Bark River Machete

Horn Dog

Horn Dog

Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
4,363
Bark River Knife & Tool has come out with a machete for knife lovers. If you think of it as just another machete, the nearly $150 price is very high. If you think of it as a really big knife, with the quality, edge, and handling of a Bark River, then it is priced similar to much smaller models. Bark River took Ontario blades in 1095, reprofiled the tang and the blade, shortened it by about 4", moved the cutting edge back nearer the handle, gave the blade a slight drop point, and attached a nice micarta handle. Then they gave it the famous BRKT convex edge. This machete feels great in the hand with plenty of room for even my extra large paws.
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It comes with a quality heavy leather sheath by Sharpshooter Sheath Systems. It has a belt loop on the back and slots for securing the sheath to your pack. The machete is about the size and heft of my Tramontina Bolo, with a handle that fits my hand a lot better.
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The Tram bolo is a favorite of mine, so I wanted to see how this Cadillac of machetes measured up. Well it took out this hard dry maple limb in one chop.
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Then I used it to cut back some Sweet Gum suckers.
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Mmmm. Sweet gum salad. The BRKT handles light and fast and make this job fast and easy.
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Then it was on to the palmettos.
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Like cutting stalks of celery.
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Now some chopping on maple again.
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The BRKT chops as well as my convexed Tramontina bolo.
Maybe better. I know it's not everbody's cup of tea to pay this much for a machete when a cheap one will do. But I sure like the Barkie.
 
siguy said:
thanks for the review...

spine shot please?
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Oh, I knew I forgot something. The BRKT is .12" thick. Just a bit thicker than the Tramontina. And the blade is just under 14" long. It weighs about 14 oz on my scale.

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They are.

I was cutting wrist thick bamboo with mine for hours with no edge rolling or chipping.

A little time on the leather hone and it will slice free hanging newsprint again.
 
Well it isn't so much of a contraversy about the price. We have this argument all the time about moras vs. other camp knives. Or consider the wetterlings vs GP axes (prior to the mark-up on wetterlings) there was about a 5 fold difference in price which by all acounts was related to fit and finish.

In this case, you are paying for a very nicely re-worked and improved Ontario machete. Those modifications seem very much worthwhile and you end up with a well tested blade after it goes through the cutting and re-profilling at BRK&T. Buying an Ontario on its own these days may be a gamble.

I wish someone could tell me what the purpose of the little bit of exposed tang is for at the bottom of the handle. Does it serve a purpose in terms of balance? I can't think of any other function yet Mike did not feel inclined to cut it off....
 
kgd, as far as i know, it is there to keep the hand from slipping off the handle while chopping...
 
Nice review HD. I can't wait till you get your golok. Mine should be here today.
 
Sweet HD. I have never been much into using machetes or goloks, I guess because I am fine with what I have been using. But, I would like to play with some more. So, I would really like to hear your comparison between this particular machete and a BRKT golok (I thought you had one of those on the way?)

Brian
 
The terrain makes machetes and goloks useful here. If you haven't needed one so far, Brian, I doubt if a comparison would be of much interest. I'm interested in comparing them, though.:D
 
Horn Dog said:
The terrain makes machetes and goloks useful here. If you haven't needed one so far, Brian, I doubt if a comparison would be of much interest. I'm interested in comparing them, though.:D
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I travel a fair bit though.....that is the main reason for my interest. In fact, I was fairly close to your neck of the woods in the spring.
 
In that case, I have a golok on order. I have a British Army Golok, but it looks completely different from the BRKT one. I have never used a golok like that. It will be fun to compare and contrast thier performance on various media.
 
I picked up a BRKT machete as well, mostly as I am always kicking myself for missing out on buying a BRKT Golok when they were available(also recently remedied). I dont have much "machete" time, but I do have a CS cheapo chopper that I use around the yard. The BRKT machete seems to be a whole different animal. Heavier, but in a focused way, very solid. There was no sideways flex in the blade while working and it chops like a dream. Dangerously so. I was used to my CS, so when I took the BRKT out to play with I nearly cut myself because it cut so easily. I sheared through a 3" limb (sorry I dont speak wood so I dont what type) with a single cut. It never rolled in the hand, got stuck, and could resolve anything reasonable within a few strokes. A one inch oak branch (this one I know) took two cuts to sever. I may never take it to the Amazon basin, but it rules in my yard.
 
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I have some CS machetes, too. If you give them a convex edge they are as "dangerous" as the Bark River. But the balance and feel of the BRKT is much better to me.
 
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