Badass Machetes!! modded by Fiddleback

Just received the notification that it shipped! Thanks a bunch, Andy! You ROCK! Now how to tell the missus... :D

(Technically I bought it with birthday money and some cash that came in from a sharpening job, but you know how it is--"Why the hell did you need another machete? It cost HOW much?" :p)
 
COOL!!! Good luck with the Mrs. Machetes are hard to hide, I'd guess...

LOL.

Listen guys. Only one left. The 1/4" thick scaled canvas micarta one (original). If it doesn't get claimed by tomorrow, I'm going to list it in the knifemakers exchange.
 
Fortytwo, you'll have to let me know how it looks and works!
 
Fiddleback said:
I need your address, and you can find out for yourself!!
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking! But seriously, if you don't hear from me for a couple of weeks, call the cops! :eek: This was pretty much any machete nut's wet dream, so I figure the risk of bodily harm was worth it.:D

I'll be sure to give it as thorough a review as I can given my present environment--might need to drive out somewhere where I can really destroy something without getting in trouble. :p
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
That's what I was thinking! But seriously, if you don't hear from me for a couple of weeks, call the cops! :eek: This was pretty much any machete nut's wet dream, so I figure the risk of bodily harm was worth it.:D

I'll be sure to give it as thorough a review as I can given my present environment--might need to drive out somewhere where I can really destroy something without getting in trouble. :p
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I know some spots on Mt. Desert Island where you could go. Although I'm sure you probably do too. :D That place is a chopper's wet dream!
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Just received the notification that it shipped! Thanks a bunch, Andy! You ROCK! Now how to tell the missus... :D

(Technically I bought it with birthday money and some cash that came in from a sharpening job, but you know how it is--"Why the hell did you need another machete? It cost HOW much?" :p)
Click to expand...

you are not alone with that one.... wife and I were fighting over my hobbies and purchases so much we finally decided to completely split the finances, she pays her bills I pay mine we share groceries and other than that she doesn't want to know what I do with my leftovers so it works out well :D
 
I found a pair of expensive shoes under the bed.

...still in the box

...hidden.

The arguing is done in my home. :D
I win.
 
moonwilson said:
I know some spots on Mt. Desert Island where you could go. Although I'm sure you probably do too. :D That place is a chopper's wet dream!
Click to expand...

Like I said--if you're up again let me know and I'll show you some spots hardly anyone knows about! ;):thumbup:
 
Fiddleback said:
COOL!!! Good luck with the Mrs. Machetes are hard to hide, I'd guess...

LOL.

Listen guys. Only one left. The 1/4" thick scaled canvas micarta one (original). If it doesn't get claimed by tomorrow, I'm going to list it in the knifemakers exchange.
Click to expand...

I looked but couldnt find on the exchange, is it still avail.? Thank you.
 
I have the one left. I never put them on the Exchange. You gotta come to Fiddleback Forge to get a chance at everything. Its yours if you want it!
 
:DWell, my son and I made the trek up to Fiddleback Forge this afternoon- and picked up my fancy new machete. That thing is KILLER! The pics really don't do them justice- it is by far the nicest machete I've ever handled. Yeah, Condors are nice, but this thing is something else. Oooh man. You lucky fellas who have been wise enough to pick one up are gonna be PSYCHED when they arive. :thumbup:

The pictures that have been posted so far can't convey the nature of the beast we're talking about. Andy has modded these guys out but good- the spine has been flattened, he put a killer convex edge on them, and put on sweet, nicely contoured, comfy handles. But the blade blank he started out with is phenomenal. Something that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet, that Andy pointed out to me this afternoon- these puppies are tapered. I suppose they would have been full-distal tapered if they had a point. That's right- a smooth, even taper, all the way down a 22" blade- it goes from 3mm or so at the handle, to about 1.5mm at the tip. How Collins accomplished such a feat is a mystery to me. That's craftsmanship, folks! What the taper accomplishes is it gives amazing balance to the piece. It's light, and fast, yet somehow stiff. I compared my new Fiddleback/ Collins to a 22" Tramontina, and the Fiddleback is thicker and stiffer overall, yet lighter and faster. Very, very cool.

Another thing that the pictures don't represent very well is the overall profile of the blade. It looks like a wide, chopping profile, when in reality, it is more like a slim, classic Latin machete profile- sans tip. Imagine an elegant 24" latin machete, with the tip chopped off.

(edit)

Sorry, my kid woke up and I had to put him back to sleep.

I wanted to add that Andy was kind enough to give us a tour of his shop, and let me play with the knives he had on hand. Oh man, he has some sweet stuff that will be headed out to some lucky fellows shortly! It was like a private Blade show- just for me! Very cool stuff. The Terrasaur he made for Joezilla is particularly sweet. :thumbup:
Andy's shop is pretty drool-worthy as well. I had met him briefly before- at Blade, but it was great to have the chance to talk with him and see where he does his amazing work. He's a great guy, but I suppose y'all already know that.

I can't wait to get my machete out into the woods and see what she can do! It'll be hard though, because it's almost too pretty to use. Almost.:D

Thanks, Andy for taking the time to let us peek at your shop, and for the awesome machete!
 
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moonwilson said:
:DWell, my son and I made the trek up to Fiddleback Forge this afternoon- and picked up my fancy new machete. That thing is KILLER! The pics really don't do them justice- it is by far the nicest machete I've ever handled. Yeah, Condors are nice, but this thing is something else. Oooh man. You lucky fellas who have been wise enough to pick one up are gonna be PSYCHED when they arive. :thumbup:

The pictures that have been posted so far can't convey the nature of the beast we're talking about. Andy has modded these guys out but good- the spine has been flattened, he put a killer convex edge on them, and put on sweet, nicely contoured, comfy handles. But the blade blank he started out with is phenomenal. Something that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet, that Andy pointed out to me this afternoon- these puppies are tapered. I suppose they would have been full-distal tapered if they had a point. That's right- a smooth, even taper, all the way down a 22" blade- it goes from 3mm or so at the handle, to about 1.5mm at the tip. How Collins accomplished such a feat is a mystery to me. That's craftsmanship, folks! What the taper accomplishes is it gives amazing balance to the piece. It's light, and fast, yet somehow stiff. I compared my new Fiddleback/ Collins to a 22" Tramontina, and the Fiddleback is thicker and stiffer overall, yet lighter and faster. Very, very cool.

Another thing that the pictures don't represent very well is the overall profile of the blade. It looks like a wide, chopping profile, when in reality, it is more like a slim, classic Latin machete profile- sans tip. Imagine an elegant 24" latin machete, with the tip chopped off.

(edit)

Sorry, my kid woke up and I had to put him back to sleep.

I wanted to add that Andy was kind enough to give us a tour of his shop, and let me play with the knives he had on hand. Oh man, he has some sweet stuff that will be headed out to some lucky fellows shortly! It was like a private Blade show- just for me! Very cool stuff. The Terrasaur he made for Joezilla is particularly sweet. :thumbup:
Andy's shop is pretty drool-worthy as well. I had met him briefly before- at Blade, but it was great to have the chance to talk with him and see where he does his amazing work. He's a great guy, but I suppose y'all already know that.

I can't wait to get my machete out into the woods and see what she can do! It'll be hard though, because it's almost too pretty to use. Almost.:D

Thanks, Andy for taking the time to let us peek at your shop, and for the awesome machete!
Click to expand...

C'mon, man! Where are the pics? :D

I think things went well enough with my lady--she's a bit grumpy about me picking up yet ANOTHER machete, but she couldn't argue with me spending cash that had been gifted to me, so I'm golden. :p:thumbup:
 
Bad news on that guys. While my source thought he had hundreds of these, it turns out he has only ten more. So these 22inchers are going to dry up fast. I'm going to get some of these spoonbill lookin 18's, but they'll look very different.
 
God bless it on the 22"!
He has 20" as well, but I think they are wood handled. The 18"s could be sheared at a straight angle to have like a santoku nessmukky look.
 
Here's my Fiddleback/ Collins along with some friends for comparison.
zzmachetes1.jpg

zzmachetes2.jpg

This thing is the ruler. It's really a shame that there can't be more of them. I sure am glad that I was able to snag one!
 
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