Got a new Martindale

Bill Siegle

Bill Siegle

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Messages
6,955
Just got this in from Daren Cutsforth. It is a British military pattern machete. This is one tough blade!!! It tapers from 3/16 at the tang to 1/16 at the point. The blade is 15inches long and it's 20 1/4 overall. The scales are polymer with 5 copper harness rivets holding to a full tang. Of course it comes with a standard factory edge(not very sharp) so I fired up the Bader and convexed the edge. Judging the steel's reaction to a file and the grinder, I would say the heat treat is just fine. It cuts easy enough with a file but not too easy :) To me this machete feels like a great compromise machete between a light swinger and a heavy chopper. It also came with a nice leather sheath. I may in the future make a kydex sheath for it as that's my personal preference. Can't wait to get it out to the woods give it a workout :D
 
Cool. Being a custom maker has some great perks when you get a new blade with a os-so edge huh?! ;)
 
I'm mostly into knife making for the groupies but there are a few other perks :D
 
That is the standard bolo design, nice blade for harder wood working but poor handle design. Tramontina makes a nice one as well.

-Cliff
 
I like the handle design. It's plain and simple,but there are no sharp corners and it works for me no matter how I hold it. Remember this is a military issue item not a custom piece. From a tax payer standpoint it's perfect. The soldier gets a great blade and with very simple construction and the tax payer isn't wasting money. I have had a lot of other blades that cost a whole lot more that needed their handles reshaped before they were worthy of use.
 
That isn't cheaper than designs with contoured handles like the regular bolo from Martindale or Tramontina which look like :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/camillus_bush_hog_bolo_bm.jpg

which has a slight forward guard, swell for the hand and end hook for security and comfort to drive from. the standard Martindale bolo is the same :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/martindale_long.jpg

After using the valiants for awhile I modifed the Martindale to have a similar handle :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/martindale_bolo_handle_mod.jpg

you can then grip back around that, and the wrist angle is reduced, way more comfortable in extended work but a little less secure..

-Cliff
 
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