a premier heavy grass cutter because of the shorter length.

If you can find a quality 12 to 14" bladed machete with a blade around 3mm thick with a sheath, that should also be a good choice.

To sum up, it is possible to do almost everything with one big blade and one little blade. It's possible to do almost everything with just one big blade, but will be damned inconvenient~ just too easy to not have a little knife, even if it's just a pocket knife or a small to medium fixed blade like one of the Moraknivs.

Hope that helps,

John

 

[The haunted]

Thanks guys for responding I normally have a sheath/neck knife anyways and always a pocket knife regardless where I'm going, I have bladed tools galore trust me, parangs, goloks, large camp knives as well as a collection of Woodman's tools of all shapes and sizes, one my camp knife is a 17 inch 1/4" thick beast of a blades of O1 that I sent off for heat treat and have been playing with for a while. It's still sported a wrapped handle until a short while ago. Made by me to be one I had the utmost confidence in come hell and high water with a longer than normal handle with three hand positions that for me perfectly but that's a whole thread of its own.

 

[JShirley]

Well, see, that last sounds like overkill unless you're "car" camping- IOW, can keep it in a vehicle withiut carrying it much