Best budget machete

S

Scifidelity

Joined
Sep 29, 2019
Messages
195
Hi All, is there a consensus on what the few top machetes are for under $100? I know esee and tops make them, those are probably good, but I’m interred in experiential insight. This will be a user tool. TY!
 
Square_peg said:
What will you use it for? Heavy brush, light brush, brambles?

In general I agree with 42 that the best value for a quality machete will be from Latin America. The 20", 22" and 24" Imacasas are good general purpose machetes.
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mostly thorny vines, maybe that's a bramble. It's mostly wild blackberry vines where i live. This is not for true jungle use.
 
Scifidelity said:
what about Ontario Knife Co. Machetes? Seems like they make a few that are Mil Spec and were at least once used by the Army?
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OKC is good stuff and great value. Their 18" is a little short for my needs (usually NW blackberry brambles). The 22" looks promising.


Scifidelity said:
mostly thorny vines, maybe that's a bramble. It's mostly wild blackberry vines where i live. This is not for true jungle use.
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For that I'd get a 22" or 24" Imacasa with the handle style I indicated above. And I would add a lanyard.
 
Well, my 24" Imacasa was delivered today. Serious piece of crap, but I guess you get what you pay for, it was $24. Gonna have to spend hours sharpening it.

Also, only took about 10 minutes of thrashing blackberry brambles before I lost control during a swing an broke a window on my home. I guess lanyards are a good idea for these things.
 
Scifidelity said:
Well, my 24" Imacasa was delivered today. Serious piece of crap, but I guess you get what you pay for, it was $24. Gonna have to spend hours sharpening it.

Also, only took about 10 minutes of thrashing blackberry brambles before I lost control during a swing an broke a window on my home. I guess lanyards are a good idea for these things.
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It's typical to need to sharpen blue-collar machetes before first use. I refer to the typical factory "edge" as a "courtesy grind" because it's not intended to be a working edge so much as having hogged off some of the metal so you don't have quite as much work to do yourself. Imacasa machetes are great, but do come very rough from the factory and require a liberal application of elbow grease before they're in full working order.

If the machete flew from your grip with enough force to break a window, that's a strong reinforcing piece of evidence for why I discourage the use of lanyards on machetes. If it was lashed to your person, even with the safest of methods, it would have had a good chance of glancing right into a part of your person.

Apologies in advance if this comes across as at all chastising, but I feel it necessary for the sake of anyone who may stumble across this post to mention the following:

<dons OSHA helmet and boots up PowerPoint>

All chopping tools are inherently dangerous implements if not properly sharpened and wielded with mindful technique. With machetes in particular, you should be finessing the forward mass of the tool in a "casting" stroke, and always checking the full path of the stroke for obstructions, standing in such a way that if the blade glances it will carry away from the body. A firm squeezing action at the end of the rolling "snap" of the stroke should firmly retain the machete in your grasp. If you at any point struggle to hold the machete securely, you should immediately cease swinging and take a break until no longer fatigued.

A fellow who bought a machete from me at one point once failed to pay proper mind to the blade path of his Tramontina bolo, unexpectedly impacted a hanging vine, and it glanced and bit deep into his shin. He cut deeply enough into it that he almost bled out before medical help could get to him (fortunately he was working with friends, who almost immediately noticed his mishap) and he almost lost the leg. Be careful out there--big blades take big bites!
</safety lecture> :)
 
My favorites are the Tramontinas with wood scales. With wood you can shape the handle comfortably and create a deeper choil. I like the 14" bolo and the 12" Latin style for a general purpose carrying, and the 22-24" Latin Style for brush cutting. The Trams can be modified easily--they also have good spring steel that holds an edge quite well, takes abuse, and is the right weight/thickness for clearing brush. The edge should be profiled to suit the intended usage. I make the 12" into a somewhat modified Bowie with a semi-sharpened and semi-clip point for better piercing. This makes it a great all-round camp or trekking knife.

I personally do not like the 22-24" Ontario and believe they are too thick and heavy for "my expectations" of good balance and extended usage in brush cutting.

With or without a lanyard--never use full power swings on a machete or it will eventually precipitate an unwelcome event. I don't think you can be too prescriptive on the lanyard vs no lanyard-- as it depends a lot on the users style, skill, and usage. The machete, as was noted above, is best utilized with short rapid arm movements and a flick of the wrist. The amount of the power utilized should be based on what happens if the machete sails through more easily than anticipated--can you remain in control it?
 
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I'm going out on a bit of a tangent here ... I have gone down the road of various higher grade big "camp" knives and have come back full circle to the simple 12" Tram that is "customized to my liking." In a camping or hunting setting I have found it very practical for many usages. It really is similar to what the mid-west and western mountain men utilized as their big butcher, camp, large hunting, and fighting knives. It has the additional advantage of being able to be used as a rugged slasher which a lot of higher end knives cannot withstand without chipping.

With a 12" customized Tram and a belt axe I'm set for most anything--because I have already have a pocket knife in my pants and possibly a rifle in my hands.
 
I might make a few suggestions for sharpening. If you don't want to file the right profile on the machete you can use a bench/belt sander or bench grinder or a work sharp to rough in the blade. Take care that you do not over heat and keep the blade moving back and forth at all times to prevent over heating and creating waves. When the profile is roughed in you should file the whole profile till the whole edge and profile has been freshened. Get a good file like a Sandvik. This will ensure there is no burnished steel left on the edge. Then I would stone the edge. My favorite sharpening stone for a machete is the canoe style by Norton. It has the right grit to rough in and final edge a machete. The edges or the flat of the stone can also be used in lengthwise blade swipes to finish the edge the same as when you sharpen a scythe. IMO opinion there is no need to polish a machete edge beyond this because you will need to occasionally dress it as you work. The most important thing is to take the time to get the profile right in the initial sharpening and then it will be easy to maintain. You will be amazed how that Imacasa will cut after its properly profiled and sharpened.
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Imacasa, Tramontina, I have a few older Cold Steel (Lasher mfg) that are nice once the handles have been shaped a bit.

Personally I don't like machete blades longer than 18" for cutting anything too woody.

And yes, at all times with machete, hatchet etc do not put yourself in the path of a follow through or a glancing shot. Consider every swing.
 
60F68C7F-400E-43F6-BA31-BC5C8A62067F.jpeg Here are a couple of my machetes.
Top one is a Schrade, 2 Tramontias, and a Marbles which is made by Imacasa.

The Schrade is junk, the Tramontia bolo is great, the 12” Tram I just got so it needs a bit of work, and the Marbles is great also and it came with a serviceable sheath and a pocket stone for 15 bucks.

Cold Steel makes a good machete too.
I have the Latin , Royal Khukri, and the grass whip and they all are good tools for decent money.
 
HeavyHanded said:
Imacasa, Tramontina, I have a few older Cold Steel (Lasher mfg) that are nice once the handles have been shaped a bit.

Personally I don't like machete blades longer than 18" for cutting anything too woody.

And yes, at all times with machete, hatchet etc do not put yourself in the path of a follow through or a glancing shot. Consider every swing.
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I like 20-24" personally, but it has to be an appropriate pattern for woody targets, like a Caribbean-style panga or a lampon. :thumbsup:
 
OP have you considered a nice long titanium alloy machete? o_O
 
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