Love for the Machax

J

JWL

Joined
Jul 20, 2010
Messages
800
I live in Maine, and last week we had a tropical storm with hurricane force winds blow through. We had a dead tree come down in the driveway. Why was a dead tree within striking distance of the driveway? Well, because the power lines (and Internet cables) were running through it. The power company came by a few years ago and lopped off the top of the tree, which killed it. Incredibly, when it came down in the storm, it did NOT bring any wires with it. Astonishing.

I was delimbing it to cut it up with my bowsaw into logs for the firepit, and I thought it might be a good opportunity to do a once-and-for-all test of my beloved Machax (still my go-to woods knife, if I can only have 1 I want this one) and my RBK, which I really haven't' been able to wrap my head 'round as easily.

Beckers-Machax-Reinhardt-Kukri-storm-Nov-2017-cropped.png

Both blades made short work of the limbs. Clearly the RBK has both mass, leverage, and physics in general on its side and it packs a much greater wallop. But, I was surprised at how much the Machax held its own. I'm sure this is because I have many more hours with the Machax in my hand than the RBK, but with good technique (knowing the sweet spot and the snap cut) I actually seemed to get more done, with way, way, WAY less fatigue, than the RBK. I have a Kabar Machax btw, not the thicker Cincinnati model (I'm looking at you, Bladite.... ;-p ).

Yep. If I get one knife, gimme my Machax..... RBK is a brute though, and I still love my BK16 for smaller stuff. But I still use my BK15 the most, in my kitchen....
 
I also like the 4. If it weren't for the 9, it would be my favorite, haha.
 
That was quite a windy night! We had a hemlock come down that was about 18” at the base. It stood about 16 feet from the house, fortunately it fell directly away from us.
 
I agree, the 21 hits harder and bites deeper but it is bigger and heavier to carry around and it is more tiring to use. I can swing the 4 and the 9 all day.
 
Interesting comparison. I’m probably in the same boat as you; as much as I love the looks of the 21, I just don’t know if the performance over the 4 is worth the extra weight when I’m packing it into the wilderness. The Machax seems to be the right balance of weight vs. chopping ability for me.
 
Both the 4 and 21 are two of my favorites. The 21 works well letting the weight of the blade to do a lot of the work . You don't have to try to hit a home run with every swing . Sharpened good they are both pretty amazing. The 4 for sure is a better take along the 21 IMO rules the camp :D
 
JWL- preach it!!!

I am madly in love with the Machax. If 100 years from now, Ethan is remember for only one design, i'd bet the Machax is it, if for another other reason than because it's the most unique of his designs and is awesomely functional.

Ethan's got the BK9, which I'd guess will still be in production in another 100 years, but ultimately, it's just a big knife. It's well balanced and a great all arounder so its performance makes it stand out, but there's nothing particularly unique about a 9" clip point, with a high saber grind. His iteration is better than most, but it doesn't stand out as unique on its face.
BK16 is probably my most used Becker knife. The ergos and blade shape are amazing. But a 4" FFG drop point... again, not unique.

Now, let's look at the BK4/Machax. Offset blade to handle, with forward weight distribution from the "belly" portion close to the tip, clipped point, saber ground, and flat spine? I mean really, the knife is a stroke of genius and is not comparable to anything else out there.

It's got chopping power from the snap cut, makes a hell of a draw knife, the tip can drill, the recurve can pull cut with the best of them. Of course that awesome Becker handle isn't unique among Becker knives, but compared to the rest of the knife world, it's a sterling example of everything a comfortable grip should be. It's a totally unique and in my mind, unparalleled as an all around woods tool.

I sold my BK9s and kept the BK4. All hail the Machax. The brilliant, quirky, unfailing workhorse that is the Machax.
 
Well said 19-3ben. As I have posted before, I have nearly all Beckers (no 3 or 29) and my favorites and most used are a Cincy Machax, and the BK6. If I've got work to do around the property the Machax is on my hip. Love it.

i-BvBs8QL-X2.jpg
 
Can't top your preachin, there, 19-3ben! Agreed on all counts, the 4 is my favorite Becker design.
 
I got one BK 4 and I'm keeping it along with my extra BK9s because why get rid of extra good tools just because you got more than one?
 
the current RBK has reach and cut and if you convex it, is pretty damn good

i can't speak to the KaBar Machax. i don't use it.

however, the older Machax, the originals, chrome or phosphate, are not like the new stuff. those i can speak to. good good good stuff.

i pop a lot of branches with a Fiskars, or a couple other axes, all day long. heavy knives are great, but well, trees. there you go.
 
Bladite said:
however, the older Machax, the originals, chrome or phosphate, are not like the new stuff. those i can speak to. good good good stuff.
Click to expand...
Why were the KA-BAR models not made to the same specs then?
 
The Warrior said:
Why were the KA-BAR models not made to the same specs then?
Click to expand...

well.

i'm sure there were reasons?

i heard a lot of potential explanations; like "we can't get that thickness in 1095 right now"...

and there was a design up to add "swedges" on the spine (not full thick square) [Hey Tooj!], might have been a good idea at t he time, but ...

and ... stuff... cut outs in handle? really? that takes more time/money/costs-more at what benefit? seems like more breakage in other lines, but why bother?

can't speak for the why's and where'fores or for Ethan, but i didn't like it. nope.

the end result was something for me that was too thin, and couldn't even baton well. i gave up on it.

judgement: a KaBar BK4 is a thing but it's not a MachAx. two different beasts:
one is light and whippy (more like a warrior/machete); one is a proper bushcraft tool.

maybe in a few years, we get a MachAx again? time will tell.
 
The only old/thicker machax I've held is yours at the NE Beckerhead gathering a couple years back.... I agree it feels different. I'd have to spend more time with it, and if a thicker machax is ever produced again I'd probably pick one up for sure. I do like the Kabar thinner profile, maybe not as good at batoning or chopping but more nimble in the hand for me than a thicker blade. A BK2 thick BK4 seems like it'd be too much to carry around most of the time. At that point I might as well just grab the RBK, you know? Again I need to spend more time.

I did convex my machax (and my RBK), and it took me a while to dial that process in and get the edge to something I could live with. And I agree I'm not a fan of the swedges, I actually kind of flattened mine down a bit, enough that I can baton with it without thinking about it.
 
the walnut handled machax i have from Ethan is a full .253 thick :D it's awesome

i wish i could have handle the THICK RBK prototypes, but those "vanished". alas.
 
I like all of the Beckers and particularly appreciate the handles - designed for longer use sessions providing proper purchase without hot spots - brilliant if you asked me.

That said, and with appropriate respect and loyalty to Becker knives, many are a lot like other knives, different, better in a utilitarian sort of way, but similar nonetheless.

Then, there's the BK-4. It's different; there's no other like it that does what it does. The BK-4, along with the BK-16 is about all a woodsman could ask for.
 
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