fighting machetes

[Kwon Kwang]

I've got the The Fighting Machete DVD set. It's pretty good, solid stuff. They talk about a lot of different things you can do with a machete, and it's very educational as well as entertaining. I recommend it.

I've got five Cold Steel machetes. My favorite is the kopis machete, but I also really like my bolo and Latin machetes. The Kopis machete's tang goes all throughout the handle! They're sturdy, but the edges have always been horrible out of box in my experience. Thankfully, machetes tend to be easy to sharpen to a narrow fighting edge. I don't own any other company's machetes, so I won't speak for them, but don't waste your money on a $5 Walmart machete; I've seen them perform laughably poorly.

What kind of fantasy land do you live in? When/where would you be fighting with a machete?

You could ask anyone who practices a weapon-based martial art in a peaceful country the same thing, so I don't think that's a fair thing to say.

I would suggest condor over cold steel (but I have issues with the owner of Cold Steel due to his love of slaughtering game for sport) (I am a hunter, and use ALL parts of the animal not just the frackin head)

Lynn might hunt for sport, but he doesn't waste any part of the animal; he donates the meat to local communities. As these are often places where good food is scarce, I consider Lynn's hunts to be a very positive thing.

 

[SamuraiDave]

I have several Imcasa machetes.
My most often used is the 14" bolo, it looks like a duckbill. Lots
Lots Of thin steel out front if you wanted to grind
It into a 14" clip point and sharpen it like a Bowie.
I use the back side for roots and grubbing around.

I also have a 36" Imcasa Latin machete. Incredible power with those swings, but you need a LOT of room to work with it.

I'd go with inexpensive and trick it out yourself. More fun that way.

 

[painkilleraz]

I've got the The Fighting Machete DVD set. It's pretty good, solid stuff. They talk about a lot of different things you can do with a machete, and it's very educational as well as entertaining. I recommend it.

I've got five Cold Steel machetes. My favorite is the kopis machete, but I also really like my bolo and Latin machetes. The Kopis machete's tang goes all throughout the handle! They're sturdy, but the edges have always been horrible out of box in my experience. Thankfully, machetes tend to be easy to sharpen to a narrow fighting edge. I don't own any other company's machetes, so I won't speak for them, but don't waste your money on a $5 Walmart machete; I've seen them perform laughably poorly.



You could ask anyone who practices a weapon-based martial art in a peaceful country the same thing, so I don't think that's a fair thing to say.



Lynn might hunt for sport, but he doesn't waste any part of the animal; he donates the meat to local communities. As these are often places where good food is scarce, I consider Lynn's hunts to be a very positive thing.

I was unaware of that, I have never been a fan nor promoter of trophy hunts period. I am sure you understand why as a hunter. Yes its nice to grab a boone and crockett ranked buck, just saying...it gets under my skin. Purely an individual thing (cold steel products are quite solid)

 

[Surfingringo]

Most violent encounters involving machetes occur in areas where the environment dictates light or minimal clothing that's fairly easily slashed by a sufficiently sharp blade, but it's truly incredible just how much defense against a cut even something like a medium-weight hoodie provides. If heavier clothing is a potential concern then you'd need greater rigidity and a keen point in order to pierce rather than slash. Not a task well suited to most machetes with their fairly thin stock and/or broad blades.

They also usually involve alcohol. Believe it or not, machete fights still actually occur from time to time on this planet. The best place I know of to catch one is a latin american banana plantation on Saturday night. I have never seen anything like that but one of my best friends grew up on one of these plantations. He is a great story teller and has recounted tales of watching grown men fighting with machetes (numerous times). "Mae, tirando CHISPAS!!" he has said, which translates to "Bro, they were throwing SPARKS!". He said that the fights would often end with one of the two men gaining an advantage and then beating the other into submission with the flat of the blade. Doesn't sound very fun but I reckon it beats the hell out of the alternate ending if you are the loser. Anyway, that is my anecdotal contribution to the "fighting machete" thread. OP, if you like I could go try to find one of the guys and ask him what brand of machete he was using and see if he thinks its an important question. heheh

 

[fmendez]

They also usually involve alcohol. Believe it or not, machete fights still actually occur from time to time on this planet. The best place I know of to catch one is a latin american banana plantation on Saturday night. I have never seen anything like that but one of my best friends grew up on one of these plantations. He is a great story teller and has recounted tales of watching grown men fighting with machetes (numerous times). "Mae, tirando CHISPAS!!" he has said, which translates to "Bro, they were throwing SPARKS!". He said that the fights would often end with one of the two men gaining an advantage and then beating the other into submission with the flat of the blade. Doesn't sound very fun but I reckon it beats the hell out of the alternate ending if you are the loser. Anyway, that is my anecdotal contribution to the "fighting machete" thread. OP, if you like I could go try to find one of the guys and ask him what brand of machete he was using and see if he thinks its an important question. heheh

The above is also true in the Caribbean and sugar plantation, where everyone carries a machete and when women and alcohol mix the chispas fly.
Any sharp machete used for work will do. I have met guys with deep scars in the arms with the reputation of pulling out the machete for any transgression

 

[Cobalt]

Tramontina and Condor make very good machetes.

Oh and cold steel makes lots of cool machete shapes in 1055 which is very tough. They have bolos and kukri machetes.

 

[marcinek]

LOL.....okay, did you seriously remember all of his posts, or did you actually go back and look all of them up again?

...

I'd like to suggest that you and the rest of the "neighborhood watch" look up the Brady Bunch episode where Bobby becomes a crossing guard and gradually assumes authority he never had over people he had no business exercising it.

I know and see everything. If people started accepting that, things around here would run much more smoothly.

I'd like to suggest to you that you look up any of the Brady Bunch episodes where Jan whines "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" endlessly. Much like you, she is protesting over nothing.

No one is trying to assume authority over anyone. They are making valid points, e.g.:

Have people fought with machetes? Will they now and in the future? Yes.

Have any of them ever watched or will they ever watch a Cold Steel Fighting Machete video? No.

Has anyone reading this thread, or will anyone reading this thread get in a machete fight? No.

Can you "train" by waving a machete around the rec room, while making "wu-shaaa" noises while watching a chubby guy in bicycle shorts? Yes.

If you do that, does it matter what machete you use? No.

 

[AmosPaul]

You can conceal a knife, but how do you carry around a machete for self-defense/fighting in North America?

 

[Surfingringo]

Can you "train" by waving a machete around the rec room, while making "wu-shaaa" noises while watching a chubby guy in bicycle shorts? Yes.

Ahhhhhahahahah....I cannot stop laughing!!!

 

[K.O.D.]

When the zombie hoards are roaming your neighborhood you'll be wishing you had watched the machete fighting video and bought a wicked awesome fighting machete too!!!![emoji57]

Why have I not heard of this? Is it a new show on TLC? What do zombies hoard? Please do tell!

All kidding aside, a machete makes a poor fighting tool. Just get yourself a claymore and call it a day.

 

[USS Worden 352]

+1 on the claymore idea

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Just get yourself a claymore and call it a day.

 

[Bigfattyt]

There are a few custom machete makers on here.

I have a CS magnum Khukri machete. It is a good value. If I had to fight with it, I would (reluctantly).

I'd probably rather have one of their royal Khukri machetes with the guard.

Watch a video and train with the machete? Sounds like fun.

I would recommend hand and head/face protection.

The great thing about machete fighting training? For a trainer, just grind the edge and point off the same model and go. Of course, a solid wack with a blunt piece of steel can still break bones and cause injury. Proceed with appropriate care/caution.

It will be a much less espensive pastime than Japanese, European, or Asian sword training for sure.

I my self train regularly with my son's with light sabers.

By train, in mean wacking each other with toys. It quickly shows you that it can be hard to block/avoid blows from untrained kids (as I am completely untrained in the art of light Saber fighting).

Also, when I try and force push them, it only works if I yell "force push" and then they fall backwards.

It will come in handy if I ever get in a real fight with a sword or light saber!



Honestly, we have so much fun, I am contemplating getting some Cold Steel trainers, like the boken, and eaisters, but they may be too heavy got the boys, and more importantly, I don't want them to get hurt.

 

[BlackKnight86]

I know and see everything. If people started accepting that, things around here would run much more smoothly.

Maybe for Harvey the Rabbit.....you see things that are not there; and you interject your own assumptions, seemingly to give you an opportunity to make speeches.

To wit:

No one is trying to assume authority over anyone. They are making valid points, e.g.:

Have people fought with machetes? Will they now and in the future? Yes.

Have any of them ever watched or will they ever watch a Cold Steel Fighting Machete video? No.

Has anyone reading this thread, or will anyone reading this thread get in a machete fight? No.

Can you "train" by waving a machete around the rec room, while making "wu-shaaa" noises while watching a chubby guy in bicycle shorts? Yes.

If you do that, does it matter what machete you use? No.

The OP never asked about fighting with machetes...that was your assumption based on the Cold Steel video. But Kwan Kwang is right....just because people want to learn about something doesn't mean any more than exactly what it says: it doesn't mean he's actually going to fight with a machete. It doesn't mean he's going to carry one around. All it means is he's interested in learning something; and he wants a quality tool to go along with it. Could he use a cheap model? Sure. For that matter, he could use a wooden stick. But he wanted a good Latin style machete; and he specifically said that. Providing him tips on which Latin style machete or alternate grind/blade styles may/may not have additional fighting applications is helpful. Attempting to alter his wishes without being asked? Unhelpful. Pointlessly reporting on other knives he's asked about in other threads with no useful context? Unhelpful. Choosing the opportunity to once again reiterate your dislike of the manufacturer or product he is buying without being asked? Unhelpful. Things would run more smoothly around here if you would either answer the questions as people ask or refrain from interjecting.

The scenario is pretty basic: a member is thinking of buying an instructional video and wants a quality subject blade to go with it. If you think he'd benefit from additional information, then ask him if he'd like to hear it instead of presuming that you know best.

 

[marcinek]

Things would run more smoothly around here if you would either answer the questions as people ask or refrain from interjecting.

Here's some advice for you I read once.

I'd like to suggest that you ... look up the Brady Bunch episode where Bobby becomes a crossing guard and gradually assumes authority he never had over people he had no business exercising it.

 

[Ross99]

An aggressive machete or two along with standard patterns at akiblades.com

 

[painkilleraz]

I know and see everything. If people started accepting that, things around here would run much more smoothly.

I'd like to suggest to you that you look up any of the Brady Bunch episodes where Jan whines "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" endlessly. Much like you, she is protesting over nothing.

No one is trying to assume authority over anyone. They are making valid points, e.g.:

Have people fought with machetes? Will they now and in the future? Yes.

Have any of them ever watched or will they ever watch a Cold Steel Fighting Machete video? No.

Has anyone reading this thread, or will anyone reading this thread get in a machete fight? No.

Can you "train" by waving a machete around the rec room, while making "wu-shaaa" noises while watching a chubby guy in bicycle shorts? Yes.

If you do that, does it matter what machete you use? No.

Ahhhhhahahahah....I cannot stop laughing!!!

Agreed total win...

 

[painkilleraz]

I know and see everything. If people started accepting that, things around here would run much more smoothly.

I'd like to suggest to you that you look up any of the Brady Bunch episodes where Jan whines "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" endlessly. Much like you, she is protesting over nothing.

No one is trying to assume authority over anyone. They are making valid points, e.g.:

Have people fought with machetes? Will they now and in the future? Yes.

Have any of them ever watched or will they ever watch a Cold Steel Fighting Machete video? No.

Has anyone reading this thread, or will anyone reading this thread get in a machete fight? No.

Can you "train" by waving a machete around the rec room, while making "wu-shaaa" noises while watching a chubby guy in bicycle shorts? Yes.

If you do that, does it matter what machete you use? No.

Ahhhhhahahahah....I cannot stop laughing!!!

Here's some advice for you I read once.

And win

 

[BlackKnight86]

Agreed total win...

And win

LOL......

"Please, Mr Marcinek, sir......tell us again that story where you slayed the nube horde while feeding vittles to the starving orphalines!"

 

[SurpriseGoat]

My favorite machete style is barong. Used throughout histroy as both a tool and a weapon.