Recommendation? Slender Condor Golok

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Apr 28, 2021
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I'm looking to buy a machete.

The closest I found to what I'd like is the condor golok (full size, not the pack golok). The problem is the thickness of the blade is way too much for camp clearing and trail making. It could also use a bit more of lenght.

I found several other model that could do the job, but they all lack the handle model of the golok. I don't bother much with the blade shape, although I like large and recurved blade.

My spec;

Mandatory;
-golok handle
-no second hand
-non sticky handle (rubber, etc)
-steel
-no sawback
-"upward" tip (I want to cut root with it)

Flexible
-18" blade lenght
-0.125" tickness
-full tang

I bit of thickness I preferable as I may use it a bit on wood.
 
Condor shows the thickness of its Eco-Survivor Golok as .12” , or just under half the thickness of the regular golok. The blade is going to be about the same length at 14”. The handle is plastic. I haven’t tried it, so can’t tell you more than that.

Offhand, I cannot think of any 18” blades with an upsweep similar to the Condor Goloks. The Tramontina 18” bush machete is slightly upswept. Excellent machete, seems a little bit stouter than most, and not a bad chopper for what is essentially a slasher. It is only about $16, and an excellent all-around machete, so it won’t hurt too much to have it around if it’s not exactly what you want.

I don’t know if the Golok handle is unique to that model, but you aren’t going to find it on many other machetes. Some Condor parangs have a similar wood handle.

Also take a look at the Marbles (Imacasa) Swamp Master, an 18” panga. If the upsweep is too dramatic, you could cut it down pretty easily.
 
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Esee Darien Machete. I believe it's made by Condor.
 
I didn't find an exact match to your specs.

Imacasa 18" Liniero Machete doesn't have the golok handle.

Imacasa has a 25" grooved panga one that is more in line with what you want but the handle doesn't have the same curve and it is 7" longer.

If you are handy, you probably could remove the generic handles of a machete you like and make your own. Then reattach with epoxy and some bolts. It might not be the prettiest thing but you would get what you want.
 
Don't know if they are still available, but the Condor Eco Golok machete would indeed be a very good choice (like Henry Beige already said)
I modified mine a bit (especially the handle), and i still use it on a regular basis:

 
Not really what you're asking for but maybe consider the baryonyx machete. I think it would fit the use requirements but missing several of the spec requirements.

Another option would be to go custom if you have the budget. David Mary David Mary has a barong seax (renamed the barax now I think) that could fit that use and has a handle pretty similar to a golok. David has done several different blade shapes based on the barong/gununting handle he designed.

I've found the myparang handle to be really nice but I think everything they have would be thicker than your requirements. The handle should be spot on for you though.
 
Oh bummer, I tought that would be a pretty popular handle. If I may drop a bit in my spec, it's not quite the handle I want but the "ball" at the end.

I used to trim chrismas tree as a job and we had machete with a kind of ball at the end of the handle, which we would put in the middle of ours palm and make the machete rotate inside our hand instead of using the full arm. We would altern between each method to relax muscle group and it really made a difference by the end of the day.

Almost every blade you recommended me would fit my need, it's really the handle that make the difference. And no, while I do know the "kukri handle" (with a handle ring?) kinda make the same relaxation thing, it's not what I look for.
 
Oh bummer, I tought that would be a pretty popular handle. If I may drop a bit in my spec, it's not quite the handle I want but the "ball" at the end.

I used to trim chrismas tree as a job and we had machete with a kind of ball at the end of the handle, which we would put in the middle of ours palm and make the machete rotate inside our hand instead of using the full arm. We would altern between each method to relax muscle group and it really made a difference by the end of the day.

Almost every blade you recommended me would fit my need, it's really the handle that make the difference. And no, while I do know the "kukri handle" (with a handle ring?) kinda make the same relaxation thing, it's not what I look for.

The traditional kuhkri handle is completely different than the golok handle. I don't think anyone suggested that but in case you were thinking I was, we weren't understanding each other. I don't like kuhkri handles because of the top horn at the butt of the handle.

The ball at the end of the handle is actually quite rare, from what I've seen.
 
bikerector bikerector thanks for the tag, I would be happy to make a machete to our new friend's specs.

W WeekSecret , shoot me an email and I'm sure we can sort out your design and get this thing built for you. Email is in my sig. Cheers!
 
Oh bummer, I tought that would be a pretty popular handle. If I may drop a bit in my spec, it's not quite the handle I want but the "ball" at the end.

I used to trim chrismas tree as a job and we had machete with a kind of ball at the end of the handle, which we would put in the middle of ours palm and make the machete rotate inside our hand instead of using the full arm. We would altern between each method to relax muscle group and it really made a difference by the end of the day.

Almost every blade you recommended me would fit my need, it's really the handle that make the difference. And no, while I do know the "kukri handle" (with a handle ring?) kinda make the same relaxation thing, it's not what I look for.

If the ball has been working for you, I can see why you want to replicate it, but you don’t really need it to get that snap cut action you are talking about. Encircle the handle with your thumb and forefinger and use that as a pivot, letting your other fingers guide the handle as it moves in your hand as you snap your wrist. You can either choke up on the handle, or let your second or third finger reso on whatever your blade uses for a pinky stop. Look up one of Joe Flowers’ videos on machete use. He describes and demonstrates it much better than I can.
 
If the ball has been working for you, I can see why you want to replicate it, but you don’t really need it to get that snap cut action you are talking about. Encircle the handle with your thumb and forefinger and use that as a pivot, letting your other fingers guide the handle as it moves in your hand as you snap your wrist. You can either choke up on the handle, or let your second or third finger reso on whatever your blade uses for a pinky stop. Look up one of Joe Flowers’ videos on machete use. He describes and demonstrates it much better than I can.
Yeah, that's how I use it when I mean "full arm" and the "palm rotation" I use is derivated from that technique.
 
The traditional kuhkri handle is completely different than the golok handle. I don't think anyone suggested that but in case you were thinking I was, we weren't understanding each other. I don't like kuhkri handles because of the top horn at the butt of the handle.

The ball at the end of the handle is actually quite rare, from what I've seen.
It's another misunderstanding, I just said that before someone tell me, not because someone did.
 
Guess I'll have to go custom, I will contact the guy who I was working for at the time and ask him what model they where. I know they where in aluminum though, but maybe the brand make steel one
 
BTW, I can tell you that David Mary’s work is excellent. I recently bought one of his knives, and I am sure I will try another.
 
Guess I'll have to go custom, I will contact the guy who I was working for at the time and ask him what model they where. I know they where in aluminum though, but maybe the brand make steel one

You may be able to have someone just make a handle for you based on a certain type of machete. I was going to recommend just regrinding a condor golok thinner but then you're still short on the blade length.

I'll see if I come across something but I don't think I've seen another handle quite like the condor golok on a regular machete blade length and thickness.
 
W WeekSecret you can also check out more of David Mary David Mary here on his hosted site here at BladeForums.

 
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