- Joined
- Apr 4, 2002
- Messages
- 6
I've been lurking here for some time trying to understand enough about machetes to buy one. Getting no where (man o' man do you guys know your knives' technically!), I thought I'd just ask you folks directly.
I and my young son hunt creek and river bottom lands for squirrels, rabbits, coons and other varmits. We have to contend with some pretty dense thickets in doing so. In particular, we must clear "cat's claw" and "crown of thorn" vines and plants from our path to effectively hunt and to set up camp and blinds. But we must also frequently clear fields of fire which entails cutting small saplings and or rare occasion larger, small trees.
I own a couple of sports store bought machetes now. What junk!. My objections to them are so numerous that I'll just limit my complaints here to the few I'd really like corrected in my next purchase. The problems are 1) the blade steel is very soft and easily deforms when used to cut saplings or to limb out larger trees to clear fields of fire, 2) the blade does not hold an edge well at all, 3) the blade will actually bend in the middle if a glancing swing is made, 4) the blade distorts on the cutting edge readily when used on hardwood saplings (pecan, oak and hickory saplings abound on bottom lands and one can't avoid cutting them), 5) the handle is cheap plastic and slick in a sweaty palm, 6) the handle does not have a hole for a thong to prevent slinging the machete (my son has scared me to death a couple of times already; he's only nine years old) and, finally, the sheath is cheap canvas and the machete's have both begun to cut through them despite our only infrequent use.
So, I'd like a recommendation for a machete which will not have the defects mentioned above, which will also come with a nice sheath (not canvas), which will handle most clearing and camp chores and which won't cost me an arm and a leg. I'm not all that interested in the shorter combat knives which some you fine Gentlemen seem to favor as we already own very competent knives for hunting chores. Rather, I'd like to buy 18" blades at a minimum. In fact, I'd like to buy a somewhat longer blade for myself but keep the boy to the 18" size.
I've also seen some machetes with a saw back which looks interesting and I can think of a lot of things one could do around a camp with something like that. But if the steel from which it's made is so cheap that it won't hold an edge then it's of little use, I'd expect. If the steel is good, I'd consider adding that to the list of desired features. But it's not nearly as important an item that I'd sacrifice good cutting and clearing and a good, long-lasting, sharp edge for it.
Anyway, thanks in advance to anyone willing to comment and to help us out. I enjoy reading these forums and am impressed, no, very impressed at the depth of knowledge you guys (gals too?) seem to have about blades and their sharpening. Contrarywise, I'm impressed by my lack of knowledge at the same time.
Thanks,
LongFisher
I and my young son hunt creek and river bottom lands for squirrels, rabbits, coons and other varmits. We have to contend with some pretty dense thickets in doing so. In particular, we must clear "cat's claw" and "crown of thorn" vines and plants from our path to effectively hunt and to set up camp and blinds. But we must also frequently clear fields of fire which entails cutting small saplings and or rare occasion larger, small trees.
I own a couple of sports store bought machetes now. What junk!. My objections to them are so numerous that I'll just limit my complaints here to the few I'd really like corrected in my next purchase. The problems are 1) the blade steel is very soft and easily deforms when used to cut saplings or to limb out larger trees to clear fields of fire, 2) the blade does not hold an edge well at all, 3) the blade will actually bend in the middle if a glancing swing is made, 4) the blade distorts on the cutting edge readily when used on hardwood saplings (pecan, oak and hickory saplings abound on bottom lands and one can't avoid cutting them), 5) the handle is cheap plastic and slick in a sweaty palm, 6) the handle does not have a hole for a thong to prevent slinging the machete (my son has scared me to death a couple of times already; he's only nine years old) and, finally, the sheath is cheap canvas and the machete's have both begun to cut through them despite our only infrequent use.
So, I'd like a recommendation for a machete which will not have the defects mentioned above, which will also come with a nice sheath (not canvas), which will handle most clearing and camp chores and which won't cost me an arm and a leg. I'm not all that interested in the shorter combat knives which some you fine Gentlemen seem to favor as we already own very competent knives for hunting chores. Rather, I'd like to buy 18" blades at a minimum. In fact, I'd like to buy a somewhat longer blade for myself but keep the boy to the 18" size.
I've also seen some machetes with a saw back which looks interesting and I can think of a lot of things one could do around a camp with something like that. But if the steel from which it's made is so cheap that it won't hold an edge then it's of little use, I'd expect. If the steel is good, I'd consider adding that to the list of desired features. But it's not nearly as important an item that I'd sacrifice good cutting and clearing and a good, long-lasting, sharp edge for it.
Anyway, thanks in advance to anyone willing to comment and to help us out. I enjoy reading these forums and am impressed, no, very impressed at the depth of knowledge you guys (gals too?) seem to have about blades and their sharpening. Contrarywise, I'm impressed by my lack of knowledge at the same time.
Thanks,
LongFisher
