Bolo/machete blade material

thedmasterr

thedmasterr

Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
347
I'm looking to get myself a big blade. Finally :). I'm looking through various condor bolos and a few others along those lines but I am hung up on the question of blade material. 1095 or 420HC? 420 makes me nervous and I wonder if it will be able to withstand some serious chopping. This blade is going to get A LOT of use and I don't want to take it out, accidentally hit a pebble or tough trunk, and have the blade be irreversibly damaged.

As always, I bring the question to the experts :) Advice?
 
Actually Condor uses 1075, not 1095. You won't notice any performance difference, though. The 420HC is good stuff--the stainless Condors are the only stainless machetes I trust. I've beaten the snot out of my Viking and Bush Knife models and never gotten so much as a chip, rolled edge, or bend. The real question is how important is corrosion resistance to you?
 
Well I plan on using it in the mud, muck, and rain so I'd say moderately important. I always clean and dry my blades and, if need be, oil them after intense use.
 
I say give the 420HC a try. Remember that Condor does offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you send in the product with a copy of the receipt they'll refund your purchase price. You've got nothing to lose. :p

Seriously, their 420HC is some pretty impressive stuff. It holds up VERY well in my experience. :thumbup:

The 1075 is great for field sharpening (literally takes one or two swipes on a stone to get it STUPID sharp) but if it's going to be in a mucky environment then you may find you enjoy not having to worry about cleaning it off so much when you get home.

ETA: I also forgot--I also own the Combat Machete in 420HC. It's been a great performer also.:cool:
 
People have done serious chopping in the mud, muck, and rain with Trams and Martindales for quite a long time. The vast, vast, vast majority of those people have never given a second thought to the metallurgical properties of the steel in their machete. And yet they seem to do OK with them.

I wouldn't worry about it either.
 
marcinek said:
People have done serious chopping in the mud, muck, and rain with Trams and Martindales for quite a long time. The vast, vast, vast majority of those people have never given a second thought to the metallurgical properties of the steel in their machete. And yet they seem to do OK with them.

I wouldn't worry about it either.
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While the better you treat and take care of your gear,the better it will perform and longer it will last,in the field you sometimes just get a bit rough.Give it the ole tire test and if it withstands that well,it will withstand most you will do with it
 
thedmasterr said:
1095 or 420HC? 420 makes me nervous and I wonder if it will be able to withstand some serious chopping. This blade is going to get A LOT of use and I don't want to take it out, accidentally hit a pebble or tough trunk, and have the blade be irreversibly damaged.
Click to expand...

I doubt it. Basic machetes are used by millions of people every day for everything from clearing fields, agriculture, fire prep, home building to skinning the odd beast or two. You aren't going to be able to think of anything to do to a real machete that hasn't been done by generations of people throughout the world.
 
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