I think the Junglas type knives are super cool and all, I've got a high dollar CS Kukri myself, but won't a simple machete pretty much do the same tasks for much less money? Seems like the Junglas, especially (RTAK too), would be used for machete type chores but would not work as well for batoning big stuff because of the thin blade. I saw a video on Youtube and the Junglas didn't seem to split wood nearly as well as some of the smaller knives with thicker blades. What do you big knife users have to say about this?
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Junglas, RTAK, etc. vs. Cheap Machete
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I do think that my Ontario 12" Cutlass machete can out chop my Junglas. Length, weight, and the flat ground 1/8" thickness adds power to the Ontario.
The cheap handles, lack of a sheath, and lack of an edge make the cheap machete a "fixer upper" in comparison to the Junglas. The Junglas is really made to cut down marijuana and coca plants, for DEA type of agents.
A longer machete can chop well, even better than the Junglas, but the Junglas fits on a small pack, for light fast outings. Good point for Pig sticking on that Junglas. The edge retention is better on the ESEE, my Ontario looses it's edge a bit fast.
The cheap handles, lack of a sheath, and lack of an edge make the cheap machete a "fixer upper" in comparison to the Junglas. The Junglas is really made to cut down marijuana and coca plants, for DEA type of agents.
A longer machete can chop well, even better than the Junglas, but the Junglas fits on a small pack, for light fast outings. Good point for Pig sticking on that Junglas. The edge retention is better on the ESEE, my Ontario looses it's edge a bit fast.
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for pure chopping ability, i prefer my lite machete (it's really just a $12 imacasa blade with micarta handles) since it beats the junglas any day. i still prefer the junglas for a do-it-all blade though. i used to have an rc-5 and bk-2 (actually i'm on my 2nd bk-2) and yes, the thicker blade does split better but the junglas' length wins out in the long run. a 1/4" thick, 10" long knife would be better at splitting but i've held something like that in person and it's too heavy for chopping, or anything else.
see my sig for my becker patrol machete review (i included the lite machete and junglas there too). i'm also in the middle of writing up another review with the bear grylls parang, condor parang, & the cold steel kukri with the lite machete, junglas, and gransfors bruks axe as the "standard". i've only posted it on the esee forum for now but once i'm done i'll post it in the knife review sub-forum here too.
see my sig for my becker patrol machete review (i included the lite machete and junglas there too). i'm also in the middle of writing up another review with the bear grylls parang, condor parang, & the cold steel kukri with the lite machete, junglas, and gransfors bruks axe as the "standard". i've only posted it on the esee forum for now but once i'm done i'll post it in the knife review sub-forum here too.
I know it's not one of the blades you asked about, but I feel the need to contribute anyway...
I got one of the SOGfari machetes (the longer one) and the damn thing chipped on me the first time i used it. I bought it to replace a $8 coleman machete (with sheath) that I bought at a drugstore 10 YEARS before, which served me just fine until I dropped it on the plastic handle, shattering it.
I now have a Harbor Freight machete that I paid under $10 for and it work fine.
I got one of the SOGfari machetes (the longer one) and the damn thing chipped on me the first time i used it. I bought it to replace a $8 coleman machete (with sheath) that I bought at a drugstore 10 YEARS before, which served me just fine until I dropped it on the plastic handle, shattering it.
I now have a Harbor Freight machete that I paid under $10 for and it work fine.
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I know machete's are great tools and all but they break SO easily. I had a sog machete and bent it while chopping down soft wood saplings. complete crap. Personally I like to carry a big chopper that is light weight like the dogfather. the DF can do it all and will never break. The junglas is a nice blade. I use mine alot but it's not my favorite. It's not the best chopper but its probably the best chopper out there for the price and you can use it for a long time and not get tired.
There's nothing like having a solid, reliable piece of steel that you can trust with your life. Pick up a junglas or a Dogfather and you'll have a tool that will last a lifetime and wont fail on you.
There's nothing like having a solid, reliable piece of steel that you can trust with your life. Pick up a junglas or a Dogfather and you'll have a tool that will last a lifetime and wont fail on you.
I know the Junglas, etc., are great knives and all, but I guess my point is whether or not I (or anyone) would be better served with a cheap machete. The Junglas, etc., seem to all be intended to do the chores of a machete rather than a knife, it seems to me, so why spend $150 on them? Don't get me wrong, nothing against spending money on anything a person likes or wants, but do I or anyone else need one? Won't a machete do the same things for less, in other words, or am I missing something?
Please Don't let that turn you off to all machetes. I had a SOG machete and it was also crap. It looked cool, but it was crap. There are good machetes out there, and in my experience they are usually pretty cheap.
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To me this kind of like asking "Do I want this 84 chevy with 200,000 miles or should i go ahead and make the payments on a 2011 ford raptor with a 6.2L?" Course I will make the payments on the brand new truck if i can. I have no idea if I answered your question but i think im going to the ford dealership tomarow lololol.
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sorry but I have to completely disagree with this post... I have yet to break a machete let alone know anyone that has...... I've had high end 'chete's and your run of the mil trams.. I've battoned, chopped, cleared brush, cut sand stone in half and have never broke any of them.. and I tried.. believe me... I have a modified 18"bush tram that I made into a 14" golok that I used exclusively last winter to baton for kindling etc... I tried breaking it in 12F no deal, I'm spliting oak and hickory with it.............. to strengthen this even more, I leave the 'chete on the back porch exposed to the elements.....
even more, after batoning it near death it will still cut paper!!!!! and it just has a robust convexed edge, no magic steel.. just a $6 'chete....OP: junglas and the sorts are nice knives but can no way be compared to a 'chete.. imo
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Yeah, I know, if a person wants it, then get it, sure, but are these knives useful for other things besides just chopping brush? For instance, would you want a Junglas instead of a quality 4-7" outdoors knife for roughing it in the woods, or would it only be good in combination with the smaller knife?
To answer your original question: yes, the machete can and will do an equal or better job for MUCH less money. Just ask Jerry Hossom to chime in on this topic. He'll smile and be the first to tell you that his Ontario 18 inch reprofiled knife would be THE tool he'd take with him as the 'ultimate' survival knife. Many folks won't read this post or listen to the wisdom...they have their minds made up on the Junglas. Do I have a Junglas? You bet, and as a collector I shall keep on checking out the deals on e-bay and such.
The semi-secret is out. A properly tuned machete really is an amazing tool in the bush. My Tramontina has never broken or chipped after six years of use. My 1945 GI Machete has performed equally as well and cuts like a laser. With my reprofiled edges, I can out-chop my seriously sharp battle mistress with either machete on hard or soft woods. You get the greater reach and power with the longer knife...something that takes a bit of work to master, but if you work at it, you'll be amazed what a 6$ machete can do. Like I said, many won't read this or agree with me. Experience is a marvelous teacher. Even my custom choppers of ten inches can't chop as well as my Ontario 18 inch on hard woods. Neither can my kuks or goloks. The thin blade slices so amazingly well that once you see it in action you'll swear you had a laser in your mits. Praise for the machete!
The semi-secret is out. A properly tuned machete really is an amazing tool in the bush. My Tramontina has never broken or chipped after six years of use. My 1945 GI Machete has performed equally as well and cuts like a laser. With my reprofiled edges, I can out-chop my seriously sharp battle mistress with either machete on hard or soft woods. You get the greater reach and power with the longer knife...something that takes a bit of work to master, but if you work at it, you'll be amazed what a 6$ machete can do. Like I said, many won't read this or agree with me. Experience is a marvelous teacher. Even my custom choppers of ten inches can't chop as well as my Ontario 18 inch on hard woods. Neither can my kuks or goloks. The thin blade slices so amazingly well that once you see it in action you'll swear you had a laser in your mits. Praise for the machete!
1066vik
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sorry but I have to completely disagree with this post... I have yet to break a machete let alone know anyone that has...... I've had high end 'chete's and your run of the mil trams.. I've battoned, chopped, cleared brush, cut sand stone in half and have never broke any of them.. and I tried.. believe me... I have a modified 18"bush tram that I made into a 14" golok that I used exclusively last winter to baton for kindling etc... I tried breaking it in 12F no deal, I'm spliting oak and hickory with it.............. to strengthen this even more, I leave the 'chete on the back porch exposed to the elements.....
OP: junglas and the sorts are nice knives but can no way be compared to a 'chete.. imo
Um, I had a new chete snap on me last night -- looks like it had a flaw in the steel and let go while I was clearing overhead branches. On the plus side, I sent an email with a couple of pics to the company last night and had a reply telling me the replacement will be going in out in the mail to me this week. Good customer service and I consider the breakage to be a fluke -- but I still broke one.
Jeff Randal has posted more than once that his favorite blade is a "cheap $6 machete".
He regularly tells people they don't need a Junglas.
He even carried a Junglas on his pack for a few weeks and admitted it's a pretty decent blade - but then he went back to saw, hatchet, & 'chete instead.
actually, yes - the Junglas will do anything I need it to do in the woods. It's not always as easy to manipulate as a 4" blade, but it'll get the job done.
all this said - I can cut down a tree & strip the bark off of it as fast or faster with a golok, parang, or machete than with the Junglas, but I'm not sure I would trust them as much in a long term survival situation because at times the extra strength afforded by a 3/16" thick spine adds that extra margin of peace of mind.
and yes - you can substitute RTAK 2, BWM, Siegle, BK9, etc... in for Junglas and it won't really change my answer.
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Hey, all! I feel the need to chime in...
I love big blades. I'm a big guy, so I can get away with carrying a big blade pretty well anytime I please. And I say, if you're going to carry then carry the biggest blade you can use well. However, a few years back before I knew anything about knives I held the all-too-common misconception that a big blade required a thick spine.
Now, I love my Ontario SP10. It's a great bowie with a 10" blade and a 1/4" spine. It's a thick beast and has tackled everything I've thrown at it. On the same token, I also love my Condor barong machete. It has a 14" blade and a distal-tapered 3/16" spine. I also love my Cold Steel barong machetes, the 12" and the 18" models, both with an 1/8" spine. All of them have been put toward their designed purposes and have handled it quite well.
Lately, I've moved from what I've deemed as 'choppers' and have headed into the machete category. And what I'm finding is that they, if used properly, can perform at least to par with their shorter, thicker cousins. You have to remember to take into consideration the overall length and profile, the beveling, what sort of edge, the balance, the steel, the tempering, and what it is you're planning on using it for. Most importantly, though, remember that market prices don't always reflect quality. More often, prices reflect popularity.
You still get what you pay for. But while I'm not so prone to be found running through the woods with a $150 short sword, I'll be confidently packing my $15 barong.
My two cents!
Take care, all!
Joe
I love big blades. I'm a big guy, so I can get away with carrying a big blade pretty well anytime I please. And I say, if you're going to carry then carry the biggest blade you can use well. However, a few years back before I knew anything about knives I held the all-too-common misconception that a big blade required a thick spine.
Now, I love my Ontario SP10. It's a great bowie with a 10" blade and a 1/4" spine. It's a thick beast and has tackled everything I've thrown at it. On the same token, I also love my Condor barong machete. It has a 14" blade and a distal-tapered 3/16" spine. I also love my Cold Steel barong machetes, the 12" and the 18" models, both with an 1/8" spine. All of them have been put toward their designed purposes and have handled it quite well.
Lately, I've moved from what I've deemed as 'choppers' and have headed into the machete category. And what I'm finding is that they, if used properly, can perform at least to par with their shorter, thicker cousins. You have to remember to take into consideration the overall length and profile, the beveling, what sort of edge, the balance, the steel, the tempering, and what it is you're planning on using it for. Most importantly, though, remember that market prices don't always reflect quality. More often, prices reflect popularity.
You still get what you pay for. But while I'm not so prone to be found running through the woods with a $150 short sword, I'll be confidently packing my $15 barong.
My two cents!
Take care, all!
Joe
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I have a Junglas, BK9 and several other large blades, including kukri's. Nothing out chops and can take abuse like a $8 Tramontina 18" Bush machete. It will work circles around others for the intended purpose.
They usually cost more for you to ship it, than it does to buys it.
Moose
They usually cost more for you to ship it, than it does to buys it.
Moose
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Machetes do chop extremely well and bite deep and if I were in an envirnment like the jungle that had mostly soft woods and foliage I would agree that it is the best tool for the job but I live in kentucky and I would never trust a machete for the hardwoood chopping I do.
It may sound dumb to a lot of people but I usually go hiking with either my Waki Rodent or Scrapizashi and they both can perform all the deeds of a machete and then some. A thin, long blade combined with ridiculously well HT steels is a recipe for chopping success. I can chop through the hardest hard woods with less fatigue that a big chopper because of thw two handed use.
For me a sword is my machete. I just can't trust a thin 6 dollar blade for hard chopping when I've had them fail personally and heard stories of them fsiling on others.
I don't think anyone has ever broken a scrapizashi though
Machete's are great tools but for people like me who live in environments with a lot of hardwoods they may not always be the best choice though I'm sure a good machete will do just fine.
It may sound dumb to a lot of people but I usually go hiking with either my Waki Rodent or Scrapizashi and they both can perform all the deeds of a machete and then some. A thin, long blade combined with ridiculously well HT steels is a recipe for chopping success. I can chop through the hardest hard woods with less fatigue that a big chopper because of thw two handed use.
For me a sword is my machete. I just can't trust a thin 6 dollar blade for hard chopping when I've had them fail personally and heard stories of them fsiling on others.
I don't think anyone has ever broken a scrapizashi though
Machete's are great tools but for people like me who live in environments with a lot of hardwoods they may not always be the best choice though I'm sure a good machete will do just fine.
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I think it's all in the handle. Chop for an hour, you'll get tired and start letting the tool do the work. That's when the handle ergonomics will show. The Ontario 12" machete is a great tool, except the handle is too akward. A handle like the Junglas has had more effort put into it's design and fit and finish. If the handle is slipping all the time, it's not only dangerous, but makes me spend more energy to do the work.
I've said it before, the Junglas is a big knife with a great handle and sheath. I'd like to see a thicker Junglas, well same spine with a different grind. If it were a bit thicker, it would be heavier and chop a bit better, IMO.
I've said it before, the Junglas is a big knife with a great handle and sheath. I'd like to see a thicker Junglas, well same spine with a different grind. If it were a bit thicker, it would be heavier and chop a bit better, IMO.
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Total Fluke
btw, I think I know just what brand Guess I'm lucky I still haven't broke one.. :thumbup:I've chopped red/post oak, hickory, cedar,pine, and black jack, some of these would be considered extremely hard..now if I'm doing some cutting out comes the chainsaw
.. but I like to have fun with a 'chete, and your right I think a sword would be a blast to use... personally I've never had the chance..
maybe I don't value life like I should (and I do) but I'd trust my life to a butter knife if I had to
beside if I did break a 'chete in a survival situation then I have other tools from the broken pieces to help me even more
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So a SOG "machete" failed. Someone mentioned another machete failing, but not the type/brand.
I should go dig up some Jeff Randal quotes where he says a machete is more useful than a junglas, but he won't stop you from spending $100+ bucks.
I should go dig up some Jeff Randal quotes where he says a machete is more useful than a junglas, but he won't stop you from spending $100+ bucks.
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Umm, what about the hundreds of millions of 3rd World farmers on every continent who use a cheap machete every single day of their lives? They can plant & harvest a field, build their home and prep anything from fish to a snake to a water buffalo with a lowly $3 Tramontina machete. Is it really the knife, or the skills that matters?
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No doubt you can do just about anything with a cheap but well made machete. I have owned several different types and brands of machete and just never really liked them. You can buy a Tramontina machete and probably get a decade of use out of it with proper technique and skill and perform all the chores you need it to but for my uses I like my knives to be very stout and good at things other than just chopping or brush clearing. For example, a machete has very little stabbing ability. If you want to pry some wood apart while out on the trail or perform other "non knife" uses a big chopper is more useful than a machete.
It just all depends on what you are raised with. For every person who was raised using a light, thin machete, there is a person who was raised doing similar chores with a stout, heavy kukri.
I know that with the right technique and care a machete is a wonderful tool but I would not trust my life to such a thin blade, especially when I have had them fail in the past and have a very poor ability to hold an edge.
Its all about what works best for you, for some the 6 dollar machete works best, but for me, a $150 9.5 inch bowie made out of S7 that's .27 thick works best.
Im sure we could all get by with $6 machete's and $5 mora's but there are better, tougher options out there for those who are willing to pay. I know I would never pick a mora over my Ratmandu, even though Im sure with the right training it can do all the chores you need it to.