fun alternatives to the common machete

Take a look at the Phillipino Marine Ginunting. Only military-issued combat sword in the world I believe. It is made for jungle brushwork and for combat. 'bout $200.
 
+1 for the ginunting design in general. A lot of Filipino and Southeast Asian blades seem designed and constructed to pull double-duty.
 
This:

brushthinner_TM.jpg


IMHO, it is flat out ASTONISHING how efficient this Billhook inspired design is for machete work!
Gerber or Fiskars, definitely the MOST fun you could have out in the woods with a tool.... Wait, I take that back..... SECOND most fun ;)

:jerkit:
 
hmmmm... well don't I look silly!
Guess the noob can't put an image up here.... :grumpy:
 
I was using a Cold Steel kukri machete for quite a while, then I picked up a Bark River Golok. Really nice chopper for the size.

But... I just decided this week to throw down the cash for a Swamp Rat Waki. Should get it in a few weeks. :D :D
 
I was going to post that Fiskars/Gerber bill hook. I've worked a lot with machetes, and mine were as traditional as they come:

pangaza.jpg


The machete/panga is ideal for tropical/subtropical vegetation, but IMHO too thin for cutting wood in the temperate climate zone. This is where the bill hook enters the picture: you seldom need to clear a whole new path, in which case you need a saw and axe anyway, but lighter clearing can be done with a one hand bill hook that can deal with saplings and young trees up to 5 inches. There's a two hand bill hook as well, that makes it very ease to mow down small trees, but it's not ideal for cutting down big trees. The blade gets stuck, it's not an axe, period.

If you like to have a point in your tool, a smallish kukri can do what a bill hook does, and stab too! I was looking for a versatile SD tool in the large knife / small sword size bracket, and got this:

pangafox.jpg



Fox Light kukri, 16 3/4", very comfortable handle and light to swing. It's great for wood chopping, but for my specific SD purposes (see here) I would take the one in OP.
 
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