Hi, I'm back. Thanks a lot guys, for the great info! The first thing that I did last night after logging out was to go to Wal Mart and buy one of those "fingers over the blade drawl sharpeners." Smith makes one for Wal Mart that has two tungston carbide blades that come together like sizzors that you lightly slide across the blade. I don't like that fact that you have no choice of sharpening angle, but it got my El Salvador import machete roughly shaving sharp (good for briars, not chopping). It seems like this kind of sharpener is perfect for field use AND kukris, bolos, and other beer bellies. Anyway, back to the main subject.
In my experience, machetes work fine for occasional or short strings of briars off the beaten path as long as they are sharp. Otherwise the swing gets pretty tiring when that dull blade brushes them aside as they give to come back and bite ya. (And that's from someone who is used to practicing w/machetes w/o a partner and twirling sticks w/one)> BUT the longer ones are great for getting the cut ones out of the way w/o letting the springy briars rake the hands. The one thing that I noticed when hackin black berries and such is that the belly at the end often cuts even though the rest of the blade acts like a stick while slashing w/a drawl. The beer bellied LTC Kukri is all bellie, so I thought , WOW! This is perfect except for the short range! Then Rugger shared his experience, (that I can identify with when using pocket knives at times caught w/o the right tool), of that S-shaped CS LTC pulling those barbs across his hands. This is one reason why I've liked the 24-26" blades over 18". A 12" Kukri would be more likely to cause this problem while limiting its use for moving briars w/out gloves. While IMHO the bellie might cut them more efficiently, yet at higher risk. The CS LTC is the same weight as my 24" machete 17oz., and might do what I need it to do when camping (I'll use a large axe at home). And that's choping medium sized limbs that I can't break for firewood and crab apple limbs & such that sometimes get in the way of where no man has gone before, here in the WV, PA, & MD forests.
I like the points that some of you have made about blade thickness vs. wt. vs. wedging vs. chopping. Give and take w/ any tool. To me for my use, light weight IS important as long as there is a reasonable amount of usefulness for chopping dry deadfall 3-5" diameter. Anything that is bigger, well I'm hoping that my idea of tying two handles to a regular chain saw blade might work, but I guess an experiment is due. The CS gurkhas are might too expensive for me and don't have as much belly that would make them a good slasher for briars, but looks like it would pull about all of what it would not cut toward you IMHO. I got to use a friend's old 1950's vintage bolo once and imediately fell in love with that ol puppy. It cut and chopped better than a ginsu on steroids through tin cans. So well an edge did it hold that I'm guessing that the steel might have been from the German mines back then. Ahhh, those were the days...Sorry about the flashback. From what happened to KELT34, I don't know if CS would be the best choice in an edge-holding, light weight, beer bellie after all. The imports from SA that I've used have been "better than bad, not good," so I'm hesitant about the imports that you have mentioned to be quite frank. But I'll take your word and check out HI's forum and get more info befor making a judgement. After all, $15-40 loss isn't the end of the world if it doesn't work, but I want the right tool first time around if we're gonna spend $70+ for a CS LTC. Thanks to ya all for all yur info. Ps: RUDY, how can I find out more about the Sirupati?
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"But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he that hath no sword let him sell his garment and buy one." Luke 22:36 & John 3:18
[This message has been edited by EQUALIZER (edited 16 August 1999).]
In my experience, machetes work fine for occasional or short strings of briars off the beaten path as long as they are sharp. Otherwise the swing gets pretty tiring when that dull blade brushes them aside as they give to come back and bite ya. (And that's from someone who is used to practicing w/machetes w/o a partner and twirling sticks w/one)> BUT the longer ones are great for getting the cut ones out of the way w/o letting the springy briars rake the hands. The one thing that I noticed when hackin black berries and such is that the belly at the end often cuts even though the rest of the blade acts like a stick while slashing w/a drawl. The beer bellied LTC Kukri is all bellie, so I thought , WOW! This is perfect except for the short range! Then Rugger shared his experience, (that I can identify with when using pocket knives at times caught w/o the right tool), of that S-shaped CS LTC pulling those barbs across his hands. This is one reason why I've liked the 24-26" blades over 18". A 12" Kukri would be more likely to cause this problem while limiting its use for moving briars w/out gloves. While IMHO the bellie might cut them more efficiently, yet at higher risk. The CS LTC is the same weight as my 24" machete 17oz., and might do what I need it to do when camping (I'll use a large axe at home). And that's choping medium sized limbs that I can't break for firewood and crab apple limbs & such that sometimes get in the way of where no man has gone before, here in the WV, PA, & MD forests.
I like the points that some of you have made about blade thickness vs. wt. vs. wedging vs. chopping. Give and take w/ any tool. To me for my use, light weight IS important as long as there is a reasonable amount of usefulness for chopping dry deadfall 3-5" diameter. Anything that is bigger, well I'm hoping that my idea of tying two handles to a regular chain saw blade might work, but I guess an experiment is due. The CS gurkhas are might too expensive for me and don't have as much belly that would make them a good slasher for briars, but looks like it would pull about all of what it would not cut toward you IMHO. I got to use a friend's old 1950's vintage bolo once and imediately fell in love with that ol puppy. It cut and chopped better than a ginsu on steroids through tin cans. So well an edge did it hold that I'm guessing that the steel might have been from the German mines back then. Ahhh, those were the days...Sorry about the flashback. From what happened to KELT34, I don't know if CS would be the best choice in an edge-holding, light weight, beer bellie after all. The imports from SA that I've used have been "better than bad, not good," so I'm hesitant about the imports that you have mentioned to be quite frank. But I'll take your word and check out HI's forum and get more info befor making a judgement. After all, $15-40 loss isn't the end of the world if it doesn't work, but I want the right tool first time around if we're gonna spend $70+ for a CS LTC. Thanks to ya all for all yur info. Ps: RUDY, how can I find out more about the Sirupati?
------------------
"But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he that hath no sword let him sell his garment and buy one." Luke 22:36 & John 3:18
[This message has been edited by EQUALIZER (edited 16 August 1999).]
