- Joined
- Aug 21, 2011
- Messages
- 775
I'm going to use my new Machax to make a walking/hiking stick. Between my real work and time I spend in the shop it seems i rarely get out to use any of my knives so this undertaking is going to be a real pleasure! Unloaded my wheeler, loaded up cooler, lunch and Machax, ready to head up the mountain.
After a 10-12 mile ride up out of the 95 degree valley to about 7000 feet elevation and 70 degree temperatures I found a candidate for my stick. You can't tell from the picture but there was very little swinging room for the Machax. Not a whole lot more than just wrist chopping. No matter. Once i found the sweet spot the Machax made quick work of it
I dragged my stick out into the open for some limb removal at which the Machax excelled. No hero chops clearing the whole side of the stick in a single blow, but measured chops somtimes two per twig to remove them without chopping into the body of my stick. It worked slick and a few additional chops to knock down the the big bumps and I was ready to work on my draw knife technique
I found a natural workbench and set up shop there
The Machax is a born draw knife. Couldn't get a pic of the hold i had on the knife but picture this. I was wearing gloves and I had the heel of my left palm on the fat part of the ax part of the blade and my right hand on the grips, with the knife laying flat of course. As I began to strip the bark off i discovered how good this thing is! The sweet spot being the center of the recurve it is also the narrowest part of the blade. This some how makes it easily controlable for angle of attack and thus depth of cut. I han all the bark off in a jiffy and was having so much fun I had to stop myself before my stick looked like a pile of pencil shaperner waste.
Eventually I got my stick home safe and sound. I wired it to a 2x4 to dry. Hopefully it will dry nice and straight.
Stay tuned for the next episode of Machax made stick. I have some real surprises in store, this is going to be one pimped out stick !
After a 10-12 mile ride up out of the 95 degree valley to about 7000 feet elevation and 70 degree temperatures I found a candidate for my stick. You can't tell from the picture but there was very little swinging room for the Machax. Not a whole lot more than just wrist chopping. No matter. Once i found the sweet spot the Machax made quick work of it
I dragged my stick out into the open for some limb removal at which the Machax excelled. No hero chops clearing the whole side of the stick in a single blow, but measured chops somtimes two per twig to remove them without chopping into the body of my stick. It worked slick and a few additional chops to knock down the the big bumps and I was ready to work on my draw knife technique
I found a natural workbench and set up shop there
The Machax is a born draw knife. Couldn't get a pic of the hold i had on the knife but picture this. I was wearing gloves and I had the heel of my left palm on the fat part of the ax part of the blade and my right hand on the grips, with the knife laying flat of course. As I began to strip the bark off i discovered how good this thing is! The sweet spot being the center of the recurve it is also the narrowest part of the blade. This some how makes it easily controlable for angle of attack and thus depth of cut. I han all the bark off in a jiffy and was having so much fun I had to stop myself before my stick looked like a pile of pencil shaperner waste.
Eventually I got my stick home safe and sound. I wired it to a 2x4 to dry. Hopefully it will dry nice and straight.
Stay tuned for the next episode of Machax made stick. I have some real surprises in store, this is going to be one pimped out stick !
