Short machete

C

Cole#357.30

Joined
Jun 5, 2017
Messages
35
I found a maker willing to make a knife that meats my general description but he’d like to see some picks with dimensions for reference. I’m looking to make a pretty unique blade that accomplishes many different tasks with little to no compromise. I’d post some picks of what I’ve drawn up and seen so far but I’ve had a darn hard time figuring it out for some reason. Regardless, I’m more interested in hearing the opinions of the knowledgeable gentleman that inhabit this forum. So what I’m trying to accomplish with this tool is to make the most effective 6-7 inch long blade machete that also has a good piercing tip. I’m really into the idea of having the tip reinforced in some way where it can still pry if needed. Tall order I know but I’d like to see if anyone has a unique solution. Drawings or pictures would be awesome. Appreciate everyone’s time who responds.
 
Cole#357.30 said:
So what I’m trying to accomplish with this tool is to make the most effective 6-7 inch long blade machete that also has a good piercing tip. I’m really into the idea of having the tip reinforced in some way where it can still pry if needed.
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A 6-7 inch blade is not a machete. It will not be remotely as good as a real machete for things like clearing brush and chopping down small trees. You need to explain what you want to use this knife for in order to get good advice.

In the meantime, you could search the forums for "sharpened pry-bar".
 
"Machetes" are usually made from pretty thin stock. They're made to "bite", for the most part, and are not known for surviving prying duties. So...Yes...a VERY tall order.

If I was looking for a blade that could chop/bite, and something that was robust enough for some prying, I'd break-out one of my big guns.


My little Aurora Borealis/WTG "Kodiak" would definitely be my first choice... (*Good luck finding one)



20220702_185638 (BF).jpg



EDIT- By the way, it's almost 10" of blade and weighs as much as a Subaru...but you can definitely stab a Grizzly with it.
 
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Another Shepherd said:
A 6-7 inch blade is not a machete. It will not be remotely as good as a real machete for things like clearing brush and chopping down small trees. You need to explain what you want to use this knife for in order to get good advice.

In the meantime, you could search the forums for "sharpened pry-bar".
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Yea my description definitely isn’t that great. I’d like it to act like a short machete, not be a machete. The blade is meant for hunting the coastal rainforest of the PNW. I’ve used full sized machetes before but sometimes there’s not enough room to swing, tedious to sheath and draw, they get caught up on brush when carrying, and are hard to carry comfortably. I’d also like to just be able to carry one more compact tool instead of several. The closest I’ve come to fill this role was the SOG Jungle primitive fixed blade machete. I could actually have it set up on a lanyard in my right hand bushwhacking through blackberry bush with my muzzleloader in my left and when I’d jump up a black tail buck I’d simply let go of the knife in my right, shoulder my gun, and it’d just dangle perfectly on my arm so I wouldn’t drop it. Only problem is they’d always chip and rust real bad. The tip would also always snap off at some point in my use. The design didn’t lend itself well to certain parts of the processing either. So I’m essentially looking to make the better version of it. One thing I did like though were the serrations for cutting through joints, hair, and dirty cordage. That’s something I’d like to incorporate in the final version. Finally the blade was just ever so slightly too long, I think I could get away with having a 7in blade that’s more optimized.
 
I’ve also noticed speed is key when cutting through that nasty stuff. Some of the front heavy blades I used were good for chopping bigger branches and splitting the pelvis and wood but we’re terrible for bush whacking.
 
Cole#357.30 said:
I found a maker willing to make a knife that meats my general description but he’d like to see some picks with dimensions for reference. I’m looking to make a pretty unique blade that accomplishes many different tasks with little to no compromise. I’d post some picks of what I’ve drawn up and seen so far but I’ve had a darn hard time figuring it out for some reason. Regardless, I’m more interested in hearing the opinions of the knowledgeable gentleman that inhabit this forum. So what I’m trying to accomplish with this tool is to make the most effective 6-7 inch long blade machete that also has a good piercing tip. I’m really into the idea of having the tip reinforced in some way where it can still pry if needed. Tall order I know but I’d like to see if anyone has a unique solution. Drawings or pictures would be awesome. Appreciate everyone’s time who responds.
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Machetes are thin and long, pry bars are thick and often short.
Sounds like you want a Kephart and a big flat screwdriver.
 
If you want a decent machete that is good for most tasks, look into a Condor. hog sticker or something similar. The one I have is great at slicing vegetation and it's a excellent sticker as well. 16 inches. Unfortunately mine is no longer in production. But they have many different styles that might suit your needs. Some of them can be had in 420hc. Which I like do to less oxidation.
Just food for thought. They have excellent sheaths made in good leather that swivel for quick deployment
 
Honestly though, if you wrote that you want a utility knife, people won't be so harsh. But a machete, it is not feasible.

Machete is meant to cut soft vegetables with little effort. The length is for more levage for higher swing speed with little force. High cross section density (blade width) and light, fast swing turn out to be the ideal. Actually like bullets, sectional density and speed penetrate more armor than just big and heavy 'high energy' bullet.

The similar blade designs were found across the planet, in places with similar condition, developed independently. Parang, Seax, short "Messer", etc. Have you try the tramontina 25m (10inches) machete?

Maybe you can make a design perfect for you, but there can't be no compromise. The more you ask it to do different things, the less it will do anything well. Short and heavy sound good on paper for cutting in dense forest, but it will fatigue you very fast, which is by design the opposite of a machete.
 
I took a large Cold Steel seax machete and cut it down with a Dremel some years ago. Get a standard machete in 1050 or such and you can make any shape you like.

Zieg
 
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This is a very strange question. A machete by definition has to be able to cleave light brush with a flick. This means the blade has to be long enough to carry enough momentum to cleave brush. With a 6 inch blade, your arm will be acting as the machete and your shoulder will be acting as your wrist. You will be doing significantly more work per swing. I would say that the minimum length for a real machete will likely be 9-12 inches of blade. I think Ontario knives makes one with a 9 inch blade. Any shorter than that and it won't work as a machete. just my opinion
 
The Zieg said:
I took a large Cold Steel seax machete and cut it down with a Dremel some years ago. Get a standard machete in 1050 or such and you can make any shape you like.

Zieg
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Great reco.

The pocket parang above seems like a good idea as well.
 
I've seen large knives/short machetes being used by gardeners in Costa Rica, maybe 10-12" blade. Very handy for cutting roots, digging for potting plants,etc. Probably Imacasa or Condor.
 
I used to make a short machete. Mine were in the 10-12in blade range and were between .125 and .110 thick. I certainly would not recommend going any smaller for a machete.

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Cole#357.30 said:
the most effective 6-7 inch long blade machete knife that also has a good piercing tip [...] having the tip reinforced in some way where it can still pry if needed
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Relatively symmetrical spear point shape, with a blade height of 2", profile taper beginning at 4", full height grind, starting at .012" behind the edge at the heel, to where the profile taper begins, increasing to .025" at the tip through convex grinding. Crowned spine starting at 2" past the heel for batoning, with sharp spine the first two inches for sparking. In .187" AEB-L at 61 RC, of course. Just off the top of my head.
 
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