BG Parang blade break issues -- Something to be concerned about?

Haha, thanks.

And one last thing since I have you here... would you consider a little mineral oil enough to keep this blade from rusting?
 
Yes. The blade has a black epoxy powder coat on the blade to help prevent rust, but a little mineral oil along the edge will keep it nice and bright. :)
 
No problem, dude! Goodness knows I've been practically rolling around in them the past few days (a refill for inventory came in just a couple days ago) so it's not like I haven't had ample chance to play with them. :p
 
You know... I was going to start a new thread for this but I'm curious about your opinion since we've had such a delightful conversation so far.

Could you give me your opinion on this rant? :)

As I said before, I loved the BG Parang because of its size, weight, balance, comfort, etc., but I realize it does have a bunch of faults too. I feel like 1/8" thick big knives like this are a perfect hybrid between machetes and heavy choppers, but I'm not too sure which ones to look at so far. I think kukri's are awkward looking for tasks other than chopping (I may be wrong), so I looked at some Condor Bolo's (such as this one: http://www.machetespecialists.com/condor-bolo-micarta.html ) and they may be the right direction.

I also feel like 1/4" blades are a little on the thick side for all around use, but I'm going to give my golok and try and see how it performs. I bought a Ratmandu a couple months ago and to be honest I've never used it because it doesn't strike me as a good weight/utility balance for my purposes. Hacking with something under 10-12 inches seems like a waste of energy and a lot of strain on your wrists, and I like it when blades are weighted to do most of the work for you.

So... what knives would you have me look at besides the golok and Condor parang? I'd really like to try and find one that's only a little over a pound (like the BG Parang), but if there are some wonderful blades out there that fit what I've mentioned above I'd be quite interested to give them a peek :)
 
You might check out the new Speed Bowie or the Kumunga. Both are just above a pound and chop quite well for their compact size. I personally own and use both the Kumunga, and the Bush Knife which may be short but chops like the dickens because of how broad it is. For a longer model that still chops well while remaining light, the 18" EcoSurvivor would do nicely as well.
 
For something around a pound that chops well and is highly affordable, might I suggest the Kabar Heavy Bowie, ZK War Sword, or their Camp Machete? I own a Heavy Bowie, and I think it would be very difficult to beat in it's price range. As 42 knows, I'm also waiting for my money situation and his stock situation to match up for a Condor Thai Enep.
 
Also, what about the Condor El Salvador 14"? I just saw it's a 1/8" machete.

Sorry for these short retarded posts :)
 
J.Davey said:
For something around a pound that chops well and is highly affordable, might I suggest the Kabar Heavy Bowie, ZK War Sword, or their Camp Machete? I own a Heavy Bowie, and I think it would be very difficult to beat in it's price range. As 42 knows, I'm also waiting for my money situation and his stock situation to match up for a Condor Thai Enep.
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Not sure where you're at money-wise but I should have some Eneps in both sizes arriving tomorrow. :p The Kabar Heavy Bowie is an excellent value--I just happen to disagree with its design configuration. Too thick and stubby for me--I like longer, thinner, and broader for equal mass due to the additional mechanical advantages it brings. It sure seems to be a crowd pleaser, though, so if it's appealing to you you sure can't go wrong! I consider the Kabar pieces chopping knives rather than machetes, contrary to the company's self-classification. :p The new Grass Machete is properly identified as a machete, in my opinion, but I wouldn't use that one to cut grass! It's a bit short and thick for that--actual grass machetes (like the "sable" pattern) are more like 20"+ long sharpened steel feathers. You need reach and tip velocity for grasses.

If I were to pick one of the Zombie Knives series for a chopper, though, it wouldn't be the War Sword. I'd go with the Pestilence Chopper. Same general profile as WWII machetes Case put out, folding and fixed. :thumbup:


maskedbacon said:
How about the ESEE lite machete? I read somewhere it basically has the same blade as the eco.
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maskedbacon said:
Also, what about the Condor El Salvador 14"? I just saw it's a 1/8" machete.

Sorry for these short retarded posts :)
Click to expand...

The ESEE Lite Machete is an excellent piece of work, and the only micarta-handled machete on the market without an exposed tang that I know of. The blades are, indeed, identical to the EcoSurvivor, and are supplied by Imacasa/Condor to ESEE. They then laser-cut the tangs to exact spec so the machined micarta scales can be attached securely and without any wobble. I do find that the factory sheath leaves a lot to be desired, so I suggest getting the sheath to an 18" El Salvador machete for it if you go that route.

The 14" El Salvador is a chopping machine and I love the profile of the blade. Looks just like an old Collins. Wish I could get them back in stock, though. You might find someone else who has them kicking around though.
 
I was in a good mood tonight so I went and bought a 14" El Salvador from Amazon. It was only 30 bucks including shipping (sheath included as well).

I need to stop buying knives for a while, I'm on a terrible spree :)
 
Don't forget to post pics when you get it! It's a great blade. I normally prefer 18-24" blades, but that 14" El Salvador is a beauty. :thumbup:
 
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