gauging interest in...

S

siguy

Joined
Aug 26, 2006
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I have never really liked these sorts of threads posted here and there, but I will try to correct the things that I generally don't like about them...

I am planning on making a couple of 12" machetes in the near future from some semi-fancy steel that is famous for its toughness, if not for its high RC rating...
I would have Paul Bos do the HT.

price point would likely be under $100 if I were to sell them...

I will make them either way, but I am just curious to know if there would be any interest in buying a custom machete for that much?

I understand that it is hard to want to look any further than the trams or goloks or ontarios or even cold steels, because machetes seem like the sortof thing that is hard to mess up, but is is possible that any of you gents and ladies would be interested in the next step up?

also, and design considerations would be useful.

thanks for all input,
siguy
 
I would be interested in a custom machete , as far as design tips, Mac who post as Pict has some good ideas that he mods on Taramontias.
 
I would be interested as well. If you do any major mods on even an Ontario (Micarta handle, convexed edge, coating removed/polished and a kydex sheath...costs get real close to $100.00.

What's your idea of "semi-fancy"? Simple 1095 or 1065 would be good starting points. Not sure how good 3V or any of the other high-end cutlery steels would stand up to a lot of chopping on a larger blade.

Count me in though.

ROCK6
 
I've got a couple of 18"trams that I've modded and made scabbards for, and generally I use them if I'm going out overnight or longer. They're great for clearing and setting up camp and light firewood duties and are considerably lighter to pack than many big choppers

In that light, I'm not sure how useful a 12" would be to me, personally. Don't take this as a negative, but (for me) machetes are kind of a 'disposable' blade, so a custom would kind of defeat the purpose.

For clearing brush and light chopping, the length and the light springy blade is the machete's advantage over other blade styles.
I haven't used 12" but I plan to order one soon so my opinion may change when I do, but by shortening the blade it'll be stiffer (given the same thickness) which would make it a better chopper but wouldn't slice a swath as well.

I'm not ragging on your idea, just trying to give an honest opinion based on my meager experience using and changing them.

+1 on pict's mods...I've also done a light wood/epoxy scabbard and sanded the blade a little smoother so sap and such doesn't stick to it.

But those are just my rambling thoughts on it: take it for what it's worth.

Go for it, that's how new stuff is born:thumbup:
 
Would these really be like machetes- i.e., made entirely from thin steel with just an edge grind? Or would they be thicker with a real grind and tapers?

I am planning on making a couple of 12" machetes in the near future from some semi-fancy steel that is famous for its toughness, if not for its high RC rating...
I would have Paul Bos do the HT.
Click to expand...

High hardness & famed toughness... Sounds like S5, except off hand I thought that was an oil hardening steel, while Mr. Bos prefers to work with air hardening steels... Will they be S7 or CMP-3V?
 
possum-you hit it on the head. i am planning on using S7 (the steel used for jackhammer bits as i understand it)-which is an air or oil hardening steel. also, i am thinking 1/8" thick with a convex saber grind.

deadeyelefty-those are exactly the reasons i wondered if anyone would be interested. thanks for the points. the disposability is a major point of why they are so popular, and one of my concerns wondering whether a higher price point machete would be worth trying to sell.

in my experience using machetes up north here, i find a shorter length, stiffer blade is good for chopping (in my opinion, on par with small hatchet), while still being good for slashing the grape vines and prickers that we get around here.

about the grips...i was thinking probably micarta, but possibly some kind of plastic.

DOC- i haven't seen those yet, they look very good.
 
Siguy,

Pict uses a machete a lot from what I see in his posts... It would be great to get input from him in the design stage. I would be interested in hearing more....
 
siguy said:
possum-you hit it on the head. i am planning on using S7 (the steel used for jackhammer bits as i understand it)-which is an air or oil hardening steel. also, i am thinking 1/8" thick with a convex saber grind.
Click to expand...

Cool.
I won't have money for toys for at least a couple years, so unfortunately I probably wouldn't get one even though I'm interested in trying a big blade in this steel. But I just thought I might point out that S5 is even tougher at even higher hardness, at least according to everything from the manufacturers. S7 gets to around 57 Rc or so, while S5 is designed to work well (even tougher) at 60-61 Rc. According to the only comparable impact charts I've been able to find, it has more impact toughness at that hardness than L6 does when tempered all the way down to the low 50's, to put things into perspective. FWIW. See here: Latrobe Comparison of tough steels
 
possum, I considered S5 for a minute, but I can't treat that large of a blade myself, and I really want to have Paul Bos do the heat treat, for the sake of knowing that it is pretty much gauranteed perfect, and Paul doesn't do S5...

I PMd pict, and he expressed alot of concern over a really good comfy handle. I think I will focus on the handle alot...maybe make some prototype handles out of scrap wood to play with the contours.

thanks for the comments all
 
I think that if you call it something other than Machete, the $100 cost would be very reasonable for a 12" big knife/chopper.

Do you plan on sheathing it or not?
 
I don't have the ability to make sheaths right now, but I may contact JRE about sheaths in the future...I have heard nothing but good about their service and I like their sheaths.

I think that it could fly as a machete...just like people have the option to buy a $10 bushknife or a $100 bushknife, I think that they might be able to get over the sticker shock of a $100 machete over a $10 machete... just my theory though, I guess it will be tested if I ever sell them.
 
Siguy,

Trust your instincts, don't compromise much, make the best machete on the market. I'll buy one if you do that.....Quality sells. Get Leatherface or Ilbruche to sheath it for you and raise the price even more. Based on my experience in business, thats a winning combination.
 
m, thanks for the advice. i had forgot that ilbruche does sheaths...

another question for everyone;
would you be more likely to carry a short machete in a leather sheath or a kydex rig? in terms of brute practicality i think i would tend towards kydex, especially for places like a jungle where everything gets wet... in my environment i would be set with leather...weight is another consideration.
 
siguy, good choice of steel. S7 is tough and with the low RC of 57, it should do well as a machete. I've tried to find S5 but it's hard to find in barstock. Some steel companies will specialty cut it for you but it's expensive.
Scott
 
Siguy,


I'm up the up the road from you, I like leather too.. I am not sure if you can be forgiven for forgetting that Ilbruche does leather work....:D


mike197.jpg
 
now that i think of it, i suppose a rig like that one for your becker would probably be very handy and well recieved...

i will have to think about it.

i should be getting the steel in about two weeks if everything goes well, so i have a little time to think about things...
 
Those sheaths look great, fine work for sure.

The mods I do on my blades can be done to any machete and aren't really dependant on a custom blade. Its just file work. The mods that I find most useful are: squared back for scraping up tinder, convex edge on the forward chopping part of the blade and a super sharp section near the base of the blade.

On a custom, like I had said via PM, I would expect a better handle. A machete is the ultimate beater tool and to keep costs down most of them suffer in the handle department. The handle I like best on a production machete is found on the Tramontina Bolo. I also like the birds head type handle they do on one I made into a Golok recently. Both of these are very comfortable and secure.

If I were to custom order a machete it would be a 12 inch, forward weighted like a bolo and have a handle that spread out the impact and wedged into
the hand when swung but didn't put all of the force for retention on the pinky. The edge would be a decent convex up front but sweep into a higher, sharper grind near the base. The base gets very little impact and it is easy to work with as it is close to the handle.

That's just me though YMMV. Mac
 
No surprise- I'd be interested. ;)

However - I'm sure others might disagree, but to me, 12" is a camp knife, not a machete. 1/8" is not ideal for a camp knife, but isn't unreasonable if the geometry is right.

By way of precedence - I own a Ricky Fowler machete that I believe I paid upwards or around $200 for. It is essentially the "big brother" to his popular camp knife. I don't have pics, but I will try to get some and post them here. The price tag would not keep it from being a user, but the handle does. It's pretty narrow, and has some corners that sit uncomfortably in my hand. I've been meaning to cord-wrap it, but I haven't yet. :o That said, Mr. Fowler's original edge is still shaving sharp after 5 or 6 years. :thumbup:
 
thanks for all of the input guys-it is very useful.

today i drew up some handle profiles in a spare minute, tell me what you think:

(very very sorry for the bad quality...the scanner won't cooperate so i had to photograph them instead...)

DSCN6316.jpg


DSCN6314.jpg


what do you think?

just by the way, i ordered 1.75" wide steel...
 
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