Another one? Junglas user experience requested...

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PayetteRucker

Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
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So I purchased my first three RAT Cutlery knives within about three months of each other, and since recieving my RC5, HEST (both of which I were overjoyed with) and the RC3 (sorely disappointed with the handle) I haven't really felt the need to buy anything more, as the RC6 seemed redundant with the blades I already own and the RC4 has handle issues too. But now you can get a Junglas for 100 bucks without the sheath, which I didn't want anyway, and it seems to be a practical blade for the money. Anyone have ALOT of user experience that can compare it (performance wise) to say, a Tramontina, Condor etc? I've seen all the videos but there's not much comparative data out there as far as chopping, slicing, drawknifing and tip work performance, maintenance, etc. The RC5 has a saber grind but the blade is obviously thicker so I'm not sure if I can really use that as a comparison. Thanks.
(Trying to see overall whether or not my holes would be better filled by the Junglas, a Hatchula or a self designed bushcrafter)
 
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just curious, but what aspects of the 3's handle did you not like? was it the shape, texture, or?

i have no Junglas.. so i can't offer any meaningful feedback on that.
the Hatchula (or Booshway) seems like an interesting design.
 
it's pretty awesome. great for chopping hardwoods, i've chopped through i don't know how much osage orange, fresh, cut a few weeks before, and some that's cured for years. black walnut, pecan, etc. it batons like nobody's business, i split a 4-5 foot piece of black walnut wide as my hand with some good knotty bends in it, gonna make a boomerang or 2. the thing chops like a good 18" machete, but doen't ding up on cured hardwood.

no way the handle is going to be too small for you, and you know how great the canvas micarta feels. i haven't found any hotspots, the radiused corners are more rounded than on the ESEE-5 or 3, they feel much more sculpted.

you should consider the sheath. it's an excellent addition, i've lashed a canvas tool bag to the front of mine, and attached an old sling of a mosin nagant to the molle back, to use for baldric carry. works great for me.
 
Next to the Izula, the 3 continues to be one of the most popular knives in the line.
 
I started out with an Ontario RAT-3, I love the 3s. I can whittle and cut just about anything I want for over an hour with no hot spots on the hand. My Wife and I both have RAT/Rowen 3s now. They are awesome knives. I don't have mongo hands (not sissyboys, either) so I guess I cannot understand the criticisms about it unless someone has some big hands going on! :D

One of my favorite pasttimes while camping is sitting around the fire and just making large sticks into small sticks or transforming sticks into other things with a knife. It's a tradition. :)
 
I don't understand why the Junglas is compared to machetes. It's a big knife, but too thick and way too short to be a machete, which usually has a 16" blade or more. The Junglas is a chopper (and I don't doubt a very good one) but it's not a machete.
 
The Junglas is a big knife that can also work as a machete. It has great balance and feel for a large knife.
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This isn't an "I hate the 3" thread, this is a "Compare the Junglas' performance to other industry standards" thread. It's not the width, thickness or length of the RC3 handle I don't like-it's the round boattail that makes it feel like every time I grab the knife, the base of my palm is pushing the handle forward (like grabbing a bar of soap) to the point where I need to readjust my grip every few seconds, and it's annoying. The G10 handles are textured, I don't think that's the problem-it's just the shape of the back end of the handle.

There's no doubt the 3 is a performer, it's still my go to fish cleaning blade, which I find myself doing more and more of as I spend more time on the rivers around here. I could eat salmon, steelhead and brook trout for a month and still have some left over. But it comes to harder substances, like... wood... there's no way I'd chose this knife over some of my much less expensive similarly sized blades.

philwar said:
I don't understand why the Junglas is compared to machetes. It's a big knife, but too thick and way too short to be a machete, which usually has a 16" blade or more. The Junglas is a chopper (and I don't doubt a very good one) but it's not a machete.
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The Junglas is not a machete-you are correct. But basic function- chopping, battoning, trail clearance, self defense, and allaround rough use remain the same. The largest machete I use on a regular basis is 15.5 inches, and they do make them as small as 10 (though for some reason it's hard to get hands on... I'd kill for one!) I wouldn't carry both a machete and a Junglas for packing trips, it would make no sense. So, because it would be filling the role as a large blade in combination with the others I own (HI WWII, Jungle Knife, Anapurna Bowie, Trams, Condors, Hibben IV, etc etc etc) all I'm looking for is someone to say "hey, it bites just as deep as my flat ground 12 inch tramontina and is just as easy to maintain", or "hey this blade is too thick to bite as deep as my 14 inch Imacasa and the edge is too hard to sharpen as easily" or "I spent an hour hacking through thorny vines in the northwoods this weekend without joint or muscle fatigue, it performs just as well as my eco-survivor and holds an edge longer". So far I've got one awesome response and I'd really like to hear more...
 
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http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=754142

In this thread I did a quick comparison between my Junglas and Lite Machete (which I think is made by Imacasa, save for the handle), although it wasn't really practical, just on a 2x4. In any case, the Lite Machete did seem to bite further into the wood than the Junglas did, although not by much more. But also consider thatthe machete was fairly factory dull when I did this test, and it still bit in like mutha. Sorry man, can't really say too much more. Maybe that the difference wasn't so much that I'd choose the machete over the Junglas. I like how much more batoning, chopping and general knife capabilities the Junglas offers. And I'd rather deal with the Junglas' weight than the machete's length. I guess it's no surprise that I have it up on the exchange now. DOn't get wrong, I really do like the Lite Machete, but I'd prefer a shorter machete and am persuing a Fiddleback 12" and/or 14" custom-"ized" when Andy releases them.

Side note: I too am a local stream nut and am always pulling out brook, brown, and rainbow trout, and salmon from them, but I'd never think of using a 3 (or any similar knife) to clean them. Not saying you're doing anything wrong, it's obviously working for you, just wondering if you sacrafice any meat when using a 3 or other non-fillet knives for cleaning? Or do you just leave the skin on an roast them? That's actually what I do with the small brookies. Yummy!:)
 
nope, actually what I've had good luck doing is using the tip in a corner of the fillet under the skin and work up a flap-then just pinch that flap really hard and peel it all back, it almost always comes in one sheet, and then use the blade perpendicular to the fillet to scrape any residual stuff off. Works like a charm. I think my Koyote Leuku would be more suited in general, other than the fact that it doesn't have a prominant point for getting through the scales or under the skin with... One thing I'm steadily getting better at is de-boning, the first steelhead I did turned to mush trying to get all the bones out. The brookies I just roast em in and suck the meat from the bone, which works well.

I agree-short machetes are much easier to pack-I'd rather carry weight than bulk. What you lose in chopping leverage you gain in control. This one is on the short side and heavy, so it fills the gap between kindling axe and machete that I really don't have, and to be honest don't have much experience with. The Fiddleback 12 incher looks great though I just picked up an HI Annapurna bowie, which is basically a clip point bolo design-weight forward at the tip for chopping performance but that clip point gives you a nice working point too, and I think the two blades are extremely similar in size and function.
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Is that a pic of the HI you mentioned? Wow! I really like the looks of that, from what I can see of it in the dark picture. Handle shape looks like my cup of tea, as does the blade length and blade shape. How long and thick is the blade? I've never bought an HI before... how would I go about buying that, just go to their website and order?
 
Hey, just did a quick search on the annapurna bowie and found this post of yours. I also love that shiny parang and jungle knife. Are they HI products as well? Those are the types of non-traditional khuk handles I was talking about in my post from last week.
 
The Jungle Knife (the Moro shaped deal with the checkered grip) is HI-they have one for sale for the DOTD! get over there and grab it before it's gone. It's an awesome deal. The Parang is actually their WWII model Khukri, and if you talk to Yangdu I'd bet she'd make you one with a Jungle Knife style handle. It's great.
 
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I have used my junglas alot since getting it! It is extreamly tough and great for processing wood IMO . The heat tread and steel are amazing as i had the blade baton through a 8" log and bend about 10 to 15 degrees and return to normal!!! I personally wouldn't order without the sheath as it is A great sheath and def worth the extra 50 bucks! You won't get a better deal in an amazing tough chopper anywhere else! The only thing untie same class is a bwm and that costs a lot more!!
 
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