Fieldcraft Machete of choice?

#53
i use a sling blade some people call it a Kaiser blade. I actually have many many hours on the Kaiser blade cleaning rosebushes off locust fence rows as a kid. IT WAS AWESOME. I will never forget it. they are great for calling in yellowjackets and bumble bees too :)
 
#54


I'm partial to these, they are quite tip heavy so they almost beg to chop something when you hold them.
Thick heavy steel with a bit of flex in it so that it won't shatter if you bend it.
They are a bit heavy to carry, but are excellent for hacking your way through stuff all day long.
 
#62
I have several machetes and you must chose one for the location you will be in. If its briars and such long thin ones will be bwtter. Shorter thick ones can be better for more wooded areas. I carry several different ones in my truck because I'm always traveling and my one I carried didnt do the trick. I have 2 ontarios that I love, I have ran across a few cold steel that I liked but some are cheap, a linder rostfrie that goes about everywhere with me, and one I love that i didnt think I would is the little gerber brush hook looking one. My short Ka-Bar wherever I left it in Ohio was also well liked. I'm a surveyour so I get more use out of machetes and brush hooks than I would prefer but if a brushook is going to big then you need to look at where your at. My little linder Rostfrie is my fav for most places as it goes in my eberlestock bag and Igot gloves in it too for the briars if thats what I'm going against. It's nothing fancy but its short and thick and I have used it as a hammer quite abit as well as for prying. Done well so far. My 18"ish Ontario has been a fav too but I usually let the other crew members carry it as I try to get out of that work ;)
 
#63
Not that it helps anyone lol, but the bigger and heavier honestly seems the better.

I had a couple crappy machetes that just ended up not being worth a shit. Then a couple years after I moved into my place (I live in the woods) I found a machete buried under some logs and debris on my property.

The thing is fairly long and heavy with some cheap plastic handle. Its all rusted up and the most I've done to it was clean up the edge with "the puck".

Ive sliced through 2" live saplings and thick brush like the damn thing was a laser.

I'll see if I can clean it up and find some brand on it cause I'd love to get another if whoever made it is still around.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
#68
I recently was given a SOG kit that came with a knive, machete, and a small tomahawk. The machete seems somewhat flimsy, but I haven't put it through the paces yet. I also have a Bear Grylls saw that works ok for pruning a few low hanging limbs around the house, but I wouldn't put it in my pack to go to the field.
 
#69

Sounds like a line from a Billy Bob Thornton movie?...

Three similar type Machetes arrived on Saturday. I have not had a chance to use any of them, but here are my first impressions (low-high price)....

1) Cold Steel Latin Machete 18" w/cordura sheath. Nothing special, edge not fully ground/sharp to the tip. Made in South Africa. Purchased to throw in the truck, just-in-case, about what I expected.

2) Condor El Salvador Stainless Steel w/leather sheath. Decent fully ground edge, like the handle, really like the leather sheath. Made in El Salvadore. This one will go behind the toolbox in the daily driver and is above expectations.

3) ESEE Light Machete 18" Condor blade (carbon steel). Overall finish is best finish of the three, polished sharpened edge. Solid handle, cheap sheath. USA Micarta Handle, Blade made in same factory as Condor in El Salvadore, slightly below expectations.

Amongst the three, I like the Condor the best for overall value. After looking over the enclosed Condor catalog, will be adding a couple more of their products to my collection. If I were to order another Machete, it would most likely be the Condor Jungle Saber Machete (camo SS) w/handguard, unless I decided to go with a different style. Much value there without over-spending.

Cheers,
 
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#70
+1 on the Woodman's Pal, I bought the Military one with sheath from them and combine that with a work sharp (ken onion) edition sharpening system and this thing is a beast. I use the work sharp on all my knives too, I collect boker knives and a few other name brand and the ken onion edition work sharp is probably the best sharpening system I have ever come across.
 
#72
I'm still trying to wear out the old bolo I picked up in the Phillipines back in 1990. Made from a truck leaf spring with water buffalo horn grips. It has always made short work of any brush or bamboo I encounter.
 
#73
I watched a knife destruction test of the Gurkha Kukri from the Kukri House and the guy almost could not destroy it. When he finally did it failed at the rat tang, and he said if it was a full tang model he probably wouldn't of been able to break it. I have to admit a kukri is on my list, but for now I have a BK2 to use as a machete or axe or what ever I can think of. If I was looking for a straight machete I would look at Condor or Marbles. Marbles is no longer USA made and I believe they are made in the same factory as Condor, both look to be of good quality.
 
#75
Iv had good luck with trampntina machetes they are carbon steel a bonus to me hold a great edge and cost about 20$-25 with shipping they aren't fancy and made in Brazil but they get the job done
 
#76
There is no one best answer to this question. Machete designs vary according to the region they come from and the job they're intended for. My son & I own and experiment with many types in the field. I will spare you a detailed review, but I will throw out a few tips from our experience...

#1 Best Machete in my book: The Brazilian Tramontina. Don't be fooled, this machete will slice with the best. It excels at cutting vines, brush, and if swung at the proper angle it will slice through 2" thick trunks in one swing. It is lightweight, weight forward bolo style, and will not tire out your arm with extended use. Best of all, this machete is cheap. I love good gear, but I really love good gear that's cheap too. It makes it easy to afford several. I keep one in the truck, one in the UTV, and one in my survival pack. Those South Americans rely on these blades to get through their daily life and they know a few things about them. You will have to buy or build your own sheath.

If you're looking for something that will perform better in chopping mode, or for use with batoning firewood, then a thicker blade may serve you better - especially those with a full flat or high sabre grind. Yes, the ESEE Junglas does fall into this category. My favorite of this type is the Condor Knife & Tool Village Parang. Parang style machetes tend to be well designed by Asians that also rely on them daily. We have found CK&T products to be well made and well priced as well. They provide some awesome sheaths as well.

It is very true that the Cold Steel Kukri is absolutely indestructable, and it cuts okay for me, but I do prefer to carry those blades that I have found cut better. I should also mention that if you carry a CS Kukri, you might need to modify the grip for extended use comfort. Many blades will cut great once or twice, but it's the ones that will allow you to continue cutting for hours without trashing your hand and arm that really shine in my book.

That's my 2cents worth.

Morph
Monty
 
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