Heavy-bladed, Light-handled Wilderness Chopping Knives

[bearthedog]

Coote- I think you have a fine tool there already. How about a Tramontina with a 12" blade?
It weighs about 11 oz and is easy to modify.

OR

Mod another Tramontina

-RB

 

[fmajor007]

Here's my go-to big chopper- Swamp Rat Battle Rat. A great blade in a great sheath...

This thread did finally push me over for my first machete though- ordered the Mora 333 from 42 a little bit a go. I have a mental block that machetes aren't for the Northeast...we'll see!

What a beautiful sheath!!! Did you make it yourself?

 

[coote]

You know Bearthedog, you are quite right.

I have perfectly adequate tools already. And although I do hold the romantic idea that one knife might do all, my experience has taught me otherwise.

Here's a hastily gathered selection to cover all options. From the top:

• Medium duty chopper (hatchet fitted with a longer handle for safety and more swing)
• Prybar (old tyre lever)
• Light chopper/utility. A fine bit of steel in this Tramontina.
• Spear and utility blade. A shortened Cold Steel Bushman.
• Hunting multi-purpose companion with a home-made polypipe sheath.
• Excellent pocketknife

 

[bearthedog]

You know Bearthedog, you are quite right.

I have perfectly adequate tools already. And although I do hold the romantic idea that one knife might do all, my experience has taught me otherwise.

Here's a hastily gathered selection to cover all options. From the top:

• Medium duty chopper (hatchet fitted with a longer handle for safety and more swing)
• Prybar (old tyre lever)
• Light chopper/utility. A fine bit of steel in this Tramontina.
• Spear and utility blade. A shortened Cold Steel Bushman.
• Hunting multi-purpose companion with a home-made polypipe sheath.
• Excellent pocketknife

Looking at your tools, I can't think of anything that couldn't be done with them.

If I was going to stay in the bush in New Zealand, I would take a Tramontina 12" or 14" machete, SAK, and maybe a light fixed blade and feel at home. Places in NZ I've hiked seems like this trio would be fine, but I haven't been to Nelson.


Looks like you got what you need.

-RB

 

[coote]

Yep, got what I need. It doesn't stop me wanting something new though.

You'd like Nelson I think.

 

[bearthedog]

Yep, got what I need. It doesn't stop me wanting something new though.

You'd like Nelson I think.

I hiked in Wellington, Turanga, Bay of Islands, and been to Fiordlands, Auckland, Dunedin, Christchurch, and Napier! Loved them all, I don't think I would feel any differently about Nelson. The people in NZ are the nicest I have met anywhere!

-RB

 

[coote]

Nelson has a lot to offer. We are on the coast, but only a short distance from mountains and wilderness. There is some reasonable hunting to be had, and there are always fish to catch in the sea or the rivers. I don't bother with trout fishing because a licence is required and I'd rather fish in the salt water for free. But people travel here from other parts of the world to catch our trout. They often release them too !!

Here is a photo taken a short distance from our home:

This is the area where I've done a lot of trapping and small game hunting:

This is the Island where I've spent a lot of time in the outdoors:

But beauty can be found anywhere. So can nice people. And as you've probably already found out, it takes a nice person to recognize and appreciate these qualities.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I like that shortened Bushman! They should make one like that stock!

 

[coote]

I should have bought the smaller Bushman which was available at the time.

I like these simple knives. I shortened mine because it simply didn't need to be as long as it was. It now fits in its original sheath a whole lot more securely too. The Bushman would be well near the top of the 'if I had to pick just one knife' list. Tough and useful.

I've posted this photo several times before, but in case you haven't seen it, this was the most exciting thing I've used the Bushman for. This was before it was shortened:

 

[rpn]

What a beautiful sheath!!! Did you make it yourself?

That is a sheath done by Sierra with Koyote Knives. Was for one of his larger blades and fits my BR perfectly... carries like a much smaller knife. I believe she does custom work and you can contact her via their website- koyoteknives.com

 

[coote]

Hey Bearthedog, how long is that modified (golok-shaped) Tramontina? 18" blade? It looks like quite a chopper.

Thanks in advance.... Coote.

 

[bearthedog]

Hey Bearthedog, how long is that modified (golok-shaped) Tramontina? 18" blade? It looks like quite a chopper.

Thanks in advance.... Coote.

It has a 13" long-blade now.

How did you get your hands on a 10" bladed Tram? We here in the US can only get 12" and up. I do have a 10" bladed Tram, but had to get it in Peru years ago. Are they more standard there?

-RB

 

[coote]

I think I was fairly lucky to get that 10 incher. I found a company that specialises in supplying goods to the Pacific Islands, and when I enquired they just happened to have some of these short machetes in stock. I bought several and passed some on to family members. Some time later a friend was looking for a knife like this, so I told him about the same company. However he ended up buying a 12 incher because it seems that the 10 inch machetes were not in stock.

Here is a link to the company: http://www.robinexports.co.nz/

Heck they were cheap. I think they were around NZ$7 each. And I marvel at the steel in them.

I guess if people can only get 12 inchers, then it isn't a total disaster. They can soon be modified.... and the extra 2 inches might be an advantage anyway. But the small ones are nice.

I bought my machetes at a time when I was looking for a decent blade to split an animal carcass down through the backbone. I'd learned on this forum that someone had seen a hunting guide in Alaska splitting a moose down the center by batoning a hunting knife through the spine. I can't recall the name of the person now..... but if he's reading this, I want to say thank you for one of the best tips I've ever been given.

Shortly after receiving my machetes I butchered nine sheep for a friend. Whereas in the past I might have used a cleaver or a saw to split the backbone, I was delighted with the clean job done by the batoned machete. Generally sharp bone chips will be created when a cleaver is used as a chopper (when I use it anyway), and a saw creates bone grit which is unpleasant in the mouth... and I believe it can add a tainted flavor to the food sometimes. Plus it is hard work driving a saw down through an animal, and it is hard to keep the cut in a straight line.

But the machete made a beautiful clean cut with virtually no chipping. And the edge looked perfect still after the job was done (I'd honed it to be slightly convex). Here's a picture I've posted before:

 

[bearthedog]

I think I was fairly lucky to get that 10 incher. I found a company that specialises in supplying goods to the Pacific Islands, and when I enquired they just happened to have some of these short machetes in stock. I bought several and passed some on to family members. Some time later a friend was looking for a knife like this, so I told him about the same company. However he ended up buying a 12 incher because it seems that the 10 inch machetes were not in stock.

Here is a link to the company: http://www.robinexports.co.nz/

Heck they were cheap. I think they were around NZ$7 each. And I marvel at the steel in them.

I guess if people can only get 12 inchers, then it isn't a total disaster. They can soon be modified.... and the extra 2 inches might be an advantage anyway. But the small ones are nice.

I bought my machetes at a time when I was looking for a decent blade to split an animal carcass down through the backbone. I'd learned on this forum that someone had seen a hunting guide in Alaska splitting a moose down the center by batoning a hunting knife through the spine. I can't recall the name of the person now..... but if he's reading this, I want to say thank you for one of the best tips I've ever been given.

Shortly after receiving my machetes I butchered nine sheep for a friend. Whereas in the past I might have used a cleaver or a saw to split the backbone, I was delighted with the clean job done by the batoned machete. Generally sharp bone chips will be created when a cleaver is used as a chopper (when I use it anyway), and a saw creates bone grit which is unpleasant in the mouth... and I believe it can add a tainted flavor to the food sometimes. Plus it is hard work driving a saw down through an animal, and it is hard to keep the cut in a straight line.

But the machete made a beautiful clean cut with virtually no chipping. And the edge looked perfect still after the job was done (I'd honed it to be slightly convex). Here's a picture I've posted before:

Great story and photo, proof that a good machete will do most anything in the bush.

-RB

 

[coote]

I've been thinking about the thickness of Tramontina machetes.

My ten incher is around 0.078" thick.... just a tad under 2 millimeters.

Are the larger machetes made from the same 2mm stock? Or are some of the larger ones thicker?

How thick is that modified one of yours RB?

 

[bearthedog]

I've been thinking about the thickness of Tramontina machetes.

My ten incher is around 0.078" thick.... just a tad under 2 millimeters.

Are the larger machetes made from the same 2mm stock? Or are some of the larger ones thicker?

How thick is that modified one of yours RB?

I can't be sure about the thickness of mine, but yes, they are thicker than the smaller ones with wood handles.

The South American bought ones with plastic handles have a uniform thickness throughout.

-RB

 

[coote]

Hmmmm. Thanks. A guy could buy a Tramontina with a 20 inch blade, cut it to 10 inches long.... then use the offcut to make a decent hunting knife. All you'd have to do is grind it to shape and drill a couple of holes for the handle scales. If it was too hard to force a high speed steel twist drill through it, you might be able to bore a hole using an abrasive burr on a Dremel tool. The temper should be pretty much ideal, and if it was kept cool while grinding it should not be affected.

This would be a remarkably cheap way to supply yourself with two very useful cutting tools.

 

[coote]

Dang. I just phoned Robin Exports. They quoted me NZ$6.98 for a 16" Tramontina, and NZ$11.95 for a 24 incher. There is possibly also a sheath available for the 16 incher that will cost around 7 or 8 bucks. I think I will have to buy them.

They also told me that they have a shipment of shorter machetes coming.... due in July. This shipment should include 12" and 10" models.

Although I love nice custom knives etc, you simply can't beat these Tramontinas for price. You get a lot of usefulness for very little cost. Amazing.

 

[bearthedog]

Dang. I just phoned Robin Exports. They quoted me NZ$6.98 for a 16" Tramontina, and NZ$11.95 for a 24 incher. There is possibly also a sheath available for the 16 incher that will cost around 7 or 8 bucks. I think I will have to buy them.

They also told me that they have a shipment of shorter machetes coming.... due in July. This shipment should include 12" and 10" models.

Although I love nice custom knives etc, you simply can't beat these Tramontinas for price. You get a lot of usefulness for very little cost. Amazing.

Good deal. keep us posted with plenty of pictures.

-RB

 

[coote]

Aye. Will do.