Machax- what's the deal?

The late Cinci era Machax is the best all around big camp knife I have ever designed.....I have found that the stuff I REALLY, REALLY wanted one of have been the best tools.....This is a design I had a lot of emotional investment in....I really, really wanted a great combo of the kookrie and the WWII bolo style.......I loved the weight and style of the kookrie but hated the steel, the tiny uncomfortable handles of the ones I owned and of course the sheaths sucked.....The Case Bolo had great steel, good balance and a handle that fit me quite well and was my constant companion on many a trip for maybe 15 years....I used it around my 8 acres in Cinci for making kindling and as a principal weapon in my constant war with the dreaded bush honeysuckle.....A marvy tool it is.....As you can see from Moose's picture that as time has passed the Machax has evolved and, the newest iteration will, I think, give us the best yet.......The best run of Cinci blades was right about .221 thick and had the best "slice" of all and the best balance.....Laser cutting the blades gives us the ability to adjust balance in ways I could not even dream of in the early days.....For the first time there will be protos in multiple thicknesses so that we will be able to get the very best combo of weight, slice and chop....Frankly I have been drooling in my beard in anticipation, alternating with abusing Tooj about getting a move on and begging piteously when the abuse didn't work.....He has too many years on me in the martial arts to threaten him with violence.....The plant has assured him that soon come.....It has been a long wait......Methinks that it will be worth it......

A Machax, a tweener and a SAK Rucksak and there won't be much you can't accomplish comfortably and efficiently pretty much anywhere off pavement.....

All Best....

ethan
 
Ethan, is there any way to tell when mine was made? Or anything else about it?

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IIRC, I bought it back in the early '90s from a dealer in Toronto, Ontario, who I believe, had it for awhile.

It is by far the best knife I ever owned. It has served me very well. A friend of mine bought the Camillus version, but I didn't like it as well. The other thing I really like about it is the handle. It feels a way better than my KaBar BK-2 and my Camillus BK-7. Different material and it makes a huge difference.

The only bad thing that ever happened to it (so far :rolleyes:) is one time, on a canoe trip, a buddy and I went to hang food and I left it with my daughter and her friend, till I got back, and she tried to chop some rock with it (accidentally, I guess - the rock was hiding below some fire wood) - broke my heart, temporarily, as the dings came out, no problem. Needless to say, although I love my daughter, I now would lend her my Linders short machete. :D

Doc
 
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Hey Doc.....

You have one of the very best....Cinci era with an industrial hardchrome finish, Estaloc scales and made during the last one or two runs.....Those and the runs just prior to it are the ones I am most proud of.....I almost got those right.....

BTW you have a very discerning hand......The Estaloc DOES have a "friendlier" feel and it was an absolute nightmare from a production stand point....It tended to shrink and twist in VERY interesting and unpredictable ways when it came out of the mold....It was plenty tough and I too liked it's feel but I learned to hate it.....

I agree with you about the Camillus version.....We went too thick and the blade geometry got upgefucht and the balance went haywire too.......I keep a Camillus made Machax in my tool box on my Kubota RTV and it reminds me all the time of the error of my ways.....The upcoming Machax I think you will like even better than your current one........

All Best....

ethan



What I am predicting is that with the handle cut outs we may want to end up at around .188 in thickness but, until metal meets hand we really will not know......If I am right about this we will end up with a slightly lighter, slicier blade with about the same balance as the best of Cinci and a serious winner all the way around....Dammit I am drooling again......

All Best.....

ethan
 
A lot of info and history on this thread, now there are 3 things I can't wait for to come out, a Machax, a tweener and a SAK Rucksak...
 
Ethan Becker said:
BTW you have a very discerning hand......The Estaloc DOES have a "friendlier" feel and it was an absolute nightmare from a production stand point....It tended to shrink and twist in VERY interesting and unpredictable ways when it came out of the mold....It was plenty tough and I too liked it's feel but I learned to hate it.....
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experimentally, i've put some of the new KaBar canvas micarta onto one of the old (#20 according to the writing on the tang) phosphate bronzed Machax, and we'll see how that works.

the Estalocs on that model fit like a charm, of course, being hand fitted it seems :) there's a touch more belly on that model in the grip area, so the micarta is a smidge too small there, thus exposing the belly a little. might need to wear gloves.

you'll be pleased to note though that the bolt pattern is spot on though, so the new handle fit just fine.

however, i think that after a couple hours of use, my amusement way wain and that i'll put the Estalocs back on :>

love me that hardchrome but some TI coating would be lovely :)
 
JV3 said:
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Hey, sharpen up the edge on that thing, toss on a little micarta, and you're in business! Macheyboard anyone?

I'd love to get a hold of a proper big chopper, my current machete is really crappy. Looking forward to this puppy coming out.
 
I'm looking forward to the new Machax - it was the only model I didn't pick up during the Camillus era, and based on Ethan's comments looks like I made the right decision!
 
Daniel L said:
I'm looking forward to the new Machax - it was the only model I didn't pick up during the Camillus era, and based on Ethan's comments looks like I made the right decision!
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you coulda gotten an old one too :)

i've heard good things about the camillus one when thinned out
 
This is why I try not to come here anymore, you're going to end up costing me so much money! I was thinking "Meh, I don't really want a Kukri designed blade" but I just HAD to stumble onto Toooj's post about the new Machax. Thanks to you I'm already coming up with excuses in my head to justify the purchase. I hate you all!

In all seriousness though, I would like to see this being compatible with the Micarta scales that fit the rest of the lineup, I could see that being quite handy for a lot of people. Also, any word on what kind of sheath it's going to come with?
 
EBHM4 said:
This is why I try not to come here anymore, you're going to end up costing me so much money! I was thinking "Meh, I don't really want a Kukri designed blade" but I just HAD to stumble onto Toooj's post about the new Machax. Thanks to you I'm already coming up with excuses in my head to justify the purchase. I hate you all!

In all seriousness though, I would like to see this being compatible with the Micarta scales that fit the rest of the lineup, I could see that being quite handy for a lot of people. Also, any word on what kind of sheath it's going to come with?
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well, you could cut out a single food item from your diet. the savings would let you buy a Machax! think of it like a tithe :) and if you choose wisely (like happy meals), it could have health benefits :>

all full size Beckers will fit the full-size micarta, of course, i believe that's a Basic requirement that Ethan has. period :) even the 30 year old stuff fits the new KaBar micarta acceptably :) i'm surprised anyone has to even ask at this point :)

sheath? geez, way too early! congrats! you win the early bird award :) goto the iTunes store and download one of the free versions of Angry Birds if you have an iPhone that is :> heh. the Machax sheath has evolved so much over the years. Who can say? by virtue of its design, it has a fairly straight cross-section of sorts, so a long but wide sheath does that job. the best every sheath imho was the Eagle Industries version. that would cost a lot by today's standards, so who can say. would someone pay extra for a premium sheath?
 
Good advice Bladite, I'll consider that, but instead of cutting food, I just won't buy the textbook for one college course next semester. That will probably save me enough to buy two Machaxes! And good news on the Micarta, I'm definitely going to want some of that on there. As for the sheaths, yeah I would probably pay extra for a Kydex sheath or some other premium sheath.
 
This is what I really like about the Becker forum. People like Ethan, Doug Ritter, Jerry Fisk, etc. will pipe up and just lay down pure gold in a post. :thumbup:
It sounds like I may be trading in my Camillus user Machax for a Ka-Bar version. An unnamed vortex of Beckerness already claimed my Cinci version.

Ethan Becker said:
The late Cinci era Machax is the best all around big camp knife I have ever designed.....I have found that the stuff I REALLY, REALLY wanted one of have been the best tools.....This is a design I had a lot of emotional investment in....I really, really wanted a great combo of the kookrie and the WWII bolo style.......I loved the weight and style of the kookrie but hated the steel, the tiny uncomfortable handles of the ones I owned and of course the sheaths sucked.....The Case Bolo had great steel, good balance and a handle that fit me quite well and was my constant companion on many a trip for maybe 15 years....I used it around my 8 acres in Cinci for making kindling and as a principal weapon in my constant war with the dreaded bush honeysuckle.....A marvy tool it is.....As you can see from Moose's picture that as time has passed the Machax has evolved and, the newest iteration will, I think, give us the best yet.......The best run of Cinci blades was right about .221 thick and had the best "slice" of all and the best balance.....Laser cutting the blades gives us the ability to adjust balance in ways I could not even dream of in the early days.....For the first time there will be protos in multiple thicknesses so that we will be able to get the very best combo of weight, slice and chop....Frankly I have been drooling in my beard in anticipation, alternating with abusing Tooj about getting a move on and begging piteously when the abuse didn't work.....He has too many years on me in the martial arts to threaten him with violence.....The plant has assured him that soon come.....It has been a long wait......Methinks that it will be worth it......

A Machax, a tweener and a SAK Rucksak and there won't be much you can't accomplish comfortably and efficiently pretty much anywhere off pavement.....

All Best....

ethan
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So, I've briefly used my 9, which chops wood like a champ. I also find that it's big enough I can use it like a plain in some tasks. (bark removal, crating kindling) Or can tap it with a baton for some light work. I'm actually amazed how agile that big blade is... I was carrying my 2 the other day and had no fewer than 14 different things I used it for. I tapped the BBQ lid vent because it was too hot to touch, then I used it to move around the food (these are all pics on the cooking contest, props to clambake on that btw) Used it to re arrange my cheap grill because the rack wasn't even. And so on. And so on.

But it's the questions that I think are going to kill me: What's going to be the better chopper? Better buy a machax, cause now I have to know...

And how many MORE things can I use the BK-2 for? I've got a list going, but where am I going to find zombies...?
 
Ethan Becker said:
The late Cinci era Machax is the best all around big camp knife I have ever designed.....I have found that the stuff I REALLY, REALLY wanted one of have been the best tools.....This is a design I had a lot of emotional investment in....I really, really wanted a great combo of the kookrie and the WWII bolo style.......I loved the weight and style of the kookrie but hated the steel, the tiny uncomfortable handles of the ones I owned and of course the sheaths sucked.....The Case Bolo had great steel, good balance and a handle that fit me quite well and was my constant companion on many a trip for maybe 15 years....I used it around my 8 acres in Cinci for making kindling and as a principal weapon in my constant war with the dreaded bush honeysuckle.....A marvy tool it is.....As you can see from Moose's picture that as time has passed the Machax has evolved and, the newest iteration will, I think, give us the best yet.......The best run of Cinci blades was right about .221 thick and had the best "slice" of all and the best balance.....Laser cutting the blades gives us the ability to adjust balance in ways I could not even dream of in the early days.....For the first time there will be protos in multiple thicknesses so that we will be able to get the very best combo of weight, slice and chop....Frankly I have been drooling in my beard in anticipation, alternating with abusing Tooj about getting a move on and begging piteously when the abuse didn't work.....He has too many years on me in the martial arts to threaten him with violence.....The plant has assured him that soon come.....It has been a long wait......Methinks that it will be worth it......

A Machax, a tweener and a SAK Rucksak and there won't be much you can't accomplish comfortably and efficiently pretty much anywhere off pavement.....

All Best....

ethan
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Cool. I have my old red Rucksak in the closet, so I'll just wait a bit now.:)
 
Must have scissors.
Change Rucksak to Outrider. :D
 
"A Machax, a tweener and a SAK Rucksak and there won't be much you can't accomplish comfortably and efficiently pretty much anywhere off pavement....."

So, with apologies to Nessmuk, can we call this the Becker Trio? A chopper, field knife, and fine knife; same sort of idea.
 
marantz said:
"A Machax, a tweener and a SAK Rucksak and there won't be much you can't accomplish comfortably and efficiently pretty much anywhere off pavement....."

So, with apologies to Nessmuk, can we call this the Becker Trio? A chopper, field knife, and fine knife; same sort of idea.
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Good call:thumbup:
 
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