Machetes & Bush Knives

thanks both... already hit up SMKW within minutes of his posting... got 3 on the way. quick way to finish shopping for my brothers and grab myself something cool too. :)
 
Dizwolf said:
thanks both... already hit up SMKW within minutes of his posting... got 3 on the way. quick way to finish shopping for my brothers and grab myself something cool too. :)
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A valid excuse as any! Just don't forget to post pictures of you all crossing them like the Three Musketeers! :D
 
Is anyone able to comment on how the Bark River Goluk stacks up against some of these other great choppers?

How about kukri? I thought I remembered Horn Dog as a kuk user.
 
The Bark River Golok is a very good chopper for an 11" blade. It can hold its own against similar sized kukris.
 
The next batch of BRKT Goloks (cost in black Mircata about $195, I have preordered) will be made of 1080C vs 1095 steel. BRKT explains they had some problems with edge rolling/chipping with the 1095 steel models, and the newer 1080C plus chromium is more forgiving than the 1095. Bark River used 1080C steel with Scagel Style Camp Ax and performed well. Here is a quote from Mike Stewart on Knife forum regarding Goloks
http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/840530/tp/124/

"We had a numb4er of the 1095 Goloks come back with chips and rolls that were not typical of how our knives perform.

Turned out that all of them were in the same area so we finally figured out that the edges were too thin in that one spot but the 1080-C is tougher and should not suffer from those issues.

The Test of the Steel was the Scagel Ax for Derrick.

The 1080-C was fantastic and took impact like water off a Duck's Back.

it just made Sense to use it on a knife designed for the impact of an ax."
 
Yes, some of the 1095 were ground a bit thin and would chip out on hard knots and such. Mine is still fine, but the move to a less brittle steel is probably a good one. Those little goloks must be used to be truly appreciated. They look like butter knives, and cut like a lazer. Best hedge trimmmer I ever used.

BRKT008-1.jpg
 
I just added 3 new machetes to my bunch, another 18 inch Tramontina, my first Ontario 18 inch MA1 model, and a Condor Golok. I wish RC would make a golok, I would love to see that! The Condor goloks are new & made in El Salvador. This is my first Condor product, and I have to say it is very clean OTB. Arrived in a factory marked box, wrapped in paper, sheath sold separately. It is smaller than I imagined, 14 inch blade, 21 inches overall, 0.25 inch thick 1095 steel that tapers down to about 1/8 inch or so at the tip. Blade width is about 1.25 inches at the handle and broadens to approximately 2 inches at the tip. It has a mirror finished edge that is fairly sharp, a few passes on a stone allowed me to cut paper but not hair. The handle is walnut, and it is HUGE (IMO) but feels good in hand. My initial reaction to the (golf ball sized) pommel was I could bludgeon something if the blade was too dull to cut it. I have not had a chance to use it outdoors or take any pics but I will. I also like the Ontario, was surprised to find an 1/8 inch thick heavy machete which I prefer (I know its too heavy for prolonged use), now I am looking forward to buying the 12 inch Ontario model.
 
OK I'm really confused. Which one to get as an only machete? I don't need a machete but I want one. Is a wooden handle better or molded ones better?
 
If you're only going to have one, then I'd recommend a Condor El Salvador. :)
 
DH1 said:
Where did you find the Condor golok?
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I bought two of them, at the time Smoky Mountain Knife Works was the only place that had them in stock, BUT it was an in store item only which meant you had to call in the order. Here is the website, remember the golok is not listed on the website. http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerce/main_front.jsp

The second was from machetespecialist.com , Cam NOW has them in stock , so you can order one through him on the internet (free shipping after $50 spent). I would go with through machete specialist. :thumbup:
 
onado2000 said:
The second was from machetespecialist.com , Cam NOW has them in stock , so you can order one through him on the internet (free shipping after $50 spent). I would go with through machete specialist. :thumbup:
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+1 on that. Cam is a great guy, and his is a new business that deserves a LOT of support! :cool::thumbup:
 
:thumbup:Cam (machetespecialist.com) bent over backwards for me, this was my first purchase with him. He is a great person to deal with, and he took care to make sure I was happy with my purchase. Cant say enough how pleased I was with his service. I look forward to the next purchase, MORE machetes!!!:D
 
+1 on Machete Specialist. You're not going to find a better selection anywhere. I'm expecting 3 more machetes from them this morning- all Imacasas (the Burriquito, the Daga, and the 18" Pata de Cuche)

I've found that I like the Imacasas just as much as the Condors. The main difference is the higher level of finish on the Condors, and the Condors come with a sheath. They use different steels but the stuff in the regular Imacasas seems PLENTY tough.

Here are a few of my machetes, most of which came from Machete Specialist- and I don't think you can get the Imacasas anywhere else.
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I'll post up pics when the new ones come in.

Out of these machetes, my favorite is the 14" Pata de Cuche. It's a great size, has a very comfortable grip, nice blade profile, and excellent balance. And it's tapered. :eek: I haven't had a chance to use the Fiddleback/ Collins yet. That's my "fancy boy" machete. :D
 
Any Cal. said:
I have used a machete a lot in the cold, typically in the teens. Against popular opinion, I think I would RATHER have one in the cold than a knife, and here's why.

As I understand it, the problem with the cold is that it let's the steel change state slightly. There are terms for what happens, but basically, it lets a steel that was just fine become more brittle. That brittleness will stay even after the steel is warmer, as it is a physical change in the steel. That change is why people cryo treat tools, so as to complete the processes that may have a hard time normally.

This change will affect some steels more than others. Typically, the harder a steel is to heat treat properly, the more likely it is that the cold will affect it. Now that that's out of the way, here is my ASSUMPTION on machetes.

Because of their role, and cost, most machetes tend to be made with a low carbon steel. This keeps the steel from fracturing rather than simply deforming. Also, the heat treat tends to keep the tool at a spring hardness more so than a knife hardness. What this means is that there is less potential for change in the tool, due to lower carbon, and when that change happens, it is less likely to bring the hardness to a point where it will result in the blade becoming so brittle it is likely to break.

This is how I view machetes, but it does include some assumptions. If you can show me for a fact that some of this is wrong, please do, as it is important to me as well.
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I use a machete in the cold all the time too. All winter long in fact to knock down low lying dead branches for kindling. I've broken one and it was a glancing blow that did it. It was like 8 degrees above zero when I did that as I recall.

STR
 
STR, I have to ask- what kind of machete was it that you broke? And what kind of break was it? At the tip? In the sweet-spot? In the handle? Enquiring minds want to know!
 
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