Cliff,
In an attempt to approach the scientific rigor of your tests, I took my 20" HI Shop 1 Sirupati and 22" Economy Model Barteaux machete to a pile of mixed dried brush I use as kindling, and chopped with a full overhead swing at about 3/4 power. The wood is mixed hackberry, black walnut and Southern catalpa, ranging from less than 1/4" up to 1" diameter. On the 1/4" or smaller pieces, there was no discernible difference in cutting ability - both easily chopped the dried wood. At larger diameters, the machete simply bounces off the wood, impacting it less than 1/4", while the Sirupati with its greater weight and thicker blade easily chops through with a single stroke. Additionally, the raised crosshatched texture on the machete's plastic handle rapidly becomes irritating to the hand when subjected to heavy impacts. On wood this light the Sirupati's horn handle is very comfortable, although its butt has been known to dig into the palm and cause some discomfort when used to chop larger diameter pieces for which it is not really designed.
Berk
