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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
CUSTOM MACHETE Challenge!
- Thread starter Joezilla
- Start date
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- Sep 9, 2005
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Maybe I should start a new one with the results. It won't be all at once. Each entry will be given its own post. Then a final comparison will show the strengths and weaknesses of each design. As machetes go, these are not lightweights. There will be chopping, batoning, and clearing done. Anything bushcraft related that I can think of that one might do with a machete. I will not be skinning any animals.......I don't think. Unless these raccoons keep making me mad.
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amazing stuff. I've handled a similar knife of Farmer's and it took apart a 2x6 in no time at all.
It's surprising to me how close Bruce and I came to in similarity of design. That will be a fun one to watch, it's like giving two makers the same design and seeing how they execute it!
It's surprising to me how close Bruce and I came to in similarity of design. That will be a fun one to watch, it's like giving two makers the same design and seeing how they execute it!
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Yes, I have noticed the same thing, they are like the same "model". I am not expecting any huge differences in performance between those two, but we shall see tomorrow.
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- Feb 6, 2007
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I almost didn't send mine in because of the similarities to Koyote's. Then I got looking at them and they are similar dimesions, but have slightly different shapes. The handle has more curve on my machete. The blade on my machete runs straight from the plung to the belly, whereas Koyote's looks like it curves the whole way from the plunge to tip. Also it appears that Koyotes has a zero ground convex edge and the one I made was mostly flat ground on the platen then convexed some and a secondary edge bevel was put on. I made mine from a 2' piece of steel and decided to use the whole thing balancing out handle length and blade length. Heat treating a 17" blade of 1/8" steel was a bit challenging....
The purple heartwood looks purpler than I remember it
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Ah, I woulda missed it if you hadn't sent your in! Here, I forgot who put up which photos first and was worried everyone would think mine looked too much like yours!
While I love the "make whatever you want" design concepts, it's also fun to see what makers will do with the same basic idea.
I noted to another forum member that we have similar, but not the same, grinds- that we handled the tips very differently, and that both handles are long and adaptable but we still took different approaches to them.
I really like the profile of that tip, too. really sweet, Bruce.
While I love the "make whatever you want" design concepts, it's also fun to see what makers will do with the same basic idea.
I noted to another forum member that we have similar, but not the same, grinds- that we handled the tips very differently, and that both handles are long and adaptable but we still took different approaches to them.
I really like the profile of that tip, too. really sweet, Bruce.
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- Sep 24, 2008
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Well, it is nice that you both are concerned about this and all, but I am sure ALL of us would have been upset had we not seen both of your machetes in this contest. :thumbup:
However similar they may be, it doesn't mean they will necessarily perform the same :thumbup:
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I've been keeping an eye on this for a while, and I have to say that I'm REALLY excited to see these go head-to-head. I admit, though, that I have a soft spot for Rick's forge-finished parang, so I'm going to go ahead and be biased and hope it wins
~Noah
Thanks Noah... seems we have the same tastes in a few areas... I'm a big fan of your sheathwork, bro.
This group looks good. I feel a little blade envy toward the other entries.
I just keep telling myself "Size doesn't matter." ... but with my wife always reminding me that "IT DOES MATTER!" I'm startin to get scaredRick
I'm really liking that Farmer...
:thumbup:
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- Aug 7, 2004
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Man, those are some sweet blades. I almost didn't send mine in...... I am diggin Rick's work and Bill's work. Real SE Asian look to em. :thumbup:
I tried to get close to the pattern of a matulis, a Philippine blade that is a bit different for a machete. It is very pointed, instead of front blade heavy. Wanted to give it a shot and see how it fares.
Good luck all!
Here are a couple of pics of matulis in my collection.
I am diggin Rick's work and Bill's work. Real SE Asian look to em. :thumbup:I tried to get close to the pattern of a matulis, a Philippine blade that is a bit different for a machete. It is very pointed, instead of front blade heavy. Wanted to give it a shot and see how it fares.
Good luck all!
Here are a couple of pics of matulis in my collection.
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- Sep 9, 2005
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Man, those are some sweet blades. I almost didn't send mine in......
I tried to get close to the pattern of a matulis, a Philippine blade that is a bit different for a machete. It is very pointed, instead of front blade heavy. Wanted to give it a shot and see how it fares......
Thanks for telling me what to call it, David. So that's where I saw that blade shape before, in the PI. Heck, that was 43 years ago. I was just headed out the door to test the blades when it started raining. I hope this isn't one of those all day things. Love that Matulis Machete!
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It has begun. In between rain showers today, I gave the Magnussen Parang a workout. In spite of slow loading for all the pictures, I decided that Keep It Simple Stupid was the way to go. No need to search all over for results. Rick's beautiful hand forged Parang works as good as it looks. This beauty was forged from 1/4" 5160 steel. It measures about 3/16" thick at the the middle of the spine with a distal taper. The Blade is 12 3/8" long with an OL of 18". The knife weighs about one pound. The handle is backed with tooling leather, wrapped in hemp, and epoxy soaked. It came with a beautiful leather sheath.
First up was some brush slashing. This is light stuff that requires a little blade speed. The light, fast Parang made short work of small pine saplings, palmettos, vines, and sweetgum suckers.
Here you see the balance point of the knife. It chopped through this Red Bay limb with ease, but my hand was stinging a bit from the impact.
It did a fine job of splitting some smaller wood, but I got it stuck in a larger piece and broke my baton. The knife can take a beating.
More of Marchand's Parang to come.
First up was some brush slashing. This is light stuff that requires a little blade speed. The light, fast Parang made short work of small pine saplings, palmettos, vines, and sweetgum suckers.
Here you see the balance point of the knife. It chopped through this Red Bay limb with ease, but my hand was stinging a bit from the impact.
It did a fine job of splitting some smaller wood, but I got it stuck in a larger piece and broke my baton. The knife can take a beating.
More of Marchand's Parang to come.
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This knife sinks deep into the wood. But I need to find another good baton. In the meantime, I took it out to my "jungle" trail to do some heavier slashing.
The Parang does a number on larger Palmettos, with very little effort. Just a quick snap cut and down they go. It handles the woody stuff well, too. This knife is a joy to use for this stuff. It is light and easy swinging, and with its 12" blade, it carries well. This is an excellent camp machete, among the best I have ever used.
All my pretty Red Bay trees are dying from a blight, so they have to come down. I could use my chainsaw, but this is more fun.
The Parang does a number on larger Palmettos, with very little effort. Just a quick snap cut and down they go. It handles the woody stuff well, too. This knife is a joy to use for this stuff. It is light and easy swinging, and with its 12" blade, it carries well. This is an excellent camp machete, among the best I have ever used.
All my pretty Red Bay trees are dying from a blight, so they have to come down. I could use my chainsaw, but this is more fun.
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Timber! Down it goes. This little camp machete can chop just fine. And the edge is as good as new.
Who would think that this little parang would work so well? I love it. This beauty may be the smallest machete here, but it ain't no cream puff. It truly does work as good as it looks, and that's saying a lot.
Next up: Bill Siegle's awesome bolo. I'm loving this challenge.
Who would think that this little parang would work so well? I love it. This beauty may be the smallest machete here, but it ain't no cream puff. It truly does work as good as it looks, and that's saying a lot.
Next up: Bill Siegle's awesome bolo. I'm loving this challenge.
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- Feb 28, 2007
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Awesome stuff Horndog. I envy your chance to swing all them beauties while cutting and chopping stuff. Surely a dream come true. I had to hang onto my ESEE machete while reviewing the pics....Makes that ESEE look like a truly ugly beast, but 18" of steel in your hands tends to relieve the urge while reviewing this thread! Looking forward t Siegle's debut test!