- Joined
- Jun 23, 2018
- Messages
- 326
Thanks, all good to know. I probably wouldn't have attempted it without input from you guys. If I do ever get time to get it going, I'll post up pictures, disaster or not.
-
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.
Photos Finetuning a couple of Condors
- Thread starter kwackster
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2018
- Messages
- 326
http://imgur.com/gallery/LpzPeoo
I didn't take off as much plastic, but a little bit of contouring makes a big difference. It feels good in the hand, but I'll have to put it to work before I know for sure. I hit one spot with a little torch lighter for just a second but it smelled really bad for a long while. My Mora Companion was useful for digging out some of the index finger groove. If only I could shave off carbon steel so easily. I still have some fat, obtuse edged Condor machete blades to reprofile.
I didn't take off as much plastic, but a little bit of contouring makes a big difference. It feels good in the hand, but I'll have to put it to work before I know for sure. I hit one spot with a little torch lighter for just a second but it smelled really bad for a long while. My Mora Companion was useful for digging out some of the index finger groove. If only I could shave off carbon steel so easily. I still have some fat, obtuse edged Condor machete blades to reprofile.
That's looking much better already 
I also tend to work in relatively small increments, and handle/use the parang/machete i'm working on often to avoid taking off too much material.
What works well & relatively fast for hand reprofiling obtuse edges on machetes is either a good quality basterd file or a coarse diamond file.
Especially a diamond file works quite fast because in contrast to a steel basterd file it can cut in all directions so you can use scrubbing motions, which speeds up the work quite a bit.
Examples:
On this Cold Steel Black Bear machete i reprofiled & sharpened the factory edge as well as the swedge to an arm hair shaving sharp ~30 degrees inclusive edge with just a 120 grit diamond file i got from E-Bay:
And on this Cold Steel Magnum Kukri machete i reprofiled the existing edge and made a sharpened back edge, both @ ~30 degrees inclusive with the same 120 grit diamond file:
I also tend to work in relatively small increments, and handle/use the parang/machete i'm working on often to avoid taking off too much material.
What works well & relatively fast for hand reprofiling obtuse edges on machetes is either a good quality basterd file or a coarse diamond file.
Especially a diamond file works quite fast because in contrast to a steel basterd file it can cut in all directions so you can use scrubbing motions, which speeds up the work quite a bit.
Examples:
On this Cold Steel Black Bear machete i reprofiled & sharpened the factory edge as well as the swedge to an arm hair shaving sharp ~30 degrees inclusive edge with just a 120 grit diamond file i got from E-Bay:
And on this Cold Steel Magnum Kukri machete i reprofiled the existing edge and made a sharpened back edge, both @ ~30 degrees inclusive with the same 120 grit diamond file:
Finetuning the Eco Golok machete a bit more ( it's in use practically every week):
Shifting the sweet spot a tiny bit towards the handle & creating a useful point at the same time:
Lowered the edge angle of the already convexed edge a hair more to just above 25 degrees inclusive on a Foss green silicon carbide stone with WD40 as a lubricant (and so far it holds up):
Sculpted the handle hook just a little bit more and also took some more material off the handle end, so the machete fits even bit better in my rucksack:
Overall view:
Shifting the sweet spot a tiny bit towards the handle & creating a useful point at the same time:
Lowered the edge angle of the already convexed edge a hair more to just above 25 degrees inclusive on a Foss green silicon carbide stone with WD40 as a lubricant (and so far it holds up):
Sculpted the handle hook just a little bit more and also took some more material off the handle end, so the machete fits even bit better in my rucksack:
Overall view:
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2018
- Messages
- 326
Awesome! I've been looking for an eco goloc or eco parang for a while now, no luck, so i recently picked up a speed bowie. I shaved down my bushcraft parang handle the same way, and I'll do the speed bowie handle the same way when i get to it, my favorite handles. I convex the edges at more of an acute angle too. Good stuff.Finetuning the Eco Golok machete a bit more ( it's in use practically every week):
Shifting the sweet spot a tiny bit towards the handle & creating a useful point at the same time:
Lowered the edge angle of the already convexed edge a hair more to just above 25 degrees inclusive on a Foss green silicon carbide stone with WD40 as a lubricant (and so far it holds up):
Sculpted the handle hook just a little bit more and also took some more material off the handle end, so the machete fits even bit better in my rucksack:
Overall view:
Condor Parang & Kukri Machetes' reshaped handles
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
- Messages
- 575
Yes, the Eco Golok is discontinued sadly. Also the Speed machete and more of those with that excellent polypropylene handle. It's mostly wood and micarta now regarding Condor machete's. And the prices are up also.
Interesting design, the Eco Golok with a clip point...
Interesting design, the Eco Golok with a clip point...