Cold Steel Espada XL...useful?

stabman

stabman

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Back about 10 years or so ago, I got lost on a hike. Couldn't find the trail I'd been on. Knew about what direction to go to get me out of there though; wasn't too far, but there was a bunch of tall grasses and underbrush in the way.

I had a Cold Steel Espada XL with me, so I used it as a folding machete, and cleared a path easily enough.
No pics or video though.

Well, new tripod showed up yesterday, so why not head out and get a quick video of using the Espada XL as a folding machete?
Wasn't able to go to the spot I wanted due to flooding. Had to walk quite a bit to find a spot dry enough to set up.


Yeah, it actually works for something useful...who would have thought, right? :D
 
I had a G10 Espada XL. I never used it hard. It was basically a toy to mod and see what I could make it into from an artistic perspective, and after that the novelty was lost on me. But I had previously owned a number of XL Cold Steels, including the XL Rajah. I chopped a bit with that one. Not even a lot actually. Developed some pretty serious blade blay too. Basically, I would never put myself in a position where I might have to rely on a large folding knife for woods tasks, when an even larger fixed blade carries easy enough and is an order of magnitude tougher.
 
David Mary said:
I had a G10 Espada XL. I never used it hard. It was basically a toy to mod and see what I could make it into from an artistic perspective, and after that the novelty was lost on me. But I had previously owned a number of XL Cold Steels, including the XL Rajah. I chopped a lot with that one. Developed some pretty serious blade blay too. Basically, I would never put myself in a position where I might have to rely on a large folding knife for woods tasks, when an even larger fixed blade carries easy enough and is an order of magnitude tougher.
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Well, I had an Espada XL in my backpack some years back, and due to how thin it sits, I forgot it in there for about 4 months.
Carried at everywhere during that time without even knowing it. :D
I would definitely have noticed if I was carrying a fixed blade with an overall length of 17 inches. 🤔

The blade play from chopping with the Rajah or Espada was always due to the pivot screw loosening in my experience. Simply carry a T-10 bit and you're all set. :)

But of course a fixed blade is more sturdy, unless built very badly.
However, you won't have as much reach with a knife that carries as unobtrusively.
The ESEE 5 does carry in my pack as easily pretty much, but is shorter by far.
Far better than the Espada if I needed to pry, baton, or dig for delicious grubs though. 😎
 
I'm glad you like it. It's not for me for the reasons I expressed. Since you have made counterpoints to those reasons:

stabman said:
Well, I had an Espada XL in my backpack some years back, and due to how thin it sits, I forgot it in there for about 4 months.
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It sits thin, but it's trivial to lash a fixed blade to a pack.

stabman said:
Carried at everywhere during that time without even knowing it. :D
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Not knowing it's there means not thinking to use it if you need it unless you're a stop everything and dig around in your pack kind of person.

stabman said:
I would definitely have noticed if I was carrying a fixed blade with an overall length of 17 inches. 🤔
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You'd also know it's there when you need it, not to mention notice an extra 5 or so inches of useable blade length.

stabman said:
The blade play from chopping with the Rajah or Espada was always due to the pivot screw loosening in my experience. Simply carry a T-10 bit and you're all set. :)
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Not something I want to be fiddling with on a hike or just out in nature.

stabman said:
But of course a fixed blade is more sturdy, unless built very badly.
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Yes.

stabman said:
However, you won't have as much reach with a knife that carries as unobtrusively.
Click to expand...

Lash to, or stick in a pack, obtrusiveness irrelevant. I can carry my 22" Barax machete in my backpack.

stabman said:
The ESEE 5 does carry in my pack as easily pretty much, but is shorter by far.
Far better than the Espada if I needed to pry, baton, or dig for delicious grubs though. 😎
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Again, I am glad you enjoy your megafolder and find it useful. For me there are so many better options that useful is about the last word I would use to describe one.
 
David Mary said:
I'm glad you like it. It's not for me for the reasons I expressed. Since you have made counterpoints to those reasons:

It sits thin, but it's trivial to lash a fixed blade to a pack.

Not knowing it's there means not thinking to use it if you need it unless you're a stop everything and dig around in your pack kind of person.


You'd also know it's there when you need it, not to mention notice an extra 5 or so inches of useable blade length.

Not something I want to be fiddling with on a hike or just out in nature.

Yes.

Lash to, or stick in a pack, obtrusiveness irrelevant. I can carry my 22" Barax machete in my backpack.

Agreed.

Again, I am glad you enjoy your megafolder and find it useful. For me there are so many better options that useful is about the last word I would use you describe one.
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Well, my pack lacks lashing points. I only have one backpack and I use it for everything.

If I was in a bad situation, I certainly would be looking through my pack to see what I had in there that was useful.

A Junglas is the longest blade I can shove in my pack.

I still plan on buying a quality folding saw and leaving it in my pack at all times. Already have a Swisschamp in there always, but that saw is rather small. ;)

For a while I deliberately left a Rajah 2 in the pack constantly, but after cleaning the pack out just didn't put it back. Hadn't really used it much.

Generally if heading out to the woods I shove some sort of fixed blade in the pack, or sling one on with a shoulder strap.
However, A junlgas, SXB, or the any of the large blades I have made would be a bit much to leave in the pack while riding the bus, on the off chance I decide to go off the beaten path.
 
I’ve got an XL Talwar but it’s not for utility use.

I always carry a fixed blade on the trail, but if I had to go out and potentially survive a night in the woods with ONLY a folder, that’s the one I’d take as I recon it could do light chopping for fire/shelter making more effectively and efficiently and with less chance of breakage than any of my other folders…
 
scdub said:
I’ve got an XL Talwar but it’s not for utility use.

I always carry a fixed blade on the trail, but if I had to go out and potentially survive a night in the woods with ONLY a folder, that’s the one I’d take as I recon it could do light chopping for fire/shelter making more effectively and efficiently and with less chance of breakage than any of my other folders…
Click to expand...

That would do it. Again, not what one would head out with if given the choice of what to bring, knowing what you were going into, but would cetainly suffice.

scdub said:
Get a Silky! 🦊
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That is the plan.
Seems like I may finally be able to get a few more hours at work, which should make it possible at some point. :thumbsup:
 
stabman said:
It would be. :)
Now all I need to do is find a huge sack of gold so I can afford a house with a garden...
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Don't feel too bad, I moved from a house to a small mouse trap after I got married, and sold my Granfors axe because there's no need for one in a small apartment 🤕, or gardening things for that matter
 
stabman said:
Back about 10 years or so ago, I got lost on a hike. Couldn't find the trail I'd been on. Knew about what direction to go to get me out of there though; wasn't too far, but there was a bunch of tall grasses and underbrush in the way.

I had a Cold Steel Espada XL with me, so I used it as a folding machete, and cleared a path easily enough.
No pics or video though.

Well, new tripod showed up yesterday, so why not head out and get a quick video of using the Espada XL as a folding machete?
Wasn't able to go to the spot I wanted due to flooding. Had to walk quite a bit to find a spot dry enough to set up.


Yeah, it actually works for something useful...who would have thought, right? :D
Click to expand...
Yes , it does work as a light/medium machete . I've done it myself ! :cool:

It is surprisingly easy to carry / conceal , considering the enormous length and blade width .

Best use , however , is personal protection from zombie coydogs etc . :eek:
 
ShaiHulud said:
Don't feel too bad, I moved from a house to a small mouse trap after I got married, and sold my Granfors axe because there's no need for one in a small apartment 🤕, or gardening things for that matter
Click to expand...
Could always just go garden at other people's houses...

"What are you doing in my backyard?!?!"
"Growing tomatoes; go back to sleep." :D
 
Here is the Espada XL with my wife's machete:

4mf5L7T.jpeg


Same length.
Here is the Espada XL closed, beside my wife's machete in its sheath:

pY6pjTS.jpeg


Shorter... 🤔
 
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