Machete/Bolo recommendations?

I'm waiting for a #3 to arrive. Going to have some fun cleaning it up and reshaping the blade a little bit.
Hatchetjack...thanks for the tracing.
 
love the Bolo the best. I have one that I have carried to a dozen country's. From the Arctic circle to the equator. I know for a fact that mine is made of leaf spring I was there in P.I.when it was made. leaf spring is generally the equivalent of 1050 carbon steel. will take a temper, and can be made to hold an edge, so don't be shy about paying such a small price for something so though. I recently acquired a Cold steel khukuri machete as a cutter its the equivalent of blades much larger, but theres no-way it could handle the abuse I have put the Bolo through. Military service tends to turn your knife in to a pry bar shovel hammer etc. I recently acquired another Bolo at a swap meet for $8.00 the same price I paid over twenty years ago.
 
What is the Martindale Bolo like? And is their Golok, as used by the British Army, any good? Martindale has an almost absurd number of different models and most of them come in several different blade lengths. What are they like in general? Is the steel good? Some Martindale models that look worthwile are

15

227 (the Bolo)

235

267

358

448

484

702

14

Most of these come in several blade lengths, from rather short to very long in some cases. I don't expect anyone to have tried them all of course, but a general idea on some would be nice.

What I am looking for is a good machete to serve in the woods. The terrain and woods in Scandinavia is fairly similar to that of Canada or Northern USA I guess. I need it to chop saplings, firewood and be able to tackle heavier logs if necessary. It should also be useful as a digging tool if necessary and occasionally a snow knife. The blade has to be sturdy enough for pretty heavy chopping, but not too short and chubby either. The use will be the same as that of an axe or hatchet, almost. Whether the handle is very comfortable or not doesn't matter too much since I will simply design and make my own handle to replace the original one if it is uncomfortable. I have previously used a cheap no brand machete that after modification was pretty good actually. I made a new handle from the bottom end of an old broken axe handle, so the grip is the same as that of a hatchet which makes it very comfortable and the curved grip that is thicker towards the end is very secure. I wrapped tape around the first 10 cm or so of the blade so that you can grab it by the blade and get the right balance for finer and more controlled whittling and cutting. I made a sheath from plywood that is very good, it is light, strong and functional. Fabric sheaths don't last and don't protect you from the blade very well and leather can get soaked and trap a lot of moisture. The plywood sheath I made has an open bottom and lets air circulate slightly around the blade. I want a new machete or three anyway, so any tips are welcome.
 
www.cutleryscience.com has testing of the martindale line.
the martindale bolo shares only a side profile in coming with a real jungle bolo
the Philippine made bolo is heavy tool of the 9 I have in my collection all are nearly 3/8" just in front of the grip. Tapering both ways, wide and flat ground. 'actually forged flat' they chop much better than a hand Axe but not as good as a 3/4ths Axe.
 
Nord, It took me a while to decide on the Machete I wanted, and went for the Martindale Golok, as I planned on using it more in Woodland surroundings.

It is pretty heavy duty, sharpens easily, and chops pretty well.

The only beef I had with it was the handle, which was wood, and needed a little sanding for me.

But, if your going to make your own handle you won't have that issue :) .

I sprung a few extra bucks and got a leather sheath for mine, and have been well pleased.

All that being said, you might want to check out the links though mentioned earlier in this thread, you might be able to get the model 3 for 1/4 the price of the Martindale w/leather sheath, and be very pleased.

If I had heard reviews as highly of them before I decided on the Martindale, for $20 - I'd have definitely given them a shot.

I plan on ordering one in the next couple of days..

sp
 
bikermikearchery said:
www.cutleryscience.com has testing of the martindale line.
the martindale bolo shares only a side profile in coming with a real jungle bolo
the Philippine made bolo is heavy tool of the 9 I have in my collection all are nearly 3/8" just in front of the grip. Tapering both ways, wide and flat ground. 'actually forged flat' they chop much better than a hand Axe but not as good as a 3/4ths Axe.
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Thanks for the tip. I have read a bit on that excellent site already, but Martindale has such a vast selection of models. What do you mean by real jungle bolo? Martindale machetes are extensivley used in agriculture in tropical countries, that is their main market I think. It is also a bit funny on the Martindale website that you order them in crates of as many as 100 machetes!

Here is their webiste listing all their different machetes. Many seem very similar with only slight differences between the models.

http://www.ralphmartindale.co.uk/ralphmartindale/brochure.html
 
I'm not degrading the quality of the martindale line. I'm stating from first hand knowledge, gained from living among the indigenous people of the south Pacific, that the knives they make and use are heavy and thick. most I have handled are close to 3/8' just from eyeballing them, and I would bet nearly two pounds. these are the Bolos I have seen, used, and collected in the mountains and back country. the machetes are there and they do a good job, but the cutting power of a Bolo is incredible.
 
bikermikearchery said:
I'm not degrading the quality of the martindale line. I'm stating from first hand knowledge, gained from living among the indigenous people of the south Pacific, that the knives they make and use are heavy and thick. most I have handled are close to 3/8' just from eyeballing them, and I would bet nearly two pounds. these are the Bolos I have seen, used, and collected in the mountains and back country. the machetes are there and they do a good job, but the cutting power of a Bolo is incredible.
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I don't doubt you at all, I just want as much information as possible. I will check out the ones you mention.
 
How good are the machetes over all for use in the pine forest. Would you rather have an axe. I would like to use it more for shelter, make a fire or if i need to build something. Or maybe a small hatchet would be a better choice??? Im sure an axe would be great but it would be too heavy to carry into the mountains.

Sasha
 
last Q i forgot to ask... how heavy are they compare to the axe and hatchet??? that would make a big diffrence
 
MO-SHET-EEEEEEES.

Machetes.jpg


Machetes2.jpg
 
a machete is a great tool for any woodsman. its light weight and low cost make it such a user friendly tool you cant go wrong. good at cutting brush,chopping light fire wood, digging snow caves.cutting snow blocks if the snows wright for an igloo. If you need to cut a lot of heavy thick or frozen wood you need an Axe, or a chain saw. If you read what I posted earlier you know I have a preference for a Bolo. A Bolo is a short machete on steroids. My preference comes from years of carrying a Bolo in military service. Thats where it had to serve as a knife/hammer/shovel, pry Constantina off the axle of my hmmwv, break through doors, and though I never had to use it for such,it sure looked like a better weapon than that itty bitty bayonet I was issued.
I recently took a Cold steel Khukuri machete out for a woods walk. It has good cutting power for its size and weight, and will no dough serve well with half the weight of my Bolo's.
cold steels khukuri machete 16oz 13" cutting edge 18" overall
cold steel's trailhawk 19.Oz 2.5" cutting edge 18" overall
these are the smallest and lightest in my collection. Both will slip in to a pack and be out of sight if you have to be PC. the machete seems much better at making debris huts, lean pees and such but that could just be my experience.
 
One thing I haven't heard much comment about is the WWII military style machete, although I see Guyon has one in his line up. The handle seems kind of round and fat, I'm wondering how it feels in use?

The past couple of weeks, I've taken my new Filipino bolo, #2 from RA, out for a test drive. Works fine batonning firewood. Also works fine cutting saplings, although the first thing I noticed is that it tends to roll in my hand, affecting blade control. The handle is roundish and kind of slippery (it's smooth buffalo horn). I was wearing heavy gloves and found myself putting my index finger up around the choil and laying my thumb up along the blade for control. I don't really like that. I'll probably wrap the handle with friction tape and see how that works.

I also have a 17-inch Tramontina which I have used for whacking a trail through brush and sapling forest. It works well for that. I also ended up wrapping that handle with friction tape.

I like the bolo for heavy chopping, but wouldn't want it for slinging through brush, because of its weight; I'd prefer the Tramontina for that.
 
Coldwood said:
One thing I haven't heard much comment about is the WWII military style machete, although I see Guyon has one in his line up. The handle seems kind of round and fat, I'm wondering how it feels in use?
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Ontario Machete, 1095 steel. Made in USA , :thumbup:

Does it all. Brush clearing, chopping, hacking.
I like mine for de-limbing small branches when cutting down live trees, it normally lives with my chainsaw.

Handle feels fine.
 
sasha said:
How good are the machetes over all for use in the pine forest. Would you rather have an axe. I would like to use it more for shelter, make a fire or if i need to build something. Or maybe a small hatchet would be a better choice??? Im sure an axe would be great but it would be too heavy to carry into the mountains.

Sasha
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It depends on what you are out to do, sometimes an axe is the obvious choice, sometimes a machete will offer greater versatility. If you are more than one person it is also possible for one person to carry an axe, the other a machete, and so on.
 
I have an 18" Barteaux machete that I like very much.
http://www.machete.com/
They are made in Portland, Oregon. I've read that they are made from carbon steel similar to L6 (8670 maybe), but now I can't find the reference so I can't say for sure.

Scot

I sent them an email asking about the alloy used and was told "high carbon spring steel" which is the same thing their website says. That doesn't narrow it down very much. Still, I've been happy with the product.
 
Im thinking more about backpacking into the high sierra this summer. Take the min and just play around out there for a few days. I would say more to practice and have fun then anything else. I been thinking that the machete i could use as a draw knive too. I found a place where i can buy a cheap machete and i do have an old hatched for over 15 years now. Im going to take them both with me while Geocaching and play in the santa monica mountains see which i like more.

Sasha
 
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