A pair of beta ti machetes

Mecha

Mecha

Titanium Bladesmith
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
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Hello everyone,

Here is a set of two complimentary machetes, made from beta metastable titanium alloy (beta ti). They are forged out of beta ti bar stock, before grinding and heat-treatment, and are distally tapered.

Both of these blades are just a bit over 21" in length, and are quite a bit more thick on the spine than I usually make them, with with tips that are fairly blunt, but still sharp. They are made to order, and reflect a request for an all-purpose woods tool that can be used not just for cutting, but for prying, digging, etc.

With these machetes, I attempted to grind the blade bevel all the way through to the end of the tang, as it's done on Japanese swords; notice there is no plunge. There are several reasons it seems to be the way to go...

Call it katana practice. :D

One almost straight, the other curved:

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Usually I taper them down to a fine thickness at the tip, but these are more robust.

RGWTTi0.jpg



The straight chopper is a bit thicker than the curved cutter.

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Here you can see how the blade bevel follows through the tang, although the thickness does flare out from tip to the very end. The entire thing is distally tapered.

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Questions and comments always welcome!~ :)
 
You say, machete... I say, machete and these are the coolest machetes ever, Sam.
Not surprised.
rolf
 
love your work, bud!
 
Thanks much you guys, I really appreciate your kind thoughts.

Mete - These are a bit heavier than normal due to their thickness. I didn't weigh them or measure the thickness, but they're probably pushing 3/4 of a pound I bet. Hmmm, or maybe half a pound. :[ I can't test them because the fellow they're for is pretty keen on having them fresh when they arrive, but I assure you that they would make mincemeat of bamboo. :D

The REALLY cool thing in the photos is what's underneath the blades: an old solid bronze autopilot base from a early 1900s fishing vessel. Every part on it is solid bronze, from the base to the gears, and every nut and bolt! Someday some of it might become guards and pommels.
 
There used to be a book sold by the NRA ,written by a soldier who was in the Burma campain .There was a full chapter on what knives were used and how they were used .Each unit was issued a full range of tools , axes and heavy to light knives . The best for Bamboo , the toughest thing they cut , was the kukri.That should be read by all knife people !. If anyone has the book , speak up.Much depends on weight .My kukri is 24 ozs ,similar to the military kukri. That's for heavy bamboo.That's why I asked .
Very interesting about the bronze !!
 
mete said:
There used to be a book sold by the NRA ,written by a soldier who was in the Burma campain .There was a full chapter on what knives were used and how they were used .Each unit was issued a full range of tools , axes and heavy to light knives . The best for Bamboo , the toughest thing they cut , was the kukri.That should be read by all knife people !. If anyone has the book , speak up.Much depends on weight .My kukri is 24 ozs ,similar to the military kukri. That's for heavy bamboo.That's why I asked .
Very interesting about the bronze !!
Click to expand...

The kukri is quite the blade shape. Are they relatively thick? The shape of a kukri could amplify a cut where the blade is pulled closer to the body, and that could = more cutting power. A longer blade generates a tremendous amount of speed and power compared to a shorter one, which would benefit from more weight. When it comes to generating force on the cutting edge, speed certainly plays a huge role, I'd say as much as weight for sure. :]
 
You outdid yourself, Sam. Those are awesome cutting instruments that will clear a lot of trails! Someone's going to have a blade they can past through the generations.
 
Wow. Just wow. I love both of them but the curved one, to me, really says "pick me up and make a trail...through anything."
 
Thankee! :D

It's hard to see, but the straight one is slightly curved as well.
 
Wow that's extremely unique! I gotta ask how many belts these ate up to grind though haha fantastic work!!
 
Thanks fellas. :]

Aye ya, this stuff is not kind to grinding belts, or even the grinder itself when the dust and chips ignite which is regular. It's a straight-up complete waste of time to use anything but a quality ceramic grinding belt, which won't last long anyway. Bora 7 belts also work well.

The billet will grab ahold of the grit and tear it to shreds. Stone grinding wheels? Reduced to powder. Silicon carbide? Don't believe it, they stink and are destroyed instantly. Obliterated. Zirconia? It just skates until you apply huge pressure, and then the belts get ruined. Aluminum oxide? Useless.

Ceramic all day. However, the finer the grit, the less it matters.
 
They are actually easier to grind after Ht, at least, that's what I found. Less sparks, and less gummy.
 
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