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Customizing a Machete?
- Thread starter TINGLER
- Start date
MacHete
Hair Cropper & Chipmunk Wrangler
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2000
- Messages
- 2,559
My very first knife mod was on an Ontario machete. I did it all with hand tools. *WHEW!* I dropped the point, much as you describe, with a hacksaw and a couple of files. I chiseled off the grips and replaced them with some pakkawood slabs I had ordered from Atlanta Cutlery. I affixed them with green epoxy putty and peened over some bolt shanks through the existing tang holes. I rough shaped the grip with files, and discovered that laminated birch will splinter when a coarse mill/bastard file is applied across the grain. I slowed down and used finer files angled to the grain and finished with sandpaper.
It wasn't very pretty, but the success of the project was in what I learned, more than what I accomplished. It really is fairly simple. I would just keep it clean, keep it simple, choose good materials and don't rush anything.
Good luck!
(Of course you know you are obligated to post pics of the project, right?)
It wasn't very pretty, but the success of the project was in what I learned, more than what I accomplished. It really is fairly simple. I would just keep it clean, keep it simple, choose good materials and don't rush anything.
Good luck!
(Of course you know you are obligated to post pics of the project, right?)
I cut a Tramontina Bolo so that the blade is now 10". Could have easily modded it to have a more Bowie-type look. I used a drill on the original rivets, and a angle grinder to cut the steel.
About a year or two ago, there was an article in The Backwoodsman magazine about modding machetes into Bowies. The article described soldering a brass guard onto the tang, in addition to shaping a clip point. Unfortunately, I don't remember which issue it was.
The machete was clamped to an outdoor workbench and sprayed with water occasionally. The only areas that got really hot were the areas where the blade was cut, mostly in the tang area. Discoloration only near the cuts.
A dremel with cutting discs would work just as well, and might generate less heat. You can take it a little bit at a time if you're really worried about it.
According to the only data I've ever found, Tramontinas are 1070 steel run in the 48-52 HRc range. Cheap as dirt, plenty tough. Relatively thin and perfect for modding. The more adventurous can even experiment with differential heat treats and such.
A dremel with cutting discs would work just as well, and might generate less heat. You can take it a little bit at a time if you're really worried about it.
According to the only data I've ever found, Tramontinas are 1070 steel run in the 48-52 HRc range. Cheap as dirt, plenty tough. Relatively thin and perfect for modding. The more adventurous can even experiment with differential heat treats and such.