Off Topic Where do machetes belong ?

[Hickory n steel]

Where do we discuss machetes ?

Is there a subforum where they most fit that I'm somehow missing ?

I guess they belong here, so in this thread is a good place to discuss them.

 

[gadunz]

I've always thought the sword subforum, as it can do with the extra traffic, but no-one seems to agree.
Just post in general.

 

[deltaboy]

Thanks !

 

[Hickory n steel]

There's gotta be somewhere more specific for them.

 

[willc]

They would probably go best in the axe subforum.
It should not be too hard for Spark to throw the word Machete up in there.

 

[22-rimfire]

They are mostly discussed here in General and in the Outdoors forums. I don't think they need a separate subforum myself. They simply aren't discussed that often although I am a big machete guy. I always look at them at knife stores.

 

[Hickory n steel]

They are mostly discussed here in General and in the Outdoors forums. I don't think they need a separate subforum myself. They simply aren't discussed that often although I am a big machete guy. I always look at them at knife stores.

Hmm, I guess I may need to check out the outdoors subforum.

 

[22-rimfire]

Hmm, I guess I may need to check out the outdoors subforum.

They are good forums there and have not been highly visited lately based on my impressions. Like many forums, they have their regular contributors who mostly hang there. You will occasionally see threads in Wilderness that seem rather out of place. But the reason is that OP mostly posts in that forum and Community is even less visited.

 

[jbmonkey]

in the jungle.

i see many discussions here as they are kinda just a big knife and axe combined sort of. big knife side here i mean.

 

[Hickory n steel]

in the jungle.

i see many discussions here as they are kinda just a big knife and axe combined sort of. big knife side here i mean.

My dilemma was that they're in between a knife and sword, but often go in a shed alongside axes, shovels, and hedge clippers.
The best machetes aren't really marketed to the knife community, they're just a working tool many don't even give a second thought just like they do their shovels.

Even though my machetes are landscaping tools used around the yard, I think I'll post my thread in the wilderness section.

 

[22-rimfire]

Machetes don't seem to be marketed at all. I used to store them in the garage until I noticed the rust developing. It is not like I use them every week. As you know, I have my favorites. I was looking at Condors the other day as I always do in the big East TN knife store.... gosh are they getting expensive! Condor needs to rein it in or they will loose sales big time. I have to really want a machete to spend $60 or more one one.... That particular store indicated that they are probably going to discontinue carrying their products. That is significant.

Added: They seem to be going with Marbles stuff more now and they offer many of the same models as Condor just with orange paint. The paint is pretty eye catching.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Machetes don't seem to be marketed at all. I used to store them in the garage until I noticed the rust developing. It is not like I use them every week. As you know, I have my favorites. I was looking at Condors the other day as I always do in the big East TN knife store.... gosh are they getting expensive! Condor needs to rein it in or they will loose sales big time. I have to really want a machete to spend $60 or more one one.... That particular store indicated that they are probably going to discontinue carrying their products. That is significant.

60$ for an imicasa machete is ridiculous.
You may get a more finely finished tool with a better quality handle, sharpened edge, and leather sheath, but you can spend under 10$ on a standard imicasa machete and make a project of it if you're not satisfied.
Maybe they use a better steel in their condor line, but the standard imicasa blades are fine.

Btw since mine aren't a woods tool, I figured they don't belong in the outdoors section much so I'm just going to add what i was going to make a thread about to this one.

 

[22-rimfire]

I am beginning to question my overall choice or leanings toward Condor machetes when the Marbles machetes are often the very same models at a significantly lower price point. Yeah, I like the Condor leather sheaths. They add a lot of value.

It is not just their machetes that are shooting up in price, but their other knives as well that I often really like. I can't see spending $50 (or nearly) for a Kephart or Bushlore model. I also realize that that particular store is not the cheapest price-wise. But having that particular store in the general area is a great resource and I have to pay the high Sevier county sales tax too.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I modified my 14" blade marbles scouting machete.
I hated their handle shape, you know the one many companies use it's really round at the back and just has a deep dip in the middle.
It didn't fit my hand well and is only good for a fist grip if that. It bunched all of my fingers together and was just horrible.
Here's what I had done to my 18" blader when I first got it, and it's been perfect.


I didn't exactly match the shape with the little guy and the small difference made a big deal, so I decided yesterday that I wanted to do something way different that would function well for my grip and look cool too.



Here's the grip I most often use

Both handles got a cotton twine wrap which I painted with hot beeswax to lock it in place. This one also got a strip of leather under the wrap to pad the steel right there where the blade starts, and I round off the tip on both because I'm often chopping into the ground and in general I just don't need that sharp tip coming back towards me at any time.
Btw yes I did cut the tang in half on this one, for the light duty pigweed...ect cutting I do it won't be a problem at all.

 

[22-rimfire]

The bees wax idea is good. I don't care for wraps on my machetes or at least I haven't felt the need since I started buying Condor stuff. Sometimes you need to customize the handle to fit your preferences and it is generally easier to do that with wood versus poly. I dominantly use three machetes.... all Condor > Pack Golok, 14" Puerto Rican, and 18" El Salvador model. Pretty comfortable with these although I have more choices as I just like them.

What's pig weed?

Added: I think you're using a knife grip on that machete. Ok for detailed cutting but not for general machete wacking. The machete needs to roll in your hand a little when you swing/chop with it.

 

[maximus83]

I was looking at Condors the other day as I always do in the big East TN knife store.... gosh are they getting expensive! Condor needs to rein it in or they will loose sales big time. I have to really want a machete to spend $60 or more one one....

Low-cost high-value machete options: Tramontina. Imacasa. I lean toward Tramontina. Buy the standard 18" Latin machete, sharpen yourself or get it professionally resharpened with a convex edge all the way to tip (that's what I did). Cost of machete $15, sharpening to convex $7, threw in a quality aftermarket sheath for a standard Latin bush machete $15, total cost for an awesome complete machete setup: $37.

Favorite higher-cost machete of all time: Condor Golok. Again, sharpen yourself or get it professionally sharpened by somebody who has a good belt grinder system and convex all the way to tip. You'll need a good sheath, an affordable option I found was the 14" Marbles designed for a standard Latin Bush machete of that size, fits the Golok perfectly and very reasonable price. Total cost for Golok with sheath, plus $10 for local sharpening with complete reprofile and convex clear to tip: $95. That's a dang spendy machete, granted. But if you want the cadillac option, which can do FAR FAR more than any standard machete because of its thick heavy blade, the length, and the Golok design, this is the way to go. In my experience I have not found any more versatile all-purpose large cutting tool, period, in this size and weight class. It can do the work of many different tools: hatchet, small axe, large knife, machete, shovel--it's just darned impressive and you'll notice too at the following link, a machete specialized retailer, the Golok is their number one best selling item. There's a reason for that.

Awesome place for machetes: https://www.machetespecialists.com

 

[22-rimfire]

..... Favorite higher-cost machete of all time: Condor Golok. Again, sharpen yourself or get it professionally sharpened by somebody who has a good belt grinder system and convex all the way to tip. You'll need a good sheath, an affordable option I found was the 14" Marbles designed for a standard Latin Bush machete of that size, fits the Golok perfectly and very reasonable price. Total cost for Golok with sheath, plus $10 for local sharpening with complete reprofile and convex clear to tip: $95. That's a dang spendy machete, granted. But if you want the cadillac option, which can do FAR FAR more than any standard machete because of its thick heavy blade, the length, and the Golok design, this is the way to go. In my experience I have not found any more versatile all-purpose large cutting tool, period, in this size and weight class. It can do the work of many different tools: hatchet, small axe, large knife, machete, shovel--it's just darned impressive and you'll notice too at the following link, a machete specialized retailer, the Golok is their number one best selling item. There's a reason for that.

Awesome place for machetes: https://www.machetespecialists.com

I was a huge fan of the standard Condor Golok when it first came out. Love the handle on it as I find it really comfortable to use. In general, I have moved to other machetes, but I own two regular Goloks. I find the blade too light for significant chopping (like small trees) and too rigid/thick for the flimsy stuff. But I like it a lot and used to recommend it all the time.

 

[maximus83]

You need to get a professionally done convex grind on that blade. The convex, plus experience wielding it, this blade has completely replaced (for me) the need to use or even own small hatchets and axes. I still have a full-sized axes, but around home for light limb and tree chopping duties, and definitely when car camping or backpacking when a full-sized axe would be a non-option, I can always do great with either my Golok, or when possible, I go even a bit smaller to a "large knife" such as my ESEE Junglas I, the one with the 10" blade. Everybody has their prefs on this stuff, but I find that the Golok properly sharpened and used, or the ESEE for lighter tasks, just replaces a whole bevy of heavier and specialized tools that I find I no longer need. Now for large heavy-duty chopping chores around home, I still go to my full-size axe. And for significant weed whacking work, I still go to a traditional lighter thinner-bladed machete (my Tramontina), because it doesn't tired you out as fast and is more optimized to that kind of work if you're doing a lot of it. But if I'm just doing general all-purpose weed whacking, limbing, brush-clearing, and light to medium wood chopping (we get a lot of that here in the Pacific NW , your property turns into a jungle darn quick on the west side of the Cascades), nothing is a better do-it-all tool than the Golok. In my humble opinion.

 

[afishhunter]

"Where do machetes belong?"
Well ... I was thinking of strapping one to my bicycle frame to use against ferel dogs.
I'm getting to old and cripled to out-run the b@$t@rds.
I would prefer not to be their next meal or snack.

 

[Hickory n steel]

The bees wax idea is good. I don't care for wraps on my machetes or at least I haven't felt the need since I started buying Condor stuff. Sometimes you need to customize the handle to fit your preferences and it is generally easier to do that with wood versus poly. I dominantly use three machetes.... all Condor > Pack Golok, 14" Puerto Rican, and 18" El Salvador model. Pretty comfortable with these although I have more choices as I just like them.

What's pig weed?

Added: I think you're using a knife grip on that machete. Ok for detailed cutting but not for general machete wacking. The machete needs to roll in your hand a little when you swing/chop with it.

It's red rooted pig weed, and it grows up really thick and tall in my backyard.

Btw the grip I use may not exactly be how it looks in the picture.
I was trying to keep it in frame, and also holding it weird because my pinky is injured.
Most of my gripping is done with my thumb middle and forefinger, and I use a wrist flick type action. I don't use a tight hammer grip, because most of my cutting is done horizontally near the ground on weeds and tall grass ( my neighbors flood their backyard and it makes my backyard grew up really tall and thick in one corner )
The only heavier chopping I do it s some stubborn grapevine once in a while, because the red rooted pig weed isn't all that strong.