Carl Levitian
member
One of the most underrated cutting tools in the U.S. is the small machete. Not the big 18 to 22 inch bladed jobs, but the little 12 inchers.
I never really appreatiated them myself untill a co-worker inspired me by example. I was into my collection of custom knives, and I think I really did believe they were the best available. Then a guy named Americo came to work at watkins-Johnson.
Americo was from El Salvadore, and was hired on as a lather operator in our machine shop. Nice enough guy, kind of quiet, and a d--m good machinist. It's hard to work with a guy day in and day out, and not become friends. Before long, Americo was part of our lunch table, then came the after work fishing trip. There was a few of us, that after work would go either shooting, or fishing. A regional state park was not far away, minutes only by car, and we'd head out on a summer late afternoon for some pan fishing. It was then myself and a few other of us gringos became familiar with the small machete.
Americo had a 12 inch Tramontina, and we thought it a bit odd he'd take it fishing. We just had a pocket knife and a Rapala fillet knife. But we got an education. First, it was very effective in cutting away stickers from a prime spot on the bank. Maryland woods tend to be thick with lots of sticker bushes along the water. It also made quick work of cutting a forked stick to hold his rod, turn over logs to get bugs for bait, and clean fish. Yeah, I said clean fish.
Americo had this Little Oscar cooler, with a piece of cutting board epoxied on the flat lid. He's take a fresh cought fish, chop off head and tail, cut open using the little machete like a big bread knife and the fish was a bagel. Slice it right open and scoop out the guts. Had the fish cleaned in under a minute, and in the cooler on ice. Americo's only other knife was an old barlow type of knife that was pretty beat up. He'd use the pocket knife for some small things, but used the heck out of the machete. Had a nice leather sheath for it too.
It wasn't long before the rest of us, Gary, Wayne, Hoppy, and myself had bought 12 inch Tramontina machete's. Soon, we got used to the tool, and gained skill with it, and were totally amazed at how well it did for general outdoor cutting. It made alot of jobs easier than what we had been using. It cut like a hatchet, but could be used like a large butcher knife. Could even dig a cat hole when needed. No hatchet ever cut overhead branches out of the way like a sharp machete. It came to pass, that Gary, Wayne, Hoppy, and myself, all were carrying a 12 inch Tramontina.
I ended up being a real fan of low budjet blades that really work. After I sold off my knife collection, I ended up using cheapies but goodies like Opinels, Mercators, Douk-Douks, in addition to the more basic sak's like the Victorinox bantam and classic. My Randall 14 that had been my favorite sheath knife was replaced with a 12 inch Ontario machete. I discovered a weird joy in using stuff that I could replace for pocket money. I tried different 12 inch machete;s. They all worked great.
Then came the big motorcycle trip across the country. I was getting a little tired, or burned out on motorcycles. I had been riding almost 40 years, and for some reason, the bikes were not punching the button for me like they used to. I had a hunch I was going to quit them, but I didn't want to do it untill I had ridden from one end of this country to the other. I'd ridden all over alot of it, but never in one trip. Then the question of self defence on the road came up. And I would be camping out in some remote areas. My friends wanted to know if I was planning on carrying a gun.
No.
There simply was no place to carry a gun and secure it on a Harley sportster. I knew I was going to be stopping at museums across the country, and with no carry permit, and no way to lock it up on the bike, it was going to be a no firearm ride. I had a pair of Willie and Max saddle bags, and a T-bag for the sissy bar. That was it. My frieds were not happy, but one decieded to take a hand.
He knew I did not want anything that could not be replaced at the next Gallyans or other sporting goods store. He also knew of my liking of Ontario 12 inch machete's. Being a knifesmith, Bill took a 12 inch Ontario, and reground the blade tip to a strait clip point, and put one of his convex edges on it. He made an awesome weapon out of it. Razor sharp with a sharp point.
I was going to be carrying my knarliest knobby blackthorn stick for personel security, and it went under the bungi cords around the T-bag on the back of the bike. I could get off the bike and pull the blackthorn from under the bungies easy. Since I really do use a cane as a result of an old service injury, that worked out well. But for when I was camped out in remote places, it was a comfort to have Bill's modified bowie machete laying next to me in my little nylon backpacking tent. By day, it was in its sheath down in the T-bag with the rest of my gear and clothing.
I never needed it for defence use, but it was a comfort to have. I still keep a small machete in my boat bag, for when the better half and I go out kayaking. Its a beat up looking old one, with sap stains on the blade. but very sharp. Kind of an innocent looking but dangerous type of thing. If questioned on it by a DNR person, I just say some of the places we land to nature watch with our binoculars have alot of stickers in the way.
Humble machete is a very underrated tool. Very versitile, usefull for a wide range of tasks. Friendly or other wise.
I never really appreatiated them myself untill a co-worker inspired me by example. I was into my collection of custom knives, and I think I really did believe they were the best available. Then a guy named Americo came to work at watkins-Johnson.
Americo was from El Salvadore, and was hired on as a lather operator in our machine shop. Nice enough guy, kind of quiet, and a d--m good machinist. It's hard to work with a guy day in and day out, and not become friends. Before long, Americo was part of our lunch table, then came the after work fishing trip. There was a few of us, that after work would go either shooting, or fishing. A regional state park was not far away, minutes only by car, and we'd head out on a summer late afternoon for some pan fishing. It was then myself and a few other of us gringos became familiar with the small machete.
Americo had a 12 inch Tramontina, and we thought it a bit odd he'd take it fishing. We just had a pocket knife and a Rapala fillet knife. But we got an education. First, it was very effective in cutting away stickers from a prime spot on the bank. Maryland woods tend to be thick with lots of sticker bushes along the water. It also made quick work of cutting a forked stick to hold his rod, turn over logs to get bugs for bait, and clean fish. Yeah, I said clean fish.
Americo had this Little Oscar cooler, with a piece of cutting board epoxied on the flat lid. He's take a fresh cought fish, chop off head and tail, cut open using the little machete like a big bread knife and the fish was a bagel. Slice it right open and scoop out the guts. Had the fish cleaned in under a minute, and in the cooler on ice. Americo's only other knife was an old barlow type of knife that was pretty beat up. He'd use the pocket knife for some small things, but used the heck out of the machete. Had a nice leather sheath for it too.
It wasn't long before the rest of us, Gary, Wayne, Hoppy, and myself had bought 12 inch Tramontina machete's. Soon, we got used to the tool, and gained skill with it, and were totally amazed at how well it did for general outdoor cutting. It made alot of jobs easier than what we had been using. It cut like a hatchet, but could be used like a large butcher knife. Could even dig a cat hole when needed. No hatchet ever cut overhead branches out of the way like a sharp machete. It came to pass, that Gary, Wayne, Hoppy, and myself, all were carrying a 12 inch Tramontina.
I ended up being a real fan of low budjet blades that really work. After I sold off my knife collection, I ended up using cheapies but goodies like Opinels, Mercators, Douk-Douks, in addition to the more basic sak's like the Victorinox bantam and classic. My Randall 14 that had been my favorite sheath knife was replaced with a 12 inch Ontario machete. I discovered a weird joy in using stuff that I could replace for pocket money. I tried different 12 inch machete;s. They all worked great.
Then came the big motorcycle trip across the country. I was getting a little tired, or burned out on motorcycles. I had been riding almost 40 years, and for some reason, the bikes were not punching the button for me like they used to. I had a hunch I was going to quit them, but I didn't want to do it untill I had ridden from one end of this country to the other. I'd ridden all over alot of it, but never in one trip. Then the question of self defence on the road came up. And I would be camping out in some remote areas. My friends wanted to know if I was planning on carrying a gun.
No.
There simply was no place to carry a gun and secure it on a Harley sportster. I knew I was going to be stopping at museums across the country, and with no carry permit, and no way to lock it up on the bike, it was going to be a no firearm ride. I had a pair of Willie and Max saddle bags, and a T-bag for the sissy bar. That was it. My frieds were not happy, but one decieded to take a hand.
He knew I did not want anything that could not be replaced at the next Gallyans or other sporting goods store. He also knew of my liking of Ontario 12 inch machete's. Being a knifesmith, Bill took a 12 inch Ontario, and reground the blade tip to a strait clip point, and put one of his convex edges on it. He made an awesome weapon out of it. Razor sharp with a sharp point.
I was going to be carrying my knarliest knobby blackthorn stick for personel security, and it went under the bungi cords around the T-bag on the back of the bike. I could get off the bike and pull the blackthorn from under the bungies easy. Since I really do use a cane as a result of an old service injury, that worked out well. But for when I was camped out in remote places, it was a comfort to have Bill's modified bowie machete laying next to me in my little nylon backpacking tent. By day, it was in its sheath down in the T-bag with the rest of my gear and clothing.
I never needed it for defence use, but it was a comfort to have. I still keep a small machete in my boat bag, for when the better half and I go out kayaking. Its a beat up looking old one, with sap stains on the blade. but very sharp. Kind of an innocent looking but dangerous type of thing. If questioned on it by a DNR person, I just say some of the places we land to nature watch with our binoculars have alot of stickers in the way.
Humble machete is a very underrated tool. Very versitile, usefull for a wide range of tasks. Friendly or other wise.