Bolo Machetes Compared

Horn Dog · Jul 27, 2008

Rat Finkenstein said:
A bit off topic, but what belts do you use to reprofile and sharpen your machetes? I have one I need to fix up.

I just got some new 80 grit "Blue Zirconia" belts from Lee Valley. These fine German-made belts remove a lot of stock quickly without much heat. They don't load up badly and they last longer than most belts. I use these for setting the new edge profile until I get a wire edge along the entire edge. Then I switch to 3M finishing belts in 80 micron (180 grit), 40 micron (320 grit), and then a final finish in either 15 or 9 micron (1200 grit). I either do final leather strop or just pull the edge through a piece of wood to remove any slight burr or wire edge left.

Magnum22 · Jul 27, 2008

dammit horn dog, my knife drawer is packed as it is. it doesn't need me cramming in a bunch of blue handled machetes.

Horn Dog · Jul 27, 2008

Magnum22 said:
dammit horn dog, my knife drawer is packed as it is. it doesn't need me cramming in a bunch of blue handled machetes.

I am not a secret agent for Condor. Honest. But if they offered me a sales position, I'd take it and drive a Condor Company van full of all their models to your house. Cash or credit, Magnum?

Magnum22 · Jul 27, 2008

tomorrow's my advanced accounting final exam. last exam before i complete my MBA. i just spent the last half hour daydreaming about what "credit" and "debit" actually mean as they always just meant left or right column to me. please refrain from using accounting terminology. i'd prefer to debit my knife inventory and credit gratitude.

Horn Dog · Jul 28, 2008

Good luck, Magnum. That credit/debit thing always seemed backwards to me anyway.

Rat Finkenstein · Jul 28, 2008

Horn Dog said:
I just got some new 80 grit "Blue Zirconia" belts from Lee Valley. These fine German-made belts remove a lot of stock quickly without much heat. They don't load up badly and they last longer than most belts. I use these for setting the new edge profile until I get a wire edge along the entire edge. Then I switch to 3M finishing belts in 80 micron (180 grit), 40 micron (320 grit), and then a final finish in either 15 or 9 micron (1200 grit). I either do final leather strop or just pull the edge through a piece of wood to remove any slight burr or wire edge left.

thanks for the info. :thumbup: