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Unless you want it just because it's a vintage Collins (and therefore really cool), I'd go with an Imacasa of similar style for $25 They're remarkably similar in design and performance. 
Collins Machete
- Thread starter gottahaveit27
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Army Surplus World has some really nice made in the USA 1095 machetes for cheap also and either that saw back or the camper survival 12" .080 thick machete looks pretty dang good to me for the money. The made in the USA thing is always appealing to me personally.
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Those look to be Ontario machetes. Good for the money, and good steel! Skip the saw back though--it just chews up your sheath and doesn't do much else.
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Those look to be Ontario machetes. Good for the money, and good steel! Skip the saw back though--it just chews up your sheath and doesn't do much else.
Speaking of sheaths, what do you guys do for machete sheaths? I saw a guy who made one from a heating up pvc and smashing it flat, but if i'm not mistaken that can be toxic. Any ideas?
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There are lots of generically shaped canvas sheaths at Machete Specialist, and Hayes Instrument has some nice generic leather ones (USA made, too!) Other than that, just duct tape and cardboard does a good enough job for storage or if it's a special enough machete to you, one of the custom sheath makers around here could do you up something nice in leather or even kydex.
Yes, you can do the PVC pipe trick, but I'd rather not take the potential risk of exposure to the kind of nasty chemicals they use to make that stuff.
Yes, you can do the PVC pipe trick, but I'd rather not take the potential risk of exposure to the kind of nasty chemicals they use to make that stuff.
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Well, my "new" Collins machetes came in today, and I'm happy to say- the 323 is IDENTICAL to my vintage, Fiddleback-modded one. It is SWEET. The 1068 has the same "as forged" finish, same sticker, same taper etc., which leads me to believe that it is from the same era.
Which means that these are indeed, 50-60 year old, dead-mint, made in USA Collins machetes. Lord knows how much they're worth. The 323 is going to be a safe-queen, for sure. I think I may mount it on the wall in my office. Which means I can feel free to beat the snot out of my Fiddleback-modded one. The 1068 presents something of a dilemma. It looks like it would be a really nice user, after a little TLC, but do I want to "bust the cherry" on this rare piece? The sticker looks like it wants to fall off, but otherwise, it's minty fresh.
Which means that these are indeed, 50-60 year old, dead-mint, made in USA Collins machetes. Lord knows how much they're worth. The 323 is going to be a safe-queen, for sure. I think I may mount it on the wall in my office. Which means I can feel free to beat the snot out of my Fiddleback-modded one. The 1068 presents something of a dilemma. It looks like it would be a really nice user, after a little TLC, but do I want to "bust the cherry" on this rare piece? The sticker looks like it wants to fall off, but otherwise, it's minty fresh.
I got a confirmation email today, so hopefully mine arrive pretty soon too.
Sorry, I should have specified. I ordered a 1068, 1077, and one each of the 1942s. I'm new to the machete world, but figured I might as well start with the old cool ones first.
Sorry, I should have specified. I ordered a 1068, 1077, and one each of the 1942s. I'm new to the machete world, but figured I might as well start with the old cool ones first.
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I like Cold Steel sheaths and find them to be nice heavy canvas compared to some of the generic ones. If you have several Cold Steel machetes what you can do is often times find that one you just bought from someplace else happens to also work in the one from Cold Steel. Just order an extra one at that point and you are good to go. Machete Specialists sells these also.
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I'm assuming the 323 is the 22" one that is just like the fiddlebacks. If so, i ran my sandpaper pad over it several times and got a nice little edge and was chomping at the bit to use her. I chopped down some shrubs in the back yard. I must say it did it's job with flying colors. Also my sticker on the 323 looked like it wanted off infact the wind could have blown it off so i removed it. The sticker on my 20" on the other hand almost looks like it was epoxied on or something. Ither way i still need to get the file out after that one as it ZERO edge on it.
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Yes. The 323 was from that store, but they are sold out of them. You can still get the 18" and 20" there though.
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I received my 1068, but I am still waiting on my 323 (it should arrive today). The 1068 is one heavy mother. It should make for a really good chopper but there is not way it could be used for extensive periods of time. My 1068 also has no edge at all. Thre is a bevel there but it is duller than a butter knife. I'll have to put a lot of work into getting a decent edge on it but it will be worth it :thumbup:
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According to Andy Roy (Fiddleback)- the stickers on the Collins are just paper that is held on with wax. Which gives you a clue as to how old the things are. They weren't intended to be permanent, I'm sure they all came off or were taken off soon after being used for the first time. Which makes Collins with the stickers still on them more special, IMO.
As for the edges, they came from the factory dull- so that the end user could put on whatever kind of edge he wanted. This is not a defect or a lapse in quality control. All Collins were like that, and indeed, 99% of all machetes made today are still like that. The only current production machetes with sharp factory edges are Condors, and some of the Gerbers- which are machetes intended for the North American market. I think Tramontina is now starting to put sharper factory edges on their machetes destined for this market as well. Americans expect their knives to be sharp "out of the box"- and most Americans no longer know how to sharpen knives or other tools themselves.
Putting an edge on a machete is easy, and can be done in less than an hour with nothing more than a mill file and maybe some sandpaper. Everyone who uses a machete in third-world countries (where they see the most use) understands this, and knows how to put their own edges on.
Yup- the 1068 is a big, honkin' motha. :thumbup: But with proper technique, you should be able to use it for a lot longer than you'd think. If you use the correct "pinch-grip"- holding the handle loosely between the thumb and index finger, and let inertia do the work for you, machetes are remarkably efficient tools. I would recommend carving/ sanding the handles smooth and flush with the tang as well sharpening the thing. And yes, it will be worth it.
As for the edges, they came from the factory dull- so that the end user could put on whatever kind of edge he wanted. This is not a defect or a lapse in quality control. All Collins were like that, and indeed, 99% of all machetes made today are still like that. The only current production machetes with sharp factory edges are Condors, and some of the Gerbers- which are machetes intended for the North American market. I think Tramontina is now starting to put sharper factory edges on their machetes destined for this market as well. Americans expect their knives to be sharp "out of the box"- and most Americans no longer know how to sharpen knives or other tools themselves.
Putting an edge on a machete is easy, and can be done in less than an hour with nothing more than a mill file and maybe some sandpaper. Everyone who uses a machete in third-world countries (where they see the most use) understands this, and knows how to put their own edges on.
Yup- the 1068 is a big, honkin' motha. :thumbup: But with proper technique, you should be able to use it for a lot longer than you'd think. If you use the correct "pinch-grip"- holding the handle loosely between the thumb and index finger, and let inertia do the work for you, machetes are remarkably efficient tools. I would recommend carving/ sanding the handles smooth and flush with the tang as well sharpening the thing. And yes, it will be worth it.
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Dude, you need to just get that 20" Rozador you posted on the first page and do a comparison. If it's as similar as I bet it is then you can just wail on the Imacasa and keep your Collins "virgin."
Besides, it'd be a good learning experience.
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Dude, you need to just get that 20" Rozador you posted on the first page and do a comparison. If it's as similar as I bet it is then you can just wail on the Imacasa and keep your Collins "virgin."
Besides, it'd be a good learning experience.
I plan on it.
Gotta stack up some chips before I put in my next order with Machete Specialists though. I'm itching to get my mitts on some of those Hansas too. :thumbup:
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Is it just me or does Hansa seem to have a lot of really broad blades in their lineup? I like that. I like that a lot.
I'm liking the looks of that orange-handled 12" too.
I'm liking the looks of that orange-handled 12" too.
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Dude, you need to just get that 20" Rozador you posted on the first page and do a comparison. If it's as similar as I bet it is then you can just wail on the Imacasa and keep your Collins "virgin."
The price for the Collins is $25. I saw the Imacasa on a couple of different sites for $20. I don't really think that the price is an issue so if you really like the Collins perhaps you should just buy another one so you can have a user and one to keep minty. Perhaps you can get the Imacasa for less than $20 though, I'm not sure.
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The big idea isn't so much the price, but rather the potential collectors value you might destroy by using a Collins. There are plenty of folks that pay stupid money for minty Collins stuff, so why bang it up if there was a piece in production by a modern company that won't really depreciate if you pound the snot out of it?
That and also the chance to see how close the Imacasas are to the vintage Collins machete patterns that they copied. It would be mega cool if they were pretty much identical, and I'm betting they are, but there's only one way to find out.
Oh--and it's an excuse to buy more machetes!
That and also the chance to see how close the Imacasas are to the vintage Collins machete patterns that they copied. It would be mega cool if they were pretty much identical, and I'm betting they are, but there's only one way to find out.
Oh--and it's an excuse to buy more machetes!
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To me USING a vintage machete is the coolest part about owning one. If you you are buying it just to sell it (knowing that you can get more than what you paid) you might as well just buy up whatever they have in stock. I understand wanting to have a mint condition Collins for collectability and because it's cool, but in that case all you need is one and you can use the other.
That and also the chance to see how close the Imacasas are to the vintage Collins machete patterns that they copied. It would be mega cool if they were pretty much identical, and I'm betting they are, but there's only one way to find out.
Oh--and it's an excuse to buy more machetes!
I would definitely like to see a chop off between the two and I think that the Imacasa Rozador looks like a great blade.