Long Blade Answer

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JShirley

JShirley

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A machete is a fearsome weapon. It's the length of a short sword, yet is actually useful for clearing brush and light limbs. It's also inexpensive enough that the user shouldn't be afraid to go out and use it, which lends familiarity with use, and also helps eliminate "closet queens" that are never used.

The bottom end of the machetes are made-in-China or Central American machetes. There are also full-scale "custom" machetes such as those offered by Bark River and Fiddleback Forge. These typically offer a reprofiled blade and handle of premium material, such as micarta. A good compromise is the ESEE Lite Machete, at just over $50.

John
 
Won't get an argument out of me on this one. I love machetes.

I've got 18 and 12 inch Ontario's, 12 inch Tramontina's, and a Martindale golok and use the heck out of them. Make good yard work tools, clear brush from over growing the back fence,chop up trimmed limbs.

From the rain forest trip Karen and I took in Costa Rica, I saw 12 inch machetes used for all camp chores and even slicing up pork on the pig roast on the last night of the trip. Versitile tool. I guess if push came to shove, a foot and a half of light fast swinging sharp blade could do some awesome damage. It seems to be the weapon of choice in some third world countries.

Carl.
 
Anybody have an opinion on the grip of a machete? I've used mine for quite a bit of landscaping work (they're awesome!) and have always been a little nervous that if I swung really hard at something and missed the blade may get away from me. There are definitely better machetes than mine, it has cheesy hollow plastic grips.

What do you guys like for grips? Rubber? Wood?

The familiarity is important to me. I'm never going to practice sword attacks. I am going to go whack at bushes frequently.
 
This 18 inch bowie machete from Cold Steel functions great clearing brush and I suspect would be devastating in a personal defense mode...I did sharpen the top false edge...

csmachete.jpg
 
I had a cheapo 16" machete with a 2pc plastic handle when I was younger. Excessive use made the plastic break. I wrapped a new handle out of rope and it was good to go again. My brother liked to abuse my toys, somewhere along the line it disappeared.

A couple years ago I was clearing my mom's property with my two new machete's (22" and 18") and found my old one stuck in a tree. After all this time the blade was still sharp, and surprisingly the rope has held up.

My new blades are in the shed for obligatory yard maint. My old one lives in my wheeler for camping purposes.

I like showing people you can cut thru about 3" of wood in two swings if you do it right. I've won some money on people who bet against it.

EDIT: I always thought of my old one as a "pirate sword", the new ones are just tools.
 
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I have a cold steel panga, and i enjoy it. Its hell on my out of control rose bushes.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
 
I love machetes but disagree with you on a few points.

In my experience central american machetes have been excellent.China made is a joke.

Unless things have changed in the last couple years,Bark Rivers are nothing more than sharpened and rehandled Ontario machetes.Fiddle back Forge are reprofiled and sharpened Imacassa machetes and the Esse Lite is a Condor Eco Lite with a micarta handle for $30 more.

All the Condor and Imacassa Machetes with injection handles are excellent and I like them better than micarta.You can sharpen them yourself as there just isn't that much reprofiling you can do on a machete.YMMV
 
The weight forward design of the African Bolo pattern seems to chop better but I have become partial to this design:

http://www.coldsteel.com/twohama.html

Nothing clears brush better.

As for using it primairaly as a weapon, you might look into this:

http://www.coldsteel.com/gladius-machete.html

It can be had for about half the suggested retail price and when I go the gun show next weekend one of my objectives is to buy one along with a shot filled sap IF I can find them.
 
Mr. Clark,

I would tend to agree that Central American machetes will likely be better than Chinese. I didn't mean "bottom end" as in sharpness, so much as pricing.

I'm pretty sure the ESEE is an Imacassa.

John
 
You are correct that the Esee is an Imacassa but Imacassa is the parent company of Condor.

Not really much of a disagreement.I just wanted folks to know what they were buying and what a bargin the Eco-Lite is from Condor.
 
I think the South American machetes are much better than the Chinese.

If you want to improve upon the machete yourself you could turn a Tramontina or Imacassa into projects or buy the Condor and tweak it a bit or spend the money for an optimized ESEE. Something for everyone!
 
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I like the Eco Lite Condor just as well as the ESEE.The only thing better about the ESEE IMHO is that it doesn't have the stupid " Eye Of The Condor" cut out. The Condor edge is also finished very well.

I have tested the injection moulded plastic by trying to break it with a hammer.I haven't been able to break it yet.I hit it fairly hard.I could probably break it by really trying or getting out the maul but I am satisified it will hold up to any normal use.The plastic is also slicker than micarta which will cause fewer blisters with prolonged use.

The proper grip for a machete is not a death grip.It should be held with the thumb and forefinger and allowed to rock back and forth in the rest of the hand.I have used machetes for hours shaping a large stave into a traditional bow.Any other grip will leave you worn out and blistered.
 
I'd like to take a look at this when it is available.

http://www.coldsteel.com/cutlassmachete.html

csstoreonline_2199_1077512
 
Interesting culass/machete hybrid.
Two tools that work well for specific jobs got themselves mongled.
Wonder if it's any good for field work?:confused:

I'm still enjoying my Gerber Parang and find myself using it quite a bit.
I'd like to maybe move up to a higher quality model of the Parang since the design elements are pretty good. Nothing against machetes.
 
Here's a couple made by Victor Tool. The leather sheath is current manufacture. The bottom one is stamped "Private Sale." The other is stamped "284," which I think was the issue number.



011.jpg

010.jpg
 
they couldnt have named em any better... "the woodsmans pal"

very nice blades Coyote3855
 
When I lived in St. Kitts I bought a 14 inch machete made in Guatemala for about 5$ American. I bought it for self defense and coconuts.
It worked awesome for coconuts, never used it for defense. It was the crudest thing I ever bought just a piece of metal with some crappy wood grips, and what I thought was a bad edge, however it was easy to work with and cut branches and nuts easily I never sharpened it in 3 yrs I wish I had taken it with me.
 
Cross posting from another thread:

Anyone have anymore opinions on Machetes vs Khukuris?


What about different Machete shapes? I like the idea of a good inexpensive machete, but I'd like to get one that I wouldn't have to spend an hour or two reprofiling from the factory.
 
I've had my eye on a cleaver type blade for a while. I'm not sure I'd ever use it, but I'd probably do it as a luxury purchase.
 
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