chopping wood and limbing knife

Based on my own limited experience I can only recommend a Khukuri. I've never handled a machete I enjoyed chopping with, but again I've had limited experience. These new-fangled chopping machetes are something I haven't had the joy of using yet.
 
There are some Busse Basic 11's on the exchange right *NOW*. About .252 inches thick and respirine C handles for comfy chopping.
 
HI M43 khukri on the heavy end
Condor Golok or 18" El Salvador on the light end
Busse on the expensive side of things.
 
You might want to check one of these out:

CTK412-17HC_2.jpg


It's a parang by Condor. It's a 1/4" thick and it's heavy.
 
Don't understand why you'd want or NEED something that heavy, the Bolo and Kukri are both PLENTY thick for durability and weight.
 
shangchi108 said:
You might want to check one of these out:

CTK412-17HC_2.jpg


It's a parang by Condor. It's a 1/4" thick and it's heavy.
Click to expand...
That looks pretty cool. Are they already out? I would love to get it and the bolo and kuk but I'll have to wait for money and somewhere that has all of them.
Condors are priced so nicely.

The basic 11 would be a possibility in the 260 range but not at the prices there on the exchange. I don't have the money either way but for the right price I might find it.
 
I did a chopping comparison between a Carbon V Trailmaster, a Becker Brute and a 12" Ontario machete. All freshly sharpened. The Ontario was convexed. 15 chops with each blade on the same oak log. I did this 3 times starting with a different blade each time. The Ontario outchopped the others all 3 times. Deeper cut and bigger chips. I was very surprised to find the much cheaper blade was the best chopper.--KV
 
I'll 2nd what many have said here already. Look for something tip heavy like a kukri or a bolo machete, parang, golok, barong, panga, etc.
 
It will also depend on what your chopping..Type of wood makes a GREAT difference.

I have used a Ranger RD-9 and a Battle Rat(as well as almost everytype of custom and production knife you can think of--and I have the Debt to prove it)

A Machete will be damaged by Mesquite wood--- real fast

type of Knives I test---EVERY MONTH(Not BOASTING-Just showing I'm not giving an opinion based on a few knives used)

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To outchop a RD-9 and Battle Rat--you need something like the Top 3--
or a Good Kukri
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But a good axe will outchop all of these....

The hard part is finding the Right knife for your hand...

Well--it's not hard---it's EXPENSIVE.

Let us know what you get...
 
Since you seem to be open to kukris as well as knives, then I'd suggest you look at the links in my signature and gaze at the Himalayan Imports products. Some can be way up in the huge and heavy (4 pounds) range, and some are well under two pounds.

If you want a more machete like blade, you have the Sirupate line, for heavier work you have the M43 line (which may be right at, or a little over your weight desires), and the Chitlangi splits the middle quite well.

But there's so many kukris and knives they offer, just look at the pics, and then email Yangdu (the owner of HI), tell her what you want it to do, what models caught your eye and she can recommend a good starting point, and tell you if she has any in stock.
 
ESEE Junglas or Lite Machete?

I was never a big fan of the machete, always looked at it as a jungle tool. I was wrong. I used my Lite Machete last night to process some limbs after sawing them down. With a little practice on making the blade work for you through speed and not brute swinging force you can do some real work.
 
What happened to the Makers Matchete chop-off thread, did they ever all get tested ?
 
William

What is that siegle bolo you have? It looks awesome. Thanks for all the great info guys.
 
It may not have the heft to meet your needs, but for the size the Bark River golok is one mean fast little chopper.

Overall length: 16.775 Inches
Blade Length: 11.1 Inches
Cutting Edge: 10.775 Inches
Steel: 1080-C @ 54rc rc
Steel Thickness: .224 Inch
Weight: 17.125 Ounces

Here it is (top) next to a custom from Bruce Culberson.
IMG00019-20100411-0641.jpg
 
William, what do you have wrapped around your Outcast? Is it VetWrap, or some sort of grip tape?

PayetteRucker, I'm not William, but I'll give you a little run down of mine.

I have an Outcast that I haven't used as much as I should (it was an impulse buy 2 Christmases ago at Sportman's Warehouse). I had it thinned and sharpened and the back squared by Siguy, here on the forums. It is greatly improved by being thinned out. D2 and a recurve is a huge challenge for my meager sharpening skills though, which is why I haven't used it too much. I think it would be problematic for me to sharpen in the field. Have you had luck field sharpening it, William?

Overall I think it's a great design, especially for the money, and shows Ken Onion's skills. It's pretty well balanced and does great at de-liimbing. Using it as a pull knife is not always great because of the recurve, which tends to push the blade to the side. It's light enough to be effective for lighter foliage, ala machete. It has enough forward weight for it to cut beyond what a straight edged 10" blade could, and it would be ideal for making shelters quickly (as in you're racing the sun). I think it would be very effective for butchering, but I haven't tried it for that. I have used it in the kitchen a little and it does okay for that, although I think I might like it even thinner toward the handle for a finer edge for food processing, feather sticks, etc. The kydex sheath is a good one and a steal for the price of this blade plus a good sheath (some people have had problems with the attachment system, but so far mine's held together just fine. I have noticed some minor rusting with it, and I had hoped that D2 would be a little more stain resistant that that, but that's not a big deal at all and easily remedied with a little mineral oil.

My verdict is still out on the handle, which is thin, but so far hasn't caused any problems. I have a feeling it'll eventually fail, at which point I'll try to find someone to do some fat G-10 or micarta scales for it.
 
 
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